Velvet Orchid Tom Ford for women

Velvet Orchid Tom Ford for women

main accords
floral
sweet
powdery
amber
woody
vanilla
honey
balsamic
rum
warm spicy

Perfume rating 4.03 out of 5 with 7,535 votes

Velvet Orchid by Tom Ford is a Amber Floral fragrance for women. Velvet Orchid was launched in 2014. Velvet Orchid was created by Yann Vasnier, Calice Becker, Shyamala Maisondieu and Antoine Maisondieu. Top notes are Rum, Honey, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot; middle notes are Black Orchid, Orchid, Jasmine, Heliotrope, Hyacinth, Rose Oil, Narcissus, Magnolia and Orange Blossom; base notes are Vanilla, Myrrh, Suede, Sandalwood, Peru Balsam and Labdanum.

The new feminine perfume creation from designer Tom Ford is called Velvet Orchid as an association of the most popular vamp fragrance of this house Black Orchid that was launched in 2006. The new version Velvet Orchid comes out in 2014 and carries on the legacy of bold and glamorous floral signature that promises a unique character, atmosphere and experience of the scent.

The fragrance opens itself with bergamot, mandarin, Succan absolute (purified rum extract) and honey. At the core of this creation (made of "corporeal floral notes.") is Tom Ford's distinctive, “timeless” signature - an imaginary accord of black orchid blended with notes of velvet orchid, which gives the perfume its name, with intense Turkish rose oil and jasmine and a new accord of purple orchid that grows in the wilds of southern Brazilian coast. There are also additional floral notes of orange blossom, rose absolute, narcissus, hyacinth and heliotrope. The base is warm due to the rich flavors of Peru balsam, myrrh, labdanum, sandalwood, suede and vanilla.

This new luxurious perfume is available in dim purple bottles of classic Tom Ford designs in 50 and 100 ml Eau de Parfum concentration.

Read about this perfume in other languages: Deutsch, Español, Français, Čeština, Italiano, Русский, Polski, Português, Ελληνικά, 汉语, Nederlands, Srpski, Română, العربية, Українська, Монгол, עברית.

Pros

Pros

95
5
Sexy and mature fragrance
92
2
Distinctive and rich notes
69
3
Intoxicating rum and warm vanilla scent
53
7
Long-lasting fragrance
46
13
Feminine orchid scent
41
6
Comforting suede note
36
3
Well-crafted suede note
17
28
Powdery and fresh contrast
Cons

Cons

60
16
Expensive perfume
50
22
May not be suitable for all occasions or seasons
41
26
May not appeal to those who dislike Black Orchid
20
18
Not for those who dislike myrrh scent
13
36
Initial scent may be too bitter or sour for some
11
36
Scent may be too clubby or exotic for some
5
39
May be too sweet for some
5
50
Not a unique fragrance compared to Black Orchid

Note: The pros and cons listed on this page have been generated using the artificial intelligence system, which analyzes product reviews submitted by our members. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, we cannot guarantee the complete accuracy or reliability of the AI-generated pros and cons. Please read the full reviews and consider your own needs and preferences before making a purchasing decision.

Fragram Photos
Perfume Pyramid

Top Notes

Rum
Honey
Mandarin Orange
Bergamot

Middle Notes

Black Orchid
Orchid
Jasmine
Heliotrope
Hyacinth
Rose Oil
Narcissus
Magnolia
Orange Blossom

Base Notes

Vanilla
Myrrh
Suede
Sandalwood
Peru Balsam
Labdanum

Fragrantica® Trends is a relative value that shows the interest of Fragrantica members in this fragrance over time.

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Perfume sillage:2.63 out of4.

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All Reviews By Date

saho93

This is very nice. Sweet boozy, solar, floral vanilla. The scent is rich, and the notes are very well blended.

Tiziana29

Inizialmente è stata una delusione. Profumo molto dolce e sicuramente sensuale ma non lascia il segno. È un piacere sentirselo indosso e annusarsi il polso a metà giornata ma non è comunque tanto intenso da farsi sentire sempre. Duraturo ma non troppo. Io lo uso come base per la mia vaniglia.
Sui vestiti perdura.
Profumo che può andar bene anche tutto l'anno, dipende dalla propria pelle, sulla mia ad un certo punto della sua evoluzione si sente una nota quasi di cocco mista ai fiori.
Da tenere in considerazione se si desidera un profumo dolce e mettibile in quasi ogni occasione senza risultare volgare o invadente.
Unica vera critica, il prezzo un po' alto per ciò che offre.

angelbeast

Black Orchid's sweet baby sister! Her vampire fangs haven't quite come through yet. There's a tiny bit of bite in the opening - citrus and booze - but she soon relents, allowing a sweet honey to enfold you. Then come the flowers, far sweeter and lighter than her brother, but with that same creamy heart. Honestly, I think this is what a mixture of Black Orchid and Poison Dior would smell like. There's only the tiniest touch of myrrh in the drydown, before that final bed of vanilla Play-Doh. Personally, I prefer BO, but this is perfect if you found BO too masculine or dark.

qofb

I have always loved Black Orchid, but Velvet Orchid has been something I've had to learn to love. I've had my bottle a year and I've rarely reached for it until the last month. I think this one's taken me some time, but I really appreciate it now. It's not as in your face as Black Orchid, it's quieter, creamier, more bulb florals and honeyed sweetness rather than vanilla sweetness. It's more laid back, less try hard. It's so spring appropriate too, I've been really enjoying it this last month. Now is the time people, the smell of the drydown is absolutely intoxicating.

PerfumeAdore♥️

This is a lot more powdery than I imagined it would be. While I do like it, I would not repurchase this. It has a classic 90’s smell to me. I am a lover of old school perfumes, so don’t come after me.🤣The longevity is amazing! Before I sprayed this on myself, I put it on a tester strip and left it on my bathroom counter. I could still smell it over 24 hours later with one spray. I mostly get a slightly sweet powder with a smooth sandalwood. It’s okay.

Mayoushi

I can only say 2 things.
So nice and strong
But not long lasting at all it actually vanishes after 2 hours maximum

Venussweden

Eveytime I wear her I want to do fancy stuff in a nice dress, fancy dinner with a fancy date with a fancy ending. Too bad I don’t wear dresses, don’t go to fancy restaurants, not do I have a fancy man in my life. 😂 But in the future, when I do I will absolutely wear her for fancy stuff.

Love how she develops and have her phases, just like BO does. She’s quite intimate until you get warm and sweaty and she transforms into the most alluring scent ever.

Also, I would love to smell her on a man, I just imagine her being very sensual and alluring on anyone that wants to feel a bit fancy for a night.

slmbrkty

I enjoy the dry down of Velvet Orchid a lot! The initial application comes out with a force of florals - orchid, jasmine, and rose are prominent. As it settles, the rum, honey, and orange gently make their presence known. After about an hour, all the notes blend together harmoniously. A bit of a woody vanilla suede lingers underneath - it has a slight powder characteristic to my nose (I enjoy a lot of powdery scents, though). To me, this is in the same vein as scents like Mod Blush, Peony & Blush Suede, and Bombshell. Obviously, very different, but they all fit the bill of “florals with amber/woody/powdery undertones that mellow out and mature over time.” Longevity is weak, lasts about 2 hours on my skin. Maybe a little longer but on fabric. Sillage is moderate, but mostly lingers close to skin. This is great for people who don’t mind shorter longevity, and prefer more intimate sillage versus a bold sillage. I would buy a full bottle of this scent! I believe it is suitable for daytime or evening wear. It’s bright yet warm, and feels sultry yet comforting. I recommend!! 🙂

Svetla Todorova

I'm in love with this one, so feminine yet dark and mystical 😍 I think I'll forget about BO for now

wondervalley666

I fell in love with Black Orchid and have been sampling the rest of the Orchid line. I almost blind bought a bottle of this but decided to sample first. I’m glad I did as this is quite a different scent. It’s very nice, but I don’t enjoy it as much as BO EDP or BO Parfum. Black Orchid I feel is rather spicy and has the “earthy” notes which really turn into such an intoxicating dry down. Velvet Orchid feels like quite a different scent. It opens with a sugary rich violet-type of floral concentrate, almost like some vintage scents I’ve smelled. It rapidly softens and dries down to a soft powdery floral on my skin. The boozy note vanished rapidly on me. I get a lot of sweet flowery powder in the drydown. I love florals and have many flower scents in my collection. I can’t say this perfume is perfect for fans of any specific type of floral that I recognize as because it’s so well blended, nothing stands out to me. Ultimately this scent is a soft linear light powdery floral on me. It isn’t loud, spicy, or as unique as BO. It doesn’t have the amazing silage and longevity I get from the others in the Orchid line either. It’s more similar to some Jo Malone type scents I’ve tried in terms of style and composition. I’d recommend sampling this first if you’re expecting something close to Black Orchid as it doesn’t have a lot on common with the original. That being said, it’s very pretty and I like it, I just don’t love it as much as BO.

irlus

If this perfume was a person, it would definitely be that rich lady with spongy wavy hair who can hold her whisky, wears Dior vintage gold jewelry, and her suits still have shoulder pads.

SaraZigova

Black orchid is wayy better

yesyesterday

Simply amazing, must have if you're a fellow sweet fragrance lover!

AnnaMagenta

This scent is a chameleon on my skin. Close to the body I read more myrrh and vanilla and very similar to Black Orchid. But outside it projects very boldly as unapproachable and exotic orchid flower.

First hour of wearing I feel like it’s thrown out of balance by freshness, but I enjoy the skin scent left after that cacophony. I love both, Black and Velvet Orchid scents while I don’t feel it particularly suitable for everyday wear. Unless someone wants to attract a lot of attention:)

Surfinirfin

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

juice.world

The Great Gatsby by Baz Lurhmann (2013)

junetopia

god this perfume is gorgeous.

it smells like what I would imagine a drunken romp in a forbidden garden to be like. There is the rum, which adds this beautiful undertone that bites at the florals and deepens it, and then the flowers bring this deep purple scent. it reminds me of the type of velvet that is so expensive and exclusive that it was used to clothe the wealthy in the olden days. it is almost silky, but has this nice catch within it that gives it a dimension when worn. its almost shiny when it catches the light. this smells like what I imagine bees smell when they are extracting the honey. it just smells expensive.

on my skin, it lasts a solid 4-5 hours. on clothes, it lasts up to 10.

great for special occasions, and I love layering it with van py rhum to create a beautiful earthy scent.

TessiiDob

This is quite beautiful. The rose is the most prominent note on me, with the white flowers gently peeping through. If I stick my nose right up against my skin, I do get a faint boozy whiff of the rum. It’s lush and rich. The longevity is very good – I got a good 10 hours out of it. Definite winner.

kloud

Im gonna be honest, I don't like this. I appreciate Tom Ford and his creativity, but this was not it. A synthetic and dirty mess of a fragrance. I could see it being for someone but definitely not for me or anyone my age personally.

CherryWavesforever

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.

Ca3na

Velvet Orchid is strong and sexy. I prefer it to Black Orchid, which I do like, but I feel this is more feminine, sweeter, easier to wear. I honestly don't know why this doesn't get more love, its gorgeous.

Projection is great & it has great lasting power.

Ferra_Verto

Lightly honeyed heavy rum leads to powdery and sweet florals all on a boozy vanilla-forward oriental base. This is very much a sweeter take on Black Orchid; a gilded and sensual gourmand bombshell.
Cool/cold weather, projects very loudly and is very long-lasting, leaves a noticeable trail.
Compliments galore.

