Meet Ex Nihilo Co-Founder Benoît Verdier: An Inside Look at the Fragrance House
COS BAR's newsletter, sent under the subject line "Meet Ex Nihilo Co-Founder Benoît Verdier," offers readers a behind-the-scenes conversation with one of the people behind a fragrance house the retailer clearly admires.
1. Contents of the Newsletter
The email opens with a promotion: a complimentary fragrance gift with orders of $200 or more. It then introduces COS BAR ON CALL, a feature that gives customers a direct line to the founders, experts, and industry insiders behind the brands they love, so that their beauty questions can be answered by people who know the products best.
The main feature, titled "The Trading Post," is an interview with Ex Nihilo co-founder Benoît Verdier. The introduction describes the conversation as an inside look at everyday favorites, unexpected ingredients, and signature scents. The interview is organized as a short question-and-answer session:
- What makes Ex Nihilo fragrance unique? Verdier says the brand wanted to bring a modern perspective to luxury fragrance making while celebrating its heritage and the art of perfumery.
- Signature scent or fragrance wardrobe? He prefers a fragrance wardrobe, describing scent as a form of self-expression with one option for every mood.
- Most unexpected ingredient? Rhubarb, which he says brings a playful energy and unexpected freshness to the newest scent, Demon Dancer.
- Best everyday scent? Blue Talisman, which he calls effortlessly wearable and suitable for almost any occasion.
- Inspiration behind Demon Dancer? A tribute to self-expression and freedom, meant to capture the energy and joy of fragrance movement.
- Best date night scent? Lust in Paradise Extract or Fleur Narcotique, both described as captivating, sensual, and memorable.
- Most underrated Ex Nihilo scent? Santal Calling, a take on sandalwood that is both creamy and addictive.
The newsletter closes with a call to action to shop the Ex Nihilo favorites, highlighting The Fragrance Discovery Set, followed by the site navigation and unsubscribe options.
2. The Products
The newsletter names several Ex Nihilo fragrances, though it gives only brief descriptions of each:
- Demon Dancer: The newest scent in the line, featured with rhubarb as a key ingredient. It is designed to express freedom and playful, joyful energy.
- Blue Talisman: Presented as the brand's best everyday fragrance, valued for its easy wearability across many occasions.
- Lust in Paradise Extract: Recommended as a date night scent, described as sensual and captivating.
- Fleur Narcotique: Also recommended for date nights, with a similarly sensual and memorable character.
- Santal Calling: Described as an underrated sandalwood fragrance that is creamy and addictive.
The featured offer is The Fragrance Discovery Set. For a limited time, customers who spend more than $200 receive four deluxe samples plus a signature scent coin. The email does not list prices, full fragrance notes, sizes, or the exact contents of the samples, so readers would need to visit the store for those details.
3. The Store: COS BAR
The newsletter presents COS BAR as an established beauty retailer, marked "Est. 1976" in its header. That founding date suggests nearly five decades of experience in the beauty business, and the store positions itself as a curated destination rather than a simple catalog.
Several features stand out in the email:
- Expert access: COS BAR ON CALL connects customers with founders, experts, and industry insiders, which signals a commitment to education and personal guidance.
- Editorial content: "The Trading Post" shows the retailer producing interviews that go beyond product listings, giving shoppers context about the brands it carries.
- Broad range of categories: The navigation covers skin, makeup, hair, body, and fragrance, along with New Arrivals, a Loyalty program, and a Fragrance Bar.
- Customer service: Links to Service, Contact, Shipping, Returns, FAQ, and My Account show an emphasis on support and convenience.
- Social presence: The footer includes social media links, and the newsletter includes a preference center for managing subscriptions.
Overall, COS BAR comes across as a established, service-focused retailer that combines a wide selection of beauty brands with expert advice and editorial storytelling. Its focus on fragrance, illustrated by this feature on Ex Nihilo, suggests that scent is a key area of its business.
