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Kurmaz-i – :
As good as everyone here said it is. Really nice straight down the middle unisex. Cocoa, fruits, faint florals and incense with oud. It plays a very ‘heady’ tune yet cuts a seductively ‘smart’ or ‘elegant’ swathe (according to whomever is wearing it, of course).
What is so disappointing about this though is that on my skin at least it doesn’t last much beyond 1 hour when it becomes a moderate skin scent with all but no sillage at all. If my skin had allowed this beauty to shine for a good few hours then this would have become one of my staple fragrances. I envy those who get better performance from this – I so wish I did too.
I’d not tried anything in the Tom Ford Black Orchid type of unisex fragrances before but this one has opened my eyes to even more possibilities in perfumery. 🙂
dosv65 – :
I really like O24H. It lasts about 4 hours on me which is pretty good considering my body chemistry seems to eat even the strongest oud. I bought this as a sample and ordered the 100ML bottle for $34 shipped. It is a favorite regular in my rotation. You can wear this any time/occasion.
Kataris – :
I bought this because I adore Black Orchid, but it’s quite pricey and I often find that it wears me, so was after something just a teeny bit more subtle. So thought I’d give this roll-on a go!
Well, it’s a very good dupe of BO, in some ways. Its feels lighter and brighter, more fruity, and seems to be missing those dirty earthy tones of the original, and that weird cucumber note. This will be a welcome change for some, but those are aspects that I really miss here! 🙁 Longevity and sillage a mere whisper compared to BO, but for £3, yo’ure not going to get a nuclear scent.
Strangely, this is what I expected Black XS to smell like. The latter I find very pleasing, but I have always been a bit disappointed with it’s lack of mystery. Oud 24 I think is a nice halfway house between Black XS and Black Orchid, although quite different scents. If you like one or the other, this is worth a sniff?
Not bad at all! It’s not as rounded and smooth and complex as BO, I think this stands up in it’s own right, if we stop comparing to BO for a second.
£3 for a lil’ BO daytime top up, perhaps?
mishalini – :
Bought Oud 24 Hours 2 weeks ago, after wearing it for 5 times, here is my initial conclusion of it vs TFBO:
Scent: ~95% similar
Longevity: ~85%
Sillage: ~75%.
Value for money: 110% !
pdi053speagoessenda – :
Well, like everyone else says, it’s close enough to Black Orchid that most people around you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
I put the spray on over the roll on. Best of both worlds regarding longevity and projection.
I bought a 50ml bottle from ebay for £5.50.
Ridiculously cheap and such surprising quality.
There’s a lot going on with it but the over riding notes I get are dirty orange and dark chocolate.
Night Flower by Milton Lloyd is very close to it as well so that’s worth keeping your eye open for if you like this.
I feel that although anyone could wear this it would be a perfect choice for a confident older man in a casual setting like an evening chatting in a pub.
I enjoy it very much and feel as if I’ve stolen it!
I’ve dropped lucky this week because I scored a 100ml flacon of Dirham for £9.99 also from ebay after being inspired by ifishares on YouTube. This too is a very different and pleasant scent with good if not outstanding performance.
kael_87 – :
If you are a fan of Tom Ford Black Orchid and want a more affordable version this is the answer. In the air nobody can distinguish Zaafaran’s clone from the original TF. Moderate sillage/projection, very good longevity.
The only difference you can feel is from up close, the person who wear this scent, feels it more airy than TF. It doesn’t become cloying like TF. It’s a more friendly version of TFBO or if you prefer it could be a reformulation of it.
Personally I can wear it with pleasure. But not the original. The best TFBO clone ever. Period.
eminedis – :
(Review for the oil)
This smells exactly like Tom Ford Black Orchid, but for $5 as a perfume oil attar. I can’t specify exact notes but it’s a unisex fragrance that smells dark, floral, and with dark chocolate nuances. It smells absolutely fantastic. Sillage is moderate while longevity is quite good at about 6 hours. Overall, this is a wonderful attar that smells way more expensive than it is.
4.5/5
Valdarrus – :
Oud 24 Hours by Ard Al Zafraan is one of the many less known gems that qre produced in the Middle East.
