Hey there ULGers, Recently my mate Ainslie was given a bottle of Soleil Brûlant by Tom Ford in a perfume swap and did not find it to her taste. She passed it along to me and I’m so excited to give you a heads up on this very lovely fragrance. Now I’m the first to poo poo the ridiculous price point of Tom Ford scents, especially considering they are really just dressed up Estée Lauder. Even originally they were pricey but in the current rush to cash grab the whole expenditure has reached insane levels. In Australia this 50ml retails for nearly AU$500, that’s $10/ml. Ridiculous.
You’ll know perfumer Daniela Andrier’s work. She is responsible for the 2003 remix of YSL Rive Gauche, the Prada number extraits, Candy and Amber PH, Memo Moroccan Leather and ELdO I Am Trash among many others.
Soleil Brûlant by Tom Ford 2021
Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Pink pepper, Bergamot, Mandarin orange
Heart: Black honey, Orange blossom absolute
Base: Resins, Frankincense, Vetiver, Amber, Leather, Woods
Fizzy citrus with a much more black pepper than pink feeling which quickly morphs into a honeyed floral. The floralness is transitory and leathery amber takes prominence quite early on. This and honey remain the key players till dry down with occasional wafts of woody greenery and white floral that keep it all interesting. There are some slight hints of that suntan lotion accord too, I’m surprised ylang and sandalwood aren’t mentioned in the notes list.
Soleil Brûlant means burning sun, so I thought this review particularly apt for you all in the Northern Hemisphere right now. For me though this fragrance has nothing to do with a burning sun and is much more like being curled up on a cold winter night watching TV with a clean pet and blanket. Maybe because that’s what I’ve been doing quite a lot of in the Sydney winter.
Interesting side note, black honey is only naturally produced by bees in northern Turkey. Other black honey is a manufactured product from sugar cane. There is also dark honey which is regular golden honey treated with heat, it changes the colour and only very slightly the taste. We have a friend who gives us dark honey for cooking and tea from his hives, it’s bloody gorgeous.
So a warm honeyed amber that’s totally unisex. Projection is good for the first hour or so and quietens considerably. Longevity is good, a soft whisper by the end of a work day.
I’m really glad to have this in my wardrobe. Did I need it? Amber is one of my largest note in FB but Soleil Brûlant scratches a different itch to the regular amber. So yes, it does fill a hole. Imagine it being an Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess for winter and you get my drift. If this cost 1/2 the price I’d probably have bought myself a bottle at retail.
Sound interesting?
Portia x
Undina's Looking Glass 
Interesting tidbits about black honey! This one seems quite popular in the US with a bunch of glittery side products for the “solar” shimmer.
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OHHHH! I do love a little shimmer.
I have an old Vol de Nuit powder and glitter puff. It’s the propeller bottle in blue. So bloody gorgeous. One puff and my face is glittering and scented.
Portia xx
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Sounds like a good one 😊
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Hey RR,
I reckon it is but of course YMMV.
Portia x
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Black honey, yummy. I expect I would own some Tom Ford if not for the price point (I have a travel spray from a Sephora coupon set, but that’s it.). Can’t bring myself to fork over that amount of dough!!
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MMKinPA,
I’m finding myself more and more in this boat.
Portia xx
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Honey is an oddity both in food & fragrance to me. I like bitter Greek honey that is naturally dark with thick Greek yogurt & walnuts but honey in or on anything else? Hard no.
In fragrance Im sensitive to honey’s ability to tip into urine if not finely balanced. Saying that I own Pure Honey by Kim Kardashian. Revoke my perfumista credentials immediately, I know.
I own a couple of TF PC body sprays & use then as fragrance rather than body spray. They last well & don’t tell the world I’ve been daft enough to pay retail for TF
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HA! Alityke, that KK is good.
Jin doesn’t like honey in food.
I love it in everything. Food, Drinks, Fragrance, Candles. Love it.
Portia xx
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I’ve never had this type of Greek honey. Sounds divine! Sounds like the type of thing they might have at Whole Foods (aka Whole Paycheck as we call it in our house) :-)
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I get it from a specialist deli stall on our market
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HA! Whole paycheck is FUNNY!
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I would never revoke your perfumista credentials!! I’ve wanted that KK for a while because folks rave about it!!
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You give me an idea
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I like the TF scents but not the price point. I think Neroli Portofino is ace but I wouldn’t have tried it, if I hadn’t found it at a discount.
This sounds great, as does your habit of snuggling with clean pets. I love a good honey note, and I love honey in general. It was nice of your fiend to share-hope you enjoy this in the best of health :)
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Hey Carole,
I will snuggle with my beautiful Paris even when he’s a stinky mess. it’s totally disgusting, but this is the smell of cuddling up with a clean pet.
HA!
Portia xx
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It definitely sounds interesting but I will probably never sample or own it
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Wise Brigitte.
One day when you come to Sydney we can test all the things.
Portia x
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Woot!!!!!!!!! I’ll be stealing some of your no 22 lol
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Ha! Yep, that might happen
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I feel sure I should have tried this, but can’t bring it to mind, and would definitely like to now. I am a fan of Bronze Goddess, so a winter equivalent of that would be right up my street. And am a sucker for anything with ylang in it, officially or otherwise.
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Hey Tap/Vanessa,
I’m a ylang fan too.
Bet this smells killer on you.
Portia xx
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I remember liking this perfume from the sample but not enough to go for a full bottle. Now I want to find the sample and test it again.
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I’d love to read your thoughts if it shows up Undina.
portia xx
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