Spiky Muse vs Black Pearl
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
20%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Spiky Muse takes 3 of 4 categories.
Spiky MuseChoose it for a rose and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Black PearlChoose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Spiky Muse3/4
Black Pearl1/4
- Ratings & consensus
- Not scored
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- Spiky Muse
- Sillage & projection
- Spiky Muse
- Value for money
- Black Pearl
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Spiky Muse
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Spiky MuseEx NihiloBlack PearlKenoozWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.81/ 5 · 622 votes
Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%
5.00/ 5 · 1 votes
Have 14%Had 0%Want 86%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate36%Love
30%Like
19%Ok
11%Dislike
4%Hate
622 votes
100%Love
0%Like
0%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
1 vote · too few to score
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevitySpiky Muse
SillageSpiky Muse
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBlack PearlBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothrose100%
woody92%
citrus84%
oud77%
sweet69%
fruity61%
fresh spicy100%
woody92%
smoky84%
warm spicy77%
amber69%
aromatic61%
Scent match20%Clearly different · both woody
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop15-30 mins
BergamotPink PepperStrawberry
Heart2-4 hrs
RosePistachio
Base6-8+ hrs
AkigalawoodAmbrofix™CedarwoodTonka Bean
Top
Black PepperStrawberryRaspberryCorianderBergamotCinnamonSaffron
Heart
JasmineRose
Base
SmokeFrankincenseAgarwoodSandalwoodAmbergrisCedarwoodLeatherVetiver
InformationalShared notesBergamot, Strawberry, Rose and Cedarwood. Durations are only published for Spiky Muse, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer79
Fall0
Winter18
Day100
Night33
Spring50
Summer0
Fall100
Winter100
Day100
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#6,148
PerfumerLouise Turner
Launched—
Reviews62
Overall rank#49,350
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Category winnerSpiky MuseHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotSpiky Muse by Ex Nihilo turns the traditional floral genre on its head by pairing fresh, dewy rose petals with a sharp burst of upcycled strawberry and sparkling pink pepper. The opening feels crunchy and bright, almost like biting into a firm, underripe berry sprinkled with citrus zest. As the fragrance settles onto …
Reviews →Black Pearl opens with a sharp burst of cracked black pepper and fiery saffron, balanced by a tart flash of raspberry and bergamot. The top notes create a crisp, energetic spice that feels intentionally harsh before quiet floral tones emerge. Within twenty minutes, jasmine and dark rose soften the aggressive bite, giv…
Reviews →InformationalRead bothTaste is personal
How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Spiky Muse or Black Pearl?
Spiky Muse takes 3 of 4 categories. Spiky Muse is rated 3.81/5 from 622 votes; Black Pearl is rated 5.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Spiky Muse for a rose and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Black Pearl for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Which lasts longer, Spiky Muse or Black Pearl?
Spiky Muse lasts longest (Spiky Muse 73/100, Black Pearl 70/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Spiky Muse or Black Pearl?
Projection is very close: Spiky Muse 64/100, Black Pearl 63/100 for sillage.
Do Spiky Muse and Black Pearl smell similar?
Clearly different: a 20% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Strawberry, Rose and Cedarwood.
Is Spiky Muse or Black Pearl better for summer or winter?
Spiky Muse suits daytime wear; Black Pearl suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Spiky Muse and Black Pearl?
Spiky Muse has top notes of Bergamot, Pink Pepper and Strawberry, heart notes of Rose and Pistachio, a base of Akigalawood, Ambrofix™, Cedarwood and Tonka Bean. Black Pearl has top notes of Black Pepper, Strawberry, Raspberry and Coriander, heart notes of Jasmine and Rose, a base of Smoke, Frankincense, Agarwood and Sandalwood.
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