The bottle is nice and heavy although a bit tacky. There is to much information in all the bottle sides resulting in a poor image. The odd “look” is compensated by the confy “feal”, as quality craftmanship is used in the bottle, cap and sprayer.
It is a perfect blend that results in a fine and alluring oud fragrance. It’s dark, mysterious, sensual and very classy.
Oud 24 Hours it’s like a gourmand dessert that you love and enjoy from start to the end.
I am not sure if it is a compliment grabber but it sure attracts a lot of attention. On top of the sensual not cloying sexy scent, the above average longevity and the heavy sillage contribute for the lucky wearer to stand out. It lasts for 12 hours and sillage is enormous filling a room for 2~3 hours and projecting an arm length for 2~3 hours more.
It is a unisex fragrance but it devellops a totally different efect on men and women. Strange enough it is almost a double personality as it is preety manly on men andoques a lot of femininity on women.
As it has been noticed by all the reviewrs, it is a “look-alike” of Tom Ford’s Black Orchid and its streght stands half way between the BO EDT and EDP. It’s less harsh than the Tom Ford scent, and by being more civilized it’s easier to wear it for both men and women. The only diffrence I can notice besides the opening harshness resides in the fact that you don’t have oud in Black Orchid. Oud 24 Hours proposes you a sweet, tamed and almost discrete oud somewhat disguised by the patchouli and the sandalwood notes.
Top notes are bergamot, mandarin orange and dark chocolate; middle notes are spices, fruity notes, jasmine, gardenia and ylang-ylang; base notes are amber, incense, sandalwood, patchouli and agarwood.
Although they are not listed I do detect a strong vibe of coconut in the opening for a short time, and a very strong note of sweet vanilla in the bottom notes and drydown.
In the opening you are confronted with a gorgeous dark and sweet black chocolate note. The choco note combines heavenly with the spicy and fruity notes that follow.
Agarwood, patouchilli, incense and vanilla do rule over the vast majority of fragrance longevity, particulary in the drydown. The notes are very similar to the ones you find in Tom Ford black orchid perfume.
Oud 24 spreads an impression of exclusivity and distinction based on the strength of this lingering perfume.
Lets confirm it with the Oud 24 Hours math:
Scent Opening: 9.0 (my judgement)
Scent Dry Down: 9.0 (my judgement)
Longevity: 9.0 (12 hours+ with three sprays)
Sillage: 9.0 (fills a room; 10~12 feet projection at its peak with 3 sprays)
Uniqueness: 7.0 (Besides Black Orchid you have the magnific Charriol Royal Gold, Maremma from Tiziana Terenzi, the very cheap Estiara Fleur Noire, 24 Gold and many others)
Compliments: 8.0 (close to a serious compliment grabber although it’s a head turner because it puts you in the spotlight)
Wearability: 7.5(Use it day or night during Winter and Fall; You may experiment it as well in Spring colder days and nights)
Versatility: 7.0 (Don’t abuse of it as a day scent. Don’t use it in the office. Avoid using it in Beach, sunny events and workout.)
Quality: 9.5 (my judgement)
Presentation: 7.0 (nice box, tacky bottle but looks solid and expensive)
Price: 10.0 (100 ml non tester for £ 12,50 + shipping)
Overall rating: 8.36/10.00
I recommend this fragrance!
Daeron259 – :
Got the concentree perfume oil roll-on (10ml)
This is aphrodisiac!! It is very addictive!
It smells like those spicy South-American or Mexican foods that smell delicious but you can’t put them in your mouth because are very hot-spicy, but sweeter… Cacao-sweet to be more exact.
For the lasting power on this oil: I have to say that it gets you through a day easily with very good projection. I don’t know how the EDP is, but I strongly suggest buying the oil.
konon – :
If you like Tom Ford Black Orchid you’d like this as it is 95% just like it, but a lot cheaper. To my nose it’s slightly softer than BO wich I like.
Buy it and you won’t be disappointed coz it smells gorgeous.
On my skin it lasts 10+ hrs on clothes 24+Hrs
9 out of 10.
fearfear – :
Not as complex as Tom Ford’s Black Orchid, but at £12.50 who cares! Great longevity (lasts over 12 hours) and sillage (an atomiser I decanted into leaked slightly and my toiletry bag wafted of this for weeks). This is defintely unisex but only for the confident male!
tyt08031988 – :
Reminds me b of Bath and Body Works’ Black Amethyst
Qwerti_94 – :
Wow this stuff is bonkers.