Phyreece

I detect white florals and nothing much. It reminds me of Modern Muse by Estee Lauder (which I must confess I haven't smelled in years). It's pleasant but I need to sample other perfumes from the same category to form an opinion.

Grimdeux

Honeyed rum dripped over white flowers. Oddly I smelled tuberose, though it's not in the white flower medley listed here. Very sparkly floral at first, then more rich, plummy rum honey. If a smell could be purple, this is it.

[ETA] wow I completely get the relation to Black Orchid now. 5days later, I smell that sparkling black crystal explosion in the top notes before it settles into a glittering fantasy floral.

A_Ferrera

Mother Gothel's signature scent 💜

WhiteFlowerPrincess

Velvet Orchid reminds me a lot of Black Orchid, except this fragrance isn't as strong as Black Orchid and it is sweeter and more floral smelling. Also less gourmand.

I smell a sweet and warm, spiced rum and honey opening that makes me think of winter, Christmas and the holidays in general. I don't really pick up on the smell of either mandarin orange or bergamot though. Maybe they just help to tone down the sweetness in this fragrance I'm guessing?

In the heart notes I can smell a floral, boozy and powdery vanilla smell from both the orchid and heliotrope notes. I can also smell a hint of a lush, dark red and romantic rose and tobacco tinged narcissus. It's floral in a very dark and vampy sort of way, something that a sultry, smoldering and dark-haired actress like Katharine Hepburn or Heddy Lamar would probably be wearing as their signature fragrance.

Lastly, I can smell the dark, woody and coniferous peru balsam, a smooth and woody sandalwood, a sweet, warm and boozy vanilla, a leathery and sensual scent from the labdanum, powdery and musky nuances from the suede and an intensely warm, balsamic, spicy and aromatic quality from the myrrh. It is an incense-like base that buoys up this perfume and makes me think of the Orient.

Longevity was very good at 13 hours and its sillage was quite strong too. Probably slightly too strong and boozy for my tastes and not quite floral enough for me. I will say though that it is a good fragrance though for either fall or winter during night-time soirées for those into this sort of fragrance. You have to like strong perfumes that only lean feminine to like this one! It is not a super feminine fragrance to me.

I appreciate this perfume for what it is, but is still not my sort of fragrance and it does not make me sigh in delight at how wonderful it smells. This is why I'm only giving this fragrance a 6/10.

OlgaOT

An easy one to wear and like! I have to agree with @Mjchaelj below here, Velvet Orchid feels the most mass appealing from the line. Not super special one but nicely blended and I can’t fault it. I reach for it everyday these days, sometimes you just need things that are less complicated.

Everyone smells Black Orchid in this, I — not so much (until perhaps the orchid DNA in the near dry down). But oddly the floral beginning has a hint of another Tom Ford, Violet Blond to me. I wonder if it’s the delicately powdery heliotrope tricking my nose. I also don’t find it overly sweet or cloying but I don’t overspray. Perhaps even I underspray — I’m fairly happy with just one spray on the wrist. But hoping it’s not that my decant is watered down!

Briar's Reign

Great for floral lovers! As much as I love gourmands, I like this more than Black Orchid. I didn't catch the honey or rum, but now that I know what I'm smelling, I catch hints of them. It is better blended than Black Orchid imo

Magellan0101

Jammy sweet florals, deep, rich and warm. Perfect for fall and winter, might be too strong for warmer weather. This was a blind buy and I'm very happy with it.
I remember having Black Orchid when it first came out, many years ago..I like this better. It's seamlessly blended. And it lasts.
NOTE- it is a very sweet, syrupy slightly cloying floral. If you don't like that description, this is not for you. Black Orchid is spicier, which I normally gravitate to..but this one is a winner for me. Like the perfume version of a bold cognac colored, minky cashmere sweater. I put it on and feel warm all over.

Ambrenuit

I love Black Orchid, it is sexy, gothic, dark, but I had to think about it before I fell in love. I bought both BO and VO together and Velvet Orchid was a blind buy for me. I was smitten from the very first moment. I love it much, much more, then Black Orchid. It is elegant, sultry, luxurious, grown up, opulent. This is The fragrance for me!
Those honeyed flowers, orchids, suede, citruses and sandalwood macerated in rum are simply magical. I can not get enough of it. I would bath in this juice.
It is smoother and more floral, more powdery and juicy then the older sister Black Orchid. Probably also more crowd pleasing. Trufle and chocolate are gone, and voila, the scent is compeletely different. I consider this to be an improvement.

Fliss

So glad I only bought a sample of this .. wow its strong, in a syrupy intense way and the dark floral background is headache inducing to me.. something in this reminds of Tabu ..

Hanan bazaza

Sweet,honey,flower,powdery ..
A dark,soft,sexy,delicious fragrance..
Absolutely my favorite ❤️

WitchQueen

I go back and forth with this perfume. When it works, it's a sexy warm floral with strong notes of rum and honey. Other times it pulls too mature on me, and sometimes it even reminds of being a kid and sweating in bed at night. But when it works it really works. 8.5/10

Scissorslizardspock

Velvet Orchid is a somewhat underrated beauty in the TF fragrance line up. I get the fantasy orchid note as in Black Orchid, but this lacks the truffle umami aspect that is in its older cousin.

What I’m left with are boozey florals, a vanilla base, loads of honey and some awesome woods. As I enjoy all of these notes, love the bottle and performance, this is a huge hit for me.

aprilnicole

This may be it right here. I may have finally found my signature scent... if it weren't so damn expensive, that is!
This beauty is like all of the things I love about CK Euphoria with none of the things I don't.
Will be keeping my eye out for sales.

Scentologist11

This smells like sex with a beauty who is self-confident, sexy, beautiful, desirable and admirable...

The smell is really sexy, obsessed with re-sniffing and strong.

Tom Ford women's Classic with hot performance!

BASMAJ

Compared to black orchid, Velvet Orchid more for younger people, more unisex while black orchid is more masculine and more mature IMO. I love this more than black orchid, the dark floral notes makes it more versatile, less dry and timeless version of this scent profile (line) while black orchid feels dated now. I have no idea if this discontinued or not, I owned it in 2017 I enjoyed it alot... I recommend this of course.

10/10 Amazing performance.

Mjchaelj

Much smoother, easier to wear version of Black Orchid. It's like if black orchid was made by a more mainstream mass appealing brand like Dior or YSL. I like it. It’s a bit too floral/feminine for me so I will be selling it but it’s really nice. My favorite is still the Parfum version.

7.5/10

otterfaces

I bought this thinking that I would wear it on nights out, but I have realised that I never feel comfortable wearing fragrances this attention-grabbing! I do a single spritz into the air and walk through it, and it still projects like mad. Lovely smell, but it’s just too much for me!

lanuitresor9

When I tell you men adore it. I mean, almost everyone. This is the only perfume I always get compliments on every time I wear it.
When I was having dinner with my bf he said “Damn you smell so good, I will never forget that smell.”
And thats what Velvet Orchid is-unforgettable, unique, mysterious, seductive.
I had no signature scent but I would always come back to VO no matter what season was. Even on hottest summer nights I would pick her.. (it is strong, i know but i couldn’t resist).
But it is like made for autumn and winter nights.

Une Belle Prunelle

Unisex scent that smells really good. I prefer it over Black Orchid and Black Orchid Parfum

sandraogsyl

A really good evening perfume. A bit darker and mysterious scent, not too sweet and a bit unique.

tanaC

TomFord Velvet Orchid (EDP)
(AB4, January 2014, USD 140)

Velvet Orchid is alternative offer to TomFord Black Orchid.
While I was wonder if this redundant offering from the line.
But it is actually bring the Orchid line into the other direction.

You still get most of Original Orchid offer but the powdery note.
Boozy touch is very wonderful.


Score 8.5/10

Sniff test compare BO on Oct 4, 2023.

Actually, I haven’t full wear this yet.
But I can def. say this is easier to wear than BO.

Velvet : More floral, boozy touch and Honey accord l. Can’t detect Patchouli here leans more femme (dare I say typical) but unisex for sure.
This smell while sweet unexpectedly sophisticated but darling.

Black : floral but intoxicating. More balsumic, more patchouli very unisex in Femme Fatale way, guy can pull this for sure..

I don’t mind have both, I can’t decide really. But if I have to pick one it must be BO.

Ps. You can choose worst.. both are tock solid.

If I keep one it must be Blaxk orcihd

JoyR

Wasn't disappointed at all.Its a beautiful, classy scent.

Andrew_87

A true unisex fragrance that will beautifully unfold on every skin in a different way.

Lotte_Liese

This is a more unisex offering compared to Black Orchid. It retains the overfamiliar DNA but takes a different approach. Lacking the depth and personality of BO, it has warmth, sweetness and approachability. A rather sexy vanilla fragrance, yes, very nice, but... I prefer Black Orchid.

Prunel

Black Orchid with tons of flowers. Pretty good, average performance. Completely unisex.
EDIT : wore it a second time, it was somehow much better. Lasted easily 15 hours and smelled better. I guess the first one I tried was faulty.

Dazed_and_confused

I love Black Orchid, but this one is also just… so damn delicious. If BO scared you, buy this: this is sophistication in a bottle. The only downside is the price tag.

Cholera

Floral notes, jasmine and little bit of sweetness. In the air it smells exactly like baby powder, I like it more than black orchid but it is so feminine even more than black orchid. Would be very sexy and clean on a woman in cool weather.

astralmonad870

I’ve had my bottle for 8 months and I feel that the rum has gotten stale and has a seedy smell to it. For a near-identical fragrance at a lower price point, try Drop D’Issey by Issey Miyake which also has a rum-honey-vanilla accord but achieves it with solar notes and almond milk. That one won’t go bad.

sugarcane

First off I am a guy so keep that in mind.

Effervescent amber, honey, florals, and wood.

So at first I think most men would think this smells too “womanly” but that fades really quickly, not even 10 minutes in. It turns into a very soft, but full, supple floral. Like a smooth velvety petal. It is blended in a way so that it is not too floral, not too sweet, not too feminine, not too masculine, and not too ambery. It is this mid amber scent, not a deep amber or a light amber. It gives me vanille fatale vibes a little bit. Probably the rum, myrrh, florals and vanilla. However vanille fatale is much more heady, velvet orchid is more wearable in my opinion. But to me this is a slightly sweet, but very deep and supple floral. You smell the florals but it’s not overpowering like a rose scent may be. The silage reminds me of the smell that surrounds you when you go into shops that sell all types of incense.

I think it is unisex. Opening may throw a man off but after that it is very good. It is similar to black orchid of course but to me more versatile. Easier to wear in more situations.

The dry down is simply magical and hypotonic.

Nocciola23

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)

Icarel

The soft version of Black Orchid, and a great way to start your journey into Tom Ford's Orchid family. It's a very glamorous fragrance, very "purple", very deep and above all super rich and mysterious. A sort of sweet vanilla flower liqueur, if that makes sense. It is sultry, and in the same vibes as Gucci Guilty, Parisienne, Hypnotic Poison, La Belle: femme fatale, Casanova, velvet, rouge, stiletto's. But above all a pretty strong winter and cool weather scent. As a complex scent, like all the Orchid line, I think it's hard to describe, and you have to try it, but let's say Velvet is the sweet, floral and suave version of its more imposing and tenebrous sister Black. Velvet is definitely the right name and the bottle is stunning.

