Metallique by Tom Ford

The aldehydic accord gives it that characteristic metallic touch; combined with the vanilla, it creates something incredible. It’s an uncommon perfume with a scent unlike anything else, original and memorable. I love it. It’s one of those fragrances I’d buy again and again. I always return to it. It feels fresh, modern, and very special.

This is my first impression, and not a very reliable one, as I’m pregnant and my sense of smell, though sharper, has distorted many scents I once adored. However, I was pleasantly surprised: it’s a super tender vanilla, nothing childish, yet sufficiently fluffy… I don’t know how to say it… it’s not dessert vanilla, it’s pretty vanilla, elegant but not fierce, like a cute kitten with an air of aristocracy, haha. The aldehydes accompany this vanilla, giving it that ‘metallic’ sensation, but it doesn’t smell like keys or dirty coins, haha; instead, incredibly, it adds freshness, like a halo of relaxation and good vibes. These aren’t the heavy aldehydes of a Chanel No. 5, of course… It is undoubtedly a beautiful fragrance, one I wish I could always smell, special, slightly almond-toned at the end. Original, yes. I wish it were fake and discontinued, but unfortunately, it’s no longer available in any department store in my country, Mexico; I barely managed to get a small 50ml bottle. I wish I had bought the 100ml when it was still on Amazon, but I was distracted. Anyway, at least I have this little bottle to use occasionally and feel embraced by such a pretty, original vanilla. If you see a 100ml, don’t hesitate to buy it; I assure you, you won’t regret it.

I’m not an expert and I’d love to know which note becomes unbearable for me since I tried it on my skin; it’s the metal. It’s even reminded me of beauty salon products when they do perms or permanent straightening. I’m not saying it’s horrible, but it’s a beautiful scent that unfortunately gets hidden behind those notes that bother me so much when I smell them. The longevity is excellent; I’m trying to rub it off my wrist, but I still can’t make it go away 🙁

Marvellous fragrance. I perceive it as citrus, vanilla, and musky. Nowhere near feminine; I sense it leans even more towards a subtle masculine unisex, mind you, not a macho alpha male… rather a soapy, sophisticated, neat, and elegant masculine vibe. It reminds me greatly of Eau de Soleil Blanc and undoubtedly has a musky aldehydic wave like Chanel, like Allure Blanche. Long-lasting with moderate projection. On skin, it performs well for 8 to 12 hours with a projection of about 3 hours; it is more of a personal enjoyment burst and for those who get close to you. It has a delicious soapy wave, smelling clean… I do not sense any metallic or feminine notes whatsoever. This is a jewel. Alongside Eau de Soleil Blanc, these are my favourite fragrances.

Whenever I write reviews, I do not consider the notes unless after testing the scent, because many have no presence and vice versa; I try not to label them: they say aldehydic means Chanel, but it is not a gender; all fragrances go hand in hand with the personality of the wearer and what they wish to project. It is a clean sweetness, marshmallow, a vanilla cotton candy; although soft, the first impression I got was opening a box of giant marshmallows. It is not an overwhelming scent, but rather one to delight oneself. Although it has good longevity, it does not project much. I recommend it for evening use as all its notes emerge, and it is better if it is cold. In heat, it is not enjoyed and the fragrance evaporates. It is very rich, bringing me memories of a shop full of sweets, marshmallows, cotton candy, etc. Chanel is famous for its aldehydes, but this does not smell like them. It is a scent without sex because it does not smell like a gender, but like a special moment, perhaps a memory. As I said at the beginning… now I see it has pepper and bergamot, but it is neither citrus nor spicy; in fact, they are not present in my opinion. Longevity: 8. Sillage: 6. Originality: 9. Projection: 6.

In perfumery, we act by memories and the comparative method. We like or dislike something because it resembles or reminds us of something else. What do Chanel nº 5, Rien by Etat Libre d’Orange, and Methalich by Tom Ford have in common? For example… I have compared all three hand in hand, and they share the same DNA that does not make them identical, but they seem to be of the same species, as if comparing the human species to the plant species (a human smells different from a tree trunk). I suppose this ‘DNA’ is the aldehydic note, which I could define as a velvet-like, sweet, protective mantle, like a sumptuous coat. Methalich smells like that to me, like a Chanel nº 5 less cloying and less heavy, or a Rien less masculine, a midpoint between both, all with a dose of vanilla. Of course, they do not resemble each other like brothers, but like members of the same species. With all this, I want to say that Methalich is a good example to create a comparative parameter for what aldehydes smell like, so they can be recognised in other scents. As a perfume, I like it very much, and I do not see it as feminine as stated on Fragrantica. Perhaps it will not please those who hate sweet scents (not cloying or gourmand), but it is an original, serious, and elegant scent, with a vanilla that becomes comforting as it dries down.