I get a delicious mix of earthy coconut with white flowers. Towards the drydown both notes go on to smell more and more well-blended. The main player is the coconut but it is the complementary role of the flowers that constitutes most of the beauty. A toffee like sweetness also keeps peeking through. All three facets keep the wearer well entertained through the wearing.
It is marketed as unisex but is closer to the feminine side of the spectrum. Smells almost innocent and i don’t get any darkness or mysteriousness.
A must-have and considering it’s price and quality one should not hesitate to blindly purchase this beauty.
sanek.s – :
I tried this in Birmingham a few years ago and all the way home (stuck in traffic for hours!) I was totally intrigued and intoxicated. (I don’t mean I was drunk)
It was one of those where I knew EXACTLY what this reminded me of almost immediately. I say ‘almost’ because the opening is such a strong, chaotic, swirling of notes that it’s really difficult to discern what’s going on. Then when it’s settled sufficiently it’s basically Tom Ford’s glorious Black Orchid. Again…I say ‘glorious’ but I gave my bottle of Black Orchid away to a friend of mine as I thought she’d appreciate it more than I did. That’s the main problem, although dark, exotic and with gourmand facets which one could argue are the epitome of unisex, I still find it too feminine. Because of the glaring comparison this is the case for Oud 24 I’m afraid.
It has a sweet but a little smokey oud opening, then chocolate, cacao, patchouli incense and exotic florals pour out from what is a BIG fragrance.
I don’t go in for this being an exact clone of BO, put it this way I think I could tell them apart from the opening in anycase. This has more of a middle eastern feel, it’s woodier and more raw, becoming even more complex. Yes I know than Black Orchid a massively complex perfume in itself, a statement that shouldn’t be possible, but Oud 24 Hours manages it somehow.
I still found the floral aspect way too much for me and it grated in the same way as Black Orchid.
So is this a cheap and viable alternative? I’d say so, the performance was very good but I also remember that being the case for the TF too. If you like BO it’s worth knowing this stuff is out there.
domo – :
Thank you guys for all your reviews, they made me buy this perfume and I am very happy with it! I have 50 ml EDP, this is really similar to Black Orchid. I wanted to buy my first Arabian perfume and chose this one because many people voted it reminds them of Black Orchid which I love. This is long lasting with moderate sillage on me, very beautiful and quality stuff.
LandishLUCH – :
Just received my 20ml bottle blind buy,based on the reviews and i have to say,this perfume is really high quality and contain luxury scent,they have some oud vibes but very soft,last for very long time after 2 sprays,
Scent 10/10
Sillage 9/10
Longevity 9/10 (8 – 10h)
den666 – :
Strong and long lasting but sickly. Has some lovely vanilla notes but with a rotten vegetation vibe on top.
s.kazak – :
I reviewed this fragrance in 2016, testing it simultaneously against Black Orchid.
Given recent comments, I thought I should qualify that I tested the EDP, NOT the oil (which I haven’t tried).
For anyone interested, richmilton has altered his review so that he is no longer attacking or being rude about another reviewer. For this reason, I have also amended my comments.
бона – :
Spray is brilliant …buy with confidence …cheers
123455692 – :
@corkscrewcurly – I did not criticize anybody. Further, English is not my native language. Besides, this is not a grammar review site is it? it’s a fragrance review site. I don’t use spell check nor do I care if my pronuctation fails to meet your snobbery. My review stands as is. Oud 24 Hours has no scent. Others here I hope notice that 90% of your review above is about my lack of English, and ironically you said few words about the fragrance itself. Thus it’s clear my negative opinion on this fragrance touched a nerve with you. Sorry for having an opinion. You reviewed this fragrance a year ago then came back to attack me on my review a year later. Hmm?