CelestialSarah

I ordered a sample from microperfumes and immediately LOVED it. When I could afford it, I ordered the travel spray (from sephora, not microperfumes...I was so excited, but it did not smell the same. The sample smelled a little spicier I think? I still enjoy it, but it's a thicker sweetness with the rum and honey. Not sure if the sample was actually Black Orchid?

wimdeleer

first of all, I am a man... and I do love this scent... on me !! :)

I don't care that it is marketed for women... I really like it so I will get it ! :)
and it might actually become my signature scent !

Kizzyb93

Okay, so this is the more wearable black orchid in my opinion, less in your face, and more floral/sweet .
I find this very strong and to spray with caution still! I personally own both this and black orchid, and I think BO is my preferred one

minizelda

oh my goodness i didn’t know it’s jooheon’s signature!!! I knew taemin wore OG black orchid (actually he wore the lotion) but i think fragrances marketed towards women smell incredibly sexy on men!!!!

pasha

MONSTA X Jooheon's signature perfume.

He is the sexiest and the best man in the world. And this is his pick. MUST BUY.

ava96

Wearing it for the first time today. I didn't like the opening, it smelled like these violet candies that I had growing up and hated. However, the drydown is really nice - it's definitely got something of Coco Mademoiselle. It's pretty, it's floral, it's heavy but still appropriate for spring, I do like the drydown a lot.

minizelda

@KiwiGoddess I have to disagree with you! This is not an office friendly fragrance as for me it is very sexy, mysterious and dark…
1 or 2 sprays max people !!!! This can be an overwhelming one. I saw someone refer to it as femme fatale and I completely agree!💜😈

irlfireprincess

My nose has improved since I first sniffed my sample of this, and now I know I am not a fan and can save my money. There are only about 20 minutes where I adore this fragrance. At first spray, the rum is too intense for my liking and comes off slightly medicinal. After about five minutes, the rum dies down and I get honeyed florals that are simultaneously fresh and captivating and sexy. Then, the leather and resinous notes come in, and the fragrance gets pungent in an unpleasant way. It isn't AS pungent or off-putting as its more challenging cousin, Black Orchid, but it still is not a crowd pleaser or a safe blind buy.

Carina Ferrreira

My first acquisition upon receiving my first salary. It was a very memorable moment considering my fascination with the perfumery industry. 💗 And the fact that I admired and was inspired by Tom Ford gave it an even more special meaning.

rosewoodoud555

Wore it in the day and for date night. Definitely NOT for hot, humid weather, but perfect for cooler nights and indoors. It's so delicious. There's a sexy, gourmand quality to this scent. It's not cloying, it's not overly strong, it's kind of balanced. I love the deep floral and boozy notes on this. Wore this with high heels and a black dress and it suited it perfectly. Kind of a femme fatale frag with an intoxicating sweetness. But only for cool weather -- someone said it smells like antibiotic syrup and the weather was too hot. Overall, I adore this frag and will be my go to date night scent from now on.

greydove

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!

Mmeaniee

top notch! i am so in love with this. not too floral or sweet or woody.
I find some tomdford fragrance is mostly lean toward unisex but i feel this fragrance is more feminine the most.

Shaina87

Velvet Orchid is just ok. I rarely reach for it. It's a semisweet and powdery floral. When first sprayed it's sharp and screechy but as soon as it dries down, that screechiness and sharpness starts mellowing out. It smells slightly dated on my skin. But once's it's dried down completely.. I'd say about 30 minutes into the wear, I like it a little more. But I don't like the opening at all. I won't be repurchasing this one.

Edit/ this scent is starting to irk me. Even in the dry down, which I used to halfway like. I'll be giving this to my mom if she likes it.

h149

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.

Afc_Croatian

Ohhhh man. This is like rich elegant sex in a bottle, it’s what you imagine designer stores in Manhattan smell like.

Take your fanciest outfit and go downtown, you’ll feel like the one with this fragrance, I find myself as a guy wearing this one, Tom ford knows how to make a fragrance that’s never scared to show their true colours, their true personality, their aura, their everything.

The orchid and floral notes erupt throughout the whole dry-down from the beginning with a hint of that signature rum and honey from the other orchid fragrances. With this being very similar to black orchid, it has that deep earthy vibe with the florals that remind me of walking through a flower patch in a field of fresh air and land. (Specific I know)

Wear this if you wanna feel pretentious, standout, be annoying but also the light of the party, wear this to impress someone.

Wear this to be yourself while being different than everyone else.

9/10

astralmonad870

If the price tag is off-putting, Noted Aromas and Amourscents both sell an excellent 50 ml identical dupe for £20. This is a gorgeous and complex but well composed scent. I smell the rich florals and rum and the vanilla is subtle, which I like. And I can smell the citrus but it is well blended and not sticking out. I’d maybe wear this to my own wedding.

LizMango

Baby powder bomb! I blind bought a travel spray 50% off. This is a very safe missionary position fragrance. It's cute and sexy, but it's not doing that thing you like. If you want to have some real fun... try Black Orchid!
Edit: If you like Velvet Orchid, I think you will love Bond Nomad!

nhubella

I smell it on the test strip.
In the opening, rum and honey hit me right away loudly, then more floral shows up when drying down.
Not my type, but this perfume gives me a powerful vibe: a confident, self dependent, financially and mentally stable woman who is age 35+, wearing this.

Tshahb

There's a lot going on here. It's got everything, but somehow it works.

I'm nasally devouring my wrist over and over again, loving the floral extravaganza.

InfamousYuna

When first sprayed this is loud. The base notes are what caught my attention. I like spraying before I go to bed and waking up with the dry down. But I dislike having to wait the hours until it gets there if I’m awake. The first few hours are not subtle. At the end though, slightly sweet and creamy, it’s super nice.

sleepypotatomuncher

i like it, but not on me. this screams "SOPHISTICATED WOMAN" sorta intense and it's not necessarily the type of vibe that i project. it does smell really beautiful though! it projects quite well too, and is really one of the better TF fragrances out there.

Saffron

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.

OneILove

Rich, clean, bold.

chicagogirl

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.

lmnsvgz

There is slight similarity to Black Orchid. But this one is a lot more feminine, less obnoxious. It smells like a creamy orchid on top of a very prominent vanilla-myrhh base. It is sweet, not cloyingly though. I do find similarity to Psychedelic Love by Initio, but that one is sweeter and more beautifully blended.

Lysss

Velvet Orchid is a perfume that starts out with the heaviest rum scent I’ve ever witnessed from any perfume I’ve gotten a sniff of. It was so strong, that it was actually repulsive. Both my partner and I were shocked by how much I was smelling like I took a bath in Jack Daniels Honey.
The dry down though? Gorgeous. It is flowery, it is sweet. It has crazy sillage. It is such a shame that the intro smells like that on my skin, because I would have bought it in a heartbeat otherwise.

Kcbear28

Let’s be honest. Yes, it’s overhyped. Yes, it’s (probably) overpriced. Longevity could be better, considering the price tag. Not that easy to wear but not that unique either. Here a but, two buts actually , it’s extremely well blended you don’t even care what’s in it and when you take a deep breath, you wish you sprayed some more on. Suitable for winter or black tie functions.

This is one of those more is more type of fragrance for me. So bad it’s good!

XOXO_marcel

This is certainly well-made, but not my cup of tea. It's way, way too heavy on the rum - which is a lovely note, but it'll make everyone think you've just been drinking. Once I noticed the honey, this became almost cloying.
I see this almost exclusively as a masculine fragrance. It could maybe, maaaaybe work on a very mature woman. I don't like to classify scents by age, but I can't even imagine this on anyone under 70.
The quality is high, but in my opinion Tom Ford has better fragrances than this one. Obviously, this is all subjective, so wear it if you like it.

msamber86

This is very strong on orchid with a mix of orris root and rangoon creeper though I know those last two notes aren’t listed. It smells like you are smelling the flowers in your garden and your lipstick. This reminds me so much of something else but I can’t put my finger on it. Definitely Gucci Bloom Profumo mixed with an orris heavy scent.

After about an hour the lipstick smell drops and the florals bloom and it is gorgeous. Reminds me a bit Panthere by Cartier.

This is a nice scent but I think the opening is too aggressive for me. I think Tom Ford is great at making holy grails for different noses. Every scent can’t be a holy grail for every person, and this one isn’t for me but I know someone out there is in love with this.

oblyth

The orchid note is really strong and overpowering at first spray and I couldn't get past that.

Gyps

It has a very pleasing smell. I couldn’t smell any rum, just honey and then it dried down to a nice floral/wood/leather type scent. Not very strong and doesn’t last that long on me. Overall, for me, it’s nice but I don’t think I’d run out to buy another bottle. Speaking of which, the bottle is lovely and exudes class. I’m thinking that Tom Ford perfumes are way overpriced though, as well as over hyped.

BougieGirlShops

This is a very sexy and seductive scent. The opening is a bright burst of booziness and citrus, Then dries down to a gorgeous rounded floral; of which I detect orchid, rose and hyacinth. I don't detect any citrus top notes nor the orange blossom, which is unfortunate. Would have like to smell some citrus throughout. Light vanillic and woody notes adds warmth and sweetness. This is far more sweet compared to Black Orchid, and leans feminine whereas BO leans unisex.

On my skin, sillage and projection perform quite well. Not beast mode, but definitely detectable by others.

RegalKitten

I'm going to give this another chance before I rate it, but I find Black Orchid smoother and more sensual, whereas I struggle with Velvet Orchid, which is supposed to be the easier one to like. Maybe it's the suede note I don't get along with, and I don't like the rose here, it's dirtied by that leather. I find this much more challenging and heavy than Black Orchid.

Enrium

Velvet Orchid is a sweet, boozy floral with a leather base, bearing some similarity to the infamous Black Orchid, albeit sweeter and more feminine. As orchids are odourless, these "orchid" perfumes are, to me, an artistic impression of the elegant aesthetic of an orchid flower. The "velvet" smoothness is also conveyed well here.

VO has a boozy opening with some citric freshness. Honey-sweetened florals emerge quite early on, complementing the booziness nicely. The overall effect is of a good quality sweet rum.

It gets sweeter as it develops, becoming a nice, if noisy noughties-style floriental. There is a lot going on here, perhaps due to the fact that there were four perfumers involved in the creation of VO. I get clean, sweet white florals, namely jasmine and orange blossom, and some powdery rose as it develops further. Some almond-like heliotrope rounds it out. Vanilla in the base adds smooth sweetness, complemented by a soft amber accord. A hint of suede-like leather is evident as it dries down, adding a slight edge. It fades to a sweet yet slightly animalic amber skin scent. Sillage and longevity are moderate, and it is feminine-leaning, best worn in autumn/winter.

A good quality scent with points of interest, VO is not bad, but I'm not fully convinced by it. Its boozy opening and suede base note set it apart somewhat, adding a little edge, but it manages to be both generic and kitchen-sink-y at the same time. While it doesn't fully work for me, I understand the general appeal. 3/5.

bloodyheartofparadise

this perfume smells almost EXACTLY like fame by lady gaga to me only stronger and longer lasting. i'm very surprised to not see it in the 'reminds me of' section as i think both perfumes share the honey and orchid notes. i get sweet powdery purple florals absolutely drenched in thick sweet honey with a touch of booziness from the rum. this smells worlds apart from black orchid and only trained noses could detect the similarities, velvet orchid is a much more universal, safe scent compared to her darker more mysterious and dirrrty older sister. projection and longevity are moderate.

