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Top Review
From Emetic to Signature Scent - I Love You, Black Orchid.
It was probably the fragrance that catapulted my preference for perfumes to another level. And of all things … with 'Black Orchid'? The scent that divides opinions and brings either discomfort or pleasure is now my signature scent?
I can absolutely understand the division into two camps. Even more so than with fragrances like Alien from Mugler (which, in contrast to Black Orchid, really smells pleasant and mass-compatible). Because even in the love between Black Orchid and me, some stones were placed in the way - precisely by my own nose!
The first time I smelled the fragrance was after a very detailed consultation at Douglas, where I was told that this fragrance water is very heavy and absolutely popular among Arab women, who love to leave a scent trail behind them. Regardless of the ethnic categorization, the scent absolutely fit my preferences based on its description - for I love oriental, heavy, and deep black fragrances. Before that, I walked past the Tom Ford shelf relatively carelessly and associated it (without ever having smelled any of the perfumes) with grandma or old man.
Before I knew it, the scent landed on my left wrist and was immediately reviewed: “Is this popular? It smells totally weird.” In hindsight, I would say that I simply didn't know or was used to certain scent accords or components. So, if you can relate to this statement while reading, you should give the fragrance more chances. Just like I did!
That same evening, I kept smelling my wrist, and my opinion swung between: “Who wears something like this?” and “It's okay, but you wouldn't spend money on it.”
After that, the fragrance never really faded from memory - but for heaven's sake, not in a positive sense. I used it once more at the duty-free shop in Rhodes - again: “No, somehow this isn't it.”
But then the course of events began! I searched online for heavy fragrances and came across 'Black Orchid' - “You've actually smelled this before, but give it another chance - maybe something has changed.” Trusting my intuition, I stomped into Douglas almost 2 years later and smelled it again. And lo and behold: “Still weird, but somehow crazy for a scent.” As mentioned before - it never left me alone.
Then I discovered the site éclat (oh God yes, I once ordered perfume twins there - I wouldn't do that today) and bought the scent that is supposed to resemble Black Orchid. Hardly had it arrived - the big surprise and the associated fall in several stages: “Holy moly, it smells exactly like the original” -> “But I still don't like it - but returning it, I don't know” -> The last stage slowly but surely crept into my stomach area as I kept smelling the fragrance. What I had so tiredly chuckled at when I read that some people feel sick from certain scents suddenly applied to me. I suddenly felt very nauseous and had to really suppress the urge to vomit. Then it was over - I gave up on it!
A week after this event, I entered Harrods on a short trip to London. I was hardly in the entrance hall when I caught a scent that I really liked, and I knew immediately: “Hey, that's Black Orchid.” Hardly through the second door in the hallway: the Tom Ford counter. All clear!
When I got home, I had to test whether the scent still made me feel sick. And lo and behold, I was shockingly in love, wore the scent, and immediately bought the original. Since then, I have a great love for this fragrance, which has greatly expanded my fragrance horizon. Suddenly, I can enjoy many perfumes that I found dreadful some time ago. So, “Thank you, Mr. Ford, for this expansion of my senses.”
Now to the scent, whose description I will keep relatively short here, as breaking down the complexity behind this little water is incredibly difficult for me.
Black Orchid has a deep black soul upon spraying that it does not lose throughout the entire scent journey. It is virtually a black, floral, smoky wall that one must stand against.
I can hardly perceive individual scent components in the perfume - it is a wonderfully blended fragrance that represents a masterpiece as a whole composition. It definitely has something floral, which possibly comes from ylang-ylang and the black orchid. At the same time, this profoundly dark brew has a sultry note that is unmatched. For this, the incense likely takes responsibility, which is perceptible throughout and made a friend of mine comment upon entering the room: “Did someone light incense here?”
Patchouli, as found in Mugler's Angel, is nowhere to be found here. But it will contribute its share to this dirty, earthy, and slightly musty note. It smells aphrodisiac and envelops you in an armor that, not least due to the balsam, makes it feel as if you are in a black mass, shouting Hail Satan.
Surprisingly, I can agree with the comment of another Parfumo member: The scent (scent actually sounds too sweet: rather brew) gives you protection when you need it, you feel even more confident with it than you already are, and it imparts a certain arrogance that many people probably hate about this fragrance. Because it is very room-filling and covers everything that stands in its way.
The sillage and longevity are out of this world. Even when applied to the wrist, you can perceive the scent everywhere and don't have to press your nose to your wrist to smell anything. If you perfume yourself in a room, you can perceive the scent for minutes in that very room.
It is one of the few perfumes that I perceive very, very intensely on myself and that makes its way into the nose with its powerful and opulent strength - whether you want it or not.
To make it short: I love you, you wonderful black orchid!
