Tom Ford Black Orchid Voile de Fleur For Women (VdF) appears to be nothing like Black Orchid. The original Black Orchid was apparently one of those “love it or hate it” scent that was intended to evoke carnal sensuality. Tom Ford actually said explicitly that Black Orchid was intended to evoke a “man’s crotch,” though it’s unclear whether it was washed or unwashed. I have not smelled it, but I am constantly seeing references to sweaty or unwashed testicles (a more polite word than that which is usually used) in comments 
about Black Orchid. Its fans — and they are many — seem to adore it, though a large number confess they wear it only to bed for romantic purposes and would never dare wear it outside the house. In contrast, VdF is a light, safe, very floral fragrance. It is also boring as hell, but more on that later.
Tom Ford’s press release describes VdF as follows: “[t]he alluring potion of Black Orchid is given a warm effervescent modernity with this new entry.” Both fragrances are classified as floral orientals and both include black truffle, though to different degrees. (Honestly, I wonder if there is any in VdF! But I’m getting ahead of myself.) VdF seems to be a softer, more floral take on the dark, dense original, and not only because it is an eau de toilette while the original is eau de parfum. Fragrantica summed it up as: Black Orchid is “fatal and sexy, while Black Orchid Voile de Fleur is romantic, light and bubbly.”
The Perfumed Court has the fullest list of the notes that I have seen thus far:
black truffle, ylang ylang, bergamot, blackcurrant, honeysuckle, gardenia, spicy lily, black orchid, black plum, black pepper, lotus wood, succulent fruit, warm milk, cinnamon, vanilla tears, patchouli, balsam and sandalwood.
I should state at the outset that VdF was quietly discontinued around 2010 but I’m reviewing, in part, because it is easily available on Amazon and other e-retailers. On eBay, it ranges in price from around $30 to $90, depending on size and seller. It’s a scent that may be worth a shot for those of you who fear Black Orchid (original) may be too much, especially for places like the office. However, those of you who have issues with indolent white flower scents, especially gardenia, should stay far, far away.
VdF opens with a burst of bergamot, a scent that falls between orange and lemon, and gardenia. There is hint of honeysuckle and ylang-ylang, though it’s most definitely not the ylang-ylang in Téo Cabanel’s Alahine. This ylang-ylang is softer, creamier and lighter but, to be honest, it’s hard to detect at times under the onslaught of gardenia. Gardenia is a flower that often imparts an indolic nature to scents. It’s a frequent cohort of tuberose or jasmine, and has a very narcotic, heady scent that some people find similar to cat urine, a litter box, or moth balls. Not everyone, but some people definitely have a bad reaction to more indolic scents. (For more on the precise meaning and nature of “indolic,” please see the Glossary.)
The top notes for VdF also include black currant and, unfortunately, it creates a very sour, unpleasant note on me. The Perfume Shrine has a good explanation of the scent as well as the occasional tendency for some people to smell sour, almost urine-like ammoniac notes: “[c]ompared to the artificial berry bases defined as ‘cassis,’ the natural black currant bud absolute comes off as greener and lighter with a characteristic touch of cat. Specifically the ammoniac feel of a feline’s urinary tract, controversial though that may seem.” I’m really surprised that I actually smell that here. There are numerous scents which people occasionally feel resembles a “cat’s litter box” (usually feces, more than urine) and which makes them queasy. Fracas – that famous indolic tuberose powerhouse – is perhaps the best and most frequent example. I’ve never had that problem; in fact, Fracas is one of my old favorites and a scent that I truly think deserves its legendary status.
With VdF, for the first time in my life, I smell something sour that verges almost on cat urine. It must be the black currant. It doesn’t last and it does recede after about 20 minutes, but 20 minutes is too long given the huge sillage of the scent in its opening hour. The sour, almost ammonia-like, scent surprises me and I scour my brain to see if I saw any other comments to that effect. If I did, I don’t remember them now. So, perhaps, we should just chalk this one up to skin chemistry. Nonetheless, I must confess, the sourness leaves me unfortunately biased against the perfume. In fact, I’m not sure I can get past it.
But we must soldier on, so onward and upwards. Once that incredibly unfortunate note recedes, VdF is all soft ylang-ylang and gardenia, with jasmine following closely behind. And, that’s about it. On me, there are no hints of leather that I’ve read about elsewhere, absolutely no earthiness (even in mild form) from the black truffle, no… nothing. One perfume blog, Perfume-Smellin’ Things, described VdF as a “femme fatale” scent:
[O]nly a tiny bit less robust than the sinfully opulent original Black Orchid, Voile de Fleur replaces the pungently earthy accord of black truffles with a leathery undertone, thus transforming from some (most probably evil) mythical creature of the night into somebody slightly less outlandish and more “urban”…a femme fatale.