LeSucreRose

Love it! I think I have found my home in fragrances with boozy and leather notes. I love this, Lost Cherry, and Jasmin Rouge and I’m still waiting for my Bitter Peach to arrive. I bought the purse spray first, but I definitely need to get the full bottle. I like this better than Black Orchid thanks to the floral notes.

miyawakiri

spicy and sweet. no big difference between velvet and black except black is a bit more unisex and balsamic while velvet is more floral and woody.
it smells more floral on the paper while it smells like spices a bit of balsam and vanilla. definitely not a blind buy.
i kinda dont like it on my skin but lets hope it grows on me.

edit: i literally love it so much

haleykbhenry

Listennn, it lives up to the hype. Immediately got stopped and complimented the very first time I wore this fragrance out. All I heard was “I’m sorry to bother you, miss, but what kind of perfume are you wearing? It smells really good.” I was intrigued to try this after hearing that Gigi Hadid wears this and I definitely see why now.

I’m not conceited BUT all I’m saying is I couldn’t help but FEEL EXPENSIVE and classy upon spraying this on ✨ This one is more of a skin scent and you just need to let your skin warm it up and you’re ready for the night! You definitely won’t need touch-ups with her (trust me). Lasted 12+ hours and projects within 3ft. Please note that this is a fragrance for WOMEN, not girls. It’s a very classy bold fragrance yet still velvety smooth and SO feminine *dreamy sigh* Please try this if you’re looking for something bold yet classy to wear for the Fall and Winter months and enjoy smelling EXPENSIVE

irlfireprincess

The opening with the rum is a bit too mature for me, but that only lasts about 15 minutes and then the honey carries over from the opening into the middle where I pick up some dark, sweetened florals. After 2 hours of wear I can’t smell anything anymore except maybe the faintest bit of honey still lingering - I can’t detect any of the base notes.

This is a dark, sexy fall/winter fragrance and I much prefer it to the pungent truffle note present in Black Orchid, which I find unbearable. But it’s a little bit mature for my tastes and the projection and longevity for the huge price of TF fragrances makes it so that I probably wouldn’t spring for a full bottle.

AlecGutteridge

Dark balsamic incense, but with just enough of a sweet, boozy element from the rum. Sexy, smooth, vanillic, and fairly unisex though with a feminine lean. 8.5/10

rosesfromars

This perfume is an instant confidence boost for me. When I wear it I feel like a siren. It's so deep, sexy, addictive. My male friends told me it's very seductive, they couldn't stop sniffing the bottle. So
..

bagginz

The florals really sing, light and fresh on a dark, almost incensy (myrrh) base. It's sweet but not syrupy or edible. Somehow smooth, warm and deep but still sparkles.

I am a fan of sweet, dark (woody, spicey, incensy) gourmands.. you know, the "sexy winter night time" types. Compared to those, I feel like I could wear this in spring, or even summer if it wasn't completely sweltering. That being said, she is definitely dark and sexy.

The dry down is very smooth, vanilla, incensy, sandalwood powdery. Not burning incense. This incense hasn't been lit yet. I think the florals are gone but every now and then i get a wafting tendril of sweet floral, which is so lovely.

Instant love and I definitely need a full bottle.

RobynCrabtree

Delicious! Perfect for a sexy criminal or confident goth. I don't think I could pull this scent off in my day-to-day life, but I'm purchasing a travel size just in case the opportunity ever presents itself. This scent is wickedly addictive.

Carissaochoa

I find the Orchid Sisters deeply sexy, soulful, and melancholy. Degenerate Beauty Queens.
Velvet is slinky, sultry, and sweet; the nicer and tamer of the two. She’s a little smoother, not as earthy or rough around the edges as Black. Easier to like and a bit more stable. BO might be too much of a loose cannon for some.
That rum and honey in VO is warm, gooey and indulgent. I do wish that carried more to the dry down instead of the floral notes, as something settles on me like Good Girl Gone Bad. I get a dusty potpourri smell I don’t love and I think it’s the narcissus. Thankfully this is not as bad as GGGB, however I do wish something warmer, woodier or nuttier was used instead of that dusty note.
My heart still belongs to the dirtier, earthier sister, Black Orchid, but I do love Velvet and will treasure her in my collection.
Wearing VO is like listening to Lana Del Rey.

Invisibeau

Reminds me of Versace Crystal Noir at first sniff, not the scent but the vibe. Very floral, slightly bitter, turns mellow in the dry down. It is definitely well blended. A little mature but extremely elegant, mysterious, rounded and deep.

Jaimedjohnston

Tom Ford fragrances, to me, are over hyped. They are all power houses and are in your face. They burn my nose and give me a headache. Velvet Orchid is very much in your face at first and the opening lasts a few hours which then dries down and becomes more tolerable. I like this one much better than a lot of TF fragrances. It is eventually sexy and mysterious and I think you have to be very confident to wear it. NOT a perfume for everyday wear. Definitely a night out. It is a little boozy at first but the dry down is quite lovely where you get vanilla, myrrh and sandlewood. I won't be buying another bottle. It's just not for me

fformoso88

I like this better than the original Black Orchid which I also have. This one is sweet, sexy, seductive, dark, and mysterious. It can be a little too much sometimes, but I like strong fragrances so it doesn’t bother me. This is the Femme Fatal version of the original. To me I think this screams sexy and seductive. It’s sweet and floral and even a little boozy. It has a warm dry down. I like these kind of scents. Not everyone can pull it off though. But if you’re looking for a head turning sexy fragrance this is it.

Atina365

It’s sweet, there is a honey note that is very noticeable. It is also floral. I’m definitely intrigued but I think Black Orchid suits me better. Maybe the two can be layered.

likesleet

this was also very dark and thick. balsamic and ambery

Kimdpea

Velvet Orchid is what I wanted Chanel Coco Noir to be. I get similar vibes and similar concept but this is more rich and smooth especially in the dry down, and It also comes off to be more feminine and less aloof in the beginning. Still mysterious and dark but floral and not overly sweet. Well blended, no chemically sharpness or cheapness but a beautiful scent that is for the woman that knows what she wants—a little daring with an edge, but well-kept, posh and a little flirty. Not for everyone but for me, its the ideal evening scent and before when I tried It I wasn’t ready; not yet that woman but now I am.

Nessa G

This fragrance is hands down one of my best fragrances. It’s smells classy and expensive. It also Lasts about 7 hours on my skin and 10-12 on my clothes. I was sleeping on this fragrance, happy I finally bought this.

Kendralenses

Absolutely a treasure. Delicious and unique. One of my all time favorites. I always want to have this in my collection.

AmBo

I only have a travel size of this, and it wasn't love at first sniff, but as I develop my nose I could see buying a big bottle of this. It's sensual and grown-up and slightly indolic. I think I would've disliked it 20 years ago, but as a middle-aged woman, I appreciate the depth and complexity here.

Edemay

The absolute CHOKEHOLD this scent has on me is crazy
especially because I use to hate this scent when I was younger
Its just so intoxicating, seductive, smooth, different, expensive smelling
I love that its a dark scent but its not going to offend anyone
This is one of the only scents where when I wear it I dont sit there trying to sniff out all the notes, I just close my eyes and truly enjoy it. I love also wearing it to bed and waking up to the faint smell of it all around me.
I enjoy this so much more than Black Orchid, which to me smells like oil crayons
I will also say that I enjoy this scent so much more on clothes than on skin, on clothes the florals are more prominent which I prefer

Edit: I didn’t think the scent was this strong but apparently it is. I got to my boyfriends house just before him and he said he could smell my perfume as he walked down to the house! I didn’t even apply it when I got to his I applied at my house before I left haha

Tunzz

I wanted to like this so bad but I hate it just as much as I hate black orchid. Headache potion. Their fragrance is toooo strong and lasts forever. Smells like what you’d get if you sprayed air freshener in a damp musty old house.

felised

This is lovely. Velvet Orchid is like Black Orchid's sensual and alluring sister. Less bold and not as loud compared to the latter but I actually find this to be darker overall. I wear both but prefer to save Velvet Orchid for more special occasions. Definitely a night scent. Although rum is listed in the top notes I think it stays boozy up until the very late stages of the drydown. A strong love for me.

Edit: I should point out that my bottle is from around 2013-2014, and both sillage and longevity are magnificent. I have heard that newer batches have issues in that department. I'm going to try to get a sample from a newer bottle to compare both versions.

SummerRose

This perfume reminds me of someone who is quietly confident, who can state their opinion in a calm but decisive way. It's not bold and very outspoken. It's not in your face but it's calm, collective and self assured. The texture is smooth, well blended and refine. It does have a lovely floral boozy scent which stays close to the skin but will last for some time, up to 8 hours on my skin.

The other day I was told that I smelt "sweet" while I was wearing Velvet Orchid. I was shocked by the comment but I guess they smelt the honey or the vanilla in the dry down. Again, this person had just given me a hug so I think was only able to smell the fragrance when up close.

I do enjoy it but I wish it was a bit more feisty and thar I could get a bit more of the rum. Also, I wish it projected a bit more. Overall, I like it, I enjoy it but I think it might be one to test before buying.

tony5596

So I smelled this fragrance while aimlessly shopping at Sephora a few months ago and fell head over heels. But that $195 price tag stopped me dead in my tracks from buying it right away. So I waited it out and came across a listing on Mercari for a brand new full sized bottle for $115. Of course, I purchased it without hesitation lol.

Velvet Orchid is such a complex, but alluring scent. In the opening, that Rum(Succan absolute) starts out very strong and spicy, and is immediately joined by a mildly sweet & warm honey note, calming down the Rum. There are definitely some white florals at play here that hide in the background, but they're very difficult to decipher. What Iove about this is how the Rose creeps into this composition so smoothly and trade places with the Rum, leaving me with prominent Rose & Honey combo. A balsamic, warm, and gentle Vanilla accompanies this composition into the dry down. I could not detect any citrus notes, which I'm glad. I think a prominent citrus note wouldve ruined this fragrance.

The performance didn't disappoint. I got a good 5-6 hours of longevity with a very heavy sillage in the first two hours of wear. Velvel Orchid is not for everyone. This fragrance suits a particular person(mature & sophisticated), mood(bossy & confident), and occasion(formal). This is NOT safe for the workplace. Even though I love this fragrance dearly, I can understand why some may find it repulsive lol.

Scent: 10/10
Packaging: 8/10
Performance: 7/10

Srebrina

To me this smells very familiar and I'm pretty sure my grandma had a perfume that smelled exactly like it. It's not bad, just very safe, familiar and boring IMO. After the first spray (mildly headache endusing, exactly like grandma's) it stays very close to the skin. Mostly smells of vanilla, nondescript flowers and pharmacy in a very old fashioned way
Edit:after the first spray the strong medicinal smell is gone. And I can finally appreciate the scent. I feel like I'm wearing a black dress, red lipstick and dancing the tango on a summer night. A very femme Fatale vibe, but at the same time very elegant, soft and feminine. Also there is something very addictive in the drydown, like the new shoes scent.
very versatile on me, very wearable, perfect for everyday as well as night out

upk

An atmosphere of good old-fashioned fragrance that is typical of early Tom Ford.
The scent of orchids is all over, and it takes time for lamb and honey to come out. Rather than everyday use, it is a category that suits gorgeous situations such as going out. Those who get drunk with perfume may not be good at it.

