“What?” you might be asking. “Black Orchid. Umm, haven’t we covered this ground before?”
Well, yes, sort of. Robin reviewed Tom Ford Black Orchid Eau de Parfum soon after it was released in 2006, and we’ve since reviewed its flankers: Voile de Fleur and Velvet Orchid. But this review is for the newly launched Eau de Toilette, which the perfume house touts as different from the original, saying:
Exposing itself at first moment, Black Orchid Eau de Toilette is a distinctly different encounter. Experience the seductive breakthrough in a new light with its own olfactive journey. With a more open, immediate expression, the custom-grown Tom Ford Black Orchid instantly takes center stage, inviting you inside in a way never before experienced in the classic signature fragrance.
So, is the Eau de Toilette truly a “distinctly different encounter”? As a test, I wore both Black Orchid formulations side by side, and I didn’t note a stark difference. The Eau de Toilette diverges from the Eau de Parfum a bit in its opening and far dry down, but most of the rest — the heart notes, sillage, persistence — is pretty darned close to the Eau de Parfum.
In its opening, Black Orchid Eau de Toilette sparks a bit more with orange and bright citrus before launching into Black Orchid’s signature hazelnut-jammy fruit-white flower-truffle heart. Curiously, at this stage the Eau de Toilette is a few decibels louder and sharper than the Eau de Parfum. Within fifteen minutes, the formulations are hard to distinguish, although the Eau de Toilette carries a little more soapiness and is perhaps a touch more brash than the Eau de Parfum.
Both the Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum power along for five or six hours before beginning to retreat. Here’s where they take different paths. The Eau de Toilette turns to soft vanilla, while the Eau de Parfum, although still on the sweet side, holds tight to its wood.
So, there’s bad news and good news. If you were hoping for an intriguing interpretation of Black Orchid in its Eau de Toilette, the way, say, Guerlain tends to distinguish its EdTs from its EdPs, you’ll be disappointed. On the other hand, if you adore Black Orchid and want a less expensive version with a bit more punch, you’ll want to give the Eau de Toilette a try.
Tom Ford Black Orchid Eau de Toilette is $98 for 50 ml and $135 for 100 ml (compare this to $115 for 50 ml and $165 for 100 ml for the Eau de Parfum). It’s widely available at department stores.
Thanks for the review Angela. In theory I should love the various Orchids. In reality, I just don’t. I had hopes that this one was different enough to give it a try. I just might anyway, but it’s good to know what I should expect.
I admit that I’m not wild about them, either. I can usually stand up to a big fragrance, but this one feels like it competes with me rather than complements me. I love the bottle, though!
At this stage of a perfume journey I find myself asking to which degree does branding, packaging and snobbery (for lack of a better term) influence how people perceive scents.
Would BO EdT (or the original EdP for that matter) be perceived as a yet another run-of-the-mill floriental/fruitchouli/woods/blerg – although possibly well executed – scent if it had been sold as, say, a Britney Spears in a pink bottle? Or does ‘Tom Ford’ lend it an inalienable pedigree that is impossible to get past?
I really do wonder because I’ve come to realise my perception of some scents would be very very different had the price/packaging/branding/availability been of a different order. Which then makes me question what is it actually that I smell.
It’s honest of you to admit that. Most of us a much more influenced by branding and packaging that we like to admit. I know I am.
Me, too.
I think that’s a very interesting question. In my case, I think Brand does have an initial impact on me. Positive and negative. If I like a brand and the packaging, but not the scent, I still cannot seem to convince myself that I do like it. Conversely, if I do not like a brand, but do like the scent, I am still unlikely to purchase because the negative connotations with the brand or even association with the scent ruin the perfume experience as a whole for me.
I’ll try almost anything Chanel, for instance. But how different is Coco Noir than other dark fruity florals?
First let me commend you on noticing the link between Black Orchid and BO! I never even saw that.
As for packaging, brands, etc., I’m with you all the day. In fact, I think the perfume houses count on advertising and branding making a difference–look how steep the marketing budgets are.
Black Orchid has its own character, I’ll say that for it. Whether it works for me individually, I’m not as sure.
