Estee Lauder • Tom Ford Black Orchid • Fragrances

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caseymac2 on 2/4/2013 12:59:00 PM more reviews by caseymac2

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

Wow. I was taken aback when I first smelled it in the store aisle. But then, give it a few minutes and WOW again: I love it! I have heard many people say it smells like sweaty crotch or mushrooms, but I only smell a full enchanting not too sweet deep forest chocolate spice. And yes, I DO get compliments on it! Lasting power-- 6-8 hours. Yes, it is spendy, but it is like a new pair of downhill skis -- very exciting to put on! My other favorite scent is classic Chanel no 5. I consider Black Orchid to be its bad girl partner! They are now sitting happily together on my perfume shelf: Classic Queen and Black Goddess!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Kysyona on 11/8/2012 8:16:00 AM more reviews by Kysyona

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Oily, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I urge those, who call it sex in a bottle ( and like it ) - try Boudoir by Vivienne Westwood or Kingdom by McQueen: ( with Kingdom you literally feel it's having you against a wall: I am so speechless it'll probably take me months to come up with a comprehensive review! ). Tom Ford's Black Orchid is a late hour seduction game with a reverse sex roleplay. It's a thick liquoir of dark berries, liquorice and the indestructable olfactory champion ylang-ylang ( that's the most frequent cause of headaches in perfumes by the way, so test before buying, if you are prone to face-numbing migranes! ). Yes, it is an odd kid on the block among thousands patchouly-phobic florals out there, and it is the most obvious unisex /bisexual perfume I have ever smelled: the stage is totally feminine with all the heavy florals, but the vetiver stands there in the center and it is very much a boyish figure! - the sugar somehow just didn't quite fuse with it here. I would call it the Marlene Dietrich of all perfumes: it is neither of the sexes, yet very attractive to both. My husband sniffed it at a local drugstore on my recomendation and said: "I wouldn't mind wearing it myself!" Considering he is open to experiments and happened to play for "the other team" in his distant youth, this did not surprise me in the least. And since I occasionally find other women attractive, I guess it also explains why I like Black Orchid's double nature. For me this is THE perfume to wear with a black tuxedo on a naked body with hair swept back in a sleek bun and red lipstik burning on the lips. Kim Basinger turning up in front of Rourke, wearing a suit with a fake moustache in 9 1/2 weeks is this scent's ideal visual portrait. The only "wrong" thing with it is that it lacks dryness. This could have been a sensation, if it had had more "dry wine and powder" in it and less obvious modern "moisture".

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*TOP REVIEWER* stls on 9/16/2012 9:43:00 PM more reviews by stls

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Black Orchid is a weird sneaky creation. It shouldn't be sold as a perfume but as a magic potion. If Black Orchid can't make you feel confident I can't imagine what could.


It starts with a strong grand entrance and a lot of drama. Right on the borderline between rocking your world in the most amazing way and hunting you like the devil himself. If you don't like this stage you'd better run and hide because there's no turning back. It will fill the room immediately and then stay strong on your skin for 12+ hours. I've warned you, it's a stubborn evil thing. Upon application there's no way to ignore it, it will definitely mess with your mind. If that's a good or a bad thing depends on your personality and preferences. By the way, speaking about personality, Black Orchid has loads of it. Try to find a similar scent and I guarantee, you won't be able. Because it plays on it's own league.


Anyway, back to the scent. First act: top notes. Anafi lemon, bergamot, ylang- ylang, gardenia, jasmine, tuber, black currant and mandarin orange.
Second act: middle notes. Orchid, lotus, fruity notes and spices.
Third act: base notes. Vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, amber, incense, vanilla and chocolate.
Each one of them is present. Each one is potent. But the most prominent on me are chocolate, gardenia and vetiver.


I have to add: please, no more than a single spray. A second one and you're looking for serious trouble like a day long headache or suffocating people.
This scent is for strong characters. Women or men. Can be loved or hated to death. It's deep, dark, mysterious, opulent, dense, bold, voluptuous, extravagant, over the top, edgy, dominating. A secret weapon. The black art deco bottle fits the juice pretty well. Use with caution - you won't be able to pass unnoticed even if you try to.


Edit: I forgot to mention an important fact. The epilogue is quite different from the start. To my nose it has morphed to a totally unisex ''oceanic gourmand'', it must be the stand out vetiver. I have to admit I don't find it breathtaking as the beginning, but that's what makes it more wearable, beyond gender orientations and more addictive to me. I find myself hopelessly wanting to spray one more time after it fades to experience the fascination of the start. One more tome... One more time...