The oil it has literally no scent! I’ve never been so disappointed in a fragrance, I expected so much more. Its not a big deal because it was only $8 but the name itself Oud 24 Hours, the positive reviews, and comparisons to Black Orchid had me to believe this was good. I’ve bought and sniffed hundreds of fragrances, maybe over a thousand, and seldom I come across one with little to no scent. I can’t tell if I like it or not… Because I can’t smell anything.. it’s water in a bottle! Maybe the spray version is better, but in my experience the oil is a pass.
vvurozzzav – :
This is my review for the 10ml roll on.
on first application smells very medicinal almost minty but soon fades, Smells quite similar to black orchid but not as strong and not as long lasting. I’m getting a spicebomb vibe from this aswell. I would say all in all a very pleasant alternative to black orchid but you will need to reapply throughout the day.
yampol88 – :
This not a review if you smelled Black Orchid. This is confirmation it smells like Black Orchid. This is a more masculine version of Black Orchid with an Eastern tinge to it. Ladies, no worries you can still wear it too!!!! Still sweet, delectable, and floral.
Great performance and dirt cheap. As a man, I owed Black And Velvet Orchid. Love them both and wear them unashamed. Women love both of them on me. However, I traded my Black Orchid because of this gem. It was no need to have both. Anyone who says this is not bang on 90% in every way is still caught up in the prestige that “Tom Ford” brand holds. Eastern houses are helping fragrances addicts feed their habit in a responsible way. Buy if you like Black Orchid or you are running low.
YT shavenonthedarkside has spoken.
WeannyWilandarfvc – :
I don’t own black orchid..To me this perfume is a feminine version of “bvlgari man in Black” without the black feel..I gave this to my wife.
Just to add performance, quality and everything about this perfume is great and for the price it’s a steal.
In addition to my previous review can anyone compare this perfume with “velvet oud” by mpf
HeljkoTomi – :
I ordered blindly 20ml (travel size) from this juice and when I tried, feel it at first, I thought instantly I needed more and more, so I bought another 100ml 🙂 I love this stuff, so easy wearing, modern, funny, but special, you can’t meet with this everywhere. Mugler Pure Havane was my fav fragrance so far, Oud 24 hours is my new, sometimes Havane is too much, but this is perfect, I can wear everytime (also in the summer), because it doesn’t smell dense, nor light, just good. It’s an oriental perfume without the typical oud, rose, oily, mature, heavy features, smells different, I think more western to the nose, likable.
update: in colder weather seems better performance, bigger sillage, bolder scentbubble around me 🙂
passat – :
Just ordered the 10 ml roll on through Ebay Australia .
Can’t wait !!!
knight007 – :
GirlyScientist just get the edp it’s worth it
can get it on ebay for $34-$38 if you check well 🙂
Voin-700 – :
Has anyone experienced both the EDP and the oil? The oil is so much more affordable, but I’d rather get the spray if it’s better. Thanks!
Tolya.pugin – :
This is for the oil 10 ml.
Flowery and chocolatey. So the effect is almost coconuty butter milk vanilla and flowers…a very butiful unisex
Perfume, I can imagine an office scent..
And suite and tie scent so very versatile.
Tom ford in this bottle as well..
Safe one to my opinion ..very recommended.
But performance is 1 hour strong and than
A skin scent for 3 hours then fades as a vanilla one hour and disappear ..of course its on my skin.
epk024speagoessenda – :
I agree with those that say it’s about 80% Black Orchid. That opening is identical, but O24H immediately “softens” and smoothes out while BO still kicks its opening a lot longer.
Also, the chocolate in BO is a lot stronger while O24H goes to its floral almost immediately. They diverge from there. O24H becomes its own lovely scent that’s not quite the magical, seductive monster that BO is. It’s softer, quieter but still amazing. Will update later with longevity after wearing to work tomorrow.
tyurxgmSAZl – :
I have only one comment for this seriously It is similar to tom ford black orchid but not same quality at all but honestly regarding the longevity it can last 3 days and I am sure
Lakoster-74 – :
I owned Tom Fords black orchid and used up the last squirt some time ago.With a wife and cat to feed I have not had the funds to justify replacing it. When I read that Oud 24 Hours supposedly smelt the same I bought a 50ml bottle for £4.99 with free postage. (Yes £4.99!!!)
Having owned the original I can put my hand on heart and tell you this fragrance is 90% the same. Not quite as dark and not quite as long lasting but even the cat thought I’d sacrificed his months supply of kitty Kat to buy another bottle of Black Orchid when I wore 24 Hours.