YLC629

Velvet Orchid is one of my favorite Tom Ford scents. I had to buy a full bottle shortly after trying a sample. I actually don't get much sweetness in this until the deeper drydown. At first, all I get is a blast of suede. The suede note stays strong throughout for me. But it's mixed with orchid and it dark and sexy. Once it dries down I get a bit of rum, honey, and more orchid.
It's very strong at first but honestly, the performance is not great but that's just kind of how it goes with Tom Ford scents IMO. But, it's a winner overall and while I don't get to wear it a lot as I live in a hot climate, I always love it

Moonwalk Memorie

I'm getting fruity floral on a backdrop of sweet resin and suede. Somehow, this ALSO smells fresh... aquatic... cucumber melon-y. Despite the complexity I perceive, it doesn't wow me. After about 30min, dries down as sandalwood and licorice on my skin.

ForbiddenSoil

For years I've been telling myself "This perfume is me in a few years. Who I'm going to become once. Then I'll get her." ...So naturally, a bit later, I was like "f*ck this" and I bought her anyway. I don't regret it, though I still feel a bit too young to fully embody her. It is my night time fragrance, my feeling fancy fragrance. My most complimented fragrance as well. She is a gothic enchantress to me. I dabble in the goth scene but I never was a fan of patchouli and incense bombs or strong in-your-face roses that are so common amongst us. Yet, this kind of embodies the mystery for me, without making it too obvious. Velvet Orchid is very sweet and boozy upon first spraying her but that goes away quicker than I ever thought possible in a fragrance. After that, she is quite linear. She turns into soft, velvety, nondescript flowers, with vanilla and myrrh backing them up. It is a love for me. Will keep buying her until I go bankrupt.

Szafirowy czar

Intoxicating perfume, so awesome! So far I've only had an opportunity to smell the tester at the airport but will definitely give it a try in the future. Perfect for the cold winter evening
edit: I have tried it once again and this time it seemed way too strong for me, too intense.

A_Ferrera

I purchased a bottle of this addictive and potent poison in early 2015 by the recommendation of a friend in Manhattan, the bottle alone sold me. Reminiscent of a vile of poison accompanied by that deep purple glass and metal plate made it irresistible.

This poisonous (in a good way) elixir takes effect better during the colder months, and I think works best with darker clothing as the fragrance alone is quite deep and sumptuous so the contrast is there. It has definitely been reformulated unfortunately as the currently version is missing that depth and longevity as compared to earlier versions. It's mysterious, keeping them on their toes, giving the sense that you're lurking in the darkness and always a few steps ahead of them then when they finally catch up you're nowhere to be seen. It's sensual and you want to know more about the person wearing it but know well enough not to disturb them as they aren't the friendliest.

I honestly can't get enough of this during the autumn/winter, funnily enough I also get a melon accord despite there being no melon. This is surprisingly complex as this isn't in the TF private line but I fear that sometime in the next few years this will be discontinued :(

This is 100% unisex!

amber832

Just like the bottle suggests this has a purple feel to it…if only colors had smells :) Along with the dominant rum note I can really pick up the heliotrope and as it settles in the skin I definitely get a suede effect. It does share the same dna as Black Orchid, but with the added rum and floral notes this does lean more feminine (but men can easily use this if they want!) The longevity and sillage are both over average. I really hope this never gets discontinued.

Faellen

Velvet is right. This is velvety smooth. A lot of people seem to find it overwhelming and headache inducing, but it doesn't produce that effect in me, whereas Black Orchid can. Is it similar to Black Orchid? I would say yes. There's some of that cucumbery earthiness here. However, none of the beast mode.
On my skin, this is honeyed florals, powdery and balsamic. It's dark and wintery and sits close to the skin. I wish I'd discovered Velvet Orchid as a goth many years ago, because I would've worn the hell out of it.
It *could* be described as a more floral and wearable Black Orchid but honestly I think it stands alone as a really nice fragrance. But if you wear it you just have to *own it* with confidence.... and don't let it wear you.

Flippi1

Tropical bubblegum vibes on me - seems quite unisex to me…!!??

mayaree

Velvet Orchid may be one of the few perfumes with jasmine that I like. Maybe because I can't clearly detect it lol.
I never properly owned a bottle, but for a time I used to visit the TF counter and smell it religiously alongside the Lumière flanker. I could never decide between the two, they're almost identical with Velvet being more powdery and Lumière slightly more fresh. All in all, Velvet is seductive, if not a little mature to my nose. This is not a scent for a teen, but a woman (or man) who is financially and sexually comfortable at this point in time. She/he is self-secured.
Velvet oozes sultry confidence, with a touch of fun brought out by the sparkly citruses, and femininity by the floral notes. It demands your attention. I remember it being quite strong, I think longevity and sillage are quite excellent. Wish I could say the same for other TF products.

jajakapitan

I’ve smelled this on others and thought that it was a slightly more female Black Orchid - but as I discovered, body chemistry is unique and I can’t reproduce the same smell on myself. This is nothing like black orchid and is missing the truffle - which is the note I appreciate the most between the two scents. This is a lovely scent but the sillage and longevity is poor for me aswell as being a bit too bland.

Konga5000

Normally I react BIG upon sniffing a TF perfume for the first time. My reactions are all over the map: "WHY wasn't I born into a super rich family so I can buy this right now and take it home?" , "WHERE Was this smell for all of my entire life?", "Can I save money by not eating for 8 months so I can afford this ?" , etc. My first time reaction to Black Orchid was like "Um, what ? ..... dark plumb ....... and ...well, it's OK, I think .... " . I expected more and LOVE the Velvet Orchid & Lumiere flankers much better. Their much more Tom Ford-y. LOL. P.S. I don't think REAL orchids can be properly distilled for perfume making .

Jolmed

I was at Ulta and was looking for a cologne, this was next to the black orchid bottle but that purple color bottle grabbed my attention. Now this was on the men's section of fragrances. I grabbed the bottle and sprayed the strip and fell in love with it. Instant buy and I'm a guy. Wore it to work and got multiple compliments.

Compositeur

It took 4 perfumers to make this. Sounds like design by committee to me...

If it had a richer leather base it would have been more interesting, but as it stands it's rather nondescript.

spiceysauce5

Way more polite than i expected. Very nice, definitely get mostly floral boozy honey. Not bad at all, but I think i may prefer true lust from ELDO which is also a boozy floral but leans on violet and leather/woods instead of orchid and honey.

6.5/10

ntabassum92

My friend first recommended this one to me in college, as the more wearable Black Orchid. It's definitely that. Velvet Orchid is the seductive soft sister, with a purring low-pitched voice who might not turn heads but lazily lures you in once you are up close with her. I've worn this around others a couple of times and no one has commented on my scent, so it really is more intimate. It has this vintage quality that I don't get from the original, I just picture a voluptuous actress of bygone days in a velvet gown lounging on her sofa. I still get the "orchid" accord from the original, and faint touches of the earthy/mushroomyness, but what is most present in this perfume is a giant dollop of honey, smearing the notes into a blur, taking away all the sharpness. As it dries down, it reminds me of L'Agent in the rum raisin smokiness that develops (most likely the myrrh.) Lovely, smoldering, sexy, but gentle enough for everybody. This is a wonderful case where making something more "wearable" doesn't have to mean stripping it bare and taking its uniqueness.

JamieSmells

I bought this because my bottle of BO is almost running out and I wanted to try something new, yet similar to it. Honestly I think the performance is mediocre when compared to BO, which is a beast and extremely long lasting. It smells very beautiful and much more flowery, however I cant smell it much on me after 4 hours or so. I spray heavy and I still cant smell it that strong on me which is disappointing. I'm glad I bought it because I am planning to use this more in the spring to see if it performs better than the winter. Have not received compliments on it and I would with BO so thats pretty telling of how both compare.

Phedre1981

This scent will haunt my desk forever.....maybe. I had a bottle of this from 2014 and was trying to decide if I wanted to keep it. I sprayed a paper with it 2 days ago, removed it from my desk to another room, but the scent is still sticking around like this small purple vanilla resinous cloud. I can see finding this fragrance very beautiful. I think it is, but it can also be very overbearing, at least the original release was. Velvet is appropriate not as much for the soft smooth quality as for the dense, rich, endless depth quality. It's completely opaque and the color of the bottle suits it very well. Its not sparkly at all. It has a matte finish just like velvet also. This review I'm sure isn't helpful. I think its hard to describe scents, but easier to describe their style and what familiar things they remind you of. I did end up selling my bottle because like many have said, it can be a headache inducer and I'm definitely prone to migraines. I can't hang with this one!

halex

Just got a decant of Velvet Orchid. Someone mentioned that it’s not worth the headache to get to the dry down and I would have to agree…instant headache, with some actual nausea. Which is so sad because I could tell the perfume was heading in a beautiful, dark, creamy direction! But I had to wash it off. I don’t really like the florals listed on here for the middle notes, but I kept getting recommended VO. I hoped I would find a sweet yet dark and mysterious perfume, but all I found was a headache. Oh well! At least it was just a decant.

Zoë101

This smells like it’s literal name, velvety orchids. GORGEOUS!

You are getting velvety orchid flowers with a pinches of musk, vanilla and sandalwood. It’s lovely, but………..

RANT: The longevity is so BAD. When I tell you this becomes a skin scent so fast, it’s crazy. My OG black orchid decant was fantastic! It last forever and ever. In fact, my faux fur coat probably STILL has some of it on it from a winter or two ago. I knew velvet orchid would be a little lighter but damn lol

With all due respect, I wish people would stop complaining about how “strong” fragrances are as you are giving these big brands every excuse to water their formulas down while still raising the price. As consumers, they win, we lose.

Soon fragrance will be a dead art and many of us who truly enjoy a quality, projecting and long lasting product will have to resort to an all niche and indie brand collection. True, strong fragrances aren’t for everyone, but it’s not fair for it to be taken away from those of us who do enjoy being smelled when we enter a room. I just feel like instead of complaining, we should just all get what we enjoy, no?

Again, not trying to offend anyone, but this is only one of many frags that have changed for the worst. Quite a disappointment which is why I’ve since decluttered and will be selling it. PM me if interested.

My posh and mercari acct. will be listed on my profile soon.

RATING: 6/10. Lovely but poor longevity. 💔💔

hola gigi

The top note experience is over before having the chance to enjoy it. The sandalwood & vanilla dry down will remain on your skin for hours though. I assumed it would be a beast mode fragrance, but it is not.

velvetflowers

Gosh this is gorgeous. Sweet rum plus creamy and resinous nuances. It's got that heavy Tom Ford DNA (spray in moderation), smells super luxurious, warm, and sexy, but not overly feminine. Personally can't imagine this as an everyday scent on myself, but I am definitely gonna wear this to winter galas and champagne-filled Christmas parties. :) Not a safe blind buy though so make sure to test before purchasing.

{Update}
7 hours later and there seems to be some kind of patchouli accord...Whatever it is, it reads patchouli on my skin. Perhaps the suede and orchid combo? Personally, I love patchouli scents in my perfumes, but it is something to mind.

RandomPatterned

Bought a small dabber sample because I was intrigued about the rum and honey top notes and thought the middle and base notes couldn't fail. Woof, so sweetly strong, not of rum, and sharp of flowers, not velvety. It was headache triggering so I never gave it a second chance and passed it along to a family member.

LSAUG

This is a hot mess of a floral. Very sickly and gross. The floral accords in this one smell like rotting flowers soaked in rum and some sort of sweets. I do not understand the obsession w/ Tom Ford perfumes. I keep sampling different one's when I am in Sephora trying my best to give them a chance and I am always let down. I understand what the perfumer was going for here but it just misses the mark in so many ways. I own a boozy rich floral w/ hyacinth, and orchid accords that uses honey, cognac, and rock rose and it accomplishes what this one does not and that is Spring Ephemeral by Gather perfumes. Some of Gather perfumes fragrances are in the data base of this magazine but that one is not. Gather's juice is pricey, it is all natural but if you want a floral w/ a rich honey, boozy effect and the florals are ripe and lush give that one a try instead. Spring Ephemeral from Gather just pulls this effect so much better. TF Velvet Orchid falls flat.
Also a side note this one give me a raging headache the more I smell it. I've got to go throw the strip out now, I am gagging.

