A Reply from Tova

Tova Borgnine via a QVC blog
" Dear everyone,

I want to assure those of you who have written comments about changes to the Tova Signature fragrance. This fragrance is as close to me as it is to all of you. It has my name on it and so the integrity of it is equally important to me. Neither the formula nor the fragrance has changed at all, that I can tell you with confidence.

When I celebrated the fragrance's 25th Anniversary I introduced a new art deco bottle. The original had a frosted, opaque finish and the new one is completely transparent. With a new bottle, it's easy to perceive the fragrance differently. It's like eating ice cream from a bowl you don't usually eat it from - you think it tastes differently!

The other difference with the new bottle is the pump. The stream of fragrance from the new bottle is smaller giving you less fragrance with each pump. This has a huge difference on the laying of the fragrance on the skin. It may even smell different and not last as long. I spray it twice or even more than that to reach the same effect. This pump is being worked on at the moment to help with this.

I promise that I will keep in close touch with you all from now as I would really like to hear what you think has changed to the fragrance. I have lived and breathed this fragrance for over 25 years and want it to remain a classic, which is why I would never change it. I really want to make sure everyone is happy with their Tova beauty items.

With all my love to everyone,

Tova x "



At least she addressed the issue, though many loyal fans are still doubtful...

122 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry I dont buy this explanation ...the perfume's formula has definitely changed.

I do not, for a second, believe that the shape of the bottle and the method of spraying makes an iota of difference; the signature fragrance is NO longer what it is called. It is now an unpleasant alcohol based smell [cant call it aroma] that pretends to be what it is not.

Anonymous said...

I too have worn the "old" signature Tova for many many years - it now sells on eBay for up to $104.00 for the 3.3 ounce bottle. I agree that the bottle shape and spraying method explanation is a poor excuse for the scent that everybody wants. I guess nobody will ever explain the change - these people should be members of Congress for lying to the people

Anonymous said...

How can you not tell your own fragrance has changed? Has an expert analyzed the fragrances?

Anonymous said...

I am so disappointed!! Tova Signature has been my "signature" fragrance for years. I made a note to watch QVC yesterday hoping the Signature duo was back in stock; All we got were changes and different items! Why can we not have what we all so obviously love? Signature, NIghts, and Body, MInd, and Spirit? I know QVC is a very large operation but after all, we ladies made them what they are today!! Please bring our favorites back!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Dearest Tova, I was the one that wrote you 20 years ago about being in Paris and the woman who seated us went into the kitchen and brought out a woman chef and asked what french perfume I was wearing. I told her it was Tova and it's American! Such an Honor for me to say that. PLEASE take me back to that time. You will have loving fans FOREVER! My life is not the same without my original Tova. You must know that it's not the same. PLEASE HELP ALL YOUR DEVOTED USERS.

Anonymous said...

I had an original bottle of Tova, and the supposed to be new original. We had a test! Low and behold! not the same at all. Thouands of us cannot be wrong. I have never seen so many unhappy people over one fragrance, including myself. What will it take to make you see that your fans need THE FIRST TOVA THAT WAS MADE AND KEEP IT THAT WAY.

Anonymous said...

Dear Tova,

It really pains me to say this, but do you really believe what you want us to swallow? We looked up to you because of your honesty and integrity, but I fear you have fallen into the typical Hollywood hype. "Tell them what they want to hear, not what is the truth".

The hype machine has done quite a bit of damage to your loyal customers. Our loyalty has been destroyed. What a sad way to end such a prestigious career.

Anonymous said...

How very sad Tova. I really expected much more from you. You may be under contract and cannot say anything further, however, you sold your integrity. For what price?

Anonymous said...

The only way I'll trust that I'm getting the same fragrance that I have worn for 25 years (and it wasn't called Signature back then) is if Tova herself begins selling it again, just like she used to out of California. I'm clinging on to my last few sprays...

Anonymous said...

The new fragrance is not the same as the old, and I will no longer buy it, until Tova sells it and goes back to the original scent which didn't have to be applied twice, once and it lasted all day. Why Tova did you ruin a good thing? QVC shame on you! without us (customers) you would be out of business.

Vivi' said...

Tova, I had No Problem paying the $57.00 plus S&h.for your 1.7 oz. Bottle for your Original TOVA from the Beauty Rep in your Beverly Hills Salon thru the Mail!! Getting it from QVC at a lower price was Great,,But, at What Cost to The FORMULA? Your Long time Customers? ? Your REPUTAION ? An Honest Woman of Beauty. If it's A Contract to Not say anything.. and Your going to BRING IT BACK.Let US ALL KNOW!! NOW. I will never Order your items again..Unless/Until The Original Comes Back.

Anonymous said...

Or even if it was..$84.00( which I recall paying for a certain 2.oz. size Bottle)..TOVA eau de Parfum of Beverly Hills, was WORTH it, EVERY CENT!!TOVA Nights Mmmmm. Bigger Supplies to more people at Lower cost, while giving up Your ORIGINAL Formula's to Thier Change, to Sell in Larger Quantities for More MONEY ( for All & the QVC EXEC'S ) was the Worst Move you made. The Bottle & Sprayer have Nothing to do with The FORMULA Scent Changing. Your First Formula The Original Tova Eau De Parfum you had in the First Year's, If we can get this anywhere, PLEASE, Please notify Us All. Miss you and your Extremely PERFECT/Non Allergy/Sensual/Make me feel Confident/Can-Do Anything/Sexy and So Womanly PARFUM, TOVA!! THE ONE that draws attention from other's, so to buy More TOVA.$$$ If thats the Bottom line?!! !

Anonymous said...