Good lord. Really? I wish it smelled that way on me. I might have liked it if it did. Alas, on me, VdF is just a linear blast of gardenia and ylang-ylang. One big flat-line. And the patient dies shortly thereafter….
I wish I had more to say, but I don’t. I’m too underwhelmed and bored to even be verbose. (And you know how verbose I usually am!) This is not a scent I can recommend. White flower lovers may have issues with the linearity or the longevity of the scent. Non-white flower lovers who are sensitive to gardenia may recede gagging from the indoles or the sourness of the black currant notes. Everyone else will just be bored beyond belief. Spare yourself the money; take a nap instead.
i have zero knowledge in perfume although i have few but never use them and i wonder why ? going to read all your post and here is a request from my side … pls do some basic perfume reviews like from BBW and all … 😀 😀 and you know kafka my friend sent me your blog link , i asked you in one of the comments though 😀
Ah, sweetie, so good to see you here! I didn’t think it was right to post my blog link on the page since it would seem like self-advertising, so I’m glad Christine gave you the link! I promise to teach you about perfume! LOL. But I have to be honest, I will never review scents like those by Bath and Body Works, Britney Spears, or Victoria’s Secret. And, very rarely, will I review scents found in most department stores, though I have done a few. My interests just don’t lie in that direction. I’m sorry. 🙁 I feel badly now. I hope you will continue to follow me — either via the “follow” link or the email notification — even if I don’t cover more basic perfumes. I promise you though, ALL of these perfumes are available for you to test out and try via an online site I use called Surrender to Chance. I think all international shipping, no matter what the size of the order, is just $5.95. So, if there is something that sounds really good to you, it’s not out of reach at all! Anyway, I’m so happy to see you here! Big hugs, Rashmi!
i am lucky to be here Kafka … you know one of my indian friend is in USA and it was her annv. 2 days back and she said that she is going to buy a perfume , so I asked her to read the “C”‘s post where you discussed about perfumes .. she then read it and was amazed by your knowledge and told me that she is going to read that whole week . she also has a blog and then she only told me about your blog link and i was like how came you know ? she said i googled .. kafka perfume blog 😀 i was like ooooooo 😀 you have one more fan over here kafka .. and i totally understand what you are trying to say dear … i have some fragrances from CK , Estee Lauder and DKNY and so many samples , so after reading your post yest , I tried my BBW japanese cherry blossom , i have bad cold so nothing made a big difference but hubby suddenly said .. rashmi …. which one is this ?? i was like hmmmmmm i need to read more about perfumes to seek attention hahahah 😀
once again dear am so gladddddd to be here and will ask your reccos when i plan to buy next 😀
Oh, how sweet of her and you too, Rashmi. Thank you. I’m very touched. I always smile when you talk about your husband. He seems almost as sweet as you. And he’s definitely mad about you! I hope my reviews will help you find something that you like. I have to learn a bit more about the sorts of scents, flowers and ingredients you are drawn to before I can make some suggestions, and you will have to learn about what categories you like too! For example, do you like white flowers, oriental perfumes, more light/fresh/soapy scents or something more lemony, crisp and green? We’ll work together to figure it out and then we’ll find you some good stuff to make your husband’s knees buckle! 😉
ahhahah righttt … am ready and yeahhhh i too want to stick to good fragrance and as you say even i need to understand what is my weekness and then i can get the best out of lot 😀 D: am so excited … although i know at the end of day i will have a big hole but am all ready reading your last line 😀 😀 he is fond of deo .. just deo and after working on my perfume i will ask reccos. for him too :d hey dear .. he is going to USA in first week … would you suggest me a store or soo … as far as i rem , we use to buy from some mall in san jose .. i will mail you details 😀
Rashmi, I agree with Kafka – most bloggers are not keen on reviewing scents from mid-market fashion houses (Zara, H&M, Victoria Secret) and companies like The Body Shop and Bath and Body Works. It’s not out of snobbery, it is just that those fragrances are closer to functional scents rather than fine perfumery. Functional scents are the ones put in candles and laundry detergent to make the product more appealing. Usually, they are rather simple and one dimensional. There is just not much to discuss there.
