Feminine, fleshy, white florals - these are the smells of Tom Ford's fragrance from last Summer which I'll be sporting all around the city.
Recently I've gathered momentum on my crush for Tom Ford Beauty (Tom, I'm still waiting for my bespoke tuxedo - call me! K?). I was lucky enough to be sent the fragrance Black Orchid earlier this year - the classic 2006 sexy scent that Tom Ford built his beauty line on. Ten years later (last August 2016 in fact), he released Orchid Soleil, a new Summery twist on the original. While Black Orchid is a distinctly evening style smell (although I do wear it during the day), Orchid Soleil is a perfect scent for night-time and daytime throughout the hot Summer months. I think had I been sent this smell last year when our Summer was crappy, I'd have felt slightly miffed - as it does feel like a truly Summer scent and if you don't have the weather to back it up it might be a bit redundant. However, luckily the weather in Wellington is truly bright and shining this year, and will hopefully be taking us through to March in sparkling style. Not only am I enthused by the scent, however, but also the mini-collection of a highlighter and lippy (I'll talk about that later).
What are the smells you can expect? The Orchid Soleil fragrance is, like its parent scent, heady and voluptuous, and very floral. The image in my mind, that I can's shake, is a beautiful Tuscan garden at sunset, in a beautiful plot by a Villa - a la Diane Lane in the classic chick flick 'Under the Tuscan Sun' or, even better, Dame Maggie Smith in 'My House In Umbria'. While writing her book, Maggie Smith's character states the line, at the end of the film, thus: "In the garden, delphiniums were in flower. Through scented twilight, the girl in the white dress walked with a step as light as a morning cobweb. That evening she hadn't a care in the world." THAT LINE TO ME is the perfect summary of this scent. Wear it, and you haven't a care in the world. The notes of the fragrance are radiant, fuzzy and bold. The composition opens with spicy notes of pink pepper, bitter orange and cypress. Its heart has red spider lily and tuberose, and a base of chestnut cream, vanilla, patchouli and orchid. I feel warm and embraced by this scent. It smells REALLY GOOD to me and I hope to make the most of it all through this year (stay, good weather, stay!).
If you quite liked Black Orchid, but found it a bit overwhelming or aggressive, give Orchid Soleil a try. It has a softer, more feminine touch, and doesn't smell synthetic at all. The initial tone is a bit sharp and almost medicinal, but ultimately softens and develops off into a gentle tuberose-backed-chestnutty-characterful-lively-lily smell. It comes together beautifully.
In conjunction with this fragrance, Tom Ford released a mini collection of makeup to go with the scent. The Orchid Soleil Nightbloom highlighter is a creamy and buttery highlighter for your cheeks. I recently started using it with a Real Techniques Brush along my cheekbones and it has finally fulfilled my highlighter dreams. Up until now, I've only used the Benefit liquid highlighters but I find them quite messy and that they come off the cheek throughout the day. This Nightbloom highlighter is THE BOMB and really is a perfect addition to any Summer collection of makeup. There's also a lipstick which I'll review in an upcoming blog post, which has a rich bronze tone.
So what is Orchid Soleil? It's rich, its creamy like a melting vanilla gelato on a rare muggy hot day at sunset on Oriental Parade. May you find yourself embracing whatever Summer scent you find, but I sure would recommend this one as a good place to start.