While some designer labels boast one (okay, maybe two) iconic fragrances, Tom Ford arguably has at least five times that number. Black Orchid, Fucking Fabulous, Oud Wood, Tobacco Wood… The brand has debuted one timeless and covetable fragrance after another, each welcomed with a steeper and steeper upward slope of appreciation.
As beauty editors, we’ve always held a special appreciation for the fashion designer’s well-versed selection of collectible beauty items, but the appreciation doesn’t stop at Ford’s cult-loved bronzers or lash-extending mascaras. Tom Ford perfumes are some of the most highly sought-after and beloved fragrances in the industry, and if you own one (or more), you likely already know the enchanting spell they cast on those around you. If you wear one of Tom Ford’s bewitching scents, you will get compliments, and you will get questions—it just comes with the territory.
There’s no such thing as one “best” perfume. We’re all unique human beings with entirely different tastes and preferences when it comes to scent. But we’d be remiss not to pay our respects to the most popular, fastest-selling perfumes from House Ford. Below, we’re sharing the 10 best Tom Ford perfumes to try in the order in which they appear on the brand’s best-sellers page. Looking for your new fragrance infatuation? Keep scrolling—you’ve come to the right place.
Fragrance family: Fresh. Key notes: vert de bergamot, orange bitter, petitgrain bigarde, ylang-ylang, pistachio accord, coco de mer accord. This best-selling perfume is described by the designer as “crisp, radiant, and addictive.” It has hints of floral yet is vibrant enough to feel fresh, juicy, citrusy, and far from the grandma stereotype of most floral fragrances.
Fragrance family: Warm and spicy. Key notes: tobacco leaf, ginger, cocoa, tonka bean, vanilla, sweet wood sap. “Tobacco Vanille is opulent, warm, and iconic,” Tom Ford says of this warm and sultry scent. “Reminiscent of an English Gentleman’s Club and blended with rich spices, vanilla, and tobacco flower, it leaves a powerful impression.” Amazing for both men and women, it’s enveloping, memorable, and gets better and better the longer it melds into your body’s unique chemistry.
Fragrance family: Floral. Key notes: vanilla, sandalwood, pink peppercorn, heliotrope, balsam. Meet Métallique, one of Tom Ford’s newest fragrances, which is quickly gaining ground as one of the brand’s best-ever scents. Highly sought-after, Métallique is designed to smell like a “second skin” thanks to featherlight layers of creamy vanilla and sandalwood, which collide with white flowers and pink peppercorn for a hit of vim and vigor. (Fun fact: Supermodel Joan Smalls is the face of the fragrance.)
Fragrance family: Warm and spicy. Key notes: saffron, thyme, olibanum, leather, black suede, amber wood thyme, jasmine. Tom Ford describes this warm, nocturnal scent as “deep and animalistic,” and honestly, we couldn’t agree more. The intoxicating juxtaposition between leather and black suede and sparkling notes of jasmine, saffron, and thyme lends this perfume a completely original scent people will comment on and ask you about. (You’ve been warned.)
Fragrance family: Warm and spicy. Key notes: black cherry accord, bitter almond, Griotte Sirup Scenttrek, rose absolute orpur, Peru balsam, roasted tonka orpur, jasmine, sandalwood, vetiver, cedar. Lost Cherry just might be one of Tom Ford’s most controversial best-selling perfumes. It was initially met with mixed reviews. Just being honest—you’ll either love it or hate it. That said, it’s an entirely unique perfume that’s definitely spectacular in its own right and has definite steal-your-heart potential. “Lost Cherry is a full-bodied journey into the once-forbidden; a tempting dichotomy of playful, candy-like gleam on the outside and luscious flesh on the inside,” notes Tom Ford.
Fragrance family: Floral. Key notes: Bulgarian rose, Indonesian patchouli, Tolu balsam. Think of this blooming floral perfume as the ultimate bouquet of roses featuring three different breeds of the stunning flower—Rose de Mai, Turkish, and Bulgarian. It’s pure, decadent, and surprisingly edgy despite its rosy disposition.
Fragrance family: Warm and spicy. Key notes: black leather, cardamom, patchouli. Ombré leather is not only one of Tom Ford’s best-ever perfumes, but it’s also one of the most complex and interesting. (If you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to smell like anyone else in the room, this will be a favorite.) I don’t believe in categorizing fragrance as either for men or for women, but this is definitely on the stronger side of the perfume spectrum, housing a bold dichotomy of floral leather with the addition of complementary potent spices. In Ford’s words, “Ombré Leather is a deeply textural scent that imprints you with a tactile sensuality. It makes one feel different, beautiful, and desired.”
Fragrance family: Floral. Key notes: black truffle, bergamot, black orchid, black plum, noir gourmand accord, patchouli. Many people would probably argue this iconic perfume is THE best Tom Ford scent of all time. Luxurious, timeless, and complex, it almost gets more mysterious and magical as it develops. “Black Orchid is a rich blend of spice and darkness to revolve around you, to be closer, and closer to you. Unleash its perfect power—both rare and extraordinary,” says Ford.
Fragrance family: Earthy and woody. Key notes: exotic rosewood, cardamom, oud wood, sandalwood, vetiver, tonka bean, and amber. Oud Wood is the ultimate perfume for anyone who doesn’t like a scent that feels too precious or contrived. It features an expert strategy of foresty-scented woods that smell classic and comforting yet rare and enticing. According to Ford, Oud Wood envelops the wearer (or sniffer) in rare oud, exotic spices, and cardamom, before unfolding into a rich blend of smells that are rich, dark, and sensual all at once.
Fragrance family: Warm and spicy. Key notes: fresh lavender, bitter almond, vanilla, orris root, iris flower, leather. What other Tom Ford perfume could possibly come in at number one? An icon in and of itself, Fucking Fabulous is absolutely legendary within the perfume industry; a signature Tom Ford fragrance. Although the fragrance is, indeed, warm and spicy, it’s lent edge and woodiness thanks to strategic olfactory additions like lavender and leather. “Fucking Fabulous is a decadent, oriental leather with an intoxicating grip,” describes Ford. “It evokes the private exchanges where fantasies come true. It’s undeniably the most straightforward name for such a beautiful scent.”
This foundation from Tom Ford is very expensive. But it houses cutting-edge ingredients and technology that essentially act like a blur tool for your face. It delivers medium to full coverage, and the finish is touted by the brand as a “soft-focus matte.”
This iconic contour-and-highlight compact is known by editors, makeup artists, and celebrities as THE best tool for creating a believably sculpted complexion. (It’s all about that dreamy, creamy consistency!)
This quad (which comes in more than 15 different color combos!) is the industry’s best-kept secret for subtle yet smoldering eye looks.
If you’re more into creamy and liquid eye shadows, however, this dark-horse pot has earned untouchable favoritism among beauty editors. It’s my go-to when I have three minutes to get ready but need to look put-together.
This article was originally published at an earlier date and has been updated. Up Next: From Gucci to Dior, Designer Perfumes Are Making a Comeback—Here’s Our Guide.