Still, I’ve come across reviews about such perfumes. Just type the name in youtube and you’ll probably get reviews. If you have a fragrance in mind, I can tell you what I think about it and I’m sure Kafka will do so too. It may not render a full review. After all, there are so many other much more interesting and exciting fragrances out there. Look at it this way – we would rather review the perfume equivalent of Mona Lisa than equivalent of the iPhone shot taken by a half-drunk teenager.
If you are looking to learn more about fragrances, Kafka is definitely the person to talk to. She knows tons of stuff and can definitely answer most of your questions. 🙂
Hi, thank you for explaining this. That makes a lot of sense- kind of like reviewing Neuhaus chocolate rather than Hershey, I guess. I admit, I’d rather talk about champagne truffles than a plain milk chocolate bar. *g*
Great chocolate analogy. Now I wish someone explain to me why Neuhaus is so bloody expensive lol.
You’re so sweet, Mr. Bound. 🙂 And you explained it perfectly with comparisons to the Mona Lisa. The drunk teenager part made me laugh out loud, I must say. Speaking of expensive chocolate, I see your Neuhaus and raise you one Maison du Chocolat. Why are they so expensive?! Happy Holidays, sweetie.
@ scent bound 😀 hahha yeahhh i understand what you mean dear … just that wanted to know some of the best so i could get my hands on them … but like in makeup i maintain buy less but buy good quality .. same goes with this i guess 😀 D: and yeah kafka is best person and i am going to follow her and pick some samples for sure 😀
This review points out something that bugs me to no end (and makes me very glad you are doing reviews and that samples are readily available from sites like StC). From the notes it sounds like it would be heavenly. I know perfume copywriters are prone to flights of fancy and notes lists are at best a guideline, but really, it could drive one mad.
I think one really needs to give everything a test-run via samples — whether received freely in store or purchased — because you never know how something is going to turn out. Sniffing it on a small strip of paper isn’t going to cut it. And it’s even more true these days when so many perfumes have synthetic compounds that at some point, down the line if not at first, can lead to … er…. funny impressions. It helps a lot to know the notes in perfumes you can’t stand so that you narrow your chances of getting something that may turn weird with your body chemistry. But thank you for appreciating my bluntness about the perfumes. I read far too many sites that never have a SINGLE bad thing to say about a perfume. What are they scared of? If they don’t like something, they should say it — provided they give the reasons why. It’s the only way to help someone else who may have similar tastes in perfume. And yes, if some perfume reviewers are given to unbalanced praise, it’s nothing like the crazy PR press releases with their flights of fancy! So well put. 😀
Warm milk? Really? I’m not sure how you’d smell that- honestly, if I did I’d think the milk had gone bad. That’s not something I’d want to associate with perfume.
IRRC, Mae West wore Fracas. Any chance of a review? *looks hopeful*
Aurora, I was actually planning on doing a series on white fragrances — specifically, tuberose in its different formulations from the modern (Serge Lutens and Frederic Malle) to the one that started it all, Fracas! It was going to be a bit later though. The thing is, something made me decide to move up the timeline for my review of the Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle, so I may get to Fracas much sooner than I had expected. Perhaps within 2 weeks? (I’m getting a gazillion scents tomorrow in the mail that I’m dyyyyyyyyyyyyyying to try!) But Fracas is high on my list. I just wish I could figure out what type my vintage bottle is, since it’s so old that I no longer have a label on the bottle letting me know if it’s eau de parfum or some other formulation. Ah, Vintage Fracas, a treasure worth its weight in gold!
A really wonderful thoughtful review. I think i I will take your advise and go for the nap.
Heh, I was trying so hard to tone it down because I tend not only towards bluntness but also extremely hyperbolic intensity when I’ve had enough of things. Enough people find the VdF to be a linear floral explosion that I actually *do* envy those rare people who can smell anything different. But I would never recommend that anyone buy this perfume. Life is too short for boredom tinged with cat pee! 😀
Amen to that!
I agree with your opinion on this scent; Black Orchid Voile De Fleur doesn’t compare to it’s predecessor, and I can clearly see why it was discontinued. The original Black Orchid is a warm, dark and intoxicating scent that begs you to come hither. BO Voile De Fleur repulses me with the white florals ( usually I like them) and spices used. I sprayed this and I was overcome with the malodorous aroma that is VDF. I immediately had to shower and change clothes. The projection is massive as with all Tom Ford’s scents, but the scent is crap. Black Orchid Voile De Fleur is not good at all, in fact it is absolutely terrible. Great review you summed up my thoughts on this scent perfectly!