This stuff is absolute quality for the money. My Wife actually prefers this over TF has she found the original too heavy. This is a must have in its on right. Great bottle. Great scent. Black orchid at a massive discount.
unduslysmoose – :
As other have said, this is a very impressive clone of Black Orchid beautifully blended, complex, long-lasting…perhaps ever so slightly lighter then the original.. and for a small fraction of the price.
Sannek65 – :
I wore this to town and someone asked me if Im wearing black orchid
sova111 – :
Gorgeous!!! So gorgeous!!!!! I LOVE it!!! It’s really fantastic!!!! Beautiful – it lasts forever, and is SO strong!!!! OMG it’s just sooo good, and sooooo cheap!!! Amazing!!!! Beautiful beautiful!!!! Thank you corkscrewcurly for giving such a detailed description and informative review too!!!! No way can I do such good work!!! All I can say is…….it’s fantastic!!!! It’s my favourite perfume by far!!!! It’s completely delicious!!!! Divine!!!! Heavenly!!!! Sublime!!!!! Oh I’m in love with Oud 24 Hours!!!! And my husband loves it as much as I do!!!! And compliments!! You’ve no idea!! More than any other perfume I’ve ever had!!! Incredible!!! It’s an incredible perfume!!! Magic!!!!
spy10 – :
@GustaveTheNose
Right now i have 9 fragrances from this house
1- dirham is citrus …lavender…jasmine … cedar and a hint of rose
2- musc almutnakhab is sweet musk and its actually very similar to Pure Musk from lattafa
3- ahlam al arab citrusy … fruity and oriental notes very unique scent i really like it
4- oud sharqia its arabian oud with sandalwood not so special
5- oud abyad this one shares some similarity with oud sharqia + powder and white musc … in my opinion this one is brighter and better than sharqia
6- dar al hub this one is my favorite from this house … its lacoste white clone + oreintal notes
7- rose paris rosy powdery its so feminine
8- hoor khaleej fruity… musky … oriental
9- Shams Al Emarat so sweet vanilla + amber + rose and oriental spices its so similar to khurafi from lattafa
Hope this helps
alex140979 – :
@ cao.pin
Thanks. Can you tell us more about those you have, just to give an idea because there is not much info on fragrantica.
TucheReutRifepyyya – :
Josephazzato … well my friend.. when i say it has bad performance .. i was talking about the other fragrances i have from the same house not (24 hours)
actually i was trying to help that guy (GustaveTheNose)
he ask if someone tried other fragrances from that house
Dukk – :
Strange when i smell this from the sprayer (without applying it) the smell of Chocolate & bergamot-Mandarine is prominent (very similar to TF black orchid) but when i apply this its pure agarwood (oud) on my skin for couple of minutes (a bitter burned woody and smokey oud btw) though i like this harsh (at least for some) scent of oud but i want it to be TFBO right off the bat , not the case unfortunately but long story short it will turn into BO just dont nose dive into it ,aka CQS (close quarter Smelling! 🙂 nowadays im not buying niche brand products @150to400$ when you get such nice quality clones for A LOT less , definitely worthy will update about the performance when im done testing it stay tuned 😉
Well Well – lets not dive into thing Str8 To the point , this is Tom Ford Black Orchid from a different dimension , its not a 100% copy , but do Ur self a favor buy this one first if you ever want to invest on a TF BO frag. Performance for 15$ i payed is very good it will stay where you applied it at least for 5 hours and will project about arm length , go get a bottle (and maybe a backup too) before they sell it for 30 or even 50 bucks 😉 and Thank Fragranticans later 😉
Dima98 – :
I didn’t try this fragrance but i have 9 fragrances from this house (Ard Al Zaafaran) and all i can say is it’s bad in performance
i really like (Dar al hub) which is clone of Lacoste L.12.12. White + some oreintal notes … really good but bad in performance
i will try 24 hours
BTW…in arabic Ard Al Zaafaran means land of saffron
wopwermprer – :
This is a very sophisticated fragrance. I have had a lot of success with fragrances from Middle Eastern houses and I discovered this in a database search for this brand. The review references to Tom Ford Black Orchid (TFBO) were of interest and I sampled Black Orchid several times, rating it as my favourite Tom Ford fragrance, before deciding to buy Oud 24 Hours.