Absolutely. It was reading the review
‘with orange and bright citrus before launching into hazelnut-jammy fruit-white flower-truffle … loud, sharp and brash before turning into a soft vanilla’
and I thought ‘erm this sounds like a gazillion other mass-market floriental-gourmands’.
So I sort of missed the snarky tone and something like ‘it smells like an awful lot of other things out there but it’s cheap and nicely done so you might just as well pick up a bottle next time you’re at Walmart’ 😀
There’s some good stuff at Walmart! I think that’s where I bought my bottle of Tabu.
This is a very disturbing question. I unfortunately have to answer that yes, I am influenced by stylish brands and nice bottles, as much as I try to concentrate on the scent itself. If a perfume was presented to me in a Bell Jar or a Justin Bieber bottle, I can’t honestly say I would perceive it the same way. Shame on me.
Well, you’re in good company. Me included.
me 3!
An interesting question, to be sure, although for me at least, it can cut both ways. What I mean is that while my expectations for a prestigious or pricey brand (or a beautiful bottle) are higher, so are my requirements. The more expensive it is, the better it needs to smell for me to consider buying it.
Branding and all its associations are not altogether a bad thing. With the sheer number of new releases, it is helpful to have some sort of filter available to narrow down the choices. If you know you generally like a certain brand, then you may make the effort to try their new releases. If, on the other hand, you have generally not liked a brand, you will tend to ignore their offerings.
I do admit to being swayed by beautiful bottles and by intriguing names. The bottle issue is at least somewhat rational. After all, you get to look at the bottle, and can display it if you wish, so even if you aren’t crazy about the perfume, you get some value for your money. People do spend large sums of money on decorative items that don’t come with any perfume or other consumable item inside, so why not? The name thing I realize makes no rational sense. I suppose I could just make up my own names and call my perfumes whatever I like, but still I have often sought out a perfume to try just because I liked the name. I have also sometimes been sorely disappointed when I ended up not liking the perfume.
You bring up two great points: one, that having a big name and big reputation demands a bigger product; and two, that a bottle and aura of a perfume *should* be appealing! I agree. To use Coco Noir again as an example, if it had been released by a brand less fancy than Chanel, I probably would have been thrilled by the quality of its materials.
I have posed this question here (perhaps a little more aggressively) and been called a Bully and more… I have lamented countless times that Perfume Snobbery works both ways, some of us (MANY OF US) on this board are so installed on their Fragrance “Ivory Towers” that some and so Dismissive and Vitriolic in their Opinions that they seem to be unable to please with ANYTHING other than something that comes from a Remote Village in the Mountains of Nepal or from some SUPER Niche company that sells like only 8 1/2 bottles of a scent. I know I have been UBER Guilty in the past of being Categorically Biased about scents, Low Priced, Drugstore scents or “Celebrity” Scents I would be put off of even before I smelled them. Then, I just actually closed my eyes, inhaled and let the scent be what it was and i found myself opened to a new world.
Does everything have to try to be a Masterpiece like Vintage Diorissimo or Chanel No. 46…??? NO! it does not. Sometimes something Perfectly lovely can come from Jessica Simpson or Arianna Grande or from the Very Irresistible line of Givenchy fragrances… You don’t have to spend your money on it, but you don’t have to deride it either….
Frankly, some of the “Remote Village in the Mountains of Nepal” scents aren’t particularly moving, either.
What I like is a perfume with its own character. Sometimes–as in Black Orchid–the character doesn’t suit my own personality, but other times–like Elie Saab or Bottega Veneta–I can crave it!
Plus, I admit to being a total sucker for a gorgeous bottle and chic marketing. That said, some of my favorite fragrances I have in hand-labeled decants in anonymous bottles.
Yes, However, Angela, Mon Angel… You were nowhere NEAR the people I was speaking of… If YOU, don’t Like something, I can always be FULLY Aware very careful consideration was taken in making that determination! I value your opinion Very Highly, and though we may disagree and have our own tastes, I know usually your seal of approval is plenty enough for me to trust and believe in! 😀 <3
You’re very sweet!
I’m afraid I have not tried either Orchids, but I’m interested in how fragrance houses decide whether to do a flanker for a pillar release, or a different concentration. Or they do both, and fully bewilder their customers.