I can absolutely understand the division into two camps. Even more so than with fragrances like Alien from Mugler (which, in contrast to Black Orchid, really smells pleasant and mass-compatible). Because even in the love between Black Orchid and me, some stones were placed in the way - precisely by my own nose!
The first time I smelled the fragrance was after a very detailed consultation at Douglas, where I was told that this fragrance water is very heavy and absolutely popular among Arab women, who love to leave a scent trail behind them. Regardless of the ethnic categorization, the scent absolutely fit my preferences based on its description - for I love oriental, heavy, and deep black fragrances. Before that, I walked past the Tom Ford shelf relatively carelessly and associated it (without ever having smelled any of the perfumes) with grandma or old man.
Before I knew it, the scent landed on my left wrist and was immediately reviewed: “Is this popular? It smells totally weird.” In hindsight, I would say that I simply didn't know or was used to certain scent accords or components. So, if you can relate to this statement while reading, you should give the fragrance more chances. Just like I did!
That same evening, I kept smelling my wrist, and my opinion swung between: “Who wears something like this?” and “It's okay, but you wouldn't spend money on it.”
After that, the fragrance never really faded from memory - but for heaven's sake, not in a positive sense. I used it once more at the duty-free shop in Rhodes - again: “No, somehow this isn't it.”
But then the course of events began! I searched online for heavy fragrances and came across 'Black Orchid' - “You've actually smelled this before, but give it another chance - maybe something has changed.” Trusting my intuition, I stomped into Douglas almost 2 years later and smelled it again. And lo and behold: “Still weird, but somehow crazy for a scent.” As mentioned before - it never left me alone.
Then I discovered the site éclat (oh God yes, I once ordered perfume twins there - I wouldn't do that today) and bought the scent that is supposed to resemble Black Orchid. Hardly had it arrived - the big surprise and the associated fall in several stages: “Holy moly, it smells exactly like the original” -> “But I still don't like it - but returning it, I don't know” -> The last stage slowly but surely crept into my stomach area as I kept smelling the fragrance. What I had so tiredly chuckled at when I read that some people feel sick from certain scents suddenly applied to me. I suddenly felt very nauseous and had to really suppress the urge to vomit. Then it was over - I gave up on it!
A week after this event, I entered Harrods on a short trip to London. I was hardly in the entrance hall when I caught a scent that I really liked, and I knew immediately: “Hey, that's Black Orchid.” Hardly through the second door in the hallway: the Tom Ford counter. All clear!
When I got home, I had to test whether the scent still made me feel sick. And lo and behold, I was shockingly in love, wore the scent, and immediately bought the original. Since then, I have a great love for this fragrance, which has greatly expanded my fragrance horizon. Suddenly, I can enjoy many perfumes that I found dreadful some time ago. So, “Thank you, Mr. Ford, for this expansion of my senses.”
Now to the scent, whose description I will keep relatively short here, as breaking down the complexity behind this little water is incredibly difficult for me.
Black Orchid has a deep black soul upon spraying that it does not lose throughout the entire scent journey. It is virtually a black, floral, smoky wall that one must stand against.
I can hardly perceive individual scent components in the perfume - it is a wonderfully blended fragrance that represents a masterpiece as a whole composition. It definitely has something floral, which possibly comes from ylang-ylang and the black orchid. At the same time, this profoundly dark brew has a sultry note that is unmatched. For this, the incense likely takes responsibility, which is perceptible throughout and made a friend of mine comment upon entering the room: “Did someone light incense here?”
Patchouli, as found in Mugler's Angel, is nowhere to be found here. But it will contribute its share to this dirty, earthy, and slightly musty note. It smells aphrodisiac and envelops you in an armor that, not least due to the balsam, makes it feel as if you are in a black mass, shouting Hail Satan.
Surprisingly, I can agree with the comment of another Parfumo member: The scent (scent actually sounds too sweet: rather brew) gives you protection when you need it, you feel even more confident with it than you already are, and it imparts a certain arrogance that many people probably hate about this fragrance. Because it is very room-filling and covers everything that stands in its way.
The sillage and longevity are out of this world. Even when applied to the wrist, you can perceive the scent everywhere and don't have to press your nose to your wrist to smell anything. If you perfume yourself in a room, you can perceive the scent for minutes in that very room.
It is one of the few perfumes that I perceive very, very intensely on myself and that makes its way into the nose with its powerful and opulent strength - whether you want it or not.
To make it short: I love you, you wonderful black orchid!
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7 Comments
I also love how you described that inner struggle, that you couldn't forget the scent even though it once made you feel sick...! It's like an absurd love story that we perfume lovers sometimes go through when we fight for something, and you captured that feeling perfectly. Thank you for that! :) Hats off and a glowing black orchid trophy! ;)