One last thing: it is a complex creation and challenging. BUT body chemistry has a lot to do with this one. On some skins many notes may not show up, most of the times the spices. So, lots of people describe it as fruity chocolate/ after eight kind of thing etc and don't get what all the fuss is about.
Worth a try to see what Black Orchid can do for yourself!

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Mathou on 4/13/2012 2:38:00 PM more reviews by Mathou

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

Oh my..... This is the best parfume I have ever bought. EVER. And I am the biggest parfume freak I know - I have around 100 different bottles no kidding! I always buys parfumes but I have never used one up. It's a curse. But TF Black Orchid had a totally different effect on me - I went to Sephora and told myself "Malou, do not buy this one. You just bought a new Dior Miss Cherie 100ml EDP yesterday and you don't need another one" but when I tried it on I couldn't resist. I simply couldn't...

The smell is amazing and sooo soft and deep! At first it's a bit heavy but as it melts into your skin it gets soooo intense and so sexy. I've never been this happy with a scent before and I ended up buying the 100ml as I knew TF-BO would be my new scent!

If I could rate this any higher I would. It is soooo good and I got so many compliments while wearing this. It is amazing. I love it. I'm going to buy the 30ml to keep in my bag as all fragrances tend to last very short on my skin.. I applied it three hours ago and it still smells very nice but very little.

Did I mention that I love this???

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*TOP REVIEWER* tyleka on 12/26/2011 7:49:00 PM more reviews by tyleka

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I ordered a decant of this from the Perfumed Court. On me, it smells like a burst of Aqua Net with a dry down of fake melons. I don't get any of the dark sexiness others describe. At first, I thought I had received the wrong thing, but mine arrived damaged (leaked) and the replacement they sent smells exactly the same.

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kmart12 on 8/30/2011 11:48:00 PM more reviews by kmart12

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This wont be your daily go-to scent. It is far too dark, spicy, & complex for that. I only reach for this beautiful bottle on nights when I am feeling confident, strong, and naughty. It is a rather divisive scent. I first whiffed this perfume at a Sephora store; I immediately fell in LOVE with it, whereas my cousins both cringed. To list the various notes in Black Orchid truly wouldn't help you much; you must go smell it for yourself in order to discover whether this fragrance is meant to rest upon your skin <3

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lklauba on 8/22/2011 3:32:00 PM more reviews by lklauba

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I got a sample of this from Sephora and like most of the other reviews thought the initial smell was just off-putting. But, what happened after that blew me away! It develops into a light, beautiful, and sensual scent that I can't get enough of. I could still lightly smell it the next morning and knew right then that I must purchase it. I'm normally drawn to the fruity scents (Flowerbomb, Ed Hardy, Viva la Juicy) but this one is so different not to mention a nice change of pace after wearing Flowerbomb for the past few months. It is not for everyone, but for those of us that love it, we have found a wonderful scent that I guess only we can appreciate!

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*TOP REVIEWER* gvmullins on 8/4/2011 11:29:00 AM more reviews by gvmullins

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

Smells great - spicy yet floral...dark and sexy. BUT, it broke me out in a rash. I'm allergic to about half of perfumes out there, and this one falls into the "can not wear" category for me.

So, if you're sensitive to perfumes this will probably make you react badly to it. It's a shame, because it aint cheap!

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*TOP REVIEWER* 2000wattsmile on 8/2/2011 12:53:00 PM more reviews by 2000wattsmile

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brown, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Not sure if I like this one. Spicy and intriguing with a dirty, unwashed undercurrent. That could be good or bad, depending on mood--it could easily be pleasing or cloying. Definitely a fall scent that should be applied with the lightest hand. It's not a scent that would appeal to a wide audience, so I would avoid wearing this in close-quartered situations with others.

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tecumsum on 4/27/2011 9:59:00 AM more reviews by tecumsum

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Dark, Warm   Hair: Black, Kinky, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

This fragrance took me by surprise. Upon initial spray, I was not impressed as I thought that it was overtly strong. However, once I allowed it to dry down, what emerged was an absolutely wonderful fragrance. It is delicious and decadently sinful all at once. Expensive, but worth every last dime. Can't stop sniffing my wrists. I am wearing it now and sniffing away. Beware - it is super strong and a little definitely goes a long way. My suggestion is to spray it on first before going out to allow it to do its magic in the dry down phase...otherwise, it may have people gasping for air. I sampled it on Saturday, couldn't stop thinking about it, and promptly purchased a full size bottle of the edp on Sunday. Yes, it is that good!! I would also suggest sampling it first as it is (as all other fragrances) subjective to body chemistry. Only con for me is the bottle, which is black...thus, you cannot see how much you have left. Not a deal breaker though. Perhaps this was done to protect the fragrance from light and sun, which can destroy the chemical makeup. However, I have to say that the simplicity of the bottle with the gold label is absolutely gorgeous on a dresser or vanity. While I have way too many fragrances to declare this my holy grail, I am now definitely a fan of Mr. Tom Ford!