We don’t need all these releases, do we, and yet I am always glad that Chanel (I’m less familiar with Guerlain) do distinctly different interpretations of No 5 and No 19, including their respective flankers. It works if the fragrance is really good to start with.
I like, too. It gives vintage lovers like me a formulation to grab onto (sometimes, at least) that the company keeps for people who wore the scent long ago but might not be the target market these days.
Omg, that copy. Too ridiculous.
Most TF smell no bueno with my chemistry, which makes my wallet happy.
A full wallet is a happy wallet!
Indeed, ha ha!
I’m still a little sad that the Voile de Fleur didn’t stick around, because that one’s gorgeous, IMO. The original is too dirt/cucumber/truffle-y and goes sort of “moldering hothouse” on my skin, though I’ve smelled Blk O on two different men and they smelled FAB.
I bet it would be good on men. My old boss had a bottle, but he said he used it as a room spray after cooking fish. Black Orchid might not be my favorite, but I respect it more than that, at least!
Sorry! As a cook who loves to cook fish and sometimes does not like the scent in my kitchen the next day, the one thing I am sure would smell worse than the residual vongole is vongole cum Black Orchid!
You’re right–that’s pretty disgusting!
The original is of the better Tom Fords, will try this but probably will still like original better though just due to the memories attached! One of the first perfumes I was brave enough to wear and not care that it was “women’s”.
Nice memories always smell good.
What I appreciate about Black Orchid is how distinct it is. It has its own personality and character. It might not be perfect for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not great for someone else.
Yes!
Yeah I think it is like Angel and A*Men, it’s perfect for if your young and you want to make some noise! I drank Black Orchid up ten years ago, but now when I smell it I just laugh at what I must of smelled like! Similar to how people recoiled in the 90’s away from Opium, Paris, Poison, Drakkar, etc. What the heck we’re we thinking! (I love that feeling though of looking back being like where was my brain!) I would buy a rollerball of Black Orchid today just to have for old times sake but doubt that will happen and I can imagine Tom Ford charging out the ying yang if he did rollerballs!
Oh, but I bet he’d do a beautiful roller ball in black fluted glass. I’d buy one.
I admit to loving some of the big old whoppers like Samsara and Montana, but I try to wear them when I know I won’t be in a sensitive crowd.
Want to talk about Whoppers… Get a Spritz of Vintage 273 sometime… Talk about Clearing A Room with Sillage! LOL! My Mom used to wear it all the time and it worked, but it was still MONSTROUSLY BIG! 😀
I’ve never heard of that one! On my list to sample it goes.
As far as it goes… Black Orchid can be a little divisive! I Love Black Orchid and Velvet Orchid with an Unabashed passion, Black Orchid I’D Wear myself. But I know people who find it just this side of Repugnant, so not all smell the same things from a fragrance. For me, it’s a Charmer from beginning to end! Never got the chance to smell Voile de Fleur, so cannot comment on it, but will make sure during my Xmas shopping to stop and Sniff the EdT Black Orchid just to see where it stands.
I really like Black Orchid’s character, but it doesn’t want to be my friend. It sounds much more like YOUR friend, and it probably smells fabulous on you.
There are just some fragrances that no matter how WE adore THEM, They don’t feel the same (Kinda like some relationships! Funny, That!?) Like me and Guerlain Heritage… I absolutely drop to my knees and thank the Gods for that fragrance when my Dad wears it, Smells Rich, Manly, HIDEOUSLY Expensive and Dapper on him…. ON ME, Well, Overcooked Cabbage has a more Pleasant Aroma! LOL! Again, I LIVE for the way it smells, it just doesn’t want to smell that way ON ME! 😉
I feel the same way about so many tuberose fragrances! I love them, adore them, and love burning tuberose candles, but after five minutes on my skin, I smell like cheap soap.
P.S. Thank You! You’re The Best, Mon Angel! 😀
Hi Angela!
I have the original Black Orchid, and in the body oil as well. This feels like an old comfy cashmere sweater to me. My skin loves this and Angel but I tend not to overdose on these. A little spritz goes a LONG way!
Has BO been around 10 years? Wow, how time flies!
Isn’t it amazing how long it’s been? I’m surprised, too, that there hasn’t been an EdT until now.