J’s image of BDK Parfums Velvet Tonka

I love how perfumer Alexandra Carlin (now with IFF) creates in these deep yet transparent layers, her 312 Saint Honoré works in a similar way; forming the perfume the way the building was crafted, through materials and perfume history. With Velvet Tonka, Alexandra Carlin has chosen to compose with layers that shimmer with sensuality. BDK Parfums Velvet Tonka wears like a soft haze of sexual tension in the best way. It captures that delicious bitable sensation, a look of desire shared between lovers that’s unquantifiable but you know when you experience it or are even around it. Opening with a wink of sweet allure before unleashing the darker intoxicating tonka bean aromas, teased and pushed to seduce those near with its scent and texture. This is a confident perfume that wants to be called hot, not pretty, though it’s definitely both, while feeling very confident in its desires.

 

Perfumer Alexandra Carlin (formerly of Symrise) now of IFF at BDK Parfums’ 312 Saint Honoré store.

Mouth-watering marzipan rich with smooth silvery almonds and a deep rich tonka bean make you want to bite into this opening as if it were a delicious cake. There’s a sensual plumpness to Velvet Tonka, it’s firm with all the curves and serves in the right places. Alexandra Carlin has made this a well-proportioned perfume that tempts with its gourmand sweet kisses, but Velvet Tonka has more going on, as seductive translucent layers of musky thick orange blossom ooze with desire. Velvet Tonka also has a gentle heliotrope powdery softness working as a beautiful counter point to the more narcotic purrs of the orange blossom. Alexandra Carlin skillfully weaves these exquisite layers together, letting whispers of flesh peak through from these semi-transparent sensual seductive orange blossoms musks, beautifully highlighting certain facets, fitting the form and somehow the orange blossoms slight velvety opacity seems to make the sensuality more so. That little bit hidden making your imagination go wild. The powdery softness also feels like you’re gently caressing a cheek, letting your hand slide down the neck to the shoulders where the soft velvet texture greets you. Everything is cleverly built around tonka bean, Alexandra Carlin cleverly amplifying certain facets, pushing it where she wants turning it into a creamy seductive dream.

BDK Parfums Velvet Tonka PR images courtesy of the brand.

Rose and tobacco cleverly add some subtle darkness and light. Honeyed tones of the rose glisten, making the almond shine as then melt into the soft tonka bean glow. Rose’s stemy greens, give a herbal twist, a gentle sour to play off the sweet of Velvet Tonka, a clever contrast giving depth while maintaining balance of the sweeter notes. A light blonde tobacco reveals a subtle stone fruit character that complements and enhances various aspects of the tonka bean beautifully, when it embraces the orange blossom that combination conjures the sensual velvety nap your can feel throughout the wear. It’s a gentle buttery coumarin dry feel, powdery woods, shaved to a fine sliver, with a dark creaminess that makes it feel like there’s a warm body wearing this soft sensual velvet. Again it’s cleverly translucent, letting what’s hidden beneath peak through, making its feel sexier. The woods and ambers too add to Velvet Tonka’s cosy softness, giving its firmness as if you hand has slipped further below the shoulder as your wrapped in this delicious embrace.

BDK Parfums Velvet Tonka courtesy of the brand.

Velvet Tonka’s deep dry down continues the sensual sensations with Madagascan vanilla enriching the tonka beans creaminess while its woody side merges effortlessly into the soft light sandalwood amyris creating a soft warm skin feel wrapped in that sexy tonka floral velvet accord. Almond’s gourmand smooth side fades out here, leaving the tonka bean to star. It’s still highlighting some nutty facets but tonka bean’s ginger bread warmth is met with a kiss of honeyed vanilla tobacco giving it a slick lactonic feel, as a well balanced amber accord gives Velvet Tonka a subtle yet powerful presence. Like your lost in the intoxicating gaze of most beautiful pair of eyes, then joined by a smile that makes your knees weaken and your heart melt just like the sweeter facets of Velvet Tonka do in this final stage as it leans in to kiss you with soft velvety lips. Velvet Tonka is a deliciously seductive smelling perfume, it teases with its elegant sleek transparent layers over warm skin as its sensual velvet textures tempt you, as you feel them gently caress your nose.

In the BDK line Velvet Tonka works almost like a yang to Smoking Rouge’s brighter light playful powdery cherry ying. Both share that heliotrope tonka almond facet but Velvet Tonka dives deep into a textured creamy woody sensuality that feels very different and full of desire. Rouge Smoking is Chappell Roan’s ‘Hot To Go’, were as Velvet Tonka is closer to her songs of love and lust like ‘My Kink is Karma’ or ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ Velvet Tonka is a warm sensual wear where soft velvet slips over sandalwood skin, seductive to say the least.

Notes: Orange blossom, Almond, Rose absolute, Balkan tobacco absolute, Tonka bean absolute, Madagascan vanilla absolute, Amyris wood essence, Amber woods.

Disclosure: BDK Parfums Velvet Tonka was sent to J, his thoughts and nose are his own.

J Wearescentient, Senior Editor artist & olfactive writer

Enjoy my previous reviews on Smoking Rouge Extrait, Wood Jasmin & 312 Saint Honore, Karl’s piece on Vanille Leather, Olya’s review on BDK Parfums Gris Charnel.

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