The Velvet Orchid was released in 2014 as a flanker for the original Black Orchid, and because the Black version was a hit, the Velvet Orchid had high expectations as well.
This orchid showpiece launched in 2014 (as an eau de parfum), as a flanker to Black Orchid. Since the Black Edition was a hit, the Velvet Edition had high expectations. There are some diametrical differences between them, even though the core is the same!
Most people only like one of these masterpieces, but it’s still possible that you’ll like both.
Velvet Orchid isn’t for everyone, but what does it smell like, how does it perform, and is it worth the try? That’s what we’re gonna talk about!
Is Tom Ford Velvet Orchid smell like velvet orchids?
This sweet-ambery scent has a strong floral composition with a powdery, smooth, and soft effect thanks to the perfect blend of middle flowers and sandalwood, vanilla, and suede in the base.
Tom Ford doesn’t reveal a notes pyramid on their official website, but according to some sources (and based on what I smelled) it would look like this:
The top notes are:
- You know, rum.
- I love honey
- Mango Orange
- Orange bergamot
The heart notes are:
- Orchid black
- It’s orchids
- There’s jasmine
- Sunflower
- I love Hyacinths
- It smells like roses
- I love Narcissus.
- The magnolia tree
- It’s orange blossom time
Notes at the bottom:
- There’s vanilla
- It’s myrrh
- You know, suede
- A sandalwood-like scent
- Balsam de Per
- Benzoin
The scent opens with sweet, strong floral notes that are obvious and prominent. The scent gets more natural after a few minutes as the floral-obsessed scent blends with honey and rum.
To be honest, I didn’t get any mandarin orange or bergamot. The scent is just sweet and ambery.
It is evident in the mid-dry-down that rose oil, heliotrope, and orange blossom are present. However, Velvet Orchid is blended incredibly well, which is the reason why you are unable to pick up a single nuance after applying it. Black Orchid does not smell like an orchid, but it is a synthetic note that is sometimes referred to as a fantasy note.
There is no doubt that the mid-dry-down phase of Velvet Orchid is delightful, but I think the best phase of Velvet Orchid is when the base notes start to kick in. Even though the scent stays floral-oriented, due to the woody and vanilla notes, you get this powdery, incense, smooth, fluffy scent – really gorgeous.
In the end, it was the dry-down that won my heart because of its clean and soupy composition – it is expansive and stable, but it is not a girly floral scent in the typical sense. It is a more mature, rich, and slightly dark fragrance, and I think it is perfect for anyone who likes to smell daring and elegant.
I have heard of people mixing Tom Ford Velvet Orchid with other fragrances and it usually works well. Haven’t tried it myself, but if you do, please let me know how it went by leaving a comment below.
How does Tom Ford’s Velvet Orchid differ from his Black Orchid?
The comparison of Black Orchid and Velvet Orchid isn’t something I would normally talk about because they are both masterpiece fragrances that are meant for different groups of people, but they are also meant for various occasions. In light of this, comparing them makes no sense, but here are a few differences which make them different.
There is a noticeable patchouli in Black Orchid, as well as a warm spicy, sweet fragrance with a touch of Mexican chocolate and truffle in it, unlike Velvet Orchid, which is an ambery-floral-orientated scent with a prominent woody base.
Both of these fragrances have floral influences in their compositions, but Black Orchid is less flowery-oriented than the other two fragrances. Instead, it has a fruity, spicy, and dark effect which tones down the floral elements in the other fragrances.
There is a distinct difference between Velvet Orchid and Black Orchid as they enter the dry-down. Velvet Orchid is clean, soapy, expansive, and stable, whereas Black Orchid is dark, rich, spicy, and addicting as they enter the dry-down.
The performance of both of them is outstanding, but Black Orchid stands out for its durability and projection; it is capable of lasting up to 8+ hours, and it can project well in the range of 2-3 hours when it comes to projection.
Whenever it comes to occasion, Black Orchid is purely for date nights or if you’re going out to the club. It’s a performance beast, and it will make you stand out at the event. We will go over Velvet Orchid’s occasion recommendations later in this article.
The Black Orchid scent is not that comparable to Velvet Orchid, despite the fact that they share a lot of the same elements no matter what color they are.
In spite of what you find in the comments, I do recommend that you try both of these sensual scents regardless of what comments you find, but if you would like to learn more about the black beast, then you should check out our full review of Tom Ford Black Orchid.
Do you know how long Velvet Orchid Tom Ford lasts?
I found Velvet Orchid Tom Ford to last an average of 8 hours, the scent is very stable and it projects amazing over the first 2 to 3 hours. Sillage is also above average for a fragrance of this type.
In my experience, the Velvet Orchid usually lasts around seven to eight hours on my skin, but since this is a perfume meant for women, it wouldn’t make any sense to make conclusions based on my skin experience — my wife tested it on multiple occasions and got around eight hours out of it.
I would like to add that the projection is more than fine, with the sound projecting well in the first two, sometimes three hours of use, which is the period when compliments are being poured in like crazy. Sillage is also doing its job well so people of around two feet can easily detect it.
The first bottle I received was from Tom Ford in 2017 and I didn’t experience any problems with the quality, however I have heard on more than one occasion that people have had trouble with their performance. As a result of buying another bottle of Tom Ford Velvet Orchid in September of 2021, I am able to confirm that longevity is still around 7-8 hours. The batch number is AC0.
The performance of the bottle will be re-tested as soon as I get my hands on a bottle newer than December 2020, and the article will be updated accordingly.
It is possible that the Velvet Orchid new batch has been reformulated and the performance of the fragrance has suffered, but Tom Ford’s house has not confirmed any changes. As of the time of this writing (May 2022), there have been no known/confirmed changes. Keep in mind that the opinions of others are subjective, and that fragrance simply performs differently on each person.
