Velvet Orchid

There';s something about Tom Ford products that make me either want to slap him or kiss him. I'm a makeup artist and I stock his products in my kit. If any of you have used his makeup, you know it isn't inexpensive, but I keep buying it because there's just something about his products that translate so well on women of all ages and skin tones. He has a clear vision of what lady should look like from head to toe, and he captures that essence in every way with every product he produces. Back to the perfume.... I am not a huge fan of Black Orchid. I would say that I am neutral leaning ever so slightly towards dislike when it comes to Black Orchid. For me, it was just too aggressive and stern, and it has been my experience that when most people wear the Black Orchid, they are very liberal with it, and I just think that killed it for me. I liked it enough to consider trying Velvet Orchid. I purchased a bottle of Velvet Orchid and oh my goodness, where do I start? Velvet Orchid is pure unadulterated sweet sex for the soul. Velvet Orchid opens with a sweet boozey rum note with a few citrus hits here and there. Smelling this scent is like for lack of a better example, sucking on a jaw breaker... There are so many unique and distinct notes layered on top of one another. I get lots of Heliotrope, Jasmine, Orange Blossom, and Narcissus on me. One layer is more pleasing than the next, and you will find yourself liking particular notes in this fragrance that you have never liked before. I generally don't care for vanilla but it works with the warm resinous sandalwood base. There is something about Velvet Orchid that is or can be all things for different people. Velvet Orchid is so sexy and sweet but so naughty and dirty. One can definitely tell that Black Orchid and Velvet Orchid are related, but they couldn't be any more different... kind of like fraternal twins. Some people have said that if you like Black Orchid you'll probably like Velvet Orchid. I don't know if I would agree with that statement. I believe that if you like Black Orchid, this one may not be for you; however, I encourage you to give Velvet Orchid a shot. Velvet Orchid is wild and uninhibited in the sweetest of ways, and I adore it.

When I once tested it on paper, I wasn’t very impressed. Sure, it was a nice fragrance but I didn’t really feel like it was much like Black Orchid, so I didn’t really see it like a flanker. It just didn’t seem to be something that I needed. I already had Black Orchid EDP at the time. But then later I bought Black Orchid EDT and the collector in me got kind of antsy and I did put it on my list. Then I finally was able to buy a 100ml bottle for a discounted price, so I figured that now was the time. I watched a lot of reviews on YouTube and found that the way people described it was something that I could get behind – a floral, mild version of Black Orchid. Since having my own bottle, I can agree with that, but I feel like it’s Black Orchid introducing you to a different fragrance: in the very opening, you get some of the Black Orchid DNA. Then later, quickly, it just turns into its own kind of fragrance, which is definitely pleasant and enjoyable. I wore it for the first time in the high Summer heat, but I do have to say that it held up just fine. It wasn’t too much like Black Orchid EDP, where it just became too spicy and too overwhelming where it needed to be scrubbed. You could totally wear this one in Summer if that’s what you would like to do. The drydown is so floral that it is a completely different experience from Black Orchid. It’s definitely still an intense fragrance, but it’s not ‘black’ like Black Orchid. It’s elegantly floral, but still in a mysterious kind of way – and you do get the sweet stickiness of the honey, as well as the booziness of the rum. It’s an amazingly balanced kind of fragrance, which isn’t like a dainty kind of floral fragrance, but a heavier version of a floral amber fragrance. Just not as dark and innovative is Black Orchid. But it’s still highly recommended. I see it as unisex, especially once I wear it on my skin, it doesn’t feel like I wouldn’t want other people to smell this on me. I’m happy with it and I’m sure that I will wear it on plenty of occasions.