Have you ever smelled the scent of carnival foam? Well, the dry down feels exactly like that. I do not say it is ugly, simply it is that scent.

I love it! When I went to buy Fucking Fabulous, I tried this too and fell in love; I had to return to the shop the following week to buy it. It’s sweet, but distinct. It’s not like the typical sweet perfumes we’re used to (like LVEB). You really sense something ‘metallic’ that makes it less cloying. At the base, I detect a very well-executed creamy vanilla. I think it’s a gem from Tom Ford that few people know about.

I’m impressed by its rating here; it’s a Tom Ford gem that many ignore. Everyone has the hipo for the Orchidée collection (which, by the way, I adore), but if I had to choose between any of the TF perfumes I’ve tried (and there are many), I’d choose Metallique a million times. It’s an elegant perfume with a noticeable trail and a delicious aldehydic, vanilla, and talc scent—love at first sniff. Scent: 9/10, Longevity: 9/10 (8 hours on skin), Sillage: 8/10 (projects to half a metre), Versatility: 10/10. Would I buy it again? Yes! When the bottle is halfway empty, I’ll jump for the refill!

It’s bizarre that with these qualities, it remains off the radar and holds such a low score on Fragrantica (3.61). It projects a super-marked aldehydic note that blends with citrus and a floral touch. You can already sense that vanilla sweetness which will become the star once the initial aldehyde magic fades. It leaves an incredibly rich, totally dominant vanilla aura that reminds me a lot of baby toy heads (I absolutely love that scent). The dry-down is simple and very delicious. I repeat, you must like vanilla because it is the absolute queen of this game. It seems to propose something different upon application; I had never smelled that mix of aldehydes and vanilla before and I adored it. Incomprehensible the lack of hype it received. A master piece by some perfumer you’ll never guess, because Mr Tom Ford doesn’t say so.

It’s nothing I’m used to, but I can say it’s very rich and has good staying power on my skin. I normally don’t wear vanilla, but oh surprise, in this perfume it doesn’t bother me at all. After about half an hour, the combination of all the notes overpowers that initial hint of vanilla that tried to emerge, but got overshadowed, haha. It’s definitely not a daily wear, but I’m happy to apply it without guilt when I decide to. A solid 10!

I don’t understand why there are such negative comments. On my skin, it smells delicious and is nothing I’m accustomed to. In the top notes, I perceive very prominent citrus with a floral touch. After an hour, it becomes sweeter, with vanilla and sandalwood taking precedence. On my skin, it lasts approximately 8 hours: only the first three hours have a moderate sillage, afterwards it still smells but stays closer to the skin.

Disappointing. I could only detect a faint, very subtle vanilla scent. It’s not a complex fragrance like other Tom Ford scents. It’s linear and boring, a perfume that goes completely unnoticed. Regarding longevity, I disagree with John; in my case, it was very short-lived. That said, we agreed that it’s a fragrance aimed at a female audience and the price isn’t justified.

I don’t understand the name; certainly, this Tom Ford doesn’t smell metallic, at least not on my skin. On me, it’s an aldehydic version of Acqua e Zucchero. It’s sweet, fruity, musky, and vanilla-scented. I read someone describing it as ‘similar to cotton candy’, and the truth is it does have something like that (it must contain Ethyl Maltol). However, the aldehydes give it a soapy facet that lends a certain cool, ozonic quality. You shouldn’t imagine it as a Pink Sugar or a copy of Profvmvm Roma, but it is a sweet fragrance that suffers from being generic and doesn’t show the creativity Tom Ford is usually known for. Its performance isn’t brilliant either: it projects for about an hour before becoming a skin scent. When will it be ready? Autumn/Winter. Who is it for? It’s feminine, better for her. Is it worth the price? No. Edit to say that although it doesn’t project, as a skin scent it is quite long-lasting: over 10 hours and it still smells.