The top notes are of chocolate and patchouli with a hint of fruit – but not in the extrovert way of say Paco Rabane One Million. There’s also a darker muskier note just below, which hints at the wearer’s confidence and discernment. There’s no question that this is a very good substitute for TFBO and I’m happy to wear a fragrance that’s a close enough likeness for me at a fraction of the cost. The only downside is the 20ml EDP comes in a flat rectangular white plastic bottle which doesn’t have any of the tactile cues and pleasure you would expect as part of the ownership experience.
There’s a saying that ‘if it looks to good to be true then it probably is’ – this is very good but also truly an absolute steal at the prices offered online. Highly recommended.
sahivva – :
@ corkscrewcurly (or anyone)
What other perfumes from this house have you tried and recommend?
I bought this one recently and I like it, will review in due time
Ferrari – :
I do adore this fragrance.
Oud 24 Hours is a bit of a monster. A gentle monster in that it is a powerful fragrance where the initial blast goes BOOM but isn’t overpowering or cloying.
I immediately get the fruity notes which are expertly blended with the chocolate. The dark chocolate note is actually quite creamy but certainly has a dark quality to it. It’s within this first whiff that I also get a subtle, slight tease of the amber and incense notes.
After a few minutes, the patchouli note really starts to creep in and mingles really well with the chocolate and fruit. I’m constantly amazed how these three notes complement each other so well in this fragrance.
The oud note is visible from the get-go but is very subtle compared to the other notes. For me, this is a bonus. It isn’t overbearing and doesn’t dominate the fragrance as a whole, it just sits quietly underneath, making its presence known but takes a back seat.
The fragrance last an eternity on me (especially on clothing) and I have garnered many compliments when I wear it. It’s definitely a firm favourite now and a must-have in my collection.
Without repeating everything has been said before, by others (re TF’s BO similarities) , I will add that it is incredibly similar to TF’s BO. In my opinion though O24H is much nicer. Slightly softer but with equal longevity, if not more.
Many TF fragrances don’t particularly agree with my skin and it took me a long time to enjoy (some of) them after a bad testing experience when I was ill (long, boring story).
Black Orchid is one of the TF fragrance that I genuinely really like.
However, for me O24H comes out a winner in the comparison stakes, both in smell and certainly without question in price.
Two weeks ago, I sprayed O24H on my wrist before going into Harvery Nichols store and rather sneakily went to the Tom Ford counter.
I sprayed TF’s Velvet Orchid on one of my wrists and then *pretended* to spray Black Orchid on the other wrist [on which I was wearing O24H].
I then cheekily asked the lady behind the counter to smell my wrists and asked if she could tell which one was Black Orchid. Immediately, she chose the wrist that had O24H on and said:
“It’s that one – it’s my signature scent and I can tell it anywhere”.
That comment told me all I needed to know.
seruu – :
I am new to wearing fragrances. I have tested loads in department stores on Oxford St and it is a joy! I blind bought this and I love it. It’s the cheapest I own (stiff competition) and the cheapest I’ve tried (not hard – I’m not shy). I get a ‘feel’ of a quality fragrance and it smells solid and natural. It’s a little spicy and reminds me of spiced chocolate – though it doesn’t smell OF chocolate. I get the very occasional and unexpected waft of citrus and spice.
As I say, my few fragrances are at the budget end. But this, along with Encre Noire has real depth. Both unquestionably total bargains. But I’d guess this won’t get -ve reactions like EN.
Lasts all day. And what a price: £10! On the subject of Black Orchid – they have lots of similarities, but this is a bit simpler. And, to me, less feminine.
Thanks for adding me to your community BTW. Nik
ArtemXXX – :
Another thought – please don’t be put off Oud 24 Hours because you don’t like oud or it frightens you. I know it can be a very intense and potentially unpleasant experience, particularly if you are not au fait with its use in Arab perfumery.
Oud here is used as a supporting player. It is a base, together with the sandalwood, amber and incense upon which to build; it is barely detectable, so not at all harsh or medicinal.