Tom Ford's Velvet Orchid is much more than a simple "companion" to the legendary Black Orchid; it is a softer, brighter and decidedly more unscrupulous evolution of her feminine charm. If Black Orchid is the dark and almost gothic mystery, Velvet Orchid is the purple silk that caresses the skin. The structure of Velvet Orchid is complex, orchestrated by a "dream team" of noses (Vasnier, Becker and the Maisondieu couple). The result is a dense and layered harmony. The mix of Rum and Honey is immediate. It's not a cloying sweetness, but a warm, liqueur-like sensation that's refreshed just enough by the mandarin and bergamot. Here the fragrance explodes. The Black Orchid (TF's signature) is surrounded by an immense bouquet. The hyacinth and narcissus add an almost "earthy" and green facet, while the heliotrope gives that powdery and almond touch that makes the perfume hypnotic. The closing is masterful. Suede and Myrrh give a velvety texture, while Peru Balsam and vanilla ensure infinite persistence on the skin. It is an extremely luxurious fragrance. Wearing Velvet Orchid gives the feeling of wearing a high fashion dress; it's sophisticated, mature and incredibly sexy in a refined way. Less polarizing than Black Orchid (no strong "earthy/fungal" notes), sweeter and creamier. If you don't like dense, rich and very floral perfumes, it could be excessive. It's not an "office" or "gym" scent. Tom Ford's Velvet Orchid is much more than a simple "companion" to the legendary Black Orchid; it is a softer, brighter and decidedly more unscrupulous evolution of her feminine charm. If Black Orchid is the dark and almost gothic mystery, Velvet Orchid is the purple silk that caresses the skin. Orchid is the embodiment of Tom Ford's ultra-glamorous femininity. It is a perfume that does not apologize, dedicated to those who want to leave an indelible memory. Compared to the darkness of Black Orchid, here we find an amber light that makes it more wearable, but no less magnetic.

This is a scent for being taken seriously. It just has a quality that lets them know you're not a pick-me girl, you're a grown woman. You won't be staring down at your phone, scrolling TikTok or obsessively checking your number of followers on Instagram. You're capable of speaking to actual human beings, in person. You'll be engaged in the conversation, listening and responding, because you're interested and interesting. You have things to say because you have life experience; you've done things, seen things, felt things. You've loved, you've lost, you've lived, and you've learned from it. The ones who matter will recognize, appreciate, and gravitate. So many designer scents are pretentious, over-hyped, and screeching for attention like the girls who bathe in them before scurrying from their rundown 1-bedroom where the bills are past due, carrying an empty $600 handbag. This is the scent of a woman who's past the point of pretending, who brings things of her own to the table and won't be asking you to pay her cell bill. If Black Orchid is a little heavy or sharp for you, but you long for a full-bodied evening fragrance, this one is worth a try. True to the name the scent is like velvet; thick and opulent. A little sweeter than Black, but nowhere near gourmand. This is a timeless perfume, not a trendy sugar bomb. The drydown is a wealthy whisper, deep and rich but softly inviting. Sillage is impressive, beware the overspray. A little spritz and you have arrived. Longevity lasts through the night with traces lingering the morning after on skin, and days after on fabric. Like velvet, it's too heavy for warm weather but perfectly suited for cool evenings. This is one of the few TF scents worth the price tag, and my go-to for holiday events. I'm bracing myself for the inevitable reformulation that befalls all my favorite scents, but until then I'll never be without this one in my collection. 💖

Tom Ford’s Velvet Orchid stands as a glamorous, ultra-feminine evolution of the house’s iconic Black Orchid, exuding a mysterious yet polished allure. While Black Orchid is famously dark and earthy, Velvet Orchid is its opulent, richly colored sister—a fragrance that wraps you in a thick, shimmering veil of dark florals and warm, boozy sweetness. The opening is immediately intoxicating. It bypasses the damp earthiness of the original, instead launching with a captivating mix of honey and rum, brightened subtly by cool citrus notes like mandarin and bergamot. This initial moment is plush and almost gourmand, setting the stage for the dramatic heart. The core of the fragrance is a dizzying, complex floral bouquet. The namesake Velvet Orchid accord is center stage, blended masterfully with intense Turkish rose oil, jasmine, hyacinth, and narcissus. It is a heady, sophisticated floral explosion, giving the scent its rich, almost vampy feel. It smells like a midnight garden party held in a velvet-lined ballroom. The dry down is where the true luxury lies. The florals settle into a deeply warming base of vanilla, exotic Peru balsam and myrrh, punctuated by smooth suede and sandalwood. This combination provides phenomenal depth and longevity, ensuring the fragrance wears for hours as a creamy, resinous skin scent. Velvet Orchid is not a casual daytime fragrance; it demands attention. This is a cold-weather masterpiece, perfectly suited for elegant evening wear, dates, or any special occasion where you want to project confidence, luxury, and captivating femininity. Verdict: An outstanding oriental-floral fragrance that is lush, intoxicating, and distinctly grown-up. It truly captures the "hothouse flower" aesthetic Tom Ford intended.