Ex Nihilo launched Demon Dancer in 2026 at £180 for 50ml. That is £3.60 a millilitre. Aromara Dervish is £40 for the same 50ml: 80p a millilitre.
Dervish is our take on Demon Dancer by Ex Nihilo Paris. 35% Extrait, 7+ hours guaranteed, 60-day money-back. Get the 50ml for £40, or any three 50ml bottles for £80 (buy 2, get 1 free). Want to test it first? The 5ml is £6.99.
Quick verdict: four bottles of Dervish cost £160. One 50ml of Demon Dancer costs £180.
Ex Nihilo Demon Dancer vs Aromara Dervish
| Ex Nihilo Demon Dancer | Aromara Dervish | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £180 for 50ml, £260 for 100ml at Harrods and Selfridges (checked 30 September 2026) | £40 for 50ml, £6.99 for 5ml |
| Price per millilitre | £3.60 (50ml) | 80p |
| Concentration | Eau de parfum, no percentage published | 35% Extrait, published on every listing |
| Notes | Full pyramid published by Ex Nihilo | Built on the same pyramid |
| Longevity | Not guaranteed | 7+ hours, guaranteed in writing |
| If you do not love it | Check the retailer's returns policy | 60-day money-back |
A brand new one
Demon Dancer is one of the newest niche releases in the UK. It went on sale at Harrods in July 2026, reached Ex Nihilo's own shop in August and went international in September. It sits in Ex Nihilo's Iconoclaste collection, and the perfumer is Jordi Fernández.
When we checked ten UK dupe brands on 30 September 2026, none of them sold a Demon Dancer alternative.
What Demon Dancer smells like
Tart and green first. Rhubarb, cool peppermint and blood orange, fizzy and a bit wild.
Then a bright orange blossom heart with blackcurrant.
It dries down creamy and musky, sweetened with tonka and held up by modern woods. Wearers say it is loud to everyone around you, even when you stop noticing it yourself.
The notes
This is the pyramid Ex Nihilo publish:
- Top: Rhubarb, Bergamot, Peppermint, Blood Orange
- Heart: Orange Blossom, Blackcurrant
- Base: Georgywood, Akigalawood, Ambrofix, Musks, Tonka Bean
Georgywood, Akigalawood and Ambrofix are modern woody and ambery materials made in the lab. They give the base its smooth, clean woodiness. Dervish is built on the same structure.
Is it just Blue Talisman with orange blossom?
That is what reviewers say more than anything else. Both have the same fresh, fruity lift. Demon Dancer is thicker and sweeter, with more orange blossom.
We make both, and one of them is already a best seller. Blue Essence, our take on Blue Talisman, sold 57 in the last 90 days (to 30 September 2026), 5ml and 50ml together, before counting bundle picks. That made it our 8th best-selling scent over the period. It holds 4.7 stars from 10 reviews.
If you already love Blue Essence, Dervish is the sweeter, louder sibling.
Who it suits and when to wear it
Anyone who likes fresh scents with a sweet twist. Unisex: Ex Nihilo do not say, and most Fragrantica voters rate it unisex. Best in spring and summer, and in the daytime.
Why ours holds
One number. We publish our concentration: 35% Extrait on every spray. That is the highest disclosed by any UK dupe brand we have found, and it is why we can put 7+ hours in writing instead of hoping.
Some cheap dupes use cheaper oils and stretch them with DPG and other fillers. We never add DPG. Our oils are built by specialist fragrance houses, every batch is rested more than once, and we smell every batch against the original.
What we do not claim is that it is the same liquid. It is not. It is the same scent family, built at a strength you can check.
The 60-day dare
Buy it. Wear it for a proper week. If you can get near a tester of the original, put them side by side.
Not convinced? You have 60 days to get your money back. Send it back lightly tested, with at least 90% left, and you cover the return postage. The full terms are in our refund policy.
No other UK dupe brand we know of gives more than 30 days.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Ex Nihilo Demon Dancer dupe in the UK?
Aromara Dervish is our pick. It is a 35% Extrait built on the pyramid Ex Nihilo publish, £40 for 50ml against £180, with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
When did Demon Dancer come out?
2026. It went on sale at Harrods in July 2026, then on Ex Nihilo's own shop in August.
What are the notes in Demon Dancer?
Top: rhubarb, bergamot, peppermint, blood orange. Heart: orange blossom, blackcurrant. Base: Georgywood, Akigalawood, Ambrofix, musks, tonka bean.
Is Demon Dancer like Blue Talisman?
Reviewers compare the two more than any other pair. Demon Dancer is sweeter and has more orange blossom. We make both: Dervish and Blue Essence.
How long does Dervish last?
7+ hours, guaranteed. It is a 35% Extrait.
PS. £180 for 50ml, or £40 for 50ml. Get Dervish here.
Keep reading: the best Ex Nihilo dupes in the UK, the strongest perfume dupes in the UK and what is new at Aromara. Browse all Ex Nihilo-inspired scents or shop all fragrances.
Aromara is not affiliated with Ex Nihilo. Brand names are used only to describe scent families.
