We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. Promise.
I've Sniffed Over 20 Tom Ford Perfumes—But These 8 are Worth the Price, IMO
"You smell soooo good," says everyone when I'm wearing Tom Ford Vanilla Sex.
Tom Ford is hands down one of my all-time favorite perfume brands. The scents are captivating, the bottles are ultra chic, the fragrance names are just too good (Fucking Fabulous, anyone?), and the feeling you get after spritizing one on is peak bougie. But I also completely understand that the best perfumes from my favorite brand are v expensive, and making it to a Sephora or Nordstrom to give them all a sniff before buying isn't easy for everyone. Hence why I did the very hard work of testing every single Tom Ford perfume on my skin, asking coworkers and friends for their thoughts, and then compiling a full list of my favorites. Here's a preview of my top picks:
Our top picks for the best Tom Ford perfumes:
Let's get into all of my favorite Tom Ford perfumes, from boozy nighttime scents to sweet cherry options and a whole lotta sexy, spicy leather notes. Plus, if you still aren't sure if a particular Tom Ford perfume is for you, I'm sharing my secrets on how to choose the right perfume for your collection.
Pros
- Consistently ranks among the best fragrances of all time
- I love the soft, sweet vanilla aroma that is projected as it dries down
Cons
- Some testers said the tobacco note is a bit overpowering
For me, Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille will forever and always be the best scent from the house. It consistently tops "best of" lists because it's so warm and cozy without being cloying or plastic-y at all. The spicy tobacco notes are very front and center, which gives this a smokey essence that evokes the vibes of sitting in a cigar-filled jazz club in the '80s. But the vanilla notes creep up as it dries on my skin that mute the scent a bit, making it a lot softer and sweeter.
| Notes | Tobacco leaf, vanilla, spicy notes, cacao, tonka bean |
| Scent family | Sweet and smokey |
| Sizes available | 0.33, 1, 1.7, and 3.4 oz |
Pros
- Really creamy and subtle scent that isn't all that polarizing
- Lingers for a very long time on clothes
Cons
- Some people find the sandalwood note scratchy
This perfume went mega famous last year, when a mega-famous celebrity by the name of Taylor Swift told someone she wore Tom Ford at the VMAs. She'd been rumored to wear this perfume for years (after her own line of scents discontinued, of course). And nearly everyone who has been in the prescence of Tay has said she smells good. As a lover of this scent, I completely believe it. It's a warm, woody fragrance that smells like a fragrance—but not in a bad way! It reminds me of the inside of an expensive hotel lobby. Spices instantly hit your nose, then settle down with powdery rose and creamy sandalwood.
Features at a Glance
| Notes | Cinnamon bark oil, ylang-ylang, Australian sandalwood |
| Scent family | Woodsy and warm |
| Sizes available | 1 and 1.7 oz |
Pros
- My most complimented Tom Ford perfume
- I love layering it with other perfumes, since the scent is so light
Cons
- A few reviewers felt it smelled artificial (like Play-Doh—although, I love that scent, personally)
Tom Ford's Vanilla Sex is a total winner for anyone who loves a creamy, smooth perfume. The day I wore this, five people came up to me as I walked into an event to immediately tell me I smelled amazing (even before a "how are you?"—rude!). Everyone loved how warm and sweet I smelled, which tracks considering this perfume is filled with three different types of vanilla (vanilla, vanilla absolute, and Ultravanil, a molecule only found in Vanilla Sex that intensifies the other vanilla notes in the perfume).
FWIW, I find this to be extremely similar to Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Milk, which is one of my all-time favorite vanilla perfumes. It's just a bit more synthetic-smelling, less lactonic. But what I love about both of them is how great they are to layer with other perfumes to give them a more potent vanilla scent. My current fave combo is Vanilla Sex and Replica Coffee Break—I smell legit delectable.
| Notes | Vanilla, bitter almond, sandalwood, tonka bean, floral notes |
| Scent family | Gourmand |
| Sizes availabe | 1.7 oz |
Pros
- A unique take on vanilla, with lots of spice and smokiness
- Not too sweet at all, despite its vanilla name
Cons
- It only lasts for a few hours on my skin
This is fully a mix of Vanilla Sex and Tobacco Vanille for me, which is fantastic because I love both of those scents. I smell a heavy tobacco note that wraps this whole fragrance in smoke. But as it dries down, I get whiffs of coffee and vanilla that add a softness. It's how I picture a smokey room filled with Hollywood's elite to smell—there's the tobacco and suede notes all around, but at the core, it's sweet and yummy. It's not gourmand in the sense that I want to take a bite out of it; rather, it's got a smooth, rounded booze-like quality.
Features at a Glance
| Notes | Vanilla, mahogany wood, roasted barley, coffee, tobacco, suede, coriander |
| Scent family | Gourmand and spicy |
| Sizes available | 1 and 1.7 oz |
Pros
- Undeniably cherry but doesn't feel one-note
- Lasts quite a long time, compared to a lot of other Tom Ford perfumes I've tested
Cons
- Cherry note can smell a bit synthetic to some noses
Everyone raves about Lost Cherry, and while that deserves its flowers for practically starting a cherry perfume revolution, I think Tom Ford seriously nailed it after the fact with Electric Cherry. I pick up on the juicy cherry note immediately (not surprising), but it's what comes after that I love so much. Musk and jasmine soften and create a powdery feel that pairs so well with the tart cherry. Most of all, this fragrance has a lot better longevity and even a bit more projection than TF's O.G. cherry. I spray it all year round at this point—it's fantastic in summer for fruity vibes, but doesn't feel out of season in winter either.