Sorting out my collection and see I am getting hate again for ragging on TF. Sorry but his fragrances are overpriced and overrated. If you are going to pay these prices for perfumes they should be loaded w/ natural ingredients and or at least smell natural. This is fake, sickening and gross.

starlightsteward

This is a gloriously rummy, sexy stepmom kind of fragrance. It takes Black Orchid, and supplants that deep chocolate staleness with a rummy, boozy floral. There is still that kind of stale resinous backbone, and it is a powerhouse, but the effect is much more delicate than BO, and specifically lacks that polarizing dirtiness.

Sometimes the sprays can be a bit overwhelming, especially since the myrrh/suede are prominent in the beginning (sure, they have a part to play in the composition). But at dry-down, and what lingers for well after, is a velvety smooth honey and floral combination spiked with rum: to me, the best part, like the plug of buttercream frosting on a yellow cupcake. I like this best served as part of my coat's DNA as a sort of mischievous signature, than freshly doused on skin.

Velvet Orchid is a fierce lover, and you need to accept her as a whole if you want the best parts.

Jessicawallace98

I have a love/hate relationship with this perfume. Some days I absolutely love it; and others I cannot bare it. Which is, strange. I accidentally purchased this one rather than the original black orchid. Can’t say I’ve used more than 1/4 of my 50ml bottle and I’ve had it for around a year.

brionica1013

I am not a fan of Black Orchid at all so I did not expect to like this one, however, it is the perfect blend of floral, earthy, and resinous for me. It doesn't have that foul truffle note I can't stand in BO and although it has a honey note it's not too sweet. I also don't like hyacinth at all, it smells of nasal spray to me, but the hyacinth note is either undetectable or so well blended in Velvet Orchid that it doesn't stand out to me at all. Wonderful composition, perfect for cooler weather but probably too heavy for warm weather.

iluvminecraft69

the top notes are so... idk how to describe this perfume. i love it and hate it.
i just absolutely hate the vile, headache-inducing journey that it takes to get to the AMAZING, creamy, gorgeous dry-down.

the first hour after spraying, i could not stand it AT ALL. funnily enough, i could stand if i sprayed 20 sprays of black orchid (i adore that fragrance), but not this one - not velvet orchid. despite people saying this is more "wearable" than BO. its TOO floral, i think its the rose that throws me off because my nose genuinely cant stand rose scents, its what it picks up the most.
after the hell of an hour, it becomes SO nice, i cannot rlly describe it, but i agree when people say it smells like the colour PURPLE. its vanilla, floral, powdery, creamy, dark, gorgeous, luxurious - just amazing! it smells like an arrogant, sexy person but not in the same way as BO does IMO.

take my advice and don't overspray this unless you hate yourself. less is more. spray it once and enjoy the "subtle", sexiness of velvet orchid.

SailorV

Velvet Orchid was a slow burn for me.
It's always standing in Black Orchid's big shadow, and next to such a groundbreaking legend it's easy to dismiss it as the nice, but less exciting little sister, which I did at first. But it's just as opulent and glamorous, just with a softer, more classic feminine beauty instead of striking, otherworldly uniqueness.

The perfume opens with a delectable rum note without any harsh alcoholic tones. I also sense fruit beyond what's listed in the notes. There's something dark and delicious like ripe plums in this, a 'purple' kind of scent matching the bottle.
And there are more phantom notes: I could swear that I get some ylang-ylang in the blend of hypnotic florals in the heart, and a very sleek patchouli in the base. So, Velvet Orchid keeps traces of Black Orchid's DNA, but leaves out the darkest, earthiest parts and adds more warmth and even playfulness.
The drydown is warming and sensual with vanilla, myrrh and honey. If you are sceptical about honey notes, I can assure you that this is a good one that doesn't turn cloying or overly animalic. After a few hours it smells like someone swirled some Black Orchid EDP, plums and various flowers into a jar of dark forest honey. Mouthwatering, though not really gourmand. I would classify it as a sweet floriental.
It's remarkable how Velvet Orchid has a sultry summer night vibe with its high quality rum cocktail opening and heady florals, but also feels comforting, warm and not even remotely out of place in the colder months. Versatile and wearable without being generic, just how I like my perfumes.

Caitlin5

Wearable, yeah sure but I kind of get very mature older woman vibes. Might come back to it when I'm a tad bit older.

Perfumepusher

I smell the rum/honey/floral/suede combo and it really is a luxurious perfume. Very mature and sexy. Nothing like black orchid which I DONT like.

lapequenita

Not as daring as Black Orchid, still beautiful tho. It is more wearable, but definitely not boring. Great autumn/winter everyday fragrance and compliment getter. Warm and sexy. Works great with my skin and lasts for a very long time.

Pola213

I had high hopes but nope... it's suffocating...

jakielius

Holy smokes do I love this perfume! I tend not to gravitate toward pure floral scents but this was love at first sniff. My other floral, V&R Flowerbomb, is the sweet and romantic girl next door you want to go on a date with. Velvet Orchid is also very sweet and sexy but it’s dark and sultry - she’s the one you take home from the cocktail lounge at 11 p.m. She definitely wears stilettos and pays her own bills. I find it to be a mature scent and it has crazy projection. Definitely a fall/winter/evening scent, I could easily see this in a formal setting but I also believe in wearing the scent you want whenever you want (within reason I suppose). This is my bad bitch scent and I love love love this perfume! The price tag is a bit steep, it’s Tom Ford, but to me, it’s worth the money. If you want something a bit less sweet, TF Black Orchid has a lot more spice and earth to it. Velvet Orchid is softer, more conventionally feminine, but still packs a punch.

WGG

From a male perspective (my wife owns this). A georgeous, creamy, classy floral perfume which avoids being overly sweet or heady, but retains enough heart to create a good, lasting scent bubble comfortably beyond that of a skin scent. I see others stuggle with performance but wonder if the strength was amped up it might create a different feel entirely. Probably better for night out/dates or more formal occasions than day to day. This really is beautiful and well worth paying the TF premium for.
4.5/5

P-Nay

Tom Ford Velvet Orchid is nice, more on the feminine side of TFBO. On my skin, the opening is sharp but the drydown is sweet and less rounded and opulant than Black Orchid. They have similarities, yet, with the TF gene! Velvet orchid to me is like the little sister, yet quieter and more reserved. If you love TFBO but think it's just a bit flamboyant for ya, you will definitely be safe in the department of The Velvet Orchid with its more sedate style. I love this fragrance but my baby is the TFBO if I had to choose. I guess I'm more on the bombastic side! 😁

HollywoodNovaBaby

I was expecting something totally different from BO but as soon as I sprayed it it’s like diet BO. Very similar to me, not as earthy and sweeter, definitely lighter not as loud but long lasting.

miameytal

since the bottle is like black orchid i expected for this to be some version of black orchid but it's absolutely not. It's a sweet fruity floral. While black orchid is a spicy incensy something mysterious (hard to describe) but i can tell you these are nothing alike. Not bad, but not my favorite.

Ruby Galore

Resin, flowers, honey and rum .. simple, powerful and mystical.
Today it's raining and 20 degrees, ideal for walking this little cute purple beast. <3

vookiely

if you’re looking for a soapy, sophisticated musk, you’ve found it! it’s very rum-y, you can smell the myrrh above every other note but that sweet hyacinth keeps it from becoming overwhelming. if i could smell this across a store without any knowledge of who’s wearing it, i would assume the woman in the coldwater creek knit sweater and long black hair standing next to the artisanal bread loaves is to suspect.

lilliankim98

Smells kind of like WWDIPIS by A Lab on Fire.

kelleybean

This is a densely packed, heady one! Upon first spray, all of the top notes come out evenly. Immediately, though, the heart notes are showing up for me with jasmine, hyacinth and narcissus taking the lead. Along with those come Ford's orchid accords resting on those solid base notes that come along much later as the top and heart die down.

This is one of the two most floral perfume that I own at the moment and I bow down with respect to it's beauty and complexity. Floral, sweet and heavy. However, this is not for me any more. It definitely stands side by side with my small bottle of Alien in that regard, even though they are not alike. They do share the same floral heavy-hitter status that don't fit me.

The name and the bottle color match it perfectly. An 8/10 as far as fragrance goes!

omenies

Beautiful fragrance! This is definitely a grown woman fragrance, it's very complex and layered. You can tell that there are a lot of notes in this fragrance but they are blended beautifully and everything bounces off each other nicely. Super alluring. This fragrance reminds me of Good Girl and Alien, not in terms of the smell, but in terms of the vibe. This is definitely an evening scent, at least in my opinion. It's very strong, definitely a fragrance that makes its presence known. I feel very sexy, grown, and rich wearing this. Good lasting power.

Tweez

I find this very different from Black Orchid. For me, it’s not very sweet and initially I didn’t think it was very strong, however, after spraying it this morning, I can still smell it now, though it does stay close to the skin. I don’t get rum, or honey at all….it’s been changing constantly all day ( it’s now early evening) and it’s intriguing, but I find it’s constantly stayed quite floral. I can detect iris and violet quite prominently , though they’re not listed. I definitely detected bergamot and of course rose and now the lovely vanilla. What I really am pleased about, which I didn’t expect, was it reminds me of a fragrance I’ve been searching for, for many years, but is discontinued….Rochas Lumiere, the original from the 1980s (not the remake) . I loved that. Obviously loved it more than I realised, as I can still remember the fragrance and the way it made me feel. It’s reminiscent of that. Nothing I have has come close. Although the ingredients differ, it is definitely similar in some respects to my nose. I think it’s going to quickly become a fave.

GabrielleeeeeW

While it is different from Black Orchid, I still get the same vibes and the rum note is very prominent on my skin in both. And unfortunately rum doesn't work well for me for whatever reason as it comes across as nauseating. This is much less floral to me and more incensey. Definitely very unique and heavy. I wanted to like it so bad but it's just not for me, but it is much more bearable than Black Orchid, a little bit more soft and feminine. Projects well, it's a strong performer.

bbFrag4dd1ct

No lie, I tried this because I saw somewhere that Gigi Hadid listed this as one of her favorite signature perfumes, and I see why she would like it so much - this scent is incredibly beautiful, interesting, and sexy.

On initial spray it smelled like a soft drink (couldn't figure out what brand or flavor though), sweet and slightly effervescent, but not cloyingly so. This was probably the citrus, rum, and honey notes coming into play, with the leather keeping it grounded so it didn't get too sweet. After about 30-60 minutes, the effervescent drink vibe faded away and I was left with an incredibly animalic leather-forward scent. This was my least favorite part of the scent evolution because the leather was just a little too strong for me, it smelled almost unblended. Thankfully, after about an hour the leather note took a backseat, at which point I was left with a deliciously mysterious and smooth floral. I couldn't identify any one note that stood out at this stage, it simply smelled excellently blended; everything played together and off of each other to produce a wonderfully sophisticated and addictive scent. This was the final evolution, and after this point it simply got closer and closer to my skin.

Overall this is a favorite, and I would wear it when I feel like channeling my inner femme fatale. Definitely a great scent for an evening at a fancy restaurant or event, or for dates where seduction is the intent. Even the leather note works - it puts the "fatale" in femme fatale. Like many Tom Ford fragrances, this one is excellently blended and simply smells luxurious and expensive to me.

