Before launching Tom Ford, I’d never tried Noir before. So, I’ll be honest: I got Noir, Noir Extreme and Noir Extreme Parfum a little confused. If you can relate, you’re reading the right review.
After doing my research and spending time with the fragrance, Noir isn’t like anything in the Signature Collection; it has a personality of its own. Here’s what I thought after testing it out…
Noir by Tom Ford Smells Like…
My Thoughts:
Noir by Tom Ford smells almost cosmetic; I can picture lipstick on a suit collar and kissing in the powder room. It’s refined but has a naughty side, depicted in the iris, rose, and leather facets.
Noir’s perfume pyramid is a zig-zag of contrasting tones and moods that work, both feminine and masculine. From the first spritz, I picked up the iris, rose, and violet – all very soft and bold; then, as the scent warmed my skin, I got the greener, darker aromas of leather and patchouli. I’m not going to lie; it’s a sexy signature fragrance – I’m converted. I also think it has similarities to Noir de Noir from the private collection, but this is more affordable and perhaps a way to give this type of scent a go before committing to purchase the full size.
What Tom Ford Says:
“Refined. Confident. Distinctive.
An amber sensual fragrance, Tom Ford Noir teems with masculine sensuality. As with all Tom Ford creations, the fragrance is composed of the finest ingredients and iconic accords, re-imagined as only Tom Ford can do. The fragrance structure is two part – evoking the refined and perfected out appearance of a stylish urban gentleman, but giving wild to the wild eroticism and carnal sensuality of what lies beneath the bespoke suit. This epic contract of outer and inner worlds defines the experience of the fragrance.”
Noir Notes:
Top Notes: Bergamot, Verbena, Caraway, Bay Rose, Violet Flower.
Heart Notes: Tuscan Iris Resin, Madagascan Black Pepper, Clary Sage, Nutmeg, Bulgarian Rose, Egyptian Geranium.
Base Notes: Leather, Indonesian Patchouli Oil, Vetiver Oil.
What’s The Difference Between Noir, Noir Extreme and Noir Extreme Parfum?
Ok, the big question! Firstly let’s start with the fragrance families:
Noir: Spicy-amber.
Noir Extreme: Woody-amber.
Noir Extreme Parfum: Woody-amber.
As you can see from the summary of where each fragrance sits, the only commonality is that amber is used. On paper, this makes it look like they’re similar. But they’re not! Tom Ford has used it in amber in very different ways.
Noir is there to cushion and soften the darker notes, whereas when used in Noir Extreme and Noir Extreme Parfum, it’s more central and distinctive. Noir is cooler in temperature; it’s slicker. If I were to compare them to suit jackets, Noir Extreme would be a velvet jacket, Noir Extreme Parfum would be a suede jacket, and Noir would be the classic satin tuxedo style.
What’s The Story Behind This Scent?
I’ll start with the fact that Noir launched around the same time as 50 shades of grey if that prompts any visual clues. As expected, Noir’s story is an interesting one. It’s complex and intricate, just like its fragrance pyramid.
Tom Ford created Noir with the idea that a man has two sides: elegant and sensual. So he wanted to make something that embodies that. I think he’s done an excellent job of it. Tom Ford was even the face of this fragrance when it launched (the rights have been removed, so I can’t share it, unfortunately). But, I have plenty of insider information on Tom Ford that I can share:
You Will Love This If…
If you wear fragrances to attract other people, Noir fills a room and has a lingering presence, so you’ll love wearing Noir by Tom Ford. It’s a subdued statement that’s sexy. It feels timeless.
This Perfume Smells Similar To:
• Valentino Uomo Intense: Powdery, like Noir.
• BVLGARI Man in Black: Spicy and powdery, like Noir.
• Prada L’Homme Intense: Powdery and leathery, like Noir.
Is Noir Unisex?
In my opinion, yes, Noir is massively unisex. Although Noir was traditionally made for the male audience, as time’s gone on, I feel all Tom Ford perfumes have blurred the gender lines. I have male and female friends that wear it and neither care; they love the scent.
What’s The Longevity Like?
I gave it a good spritz in the morning and on my skin; honestly, Noir lasted around 10 hours on my skin and hours later, I could still smell it in my hair when I went to bed. To be on the safe side, Tom Ford Eau de Parfums usually last up to 6 hours, depending on your skin type and hormones.
What’s Special About The Bottle?
Noir may look like a standard black glass bottle to the naked eye, but that’s deceiving. It’s a piece of Tom Ford art. The clean lines, fonts, and colour block are very on-brand.
The devil is in the detail. When you get the box, you’ll see the fine art deco lines and the TF logo on the outer carton. Then you open it and see the exact TF logo engraved on the cap. For Noir, this is in silver. The bottle feels heavy and looks sleek in all black. The art deco lines are imprinted around the cap, but they are only down the sides of the bottle. Look closer, and you’ll see T and F engraved into the sides of the bottle – according to experts, Tom Ford did this to echo the Noir story of there being two sides to every man.
Can you recycle the perfume?
✔️ You can recycle the box.
✔️ You can recycle the glass bottle.
✖️ The spray pump can’t be recycled – it needs to be separated from the glass bottle.
