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.

Writing a second review of Tom Ford's Velvet Orchid. I was on a break from perfumes because I went through a phase where I just couldn't stand strong fragrances. But I gave Velvet Orchird a whirl again today, after half a year of not wearing it. I oversprayed it into my hair, skin, clothes... and the scent bubble was heavenly. Strong, mature, confident, bold, and sophisticated. It's a hot day, but I spent most of time indoors, so the rummy, boozy, sweet, thick, honey-like scent wasn't overwhelming. It's feminine but not in a girly way; it's a floral with so much nuance. Great signature scent. There was something I hated about it before, a bitterness and medicinal quality, but maybe after it macerated it went away and now has blossomed into a stunningly sexy frag that just smells like expensive taste. There's a slight gourmand quality to VO, maybe it could even fit into a Kilian line, but very Tom Ford at his finest. I could bathe myself in this, making me feel like basking in the moonlight wearing a thin, see-through dress, lounging about with a glass of rum in one hand and a piece of dark chocolate in the other. It's a seductive frag that's perfect for the older, wealthy, successful, experienced woman — that's not who I am but VO just makes me want to become her. My fiance wore Ombre Leather today (50+ frags full of niches and still TF is one of our top) and in comparison, VO was softer and lingering. On dates, I'd say they complement each other. Overall: one of TF's best, and one of the best women's designer frags out there. Going to wear it more, especially on tropical nights.

Opens similarly to Black Orchid with the scent of something like black licorice, which I thought came from the patchouli/orchid/spice combo in Black Orchid, but patchouli and spices aren’t listed as notes here, I wonder if it’s the bergamot instead. It softens up a bit right away. Individual notes are hard to pinpoint. In the drydown it becomes quite sweet, and I smell something edible almost cookie like (vanilla and honey?). Because of the powerhouse that Black Orchid is and the almost too strong sillage with two sprays (one on inner elbow and one on my neck) that I experienced with Black Orchid, I decided to just spray this once (inner elbow) tonight. The sillage isn’t really all that strong, I think next time I would spray it on my neck as well. There are many similarities to Black Orchid while being its own distinct perfume and worth having as well. In comparison it’s more romantic. Less bold/daring, probably more suited to daytime/late afternoon use. It leans more feminine too. I could see this being worn in the daytime to a fancy brunch, celebration, lunch or some other kind of fancy daytime event because it’s expensive/sophisticated. It is very pretty while still having something to say even if it’s not as bold of a statement like Black Orchid.

Velvet Orchid may lean feminine at first glance, but from the opening to the very last trace on the skin, it is simply a beautiful fragrance. There’s a richness to it, a soft floral glow wrapped in something darker and more velvety, that makes it incredibly easy to wear even if you don’t typically gravitate toward “feminine” scents. I’ve always enjoyed perfumes that carry a floral touch with just a hint of femininity, the kind that feels intentional rather than sugary. Velvet Orchid fits that description perfectly. It has the same elegant softness I admire in YSL Jumpsuit: floral, smooth, and quietly sensual without ever turning syrupy or overly sweet. The floral bouquet in Velvet Orchid has depth, warmth and a sort of satin-like texture that makes it feel refined rather than girlish. On my skin, it becomes this warm, enveloping cloud that stays elegant and composed from start to finish. Nothing screeches, nothing turns sharp; it’s polished all the way through. Even though the perfume clearly leans toward a feminine profile, there’s enough structure and darkness underneath to make it completely wearable for anyone who appreciates expressive florals. A truly well-crafted scent that bridges softness and sophistication in a way few fragrances manage.