If you like Black Orchid, you may well like Oud 24 Hours; at this price point it’s almost rude not to try it.
GerzogX – :
Thank you Fragrantica for adding the Ard Al Zaafaran brand to the database. Please add some more fragrances from this house – they are very good and worth exploring.
I have been trying a lot of attars and Arabic fragrances and am regularly stunned by the quality and value for money they represent. Many – including Oud 24 Hours – are ridiculously cheap; for example, 20ml “pocket size” spray of this can currently be purchased for £2.99 including P&P from eBay UK. I bought 100ml in September and have worn it and gained many compliments several times since.
I am testing this against TF Black Orchid official sample, not a decant (thank you Fragrantican swap partner, lovely Alex aka Planet_X for the sample).
BO opens with peppery top notes and an almost minty/menthol smell. I picked up on a more dominant menthol note when I tested Velvet Orchid a few months ago (which I thought may be coming from the Peru balsam), but there’s no balsam in BO, so there may be DNA common to both, which I can’t quite identify. There’s an almost cucumbery/earthy/bitter smell to the BO too, which may be coming from the tuber. This is not present in 24 Hours.
Oud 24 Hours is smoother and sweeter than BO, for which reason I think it leans slightly more to the feminine. BO has a stronger presence and greater sillage from the outset.
Oud 24 Hours could easily be Black Orchid’s quieter non-identical twin. I know this may be considered heresy, but I think I prefer the Ard Al Zaafaran – and at £2.99 for 20ml, it is clearly FAR better value for money. I would not recommend buying BO from eBay unless you are very familiar with – and trust – the seller. There are a huge number of counterfeit perfumes for sale on eBay (and on Amazon) and if something seems too good to be true, the chances are that it is.
Don’t waste money on potentially fake BO – try Oud 24 Hours. I doubt many people will be able to tell the difference and you will save a LOT of money. Oud 24 Hours is currently for sale for £8.99 for 100ml EDP on eBay UK (admittedly this is a special offer, but it normally sells for roughly £12.00 for 100ml). Even if the longevity and sillage aren’t as good as BO, you can happily re-spray every couple of hours and still save money.
kestya – :
Dar Al Shabaab by Ard Al Zaafaran is not listed here not sure why but it’s very similar to paco rabanne black xs lex
Why better than black xs lex and half the price.
Dar al shabaab is really nice recommended.
Алексей78 – :
Just like my fellow reviewer, “One Cool Cat”, I too have been wearing this for several months. Initially I was thrilled that this had been added to the database but then I felt unreasonably covetous- now everyone would know about this hidden gem!!
Although an obvious dupe for Tom Ford’s Black Orchid, it is still a risky blind buy, it has a far more masculine/fougere feel.
I’m one of those perfume wearers that adores intriguing, heady, strong scents that exude an excellent sillage -such as this one. I like to walk and waft, leaving an intoxicating aroma trail!
The opening is harsh- almost medicinal. It’s not unpleasant, just aromatically camphorous.
Minty patchouli and earthy blackberries are the perfect foil to sweet and spicy dark chocolate orange creams.
The woody notes are smoky with hints of the smell of trees after a downpour.
An hour in and the scent subtly changes to include boozy, over-ripe bananas and warming amber. I don’t get any florals apart from a faint suggestion of violets.
The base (some 3 hours later) quietly reminds me of a powdery, vanilla infused Christian Dior Fahrenheit from the 80’s.
Although Black Orchid will always hold a special place in my heart and my perfume wardrobe,regrettably it also leaves a rather large empty place in your purse/wallet!!
Given that my skin seems to “drink” perfumes (TFBO included) I found that OUD 24 HRS had much better longevity in comparison.
I have also received far more compliments wearing this than I ever have from the former. In my book that makes it a keeper (which is probably why I’m on bottle number four!)
An unusual, bewitching fragrance- perfect for any witches or warlocks out there!
BobbzAX – :
Unicorn fragrance! Amazing long lasting complex and totally affordable. Just like Tom Ford’s black orchid. I’d say it even lasts better. Big love to this one.
vke814Negeltzex – :
well….yes its similar to Tom Ford BO, but to me its even better!!! initially when you spray it its really strong , b