VioletOrchid

The best named perfume I’ve ever come across. It embodies velvet in scent form. The notes are merged beautifully. I love that I get random whiffs throughout the day. It’s sophisticated and comforting 💜

blossomka

7/10. Like White Suede, with similar umami amped-up syntheticness, candy gumdrop, sweet custard creme caramel and a bit salty. Then a crocus-like flower emerges its prominent head. Does not attract me at first, then it improves but is too synthetic.

lzak

I love it, BUT It only lasts a couple of hours on me so will have to reapply it. I hate to feel like I have to carry a decant of this. It is strong, so you can’t overspray too much. It’s beautiful and complex but has no lasting power.
Loved the notes and crazy about the purple bottle, since I am a fan of the color. A big disappointment on the performance.
To me it smells like purple, the color, in my fantasy.

carlahoffman

My first Tom Ford perfume, I took a blind chance and hit a home run, I love it!! From the booze/ honey opening with the bergamot lurking in the background. Through it's magical somewhat spicy floral bouquet it is a lovely waltz that my senses are falling in love with. To the earthy, spicy creamy vanilla end I'am hooked.

Don't over spray for it will shout out to let you know its there with its' strong projection. It it is very long lasting a beast as some would say. This is a beautiful, feminine, alluring scent that wraps over you as your favorite warm soft velvet blanket. It's a keeper!!

Lindsconn

Velvet Orchid is a boozy, woody floral. It’s such a beautiful fragrance with great lasting power and projection. From the first spray I get straight up rum, which at first I wasn’t too impressed with. But then after a few minutes you start to smell all the beautiful flowers.

Just a note as well, this smells nothing like Black Orchid which I really didn’t like. It is a lot more feminine and wearable.

kristylynn

This one can be cloyingly sweet.

Jana711xx

This was a firm favourite of mine a few years ago but not so much now. I find it too unisex, in fact I think it smells nicer on my husband than it does me!! The base and middle notes are a beautiful combination but I find the myrrh and Peru balsam too heavy and headache inducing, especially in the summer. It is an ok wear for late autumn and winter but I have discovered other perfumes that are perfect for these seasons such as Tom Ford Lost Cherry which is absolutely gorgeous

DearDalya

Clearly one of the best! Very powerful in all the ways! Def one of my favourite but i dont find floral at all! Very unisex!

Eva.s 123

It's powerful, deep, sweet, velvety scent. Very unique. Suitable for evening and night wear. It's a love for me as long as it's used in small amounts as it can become overwhelming.

Yings_97

This one is a legit! Just sprayed it and i fell in love right a way. I smell rum and floral at first spray then it turned to floral coated with vanilla which is yummy. A lot of flowers and really well blended because i barely could find which flowers that I similar with. really love the way that the balsamic and leathery notes show off and made this perfume smell more warm and cozy. I couldn’t say this perfume is a good choice for evening event, because you can wear it at day time too.

Ruby Galore

When I bought this, I had no idea about it and wanted a creamy thick sweet perfume made of purple flowers, the most ordinary, even linear, but to be balsamic and juicy. I bough this enthusiastically. What a fool I am! :) When he started changing into suede and cold myrrh ... I almost went crazy. Quite the opposite of what I wanted. I had a feeling that while I was picking lilacs, evil dwarves wrapped me in a leather blanket, put me in a barrel and poured honey and threw mint as punishment for stealing their flowers: D
Still, I loved it very much, even more than the idea I was looking for, because in the end it’s myrrh menthol resinous, so good. Why? Because as the perfume is full of flowers, combined with myrrh and a little suede, it reminds me from afar of those Airways purple black currant chewing gums, hot and cold, sweet, only this is more like menthol-lilac, or whatever flower it is , but a mild odor. I really love it.

Some appreciate the Black Orchid more, this one is pretty underrated, honestly, I don’t know why these two perfumes compare so much, they’re both from the Ford family, you can see that, but it’s all a resemblance. It’s like comparing tuna, mayonnaise and lettuce sandwiches, with ham, ketchup and paprika sandwiches, literally, sandwiches are stacked the same, but these are totally different worlds.

adamh9201

This one is like the original Black Orchid but if you take away that sharpness of the patchouli and substitute it with powder feel. Absolutely unisex scent and very safe. A must have if you love orchid notes!

scentobsessed01

This is a gorgeous fragrance. It screams rich aunty to me. Pure Luxury

jassca99

Subtle dry down but that’s what makes the perfume! You have to wait for the initial blast to calm down into perfect sweetness grounded by suede and woods. And I usually don’t wait more than 30 min to get past a startling opening and this passes it in time. I haven’t worn in a while but recently became addicted again.

Phemia

Velvet Orchid is in the same vein as Black Orchid but it's not simply a softer version of Black Orchid, it stands on its own. I found Black Orchid far too strong and spicy, like a shot of Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey. The cinnamon, vaguely black licorice notes just overpowered everything else in BO that I found it to be quite linear unless I tried hard to pinpoint the many individual notes until it was thoroughly dried down.

Velvet Orchid, however, is much better to me. Far less sharp and piercing than BO. It's softer, yes, but the notes stand out while still being beautifully blended. It's not overpowered by the cloying spiciness that BO has. In the first few minutes after the initial spray, I get a very subtle fruity incense and warm spiced rum. Just under those notes, sit the florals. Out of all the floral notes, the orange blossom is the one that stands out the most individually. As it dries down, the incense-y quality takes a backseat to the vanilla and sandalwood. Unfortunately after several hours into the dry down, Velvet Orchid goes slightly rancid on my skin.

It lasts a fair amount of time. It's not initially as strong or as long lasting as Black Orchid, but it holds up. I found that BO lasted incredibly long but it didn't have the usual gradual fade on me that most fragrances have - it was there and then it was gone, there was no in between. Velvet Orchid fades away nicely into a skin scent and sticks around even after it reaches it's peak. It really is a beautiful scent that I think leans more feminine than BO (which sat more masculine until it was thoroughly dried down where it then became purely unisex). It's a shame this turns rancid and seems to clash with my body chemistry, this is now the second TF fragrance that has done that. It's mid spring here but not particularly cold. I might try this again around Winter when it's much colder and pray to the perfume gods this works for me then because I really do like this fragrance.

pamplemousse2

Oo, this is like a sweet, creamy more feminine version of Black Orchid. I can smell it after immediately applying within about 8" of my skin, so it has huge projection initially. It's actually a bit hard to pick up separate notes, but I think immediately I do get the honey and orange mix, but then there's a rich bouquet of flowers under it. Some of the sweetness might be from the rum as well, but it doesn't smell alcoholic. Just perhaps the sweetness and spice from it. It's almost buttery in how smooth and rich it smells.

Though this has a lot of flowers and I figured it'd maybe be good for spring, it's pretty dense, heady, and heavy, so anything warmer than early spring might make this a bit sickly and cloying.

I do see how this is connected to Black Orchid, as well. It has the same kind of richness and depth to it, but whereas Black Orchid was dark and brooding, this is a lot brighter and optimistic and easygoing. I agree with another reviewer that it's charismatic, yet also mysterious.

5 minutes later and the florals do take front stage more, but I feel like I can smell a bergamot cleanliness with it, too.

In 10 minutes, it turns a lot more green, from perhaps the hyacinth and narcissus, and I smell it more so within about 3" of my skin more strongly.

20 minutes later and I feel like I'm getting just about all the base notes. It's sweet, spicy, balsamic, suedey, perhaps a touch powdery and even some rose.....It's a really pretty combination and even with all those heavier notes, it doesn't smell particularly 'masculine'. There's a sweetness to it still, and the vanilla might be making it creamy as well. I'm surprised though, it's almost a skin scent on my already on my arms, some projection with 1". I do get a lot of whiffs here and there in the air, but it's not insanely projecting like it was before. It is radiating more from my chest, which is much warmer, though.

I'll see how long this lasts.

3 hours later and it's a skin scent (has been for at least an hour or so, but you can definitely smell it on the skin), but it's a very pretty and sophisticated and well done creamy myrrh, sandalwood oriental kind of blend. In the air, I sometimes get a bit of a floral scent, perhaps the orchid, but it's a really nice warm spicy skin scent now.

6 hours later and it's still a bit spicy and dark and touch floral, with a bit more vanilla sweetness. The skin scent is still hanging around and has only lost a bit of strength, but it's not at a 'barely detectable' level yet.

8 hours later and now it is a more faint skin scent I can only smell a bit with my nose directly on my skin.

12 hours later and there's still a slight vanilla scent actually, but it's basically gone.

Madina.Nurmur

This is such a gorgeous scent! Its very elegant like most of TF fragrances! It’s not as dark as Black Orchid; this one is smoother, creamier and lighter IMO, leaning more feminine. It is extremely beautifully blended- flowery, woody, balsamic, oriental. I think its best time is an early spring or fall, longevity is pretty good but much softer than BO!

autoperk

If Alien drank a pint of rum.... I do get a hint of the grape in Alien. Owning testers of this and Black O,I have a touch more respect for the edgy darkness of the black. What I love about V.O. is its thick bodied purple creaminess. This one is warm and approachable yet elevated and regal. I can Imagine the artist formally known a Prince rocking this.

Fragaddict123

A hidden gem in the orchid family from TF can be worn by both men and women though it leans more feminine to me
Longevity is great

Missmel

I picked this as my scent for the month of March from my royalty scents subscription. Coming from someone who has never smelled Black Orchid or Velvet Orchid I was so curious and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!
I’m not the best at reviewing fragrances and can’t always pin point what I’m smelling. I will say that this scent blew me away! On my skin I get loads of sweet honey, then a creamy floral note. I’m currently testing it on a wet, almost spring day and I cannot get enough of it. I was expecting it to be a dark fragrance but it seems the total opposite on my skin! This might be my go to fragrance for the rest of spring :)

Queen of torts

Had this unopened for a while trying to use up others I had. Opened it only today and....this is all I want to smell like for the rest of my life! Ok well, maybe not forever but this is going to be my signature scent. Sweet, boozy, classy, boss b*****.

Pianomelody

A particular, enveloping and charismatic perfume! A bright and sweet orchid with a veil of mystery and charm! A nice perfume for cold winter days, it gives brightness! A nice discovery, I really like it!

Sillage: 7./10
Longevity: 8.5/10
Scent: 8.5/10

Overall: 8.5/10

mhobol

Of course this resemble Black Orchid, but to me, only in the dry down. I was prepared to write one of those reviews that goes like "got this by a mistake, and god am I thankful for that mistake!", but unfortunately. I got this by a mistake, and I sent it back. Black Orchid left no doubt in my mind about my love - but this one does. So ok, this is a feminine take on BO, but the opening is straight up girly perfume (yeah - that's a note) - the truffle note is barely passing through what a call a generic girly perfume DNA-smell - a synthetic unidentifiable flowery and citrus sour sweetness, which was the reason I stopped wearing perfume many years ago. The dry down is unmistakably good. After about 30 minutes the perfume pulls itself together and starts acting appropriate. The truffle note shines through, and I like the nice sweet whiffs I get when I walk around. It's still less complex and deep than Black, but on this stage it battles Black for my attention, finally stating its own personality. Black runs off with the price for me. I find black narcotic from the beginning to the end and sexy in a way more mysterious way than Velvet (but have in mind I usually go for unisex fragrances). It feels like I can convince everyone around me about whatever I want. Velvet does not give me that megalomanic confidence. But... I respect it.

