Soleil Brulant by Tom Ford

Soleil Brulant was released by Tom Ford in 2021, as a part of the now extensive Private Collection from the brand. I’ve enjoyed the other Soleil fragrances in the line and was fairly interested in trying this one out. I grabbed a sample of it recently to test Brulant and give it my full review. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Soleil Brulant Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, bergamot, peppercorn, leather, vetiver, amber, orange flower, honey

Click here to try: Soleil Brulant

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Tom Ford describes it: CAPTURES THE HIGH-SHINE BRILLIANCE OF THE GOLDEN SUN BEAMING ON A PRIVATE OASIS. THE SUNKISSED FRESHNESS OF MANDARIN AND BERGAMOT MINGLES WITH SPICY PINK PEPPERCORN, GIVING WAY TO AN ORNATE AND REGAL FLORAL HEART WHILE ORANGE FLOWER ABSOLUTE AND A NOTE OF RADIANT BLACK HONEY RELEASE A SEDUCTIVE VAPOR. THE BACKGROUND BRINGS THE BURNISHED WARMTH OF DECADENT AMBER EMBELLISHED WITH RESINS AND WOODS. AN AIR OF VETIVER AND LEATHER STOKES THE SMOKINESS OF EXTRAVAGANT INCENS

Soleil Brulant opens like a spiced honey blend with a hint of bright citrus to lighten things up a bit. The perfume feels quite resinous, but not super heavy. Immediately, you do get the burning sun-drenched quality of the fragrance. Some smoky incense, but it’s not overwhelming the composition.

It’s a unique sort of smell for sure, though, there’s something in here that reminds me of one of the Serge Lutens fragrances that I’ve reviewed…not sure which. It might be the orange flower note.

Brulant isn’t a very sweet fragrance, especially early on.. It feels dry with an amber/honey resin, on top of that familiar Tom Ford leather note. 

After that initial wave of peppercorn, the orange flower comes more into play. That’s when I start to take to Soleil Brulant. I like the burnt honey quality mixing with the floral accord and the woody/leathery base. 

The final dry down actually sweetens up, in comparison to the opening act. The amber and honey, have a smooth and actually somewhat creamy quality. Still white orange flower, but overall less of the burnt or spicy qualities that I encountered early on. 

It’s calmer and just more enjoyable without the stronger spiced kicks. The amber gets to come through, without having to fight for attention.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

In terms of the sillage, it really isn’t a loud projecting kind of fragrance. Actually, pretty moderate for most of the wear. I’d say that it’s above average overall and you will notice it. But, I didn’t get the feeling I was going to blow out the room while wearing Brulant.

The longevity is actually good. I usually got around 8 hours during testing. Sometimes, it’d creep up to 9 full hours on my skin. The good news is, that it stayed solid during that time frame, and wasn’t just another skin scent.

Performance is very good, on the whole.

Seasonally, it works pretty much whenever. I wouldn’t wear it during the hottest days, but again, it’s not a super thick or heavy fragrance. It can absolutely go beyond the winter time and venture into the summer, without much issue.

Though, I would prefer to wear Brulant when it is cooler even versus just more moderate days. That’s when these notes would really get to shine. That might be my own personal preference, though.

It’s almost perfectly unisex, maybe leaning slightly feminine. I don’t think anyone would have much of an issue wearing Soleil Brulant. Casual to semi formal wear. Could be a low key nightlife scent and one that has an attractive, if not sexy, aroma to it.

Overall Impressions of Soleil Brulant

Overall, do I like this perfume? I like Soleil Brulant. I don’t love it and I don’t really see myself wearing it that often, but it’s not something that offends me. Plus, it has some enjoyable moments. It’s just not a great one from Tom Ford.

The opening act is fine. Not my favorite, the spiciness of the peppercorn doesn’t really do it for me. Though, I like it more once we’ve really gotten more orange flower and leather in the mix. I really dig the solar and burnt quality to this, as the sort of inverse to Soleil Neige (which I like better).

Burnt or crispy honey actually is very pleasant and nice change of pace from the overly sweet versions, I keep encountering.

Is it worth a buy? This is one of the super expensive releases from Tom Ford. For most people, it’s not going to be a must have. Soleil Brulant is a perfume that I’d try to test out before committing to a full bottle. 

For a percentage of people, this will be right up their alley. For the masses? Not really. Before dropping $300-400, find a way to give it a try over the span of a few days, to see if you take to it. An interesting scent for sure, just not one that’s going to be the favorite of many.

I don’t think it’s better than any of the other Soleil perfumes. It’s not much worse, but those others will probably appeal to more folks. 

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.