Features at a Glance
| Notes | Cherry, ginger, musk, pink pepper, jasmine |
| Scent family | Sweet and musky |
| Sizes available | 1 and 1.7 oz |
Pros
- Lasts 10+ hours (and even longer with the body oil)
- I loved the warm, bright sunscreen-y scent
Cons
- Smelled a bit too spicy for some testers
If I'm on a beach, I'm likely doused in Soleil Blanc. This is the quintessential summertime perfume, and it lasts legit all day once I spritz it on my skin (even a day full of dipping in the pool and sipping spicy margs). Immediately my nose picks up on the creamy coconut and citrus-y bergamot notes, but as it sits on my skin, I get the warm pistachio and amber and bright jasmine notes too. It's definitely very strong, but with freshness, not in a sickly sweet or cloying way.
FYI: I always bring the Mini Shimmering Body Oil in this scent with me on vacations. It lasts forever, gives my skin a glow, and works just as well as a perfume, IMO.
| Notes | Coconut, pink pepper, pistachio, amber, bergamot, jasmine |
| Scent family | Floral and sweet |
| Sizes available | 0.33, 1, 1.7, and 3.4 oz |
Pros
- Reviewers loved how "mature" this smells, while still being fruity and sweet
Cons
- I find the spicy, woodsy notes to be ever-so-slightly overpowering
Don't get it twisted: There is nothing "bitter" about this fruity, sweet perfume. It's a very fresh yet boozy take on a fruity perfume, thanks to a whole lotta peach and blood orange mixed with rum, cognac, vanilla, and sandalwood. It's prob the most unique of all of the Tom Ford perfumes I've tested. It feels like a more adult version of a peach body spray you'd have spritzed on your yoga pants and zip-up hoodie to go to the movies to see the new Hunger Games—just with a little more alcohol and woodsiness than straight-up fruit.
| Notes | Peach, blood orange, rum, vanilla, sandalwood |
| Scent family | Fruity |
| Sizes available | 0.33, 1, 1.7, and 3.4 oz |
Pros
- Universally loved by pretty much everyone who smells it
- I love the cherry/almond combo
Cons
- Has the shortest staying power of all Tom Ford perfumes on this list
One of the biggest perfume trends of 2024 will be cherry perfumes, and we basically have Lost Cherry to thank for that. Released in 2018, this perfume immediately blew up, and has since become Tom Ford's most viral scent (just watch the thousands of TikToks about it). It's somehow light, thanks to the cherry notes, but also so decadent, thanks to the addition of vanilla, cinnamon, and plum. It gives the fragrance a nostalgic cherry/almond scent that reminds me of my mom's body lotions in the '90s, TBH.
However, I will say this perfume is known for not having the best lasting power, which is why I always spritz it on my clothes (in addition to my skin) for some extra longevity. I also will layer it with Tom Ford Electric Cherry, which seems to give it the oomph to last six hours or so.
| Notes | Black cherry, bitter almond, vanilla, cinnamon, plum, sandalwood |
| Scent family | Fruity and sweet |
| Sizes available | 0.33, 1, 1.7, and 3.4 oz |
How we tested:
Cosmo editors are constantly testing fragrances to share the best options on the market to you (as well as include in our beauty awards). To compile this list, I...
- Sniffed every single Tom Ford perfume and narrowed down my favorites based on scent likeability, notes, and overall profile
- Wore the perfumes for days at a time to discover longevity and sillage (aka how far the scent projects from your skin)
- Researched and read reviews and common pros and cons between each of my favorite perfumes
How to choose the best Tom Ford perfume for you:
Consider your go-to scent family.
Before investing in an expensive Tom Ford perfume, make sure it's a scent that you'll enjoy. If you typically love the warm, fuzzy feelings you get smelling vanilla, try Vanilla Sex or Tobacco Vanille. However, if you're more of a powdery, floral kinda person, you'll prob prefer Rose Prick or Café Rose. Go through the notes above and make sure the scent features a note you usually go for, and then check out the notes in your other favorite perfumes. See which are the most similar, which can help you avoid repeats but also get a type of scent you know you'll like.
Opt for a smaller size.
Luckily, Tom Ford offers a variety of sizes for all of the brand's perfumes, giving you the option to save a little money by choosing a small 1.0 oz bottle or a 0.33 oz travel size. If you aren't totally sure you'll get a ton of use out of a perfume, go for a smaller size to save a lil bit of money. This will give you the chance to try a new scent without totally committing to a huge bottle.
However, if you already know you're obsessed with a perfume, then by all means, save yourself some money by splurging on the big bottle. In the long run, you'll actually save quite a bit of money when you won't have to reup the bottle as quickly.
Why trust ‘Cosmopolitan’?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing perfume stories that range from Le Labo perfumes to cheap perfumes. She’s an authority in all fragrance categories, but considers herself an expert on all things Tom Ford perfumes. To write this story, she tested dozens of Tom Ford scents on her own skin and then compiled her favorites based on wearability, longevity, and how many compliments they incurred.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
These Perfumes on Amazon Make Great Last-Minute Gifts
The Fragrance I’m Giving Everyone This Year
15 Blind Buy-Safe Perfumes Perfect for Gifting
Try This Tip if You Hate Reapplying Perfume