Ferris, I can’t see you as a florals guy! Really? I like the open-mindedness! 😀 As for VdF, did you get cat urine, too? It’s obviously from the black currant but I have never experienced that particular smell in any other perfumes so it was quite a shock to have that sour ammonia emanating from my arm! I wanted to shower it off but I kept at it and, thankfully, it left. Eventually. But still. “Malodorous”… LOL. At least you got some spices from it, though. I got nothing but a linear white flowers smell that utterly bored me to tears in its generic nature. I was very surprised to read some good reviews for it.
I’m anxiously awaiting my order from surrender to chance, but after reading your review I’m scared that I won’t like Black orchid. Haha. I should have read it first before ordering, but I was so tempted by the site. I was like a kid in a candy store…so many choices just a click away. I’m curious to find out if I love or hate the white flower. As i was reading your review it dawned on me that I’m not that crazy about white flowers. Geez! See, your education me:)
Now, if memory serves me correct I ordered two of his fragrances (oops) and I can’t wait to try them out and compare. I will say I really like the look of the bottle – I’m such a sucker for that!
Jackie, you got the original Black Orchid though, didn’t you? That’s a whole other kettle of fish. It is supposed to be massively different! If you ordered the original, you’re probably safe — though it’s supposed to be a very “skanky” scent (and in this world, “skanky” can be a good thing!). If, however, you ordered the Voile de Fleur version, then… er…. well, just make sure to tell me if you get the cat urine scent…… 😉
Yes, I ordered the original. I fully expect it to be bold because that just Tom ford. Likes to make an entrance. However, I’m not so sure how i feel about smelling “skanky”! Oh the thoughts that just came to mind, yikes! it could be a good thing or not. Can’t wait to get my hands on it…just wish my order would hurry up and get here:)
Well, “skanky” in perfume is a wholllllllllllllllllllllle other matter than it is in any other area. I swear! It has nothing to do with smelling cheap, being like a hooker or hoochie mama, or anything else. It just means very sexual, very intimate, and with slighty dirty, funky notes that evoke sex. CARNAL, might be one way of putting it. Something suited to the bedroom and boudoir, not the boardroom or the office.
Your stuff still hasn’t arrived? Good God! Just how long does it take to get to Canada anyway?! I’m frustrated on your behalf, Jackie. Grrrr.
I know, it’s so annoying, but with the holidays things get delayed over here.
Carnal, I like and can definitely get behind:)
I have yet to try the original Black Orchid on me. I have spritz it in the air and OH MY it slaps you in the face. I’m bit hesitant to try it out during the day because honestly I’m not sure I could handle the scent for more than an hour. But it I’m still going to give it chance but definitely not during the day. Proceed with cautious !lol
“Proceed with caution”…. LOL! I think that’s an excellent piece of advice for a number of Tom Ford scents! They certainly make themselves … er… known, right from the outset. What I’ve found though, consistently, is that their explosive opening can quieten down quite significantly within an hour or two, so don’t think that the way Black Orchid (original) is on you from the very start will necessarily be that way all the way through. The TF perfumes become much closer to the skin, though they tend to last quite a long time while there. I can’t wait to hear your impressions of the perfume as a whole though and what notes you detect on you.
