Tom Ford Soleil Blanc and the Sun-Soaked Soleil Collection

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc and the Sun-Soaked Soleil Collection

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc is the coconut, cardamom and ylang ylang perfume that made a beach day into a signature scent. Here is the wider Soleil family, plus solar coconut perfumes and shimmering body oils that keep the glow going.

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc arrived in early 2016 as part of the Private Blend collection. The brand described it as inspired by remote private islands where summer lasts all year, an addictive solar floral amber. It has since grown into a family, with Soleil Neige, Soleil Brulant and Soleil de Feu following, but the original is still the one that started the conversation.

The TOM FORD Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum lists coco de mer, ylang ylang from the Comores Islands and cardamom as its key notes, with bergamot and amber in the name. It is warm, creamy and floral without being sugary. Soleil Neige is its cooler cousin, with bergamot, jasmine and benzoin, a cool citrus burst that gives way to winter white florals and rose absolute. Eau de Soleil Blanc is the lighter Eau de Toilette, opening with citrus, a savory pistachio accord and cardamom, then tuberose, ylang-ylang and orange blossom.

The Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil is the scent as a glow, with shimmers of gold and platinum leaf. For the lips, Soleil Lip Blush is a 24-karat gold-infused balm that goes on clear and turns a personalized pink based on your skin pH. Soleil Lip Balm in 01 Rendezvous is a pink balm with hyaluronic acid, shea butter and jojoba oil. Soleil Sunlit Rose Lip Balm in Sunlit Rosy is a peachy pink with an iridescent overspray, and the Soleil Hydrating Lip Oil in Bare Beach is a light pink gloss with coconut oil and vitamin E.

A quick test: spray Soleil Blanc on your wrist and wait ten minutes. The cardamom fades first, and what stays is warm, creamy coconut and flowers.

Big numbers collage for Tom Ford Soleil Blanc: six products from Tom Ford, Miu Miu and L'Occitane, each set beside a large numeral
Tom Ford Soleil Blanc

The Tom Ford Soleil collection

Coconut, sun and salt in a bottle

The coconut note is having a long summer, and these are the ones I would try next to Soleil Blanc. Miu Miu Fleur de Lait is juicy mango with velvety coconut milk, osmanthus and apricot. The 7 Virtues Coconut Sun reads like salt air over warm sand, with coconut water, frangipani, sea salt and creamy vanilla. Boy Smells Coco Cream leans warm and sweet, with coconut milk, vanilla, white florals, tonka bean and a hint of pineapple. Boy Smells Solar Drip is the fresh one, with pomelo, mango, orange blossom and a solar musk.

Ellis Brooklyn MIAMI NECTAR is a tropical gourmand with pink pineapple, coconut water, plumeria and sweet amber. Marc Jacobs Daisy Murakami Pink is a limited edition with coconut, white peony and praline, creamy and playful. LORE Sublimity is sheer solar musk with coconut nectar, ylang ylang, sea salt and sandalwood. KILIAN Paris Pina Paraiso is inspired by a sun-drenched piña colada, with pineapple, rum, coconut and bourbon vanilla.

How to wear them: coconut blooms on warm skin, so spray the inside of the elbows and the collarbone, and let the sun do the rest.

What I would skip: layering three coconut scents in one day. One creamy base and one fresh one, like Solar Drip over Coco Cream, is plenty.

Solar amber and coconut perfumes

Body oils with a little glow

A shimmering body oil is the quiet way to wear a summer glow, and it pairs well with any of the perfumes above. PHLUR Beach Skin is a lightweight oil with ceramide-rich floral oils and a sheer golden shimmer that the brand says illuminates without glitter. PHLUR Vanilla Skin Body Oil is the same idea with sugar crystals, cashmere wood and vanilla. L'Occitane Instant Golden Glow with Almond is a lightweight oil with sweet almond oil and a subtle veil of shimmer, and L'Occitane Soothing and Firming Almond Supple Skin Body Oil is the simpler almond option. Sol de Janeiro Glowmotions in Copacabana Bronze is a soft-shimmer oil with a buildable tint for the body and face.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Shimmer Body Oil in Sun-Kissed Glow has a pearlescent, golden shimmer and a tropical coconut vanilla scent. Moroccanoil Shimmering Body Oil combines argan, olive and avocado oils with pearlescent minerals. Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance is an SPF 50 broad spectrum dry body oil with golden mica, according to the brand, so follow the label for reapplication.

A tip: apply to damp skin right after a shower, and focus shimmer on the collarbones, shoulders and shins.

What I would skip: a shimmer oil under white or pale linen, where it can leave a mark. Try a small patch first, or choose the less shimmery almond oil.

Shimmer and body oils

Wearing Soleil all day

To wear Soleil all day, think in layers. Start with a body oil like PHLUR Beach Skin or L'Occitane Golden Glow, then one spray of Tom Ford Soleil Blanc on the chest. Add a lip balm like Soleil Lip Blush or Bare Beach for a little shine.

If you want a lighter version, switch to Eau de Soleil Blanc or the coconut perfumes from the middle of this edit. If you want something cooler, try Soleil Neige. Test on skin first, because coconut and amber change on each person. Then keep the glow simple and let one scent be the star.