Tom Ford Perfume | Parabens? Phthalates? PFAS?

Do Tom Ford's perfumes contain parabens? phthalates? PFAS? We take an in-depth look.

About Tom Ford Perfume

Tom Ford, the renowned fashion designer, and filmmaker, is a name synonymous with luxury and glamour. His eponymous brand, established in 2005, has since become a symbol of high-end fashion and sophisticated style. But while Ford is known for his fashion sense and cinematic flair, he is also a master of fragrance, creating some of the most iconic perfumes of the 21st century.

Ford began his career in fashion at the age of 16, working as an intern for the legendary designer Cathy Hardwick. He later worked for Perry Ellis and Gucci, where he served as creative director for over a decade, overseeing the brand’s dramatic turnaround from a failing company to a multi-billion dollar fashion powerhouse.

In 2005, Ford launched his own line of fragrances, debuting with the critically acclaimed Black Orchid. The perfume, with its bold blend of black truffle, ylang-ylang, and patchouli, quickly became a sensation, earning numerous awards and accolades.

Since then, Ford has released a range of successful perfumes, including the sensuous Velvet Orchid, the unisex Oud Wood, and the sparkling Neroli Portofino. Each fragrance is a masterful blend of exotic ingredients, designed to capture the essence of sensuality and sophistication.

But while Ford’s perfumes are known for their luxurious scents, they are also known for their high price tags. With many of his fragrances priced well over $200, they are certainly not affordable for everyone.

The Tom Ford perfume brand is now owned by Estée Lauder, a publicly-owned company.

Most Popular Tom Ford Perfumes

Here is a list of some popular Tom Ford perfumes:

Lost Cherry
Black Orchid

Oud Wood
Neroli Portofino
Tobacco Vanille

Soleil Blanc
Velvet Orchid
F***ing Fabulous

White Patchouli
Jasmin Rouge
Noir Pour Femme

Ombre Leather
Ébène Fumé

According to the 2022 Estée Lauder Annual Report: “Tom Ford Beauty saw strong fragrance growth across regions owing to the popularity of Oud Wood and the launch of Ombre Leather Parfum”. Based on this, we would guess that Tom Ford’s Oud Wood and Ombre Leather are two of Tom Ford’s most popular perfumes.

Do Tom Ford Perfumes have Parabens?

Tom Ford is not transparent about what ingredient are in their perfumes.

Without a statement from a brand stating that their products are paraben-free, you have to assume they are not paraben-free.

This is the case with Tom Ford – we have to assume all Tom Ford perfumes do contain parabens.

Do Tom Ford Perfumes have Phthalates?

Yes, we have to assume Tom Ford perfumes contain phthalates (since they are not transparent about the ingredients they use).

Do Tom Ford Perfumes have PFAS?

Yes, we have to assume Tom Ford perfumes contain PFAS since they have not made any claims otherwise.

Are Tom Ford Perfumes "Clean at Sephora"?

Tom Ford perfumes are sold at Sephora, but they do not carry the “Clean at Sephora” label.

The “Clean at Sephora” label prohibits the use of parabens, phthalates, PFAS & more.

Change on the Horizon?

We read through the Annual Statement of parent company, Estée Launder. What we found gives a glimmer of hope that Tom Ford will one day “clean up their act”. Here are some notable excerpts:

In fiscal 2022, we continued to further integrate social impact and sustainability into our strategy and business operations. Areas of differentiation include climate & energy, green chemistry, social investments, employee engagement, and safety and inclusion, diversity & equity. Other areas of focus include responsible sourcing, plastics & packaging, ingredient transparency, and animal welfare.

There continues to be increased interest and awareness from our customers and consumers in responsibly-sourced ingredients and environmentally sustainable products, and we believe we are well-positioned to benefit from the resulting change in consumer preferences due to our social impact and sustainability efforts.

So what can you do? Consumers hold real power to incite change in brands. Your voice and dollar is powerful.

Refrain from buying Tom Ford perfumes. There are tons of other great perfumes on the market that don’t use concerning ingredients. (Did you know Target even has a “clean” dupe of several Tom Ford perfumes? More on that here!).

Reach out to Tom Ford and/or parent company, Estée Lauder. Write to them. Tweet them. Tell Tom Ford (and Estée Lauder) you want perfumes with transparent ingredients. Tell Tom Ford you want perfumes without phthalates/parabens/PFAS, etc.

Bottom-Line: We don't recommend Tom Ford perfumes

We don’t recommend Tom Ford perfumes. Tom Ford is not transparent about what ingredients they use in their perfumes. Therefore, we have to assume Tom Ford perfumes contain ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, and PFAS. These ingredients have concerning health implications (more on that here).

There are tons of perfumes on the market that don’t contain concerning ingredients – and these are the perfumes we use and recommend.

As consumers are becoming aware of the concerning ingredients in perfumes, many consumers are actively searching for better, safer perfumes. This is more than a passing trend. This is where the perfume industry is headed. Here at scentmovement, we’re here to promote this movement – browse around our site if you’re looking for perfume recommendations, reviews, or dupes!