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happywoman28 on 11/6/2010 9:31:00 AM more reviews by happywoman28

Age: Unknown   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I'm in love with this. I smell woods--fresh cut boards, lumber. It's green and honey-smooth, deep and really strong, a quality hard to find now. I actually sprayed myself with two or three blasts last night and still was catching delicious whiffs of it this morning. No need for the big bottle, a small bottle should last forever. Unlike anything else. It is a tiny bit masculine because of the unmistakable, permeating lumbaryard aroma. And really sexy! It's a green/oriental! I love anything woody or chypre, and to me at least, this delivers. Yummy sandlewood is the main note. But there is that sultry deep honey note coming on strong, and some sort of spice, which I usually hate but here it is quietly intoxicating.
I wouldn't have identified this as an orchid blend. More of a spicey chypre, heavy on wood. Best worn in cool weather, since it is a bit heavy. It is bold and beautiful, and I can positively believe it will be a hit with the men in my life. Just gorgeous.

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*TOP REVIEWER* missnat on 10/29/2010 3:22:00 PM more reviews by missnat

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Okay, this is a first. I'm gonna give 5 stars to a fragrance that doesn't agree with me at all. I sniffed this last night at NM and had a strong reaction. It is absolutely not my style (I prefer light, crisp, green, floral), and had no element that I personally found appealling, but it was exquisite. Black orchid is very strong, sexy, masculine, and unique. It smells over the top, decadent, expensive, complex,and rich as a flourless chocolate cake drenched in ganache. SO even though it wasn't for me personally, I felt compelled to write this review, because I know for some this will be a match made in heaven!

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*TOP REVIEWER* atomic_girl on 10/17/2010 11:29:00 AM more reviews by atomic_girl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I was hesitant to try Black Orchid, because Tom Ford's White Patchouli was such a disaster on me. I'm glad I tried Black Orchid, though, because this is amazing stuff...a deep, dark, sensuous oriental with rich candied fruit and woody, incensy notes. It makes me think of the rich oriental scents from years past (Lancome's Magie Noire comes to mind) and is a welcome change from all the sugary-fruity-flowery-froufrou-pink stuff out there. Much as I love this stuff, I think I'll have to resist the temptation to wear it to work - it's just not that kind of scent. ;) Highly recommended!

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Sylvanrealm on 10/15/2010 5:45:00 PM more reviews by Sylvanrealm

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

I said i would buy this again, but I'm honestly not sure. I read a number of reviews before purchasing unsniffed. It sounded gorgeous and I was looking for a new scent for the cool months ahead. The first spray was...interesting. Within minutes, it grew on me. I worse it several days - yes, days- in a row, applying just one spray each time. One evening, wanting a little more intensity, I used 2 or 3 sprays. That almost killed it for me, haven't worn it since. Why? It smells ridiculously rich. Rich in the heavy, high- calorie, too-much-cream-and-butter kind of way. I get cocoa, syrupy candied fruits, damp earth, a curious spice, and a touch of nameless flowers. Over all of this though...Heavy cream!! I get what one earlier reviewer said about the nausea-inducting qualities. It smells so rich i almost feel ill, but that's only if i smell it 1) on a warm day 2) in high intensity (i.e. too many sprays) or 3) after i have binged on rich foods and desserts. Otherwise, this is a very unique scent. In the right situation, it smells wonderful. My boyfriend complimented it as well, which is rare these days since he's so used to me wearing different perfumes all the time.

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Ebeth76 on 9/30/2010 3:22:00 PM more reviews by Ebeth76

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Hazel    

I don't review scents very often because I really don't have a sensitive nose. I wanted to review this though, because I think it is nice, very strong and dramatic fragrance, but what is interesting is it makes my husband go CRAZY. He usually doesn't even like perfume on me, but this is THE exception. I have to say, I think most negatives on here are from people putting too much on. Really, this just takes 1 drop. 1 little tiny drop. it's not like most other fragrances in that regard. Definitely not safe for work, but right before an evening out or well, bed, it's perfect.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ArizonaAngel on 9/3/2010 4:17:00 PM more reviews by ArizonaAngel