I don’t get the rum alone in this at all, but the first thing my mind goes to is a high quality floral drink. Not necessarily alcoholic. Not medicine, but processed flowers. Not synthetic, but almost extract in how floral it smells, more than actual flowers. If you’ve ever drank “gourmet soda” they use high quality sugars or syrups or honey, that’s what this smells like. High quality sweet floral drink. I didn’t like it at first because it was a totally different floral, but i love it now. Eye opening, slight nasal passage opening but no headache. Weirdly enough best unlike fragrance i can compare it to is the initial shalimar by guerlain. That has more citrus and the dry down because lite citrus and floral, green. This smells similar at first, but after the dry down the reminants are stronger, a vivid floral. At least more vivid than shalimar initial. And it lasts 4-6 hours and silage is insane, people can smell it on the other side of a 20 foot room shortly after i enter it. Don’t think it is too feminine if you can rock flowers

Maybe I just miss her a lot but this fragrance suddenly started reminding me of my grandmother, in the best most flattering possible way. It's not a negative descriptor here because she was beautiful, elegant, sophisticated, a well-dressed and well-coiffed woman until the very last few years of her life when it simply wasn't possible for her to be those things anymore. Velvet Orchid smells like an amalgamation of every perfume I ever smelled on her, and of course she always smelled perfect, noticeably perfumed but never, ever too much. I knew I liked it right away when I first bought it some years ago when she was still alive, but a few years since her passing I suddenly understand why, and I feel more fond of this fragrance than ever. In a sense it never felt mine even though I loved it, and I see now that's because it was always something I was borrowing off her vanity.

Tom Ford’s Velvet Orchid is one of the most sexy winter fragrances that I have ever encountered. When I close my eyes I imagine: You are sitting by the fire in a large deluxe wooden cabin in the woods. It is snowing and cold outside this evening as you sit by the fire warm. You are wearing a loose fitting, cashmere sweater of a deep Merlot colour and you’re under a blanket with somebody you just can’t wait to be alone with. you are drinking a hot buttered rum with honey swirled into it. It is boozy and intoxicating and sweet, like the vanilla sugar plum the two of you are sharing. The bouquet of creamy white flowers, flown in this morning, and heated by the fires warmth, delicately fills the room with their practically naughty scent. Everybody says they’re going to go out for a winter bonfire of toasting marshmallows, but the two of you decide to stay behind, alone.

I got a travel size 2 years ago and used it very sparingly, don't think I even used it at all last fall/winter. Was just not into the scent. However I've recently pulled it out from the back of my collection during this recent cold snap weather we've had and OMGG it is such a gorgeous, luxurious scent for cold weather!! It smells so deep and rich, the opening is probably polarizing because it's sharp but it dries down so elegantly. I sprayed my scarf 3 entire weeks ago and I still smelled the scent on the scarf when I pulled it out of my drawer today. The dry down is where it starts to smell like Black Orchid but still has that unique velvety almost smokiness. Ugh such a high quality fragrance!! It's definitely an acquired taste so do not blind buy. I'm happy it grew on me!

Listen I don’t normally go for floral scents all that often but let me just tell you this is not like every other floral, it is just incredibly intoxicating. It’s unique and unlike anything else in my collection. They were right to make the bottle purple and to add “velvet” to the name because that’s exactly how it smells—smooth, timeless, chic, elegant, classy, warm. You’d wear this to an expensive dinner where there’s a fireplace and live piano. Every note is so perfect; the top notes of rum, honey, mandarin orange, bergamot, the base notes of vanilla, suede, sandalwood, etc. and the middle notes of a collection of florals. Huge compliment getter. I’ve owned this fragrance for a couple years now and I’ve always questioned why it isn’t more popular or more talked about.

Compared to Black Orchid, this one is brighter, smoother, and definitely more wearable. The opening is actually lovely unlike Black Orchid’s, which I find pretty harsh. Velvet Orchid comes across as soft, creamy, and elegant right from the start, which I really enjoy. Unlike many others, I believe it would work at a summer night out as well? The floral heart, along with vanilla and that subtle suede touch, is very prominent to my nose. It feels luxurious but in a gentler, more approachable way. Because of its floral nature, it’s definitely the safer sibling to Black Orchid. It’s less edgy, more universally appealing. Strange thing, it gives me similar vibes to Lancôme Poême. Not in scent exactly, but in the dreamy, rich, and nostalgic aura they both carry.