I finally smelled some Tom Ford stuff, so of course I have to put in my two cents! Now, it should be noted I didn’t actually try a lot of it on my skin, so I will still be getting and testing samples. I also smelled Black Orchid and while I thought it was nice, there was nothing “carnal” about it to my nose, and in particular not crotch-like (and let’s thank god for that!). I was very ho-hum about it, and was actually prepared to be ho-hum about all TF’s stuff given the sort of middling reviews for a lot of it. I went to the Private Blend counter at Nordstrom and the associate was really amazing and knowledgeable, and took tons of time with me. Surprisingly, I really, really liked the majority of what I smelled, and several of them I would be glad to own a full bottle of (at least based on a cursory smell, I obviously will need to try some samples). Although the whole experience brought my taste into question because I quite liked a number that seem to be deeply unpopular! They were also two scents that I’d never have tried in a million years if the TF lady hadn’t steered me in their direction: Lavender Palm and Champaca Absolute. Lavender Palm in particular struck me, and I actually wore that one on my skin and was sort of astounded at how nice I found it. In the breeze it smelled amazing (and I can rarely smell the scent I wear by just walking). It would be particularly amazing in warm weather. And while I can’t recall a lot about Champaca Absolute besides the fact that it was different and like nothing I owned, I do remember thinking it was a total winner as well. I also smelled Noir de Noir (liked it a lot, but probably not for me, though I’d be willing to re-test), Tuscan Leather (really beautiful leather, and not like Cuir de Russe, Cuir Ottoman, or Knize Ten/Knize Ten Golden, so it doesn’t overlap), Italian Cypress (really masculine and beautiful), Oud Wood (all I smelled was wood, which is nice, but it reminded me a lot of Antaeus/Egoiste so I wouldn’t rush to buy this one, especially at its retail price), Tobacco Vanille (was pleasantly surprised because it was more subtle than I expected, though the lady said it’s basically sold out EVERYWHERE right now which I did find surprising, though maybe not because I would say it would have the broadest appeal of everything I smelled). Anyway, I also got very generous samples of Lavender Palm, Italian Cypress, Noir de Noir, and Ombre de Hyacinth, so all considered it was a great visit! I’m surprised I loved so many of the Tom Ford things given popular response seems to be mixed at best. Do I have questionable taste? LOL. The sales associate said Noir de Noir is what was originally intended to be Black Orchid. Food for thought, I suppose.
Sounds like you fell hard and to your own disbelief too! Heh. Very, very interesting about how Noir de Noir is what was originally meant to be Black Orchid. Did she mean the name was what they had wanted to give the Black Orchid smell or something else?
I hear a LOT (a LOT!!!!) about Tobacco Vanille! That, the Ambre Absolut (supposedly the strongest and most concentrated amber on the market), the Oud and the Tuscan Leather, have a lot of huge raves about them. I have about 5 TF scents from the Private Line, and 3 from the regular line, that I have already and plan to review. The Champaca Absolute is one of them. Interestingly, over the last week, I kinda regretted ordering a sample of that one and thinking, “No-one is going to like such a rich, indolic floral scent. I should have gone with something like Tobacco Vanille instead!” We’ll see how it all turns out.
How great that you had such a dedicated, helpful lady to assist you. AND, even better, that you got all those free samples! Lucky dog. You’ll have to tell me more about Lavender Palm as you test it out. I’m also interested by your comments on the Oud Wood since one of my friends who is picky about perfume has Oud Wood as her main, go-to fragrance (and I believe she has about 18 or 22 Tom Ford scents!!). I’m having trouble imagining Oud Wood as something reminiscent of Antaeus and Egoiste!! Really?! Now I’m definitely intrigued. You know, his Oud Wood was supposedly TF’s attempt to fix the disaster of M7 by releasing (another) oud fragrance but, this time, one that wouldn’t be a bomb. One that would be safer and more tolerable for the general wearer. A more toned-down M7 oud in some ways, if you will. I haven’t tested it out yet to know how true that may be. My intended order of TF reviews, thus far, is something like this: Ambre Absolut, Oud Wood, Lys Fumé, Jasmin Rouge and…. um… I’ve blanked out on the rest. The Champaca one? Neroli Portofino and Violet Blonde are somewhere in there too.
I don’t think liking Tom Ford stuff means you have questionable taste. You opted for some of the stuff that is considered less sweet, and that is one of the big criticisms I hear about much of his line. It’s all “too, too sweet.” But, as a whole, Tom Ford seems to opt for a more concentrated, intense, WOW type of feel for all his stuff. It’s the polar opposite from L’Artisan Parfumeur whose signature seems to be light and airy stuff — or, at least, it has been thus far with things I’ve tested.
Well it should be noted that Oud Wood is similar to Antaeus/Chanel in that it’s hugely woody. That’s pretty much all I noted on my (admittedly cursory) sniff. If it’s a “back to the drawing board” fix for M7, I’d probably say it’s a success because it was nothing remotely close to M7 and didn’t have any elements I would consider offensive unless one hates the smell of wood. I did think it was a bit better than Creed’s Royal-Oud, for what that’s worth. I’m sure there’s more to it than that, which is why I need to try all this on my skin rather than a piece of paper – you miss so much not being able to smell several hours worth of development plus the scent’s interaction with ones own skin. A lot of the criticism of Champaca, I believe, is “too, too sweet” so I was surprised I liked it. Also, was surprised I liked two heavily floral things because I don’t think of myself as a floral guy. I sort of wonder if I wear Champaca or Lavender Palm (Champaca particularly) if people will think I smell like a woman, but I think ultimately I don’t care, since I really wear for myself and not for others. I just don’t want people to be repulsed by me, and given how negative the reviews were for those two, I have to wonder if they’d feel that way with Champaca or Lavender Palm (though the good thing is that means they are available well below retail! LOL). I didn’t smell Jasmin Rouge, but she said it’s hugely popular, even with men.