Claire brad

Not much difference side by side to elie saab royal edp more so than black orchid.

Fragaddict123

A safe buy for any female from any age even men can pull this out

Chr_23

Beautiful, deep, underrated perfume. Opens strong and boozy from the rum and honey, turns into a gorgeous rich oriental-ish floral. It is definitely not too sweet, thick or syrupy. It's just a tad bitter and that makes it very well balanced. Great for a night out when you want to stand out, makes you feel sexy, mysterious and in charge in a classy way. To me it's the perfect fit for colder nights but I use it sparingly during the summer when I'm in the mood. Excellent sillage for a few hours and very good longevity, clothes smell like this until you wash them. It's one of the few perfumes that left me speechless when I first tried it in a store and although I own and love many more, I would consider Velvet Orchid my night time signature scent.

FreddyK

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE at first sniff! Not unisex as its predecessor Black Orchid but the same level of excitation !

Tris104ever

First spray right before it hits skin,has Hai Karate Vibes,not a great first impression lol but the dry down is a sweet relief and almost immediate... it maybe a quirk of my particular nose, there are a good amount of fragrance that slap me in the face before they win my adoration and Velvet Orchid is the current heavyweight champ

nero77

Milk Chocolate Orchid...

Having tried and owned Black Orchid, I find that it is almost like a softer, gentler version of that. Whereas Black Orchid felt like being punched with a bare fist this feels like being hit with a pillow.

I still get a blast of the floral-truffle accord. I actually think that this is smoother and subtler than Black Orchid, and that makes it more versatile. I can see this being worn during the day as well as in the evening and night, and is more versatile in terms of seasons than Black Orchid. I would almost describe Velvet Orchid as "Black Orchid with training wheels", and I think that those that found the original too strong, will gravitate towards this one.

I still pick up the "Orchid-DNA" of the original, but find this more powdery with the vanilla, suede and sandalwood. I can also detect a hint of jasmine, magnolia and hyacinth. There is a warm, powdery floral quality to it that reminds me of osmanthus. With regards to the "truffle" accord, I almost think of a milk chocolate truffle (although the mushroom-DNA of the original is also there, just more muted here).

I would say, if Black Orchid is "dark" chocolate, then Velvet Orchid is "milk" chocolate. That's the best comparison that comes to mind for me. I also think that Velvet Orchid is slightly more floral than the original, and has more of a designer feel than the "niche" feel of Black Orchid (which many say could easily belong in the Private Blend line). I would recommend this as a "safer" option than Black Orchid for many out there and I would recommend it to those who are not quite into "niche" on their perfume journey yet.

Having said that, the design (being Tom Ford) is gorgeous and this is easily a more interesting and special fragrance than a great majority of female-marketed fragrances out there from the designer houses.

vetiverberry

The opening on this is very floral in a bitter, root-y way. It’s earthy floral instead of flower shop, really round and thick. On my skin, I pick up jasmine, orange blossom, magnolia, and rose oil. This phase of the perfume lasts a great deal longer than most openings—an hour or more.

The dry-down is transformative and really sneaks up on you. The harsher floral notes round out to a buttery dry-down of sueded sandalwood, clay, cognac, crushed flower petals, and roasted vanilla. It’s really modern and pretty and doesn’t really read as unnatural or traditionally perfume-ish. It’s not too sweet and just smells... good. Signature scent material and way less gaudy than I expected.

Longevity is amazing, I slept in this and still smelled it on my skin in the morning. It has moderate projection that isn’t cloying or stuffy. I don’t think you could offend someone with this, it’s very otherworldly and almost seems like it could be a natural “came in from a walk” smell with an added bit of magic.

Love it, can’t wait to try Black Orchid now. :)

kandykiller

LOVE,LOVE,LOVE for a very powerful kick...Warning: do not judge a Tom Ford perfume, until 30 minutes later, a rule to this mastermind making strong lasting perfumes on perfumes,a strong beast caution...its so nice if you can hang on for the dry down then dry down again, its worth the wait,because this will smell beautiful& stay smelling lovely,deep, it last more than 16 hrs,I feel this is my new sexy,deep,dark,vampire...love!!! Its very darkly floral...it has this dark rum,floral,cocoa whisky feel....it says you are to be respected& demands attention,your the boss of the room lol when you walk in,its strong you basically will not go unnoticed,even tho i hate attention ...it smells so rich,darkly& floral, rum& cocoa powdery,lasts&lasts worth every single drop& spray& compliments fr strangers! Only a strong and well put togther sort of person, id picture wearing this...Bella searching for Edward,in twilight movie feel,or a man and lady drinking rum, by lots of different flowers,fancy place dining,in a dark suit listening to classical music,candles lit at night. Out of strong perfumes one of my favorites,besides La vie est belle lancome edp,alien TM, for strong perfumes.

Calinare

Had BO and this for a time and I love it! Although I think I've had a reformulated one and it doesn't smell " deep and luxe" and more like a modern 2010 scent. It's more flowery than BO definitely. Less on the "minty chocolate" side and can be worn both day and night. Although it disappears fast on my sweaty arm in less than 6 hours.

s2jkbrad

I received a ton of mini vials from a decanter for Hannukah and my birthday. After showering I blindly put my hand into the box and play Russian roulette with my scents. Today I chose Velvet Orchid....,and I love it. Someone said this is a scent made for Scorpios and as a Scorpio Sag cusp baby, I agree. When I first dabbed it on, I thought ‘wow, orchid’ - that exotic flower that can smell sublime or skunky. While I admire Black Orchid, I’m not a fan. This is its softer, creamier cousin. This is a deep womanly scent that sits close to my skin because I seem to absorb it. I can see this working on a man, but to me it’s a women’s scent. This and white patchouli are my favorite TF frangrances.

ALC555

I got this a few days after Black Orchid. This is a smoother version. It is also a very unisex cologne. I love both Black and Velvet Orchid. This is a little more expensive than Black Orchid and very classy as well. A stand out among the common colognes for men.

justlikemagic

Oh, man, this would be a love for me easily if longevity was longer. I was confused reading these notes after spraying this until I scrolled down to other reviewers: I don't get any of the notes listed above; I get that same creamy coconut other reviewers mention. The smell of it was so familiar but it took me a bit to place it: this smells exactly like the sunscreen you slathered on as a child. The good one. Not the gross ones. Really intoxicating and interesting to smell, but for me, it's gone within about an hour. My husband didn't like it at all, but it was so good I was really considering buying a travel spray (not a full bottle), but alas, that horrible longevity is just such a hard sell for me.

DarlingNikki

Okay, this is my third Tom Ford sample (following Orchid Soleil and Soleil Blanc, both of which I dislike) and...
My olfactory system has been blown out the window lol. I did two sprays of this on a cotton pad and WOWZERS! I was assaulted by a tangle of synthetic fragrance molecules that smell not of this planet. Whew, I've never smelled anything like this in my life (I'm still a Black Orchid virgin) and yet, there's something retro here, something vaguely familiar. It is in no way, shape, or form for me but surprisingly I'm not ready to chuck it in the trash like I quickly did with Orchid Soleil and Soleil Blanc. The dry down is drawing me in, cautiously lol, and I'm smelling a creamy sweet powderiness underneath what I presume is the tuber/earthiness Black Orchid DNA. If this is a defanged version of Black Orchid--Yeezus!!!! I don't know if could come back from that one! I'm going to have to contemplate on this one before putting one drop of it on me because I already know it is more tenacious than a hungry dog with a bone lol.

GlamourCadaver

I have not tried the original Black Orchid, despite loving the notes. I never bothered with Tom Ford perfumes as I believe they are overpriced (especially considering my holy grail Youth-Dew is only $37), but I came into acquisition of a bottle of Velvet Orchid by surprise recently. While I am a fan of balsamic perfumes, and have a slight apprehension to how saccharine or synthetic floral perfumes often come across as, Velvet Orchid actually recalls one of my favorite perfumes that brushes the far extreme of sweetness that I can stand: Lady Gaga's FAME.

Orchids drizzled in honey. Velvet Orchid's mandarin and vanilla could be FAME's apricot. Velvet Orchid's edge is that it's practically a cocktail; FAME's edge is deadly night shade and incense. Surprisingly, FAME is darker, while still being a sweet perfume.

Velvet Orchid opens in what could be a nauseating sugary bouquet; once sprayed, it stays sweet, the titular flower being front and center (and remaining so throughout its duration), but the honey drizzled top gives way to a shocking booziness that nearly rivals the orchid for dominance throughout the remainder. The rum is the surprise star here-- present at the beginning in a way that grants Velvet Orchid an almost medicinal quality (in my eyes, I can use this as embalming fluid, perhaps), but eventually melding with the attempts at earthiness from myrrh and sandalwood. This does not smell super balsamic on me; perhaps I'm spoiled from the powerhouse orientals I enjoy, but Velvet Orchid veers on the side of cloying rather than sultry. It develops into something more sensual as the orchid is joined by some still-sweet vanilla and myrrh, attempting to add smolder to a fresh honeypot next to a flower field. There is mystery and darkness, through purple satin and velvet curtains, but the end result nearly conjures affogato and hard candy.

I enjoy Velvet Orchid. I may find occasions to wear it; I have no qualms of wearing bold perfumes, but I simply don't understand where Velvet Orchid belongs in my life. It is not the immature, syrupy scents that seem so popular in people my age, but edgy this is not. She gains some femme fatale charm towards the end, but we'll see what mood I find myself in when I reach for her. I will be looking out for the original Black Orchid, should I ever abandon my cheap senses.

AurelieGeuz

I remember how I discovered this fragrance. It was during holiday season and I was in a department store, spraying several fragrances on my arm, when I arrived home, 1 smell did stand out and it was velvet orchid. Beautiful and unique smell.
I also own black orchid which is more complex and not a crowd pleaser.
I can see more people loving velvet orchid. It smells floral and sweet.
Longevity on my skin is very good (10+ hours)

kristenboris1997

I know this will sound crazy but I accidentally put this on over a generic strawberry perfume oil and they smell really good together. I get wafts of each of them. A happy accident.

11PHOSPHORUS11

In it's dry down this reminds me of Gucci Eau de Parfum with its strong heliotrope and vanilla. I used to wear it after I bought if for my gf and would have never stopped.

This creamy, floral and balsamic idea was much better executed by Gucci though and I'm in a deep grief after it's been discontinued.

Tom Ford's version is very pleasant, soft and warm, perfect for a cold weather.

Very good indeed.

7/10

Anamandy

Gorgeous fragrance. I purchased a travel sprayer from fragnet in the early summer and was not impressed at that time. Decided to try it again today and am now in love. The cool weather makes this scent sing and pulls out so many notes I wasn't getting before. Vintagy florals, yummy honey with rum, and a touch of coconuty orchid makes this scent creamy, smooth, voluptuous, yet not overwhelming. As the base shows up it is equally fantastic as it gets a little resinous with a suede and a labdanum to die for.
I got so many compliments at work today and a woman came up to me as I was out having lunch and asked me what that beautiful fragrance was that I was wearing. I don't care for Black Orchid. I found it too heavy and dark, and I am not a fan of the patchouli note. But this is perfect. Beautiful silage and longevity too. I put this on in the morning and can still smell it clearly around me as I'm typing this right now. The name really suits this fragrance well. It is like velvet. This is a must buy for me.

Farangismua

Got this today in a mail and because Ive been obsessed with black orchid for years I got this one because it simply reminds me of the black orchid. I cant tell the huge difference I need Some more time but I love it anyways. And just like black orchid you just need one sprits of it!!! 10/10

 
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