Art of Universe

Cold, bright and slightly effervescent is how Art of Universe begins. Mandarin and bergamot supply the citrus, ginger adds a dry prickle, and mint threads a cool, almost menthol clarity through the top that makes the first ten minutes feel genuinely refreshing rather than merely clean. Pear arrives next and softens everything, giving the citrus a juicy, rounded sweetness, while orange blossom adds a white-floral polish that keeps it smelling expensive rather than sporty. The base does the heavy lifting quietly: musk, amber and cedar build a soft, slightly powdery woody finish that stays close to the skin and gives the whole thing a modern, radiant texture.

Fully unisex and easy to wear, this is a daytime, warm-weather fragrance above all else. It is well suited to Highveld summer heat, where the mint and citrus stay legible instead of collapsing, and it is safe for offices, travel and anywhere you would rather not be the most fragrant person in the room. Younger wearers gravitate to it, but there is nothing juvenile about it.

Performance is decent for a fresh composition. Reckon on six to eight hours, the projection moderate over the opening stretch and a close musky presence thereafter. Fresh citrus fragrances rarely do better, and this beats most of them.

The clone identification here is well established: Art of Universe is Lattafa's take on Ex Nihilo Blue Talisman, and several direct comparisons back it up. Blue Talisman is a fig-and-citrus niche release with a distinctive cool minerality, and Art of Universe reproduces its overall shape and mood convincingly. Where they diverge is in refinement and texture. The Ex Nihilo has a smoother, more transparent quality and a longer, cleaner fade; the Lattafa is sweeter through the pear stage and slightly rougher in the top. Reviewers comparing them typically rate it a good rather than exact match, sitting alongside Turathi Electric as one of the two main affordable routes to that scent profile. At 4.14 across almost 2,500 ratings within a year of its 2025 release, the market has clearly accepted it.