It was funny when I asked outright to try Tobacco Vanille (admittedly very nice, but again, the price issue makes you have to say “Is it $200+ for 1.7 oz. nice?”) she was like, “Yes, you can, but I typically have been diverting attention from it because everyone loves it and there is really none to be had anywhere right now because it’s so popular!” Again, it was nice and tamer than I thought. Apparently the tobacco comes out later, so I didn’t smell that – just a relatively subtle vanilla. Lavender Palm is apparently supposed to evoke California, and I thought it succeeded in that. It was just so summery and it just sort of made me happy (which most scents do, I guess. LOL). I wasn’t enamored with it at first, but when I stepped outside had a slight breeze I thought it was just heavenly. Not to mention projection was pretty big on me for the first 2 hours or so, which I can’t say about most stuff I wear.
Re: Noir de Noir, she didn’t mention if the scent that is now Black Orchid had a different name, but it sounded like it was a case of what is now Noir de Noir being more elegant/evening-y that he wanted to market it different. I certainly preferred Noir de Noir to Black Orchid, although they were both nice, and I’d have to try them on my skin to really assess in a fair way. I think in general I liked the boldness of the Tom Ford stuff. While the more demure stuff has its place, it’s usually not what I’m really blown away by and drawn to.
Just an addendum to say that I tried on Noir de Noir and I am appreciating it so much more than I did when I smelled it on the paper. Totally not what I would usually go for, but it’s a rich, dark rose scent in the best possible way. Very well-suited for the name its given. In my mind, a very sensual fragrance. I know some people say it leans feminine, but there is something very masculine about it to me – especially after you wait a while. Although maybe I’m just justifying wearing a women’s scent as a man, which as I mentioned, I’m *mostly* over caring too much about! 🙂 Some people think it smells old lady-ish, and others said it’s something a call girl would wear!
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I know this is an old post, but I want to say I appreciate it. I bought a bottle of this at a close-out store for fifteen bucks and I don’t even think it was worth that. This morning, out of curiosity, I wondered if I could wear it long enough to analyse it, and after twenty minutes, I was scrubbing as thoroughly as possible. Then, I applied one of my favorite scents. Still, half a day later, I can still smell the suffocating and cloying big white floral mess. I haven’t smelled White Shoulders in years (and I loved it in a tiny amount as a young 20-something), but this reminds me of it to the nth degree. Looking at the notes, I’d say that’s probably a fair assessment, with a big of “dark” thrown in. Sorry, I am not well versed in perfume speak and hope I don’t sound too ignorant. Why am I even leaving my two cents here? Maybe because I want to tell someone about how this smell is making me suffer this afternoon, lol!! Someone somewhere who understands. I have been trying oh so hard to like some heady florals. Indolic? Not for me!!
Hi, welcome to the blog, Juliehrose. First, never, EVER apologise for not being “well versed” in perfume speak. This passion of ours is about sharing, and realising that the fun is the different perspectives we all bring to the table, not to mention the very different experiences due to skin chemistry.
As for Black Orchid VdF, you poor thing. How on earth did it manage to survive even to the next day? (Next time you’re in a situation like that, I highly recommend covering your arm with Tide liquid detergent for a few minutes, especially if it is the HE concentrated version.) Clearly, something in it was not your friend. Have you had a similar experience with other big white florals in recent memory, or was this your first attempt to dip your toe back in after White Shoulders? And do you think the real issue may be the perfumes’ overall sweetness that is quite a separate issue from indoles? Voile de Fleure *is* sweet, but imo, that’s not an indole issue. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the patchouli was the problem. Tom Ford loves to use the hideous purple, fruit-chouli, and MAN, it’s so sweet! My skin amps it even more, to the point that I feel utterly suffocated.
You know, we all have a note that our skin plays havoc with, so sometimes, we just have to accept it. For me, it’s purple patchouli, anything soapy, aldehydes, and aromachemicals. I accept that I’m a weirdo with some of them, but I’m also okay with that. What we need to do for you is to try to figure out WHICH precise note or notes are the issue!
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