| Fragrance Overview | Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc


| Fragrance Overview | Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc 

Soleil Blanc fans rejoice, an exciting new fragrance inspired by the original is here for spring/summer 2018! A lighter and fresher scent and lower price point! If you aren't already familiar with the original fragrance, you can get very well acquainted with it by reading this blog post, which includes some very sexy and romantic lore behind some of the ingredients! It is one of Tom Ford's most popular and well-sold fragrances! It is a personal favorite of mine and I couldn't be more excited for this brighter citrus-heavy variation!

The Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc retails for $122.00 USD for 50ml and $171.00 USD for 3.4 100ml. It is available at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, and other retailers. This new lighter and fresher take on Soleil Blanc is an Eau de Toilette. Eau de Toilettes are a more common form of fragrance sold on the mainstream market. It has a lower concentration of perfume oils and a high concentration or water and alcohol. This fragrance is beautifully housed in a frosted glass bottle, emitting a fresh, feminine, and light feeling to the fragrance. The original is packaged in an opaque white bottle 

While there are key notes list for this fragrance, much about the fragrance making and even the ingredients in most fragrances are proprietary and a trade secret. We can only speculate what notes may be in an accord or in the fragrance based on what we smell.

TOP NOTES

Vert de Bergamot - The greens or leaves of the bergamot plant are one the key notes in this fragrance, unlike the original which contains the extract from the fruit. The leaves from the bergamot plant have a more herbal fragrance, similar to oregano.

Orange Bitter Peel - This note offers a true sweet orange citrus note that is bright and elegant. It has a tartness and a bittersweet fragrance that is fresh and clean.

Petitgrain Bigarde - This ingredient is better known as bitter orange leaf or sour orange leaf  has a strong sweet citrus, floral with a little bit of woodiness and herbaceous notes.

Caraway Seeds - This note offers a sharp, sweet and lightly spicy note which is noticable in the initial spray of this fragrance but quickly fades into a supporting note for this fragrance.

Pink Peppercorn - Like the original, it is not "peppercorn" the spice that we most commonly associate the word with but small berry-like fruit from an evergreen tree. It provides a sweet and rosy floral note. It brightens the fragrance and balances the strong amber notes in the base of this fragrance.

Cardomom - The sweet and spicy notes of cardomom add to the complexity of this fragrance and ensures that the sweet notes are not overpowering. Cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight, adding to the luxurious and expensive experience of this fragrance.

Pistachio Accord - An "accord" is a blend of notes that loose their individual identity and creates a complete new odor impression. These blend of notes tend to be from the same family, so in the case of Pistachio, it is most likely a blend of similar nuts and fruits that offer a pistachio-reminiscent scent. Pistachio is a key note in the original Soleil Blanc, offering sweet, fruity, and nutty fragrance.

MIDDLE NOTES

Moroccan Orange Flower - Also known as Neroli, is a very strong and clear note in this fragrance. This fresh citrus note adds so much brightness and uplifts heavier notes of amber and vanilla but also compliment those notes. This citrus scent is not fruity or tart but just very refreshing and sparkling. If you are familiar with Tom Ford Neroli Portofino, this fragrance has very similar top notes.

Jasmine - The jasmine in this lighter version of Soleil Blanc is played down a bit. I don't notice as much of the musky notes but its sweet floral notes shine through during mid-wear. I think because it is supposed to be a lighter fragrance, the other floral notes play a much larger role.

Tuberose - Again, like the jasmine this note is not as prominent in this fragrance. The creamy sweet notes are there but very played down. I believe this is to avoid making the fragrance too heavy with muskiness and richness.

Ylang-Ylang - Also one of the key notes in the original Soleil Blanc, this tropical flower has a delicate fruity floral fragrance with a hint of grassy freshness. It also has a warmth to the fragrance as the the fragrance develops. This tropical flower is the perfect addition to this summer and island inspired fragrance. The notes are quite strong and really shine through in this fragrance.

Coco de Mer Accord - Coco de Mer contained in the original fragrance is a rare coconut only found on remote islands off the coast of Africa. In true Tom Ford fashion, the ingredients in his fragrances are rare and difficult to procure but are worth it for their exceptional quality. This Coco de Mer Accord is most likely a blend of Coco de Mer and other coconut-like fragrances, fruits, and nuts. I also notice a residual vanilla-like note after the fragrance has dried down which may be a part of this accord.

BASE NOTES

Amber - This amber note is very clear from the initial to the dry-down of the fragrance.  It adds a lot of warmth and richness to the fragrance without being overwhelming. You can really detect the sweet fragrance in the background during the first few hours of wear and it plays a much larger role after hours of wear. It lingers on the skin creating a comforting and cozy note.

Vanilla - This base note is quite prominent after the fragrance has dried down it lingers on the skin offer a subtle, warm, and musk sweetness.

THE EXPERIENCE AND FINAL THOUGHTS 

The initial spray of this fragrance is a huge burst of citrus, making the Bergamot, Orange Bitter, and Petitgrain Bigarde very key notes in the fragrance, whereas in the original, citrus plays a smaller part in the overall fragrance. The citrus is fast-fleeting and starts to fade in the first two to three hours and the Coco de Mer and Ylang-Ylang come into play very much like the original Soleil Blanc. These notes are quite powerful emitting a sweet coconut and floral scent. Throughout the mid-wear or mid-day point, the floral notes become more apparent and as this the fragrance dries down and develops throughout the day, a very sweet vanilla-coconut note remains on the skin. This is most likely from the Coco de Mer accord and the amber, the base notes to this iconic fragrance. The fragrance reminds me of a combination of Neroli Portofino and Soleil Blanc, with its light and fresh citrus and its floral sweet coconut base.

I find this version of Soleil Blanc is very focused on the top notes of citrus and floral which makes it delightfully light and perfect for spring and summer. The wear time is between 5 to 8+ hours, I find depending on how active you are throughout the day it may wear off faster. I have noticed the sweet dry-down notes still linger long after 8 hours on my skin. I enjoy this lighter take on the fragrance for everyday wear, it has a bright and energizing scent that is very uplifting. The price is also very reasonable for the high quality and complexity of the fragrance. If you are a fan of the original you will LOVE this new lighter version!

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