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Just became one of my absolute favorite fragrances for evening. This is perfect for the upcoming cool weather. It's sexy, a bit heavy, slightly masculine with a sweet undertone that isn't overpowering. It is definitely NOT for everyone ~ I bought it unsniffed as I had a feeling this one was right up my alley - and it is. This is a definite attention-getter and superbly unique and has great lasting power (almost too much in a way, don't spray it on clothing you don't plan on washing before wearing again unless you want to smell like this). I adore it! Definite repurchase!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Noboho on 9/2/2010 1:17:00 PM more reviews by Noboho

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium Brown, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This one was a bit much for me. It is undoubtedly sexy, in a deep, sultry kind of way. When I smell Black Orchid I think of Lauren Bacall and Katherine Hepburn. Women that were very strong yet feminine. The notes are blended well. Of course, the orchid is the most apparent note, but the leather and tobacco notes are quite noticeable. This is the signature scent of a good friend of mine. She dresses in a slightly masculine way and has a strong personality. This fragrance suits her perfectly. I suppose this just works best on women with an air of boldness to their character. I'm pleased with the lasting power, but not with the packaging. Not that it isn't chic, but it is opaque. This makes figuring out exactly how much is left in the bottle tricky. I love how luxurious this smells most of all. It is clearly not a cheap fragrance. One sniff is all you need to understand that. The muskiness in it is a perfect match for the floral note. Lovely scent, but doesn't suit me personally.

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antoniaaddict on 8/13/2010 11:14:00 AM more reviews by antoniaaddict

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I first sampled this fragrance while in Harvey nicks.
I sprayed it onto a card and kept on sniffing untill I knew I'd buy it one day.
The scented card was placed into my shopping bag containing my new DKNY scarf.
I ordered the 100ml from Boots online it arrived today.
I am in love with the dark peppery sexual scent,slight sweetness,a mixture of male and female spice.

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chatnoir on 8/8/2010 7:06:00 PM more reviews by chatnoir

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Beautiful bottle but the juice has little to do with it's glam deco packaging. I was so looking forward to smelling this from the description and the bottle, so when I got a large sample from Sephora I couldn't wait to try. Wow, this juice is a hot mess. Absolute quease-inducing vile nightmare. Suffocatingly heavy and sweet. Like rotting candy (if candy could rot) and fruit. Absolutely not this dark, mysterious, sexy fragrance that the bottle, description and ad campaign would lead you to believe. Sickly sweet and heavy, what was Tom Ford thinking? Never before hated a scent so much that I threw away it's sample but this was vomitous.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Flo422 on 7/25/2010 9:08:00 PM more reviews by Flo422

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

*** EDIT : Apparently, men love this fragrance but women hate it. I'm been told by three men that I smelled really good with this on. One of them told me : "It's exactly the type of perfume I like." On the other hand, my mom hates it because of the patchouli in it and a woman at work asked me not to wear it because it smelled too strong. It sucks that I can't wear this fragrance on any occasion but still, I won't stop wearing it to please people. Bottom line, I don't wear this during summer or at work, but I do wear it to school. Plus, this has definately become, along with CK Euphoria and Dior Hypnotic Poison, my go-to scent for nights out.

// I definately will repurchase even though it costs a pretty penny! Let me explain my experience with this fragrance. First of all, I really like the smell of orchids. I have worn CK Euphoria for 2-3 years and I still like it. Another fragrance I own and love, Guess Gold, has orchids in it. Knowing this taste of mine, I was really intrigued when I first heard of this perfume. I read many reviews about it and found out there were a lot of other notes I would normally like in this fragrance, such as vanilla, sandalwood and amber. Plus, I like strong fragrances that last, project well and catch people's attention. I wanted something unique that people either loved or hated. That perfume definately has all these qualities to it. I became a little obsessed with this fragrance because I knew I was bound to love it, although I had never smelled it! I was disappointed because I couldn't find a place nearby where this perfume was sold. I tried to content myself with the perfumes I already had and liked, but still I had this fragrance on the back of my mind. I finally decided I had to find this perfume and smell it. When I did, I was IMMEDIATELY sold, at first sniff! Everything about this perfume pleased me. It is very special - sweet and spicy, creamy and sharp, feminine with that masculine cologne-y smell which I love. I kept smelling this for 10-15 minutes knowing I would buy it no matter what - like that scent was meant to be mine. I paid about 130 $ CDN including tax for a 50 ml bottle. I remember taking out my sunglasses from my purse and wondering what smelled so good, then remembering that I had kept a paper with this perfume on at the same place, a week or more before!

Note : I smelled TF Tobacco Vanille fragrance at the store and it reminds me of a much simpler version of Black Orchid, since Tobacco Vanille smells smoky and has vanilla in it.

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