Got this for an incredible steal, Sephora had it for 50% off and I got a travel size. It's my first TF fragrance. It's a really rich, deep heavy scent. Not gourmand at all, but very warm and cozy. It does resemble Black Orchid a lot so if you like that one you'll like this. It has the same vibe to my nose as DKNY Be Delicious Night. That one also has a dark smoky mysterious vibe. It totally has an incense vibe (maybe that's the rum note...I'm speculating though because don't drink so I've never smelled rum lol). Super strong, I only spray like 2 sprays at most even though I'm an over-sprayer with every other perfume (5+ sprays typically). I like it a lot! I would not pay full price but I'm feeling lucky to have scored it for such a good price.

I really love Black Orchid, but everywhere I was reading that this was 'better' and 'slightly softer'. It is widely reputed to be a tamer version, for those who find Black Orchid a bit too intense. It is slightly softer, and the sandalwood is missing (which is a huge part of Black Orchid), but it definitely has the same DNA. This may be slightly softer (it doesn't necessarily introduce itself before you) but it has a much richer, balsamic note to it. That velvety, warm depth that gives it a red wine feel. The top notes on this are strong and quite dated, like wearing a female powerhouse scent from the 80s or 90s. It really needs time to settle before it shows itself. 8.5/10 (I still prefer that dusty, chocolately sandalwood of Black Orchid)

I’ve been bored with perfumes lately, I’ve really struggled to find my signature scent for the warmer months. HOWEVER, today, when I was wondering what to wear since it got colder, I remembered I had this one and when I sprayed it, I realised that this is the first ever perfume I’m not getting bored of at all. This is the 3rd year in a row that I’m coming back to it religiously every autumn and can’t imagine smelling anything else. The sweet rhum and honey smell hits me right away when I spray it and when it dries down, on my skin, it leaves a floral powdery sandalwood smell that lasts after washes. It probably triggers some memory for me, it smells very cozy and familiar, kind of like my mom and dad combined.

Uber sexy, sultry and mysterious. I owned it years ago and it was a little too much for me, so I sold it, but I knew I really liked something about it. I've finally re-purchased it again as my spidey senses tell me it won't be around much longer. The best way to wear this is... SPARINGLY! The sprayer only gave me a few drops on my wrist which initially irritated me, but in the end was more than enough to radiate around me once it began to dry down. I love the balance of the musk, the liqueur stewed plums, and creamy florals. It walks the line between being a near dessert of warm fruit with a dollop of creme fraiche served next to exotic, night blooming florals. Hypnotic and beautiful!

A modern take to a dated note. I had numerous orchid perfumes and all of them smelled the same so I was skeptical of this fragrance but it proved that this is a timeless perfume. It opens with a strong honey, then transforms to a fresh orchid and gives mellow boozy notes, which is currently very popular with perfumes. My nose is very messed up, I am not sensitive to scents whatsoever but I can smell this every second that I wear it. If I can smell it I am pretty sure everyone around me can smell it. So great sillage. It stays better on skin than clothes. Easy crowdpleaser and signature scent. I am yet to meet her older and mysterious sister.

Such a delicate yet mystically alluring scent. The mandarin orange and bergamot hit me like a freight train but it quickly mellows down into this silky, citrus-infused, honeyed-rum goodness. I don’t gravitate towards florals often but this is pure magic. The dry down is just as intoxicating, and I never considered myself a sandalwood/leather kinda girl until now. It’s been days and I just can’t put it down. I had my eyes set on Black Orchid initially as it read more like me but I’m so happy I took a chance on this. Something about it is so enchantingly haunting. I feel like a vampire after a fresh kill. My new signature I fear.