- MERLISA LAWRENCE CORBETT
The best Tom Ford perfume
The upscale Tom Ford Private Blend collection features fragrances that are more exclusive and expensive. (BestReviews)
Tom Ford is one of the most celebrated American fashion designers. As with his sought-after suits, Tom Ford perfume represents all the qualities associated with haute couture. Tom Ford perfume is expensive, exclusive and off the charts when it comes to turning heads.
Tom Ford perfume is at the top of the fragrance market, with its fine ingredients, intense scents and distinguished designed bottles. If you're looking for a Tom Ford perfume, the Black Orchid Eau de Parfum is a longstanding favorite for its rich, seductive scent.
What to know before you buy a Tom Ford perfume
Tom Ford perfume’s universal appeal
When you encounter a Tom Ford display at a luxury department store, you'll notice that some of the perfume in the men's fragrances department are also in the women's beauty section. That's because Tom Ford perfume has universal appeal. Many of its most popular fragrances, such as Black Orchid, are marketed for men and women in different advertisements. There is only one Tom Ford Black Orchid formula, and both men and women wear it.
Tom Ford perfume concentrations
Although there is only one Tom Ford Black Orchid, you can purchase the perfume in different parfum concentrations and intensities. Tom Ford perfume comes in an eau de toilette, eau de parfum, parfum. Black Orchid and other top sellers also come in a light body spray, ideal for casual outings when you want just a hint of fragrance. You can also get Black Orchid and other Tom Ford perfume in body oils.
Tom Ford perfume features
Intensely aromatic
Some Tom Ford perfume is labeled intense or extreme. Unlike eau de parfum and eau de toilette, which denote concentration, the intense and extreme labels represent the intensity of the scent. Most Tom Ford perfumes feature strong aromatic scents, which give a silky, almost creamy aroma.
Accessories available
Tom Ford perfume comes in body products such as body oil, shimmering body oils, sprays and candles. If you love Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille, you can get it in a candle, travel spray or beard oil. Tom Ford's Rose Prick perfume even has coordinating lipstick.
Exotic formulations
Tom Ford perfume features exotic and rare fragrance blends. Tubereuse Nues, one of Tom Ford's newer Private Blend fragrances, features a tuberose flower that only blooms through nocturnal pollination. Tom Ford's Costa Azzurra — a citrus, oak wood and cypress blend — is supposed to capture a relaxed and sexy mood of the Mediterranean.
Tom Ford perfume cost
Tom Ford fragrances range in price from about $95 for a body spray to $950 for an 8.5-ounce bottle of its finest parfum.
Tom Ford perfume FAQ
Regular stock or Private Blend?
A. You can't ignore the price point differences between the regular Tom Ford perfume and the high-end Private Blend bottles. Regular Tom Ford fragrances, such as Black Orchid, Grey Vetiver and Tom Ford Extreme, wear well and last just as long on the skin as many of the Private Blend offerings. The exclusive and exotic Private Blend colognes sold at high-end department stores appeal to people who wish to stand out.
How long does Tom Ford perfume last in the bottle?
A. In terms of wear on the skin, Tom Ford perfume has a reputation as long-lasting. However, how long the fragrance remains good for depends on how and where you store it. Store Tom Ford perfume in a dry place with a stable room temperature, away from moisture and high heat. Tom Ford perfume, especially the pure parfum, can maintain its scent for up to six years.
Which Tom Ford perfume should I get?
Best of the best Tom Ford perfume
Black Orchid Eau de Parfum: available at Sephora, Kohl's, Macy's and Ulta Beauty
Our take: Released in 2006, Black Orchid is rich, sensuous and seductive. Its top notes, jasmine, gardenia, blackcurrant, lemon, bergamot and mandarin, provide a burst of sweet femininity while its base notes in sandalwood, vetiver, chocolate and vanilla add an exotic intensity.
What we like: The blend of chocolate and vanilla with spicy mid-notes makes Black Orchid a delicious fragrance ideal for an evening out. The fragrance wears so well you'll have to shower to vanquish the scent.
What we dislike: As scrumptious as Black Orchid can be, it can smell too syrupy sweet for some. The fragrance is heavy and too strong for day wear.
Best bang for your buck Tom Ford perfume
Tom Ford Grey Vetiver: available at Macy's
Our take: Released in 2009, Grey Vetiver is one of the most underrated Tom Ford fragrances. It's crisp, clean and sophisticated.
What we like: Grey Vetiver is as distinctive and complex as any Tom Ford fragrance in the Private Blend line, but costs far less. The blend of orange flower, grapefruit, sage and nutmeg give this perfume fresh, masculine energy without being overpowering.
What we dislike: This fragrance might remind some wearers of the barbershop. The base notes of oakmoss and amber wood are overpowered by the citrus, making it tougher to pull off in the evening.
Honorable mention Tom Ford perfume
Tom Ford Ombré Leather Eau de Parfum: available at Macy's, Ulta Beauty and Sephora
Our take: A serious head-turner, Ombré Leather oozes sensuality with black leather, violet leaf and cedarwood notes.
What we like: The matte black bottle is the perfect vessel for this alluring floral leather fragrance. Hints of jasmine and spicy top notes lure you in. Then, you stay for the lux leather scent that lasts all day.
What we dislike: Ombré Leather's seductive black leather scent is so rich it almost smells like green tobacco. This may be a turnoff for those who avoid deep musky scents.