There are a few tips that can help you make your perfume last for a long time and perform better overall, which is why we have put together this list of 13 tips and tricks for making your perfume last as long as possible.
What is the best time to wear Velvet Orchid Tom Ford?
Ideally, Velvet Orchid Tom Ford is a perfume that is well suited to the colder days of autumn and to the colder months of the year. It is a perfume that can easily be worn on any kind of occasion, day or night, as long as the temperature permits you to wear it as your signature perfume.
The warm, sweet and smooth taste of this liquid makes it a no-no for hot summer days. Its lack of freshness when it comes to high temperatures, as well as its sweet-woody composition makes it a great choice for the cooler months.
As a rule, if the temperature is higher than 20°C/68°F, you can wear this in spring, but if the temperature is above that, you should avoid wearing it
When it comes to the occasions where Velvet Orchid could be worn, I wouldn’t really set any limitations since as long as the weather is chilly, you can wear it.
As far as I can tell, I find it suitable for the work environment, coffee breaks, business meetings, friendly dinners, romantic dinners, and any other type of event that you may think of.
If you feel like wearing it to the gym, I would not recommend doing so, since it isn’t that light or as uplifting as other t-shirts. However, if you feel like doing so, go ahead!
Is it really necessary to spray Velvet Orchid Tom Ford dozens of times to get the desired results?
It is important to note that Velvet Orchid Tom Ford is a linear scent, which means you will need to spray it 4 to 5 times to get your desired fragrance effect.
With a sweet-powdery scent that is accompanied by great quality, its linear scent is stable and sophisticated, which means that it does not need many sprays to make you feel intoxicated.
-Two sprays behind your ears, one spray in the dip of your collarbone, and two sprays on your wrists, all applied to your pulse point, will easily do the trick. -Apply 4-5 sprays to your pulse point.
Adding one spray to your brush and then going through your hair with it will allow your hair to smell fantastic as well, so go ahead and apply one spray to your brush!
In a nutshell, there are many useful tips on how to apply fragrance for the best results, but in a nutshell, sticking to your pulse points is the best thing you can do to get the best results.
If you apply over 4-5 sprays, you won’t experience an increase in the perfume’s performance – you may even experience a decrease since the opening of the perfume won’t be properly completed.
Velvet Orchid Tom Ford – Where Can I Buy It?
If you are interested in purchasing Tom Ford Velvet Orchid, you can find it in a perfumery that is an authorized Tom Ford reseller, or you can purchase it through FragranceNet or Amazon, which are the two best online merchants to buy it.
If you want to get the most realistic experience of the fragrance before you decide to purchase it, we have to test the product on our skin before we decide to purchase it. Seeing how our skin reacts to a certain scent will give us the most real life experience possible.
My personal recommendation for if you decide to buy Tom Ford Velvet Orchid online would be to purchase it from FragranceNet. They have always had a really good discount, so you might just be able to catch a great deal on it. I have been a customer of theirs for years, so you know you are receiving an original bottle.
In addition, Amazon is another trustworthy source where you can get Velvet Orchid. Our links are always to the official resellers or the perfume house directly, so you can be sure you’re buying legally.
In addition to the official website of Tom Ford, FragranceX, and Sephora, there are also other trustworthy places where you can buy Tom Ford Velvet Orchid, including FragranceNet and Amazon.
If you shop from these websites, you will notice that there are a lot of variations in price as well as shipping times. The most important thing to keep in mind is that if you order from these sources, you can rest assured that you will receive the genuine product and not a fake one.
The best thing to do when buying fragrances online is to always be super cautious so you don’t get scammed and end up with a fake fragrance — it’s not just that you will end up with money thrown away, but you will also end up with skin conditions because fake fragrances have not been tested on human skin and are not safe to use.
The packaging
It comes packaged in a purple, textured box, with the same color and the same design as the box incorporated into the bottle as well.
A goldish label looks nice on both the box and the bottle, as it contains the name of the fragrance and the amount of milliliters as well. The purple color they chose gives you a sense of luxury, it looks stylish and modern, and sits well on any shelf in your home.
It is possible to purchase the Velvet Orchid in two different sizes:
- A 50ml (1.7oz) bottle contains the following ingredients:
- The bottle contains 100ml (3.4 ounces) of product
How Do I Know if Tom Ford Velvet Orchid Is Worth My Money?
As a result of the uniqueness of the scent, performance, price, availability, but also reactions of the public, I can confidently state that Tom Ford Velvet Orchid is definitely worth adding to your collection due to its performance, price, and availability.
You will enjoy Velvet Orchid whether you are a perfume expert or just someone who is exploring the world of scents for the first time. It is one of those extraordinary works of art by Tom Ford that you and everyone around you will appreciate.
If you intend to purchase this product, please consider purchasing it through one of our links – that way you will support our efforts to be the #1 fragrance reviewer in the world, at no additional cost to yourself.
While I am passionate about perfume, I live in a rural area of the Bronx, New York, far from any perfume stores that are close by. It is straightforward: I do not have any credentials to provide as the author of this blog. I just love perfume, that’s all I have to offer.
In addition to wearing male, female, and unisex fragrances, I also enjoy wearing perfumes containing woods, incense, citrus, flowers, spices, vetiver, and green notes. As well as chypre perfumes, I enjoy fragrances with oakmoss, especially chypres. Patchouli and amber are not particularly appealing to me, and with some notable exceptions, perfumes that smell very clean, oceanic, or are too sweet are not particularly appealing to me.
I also have an addiction to expensive chocolates and teas, and I spend a great deal of time browsing the Internet, reading blogs primarily written by others.