I have worn TOVA since the day she debuted it in Beverly Hills. I know what the original smells like and QVC is not selling the original. Please Tova bring back the original. There are thousands of customers,fans people who have had Tova change their lives, Please we are begging you bring back YOUR TOVA.

Anonymous said...

Tova, Tova, Tova... You know what you have to do now Darling. Grab your lawyers and buy back your integrity, passion and most of all your name. I would also highly suggest a sincere apology to the women who continued to buy that mockery, refusing to believe that a woman of such worth could be purchased for so little a price. If QVC can't sell a single Tova product they may just give it back to you.

TRUE TOVA ADDICT said...

Get real! How could the formula for a perfume with this kind of magic simply be "lost", "changed" or accidentally botched?
Surely Tova must have been approached hundreds of times by the wealthiest of people wanting to buy her formula. Extremely wealthy women would naturally adore the scent (and be addicted to it, just like us). But women like that, who consume couture fashion, would want it to be their "signature" fragrance, and that can't happen as long as riff-raff like us can get our grubby paws on it for $35 a bottle! So I believe Tova may have "sabotaged" it so that she (or her buyer) could secretly repackage and remarket it under a different name to a highly exclusive clientele.
So why do I call this GOOD NEWS?!
Because if my theory is correct, then it means that the ORIGINAL TOVA DOES EXIST somewhere, and if we can just somehow find out where, we might still be able to get it. Speaking as a true addict, I would pay anything to get just one bottle of the real thing, once! For $1000 I wouldn't be able to afford to actually WEAR IT and risk using it up. I would simply uncap it once a day, hold it under my nose, and inhale. But I would still buy it! That's how much I miss it!
So ladies ...
We must keep our noses on high alert. Especially if you have contact with or are traveling among the wealthy elite, keep your nostrils open; and if you get a hint of a whiff of this scent of our dreams, follow it like a bloodhound and track down the source. Then post here and share with your fellow addicts. We're all depending on each other!
Life may not be worth living without it.

(and if you think I'm joking then you've never smelled TOVA!)

TRUE TOVA ADDICT said...

READ THIS POST FIRST...
This post should go above my other one ... I had to split it because it was too long and posted the 2nd half first instead of 2nd (huh?)

The story about the woman chef in Paris asking "what French perfume are you wearing?" could give us a clue to what might be happening.

First the BAD NEWS:
QVC may not be able to go back to the original formula because THEY NEVER HAD IT! I believe Tova may have withheld some ingredient or process from the original formula when QVC bought it from her. (We've all had this happen to us when asking someone for a recipe for their "signature" dish. People want it to be their "signature" so they subtly sabotage the recipe and when you try to make it, it doesn't quite come out the same.)
BUT...
Why might Tova do something like that? Which might bring us to the ...
GOOD NEWS:
I believe that the original TOVA SIGNATURE may exist under a different name, being produced and sold by a world class couture perfumier, perhaps in France or elsewhere overseas; most certainly for a very, very high price (who knows $300, $500, even $1000 per ounce?) and perhaps available by word of mouth only.
Think about it...
We all know that EVERYONE noticed our scent when we wore it, and it didn't matter what you looked like, how old you were, whether you were wearing sloppy sweatpants with your hair unwashed and your face broken out; EVERYONE commented on how lovely you smelled. It always smelled wonderful and it had something for everyone who smelled you. To my children and grandchildren it smelled yummy, to my students it smelled like sunshine, to my husband (and any man that was attracted to me before I married) it smelled incredibly sexy, to men who weren't attracted to me (brothers, father, cousins, doctors, dentists, strangers, etc.) it smelled simply terrific, to women I didn't know it smelled fresh and clean ("what shampoo do you use?"), to my sister and best girlfriends it smelled delicious and amazing, and to me it smelled like heaven on earth. Everyone asked what it was and, personally, I ALWAYS told them it was TOVA and where they could buy it. I literally wanted the whole world to smell like TOVA, not just me. I wore it everyday for over 23 years, from my pregnancies in my early 30's straight through menopause and it always smelled the same, unaffected by changing hormones, diet, or medications. There is simply no other fragrance in the world that can make these claims. I actually believe that the scent itself affects brain chemistry and makes you feel gracious and generous and happy and calm! Honestly, the military could just spray this stuff around to settle tensions in the Middle East!

Anonymous said...

I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED YOUR TOVA, AND AM SO DISATISFIED AS IT IS DIFFENTLY NOT THE ORIG. SMELL. TOVA,PLEASE BRING BACK THE ORIG. YOUR LADIES ARE SO WANTING THE OLD SMELL BACK., AND YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.J.D.BATTES

Anonymous said...

TOVA, I HAVE ORDERED YOUR TOVA MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, AND AT FIRST I LOVED, REPEAT LOVED IT. BUT SINCE OR AROUND TWO YEARS AGO, YOU HAVE DIFFINITELY CHANGED SOMETHING IN YOUR PRODUCT. SO I AM PLEADING FOR YOU TO RESPOND, IN SOME FASHION TO US LADIES OF SUCH CONCERNS. OLLIE SHELL FROM TENN.

Anonymous said...

At one point about 20 years ago I had a small black purse bottle of Tova. It was of course smaller and didn't spray as much as the regular bottle - but the same lovely scent came out from it. The whole bottle shape and spray amount explanation is such a crock. How could she think we are that stupid?? How frustrating that Tova thinks we're all that stupid!!!

Anonymous said...

Every time my children would hug me, they would linger because they said I smelled so good. I can't replace that. Problems since then. I would give anything just to have that sweet remembrance of when things were good.

Anonymous said...

I loved this perfume it was my favorite scent and I got compliments from everyone I knew! I have an amazing nose, i smell everything. This perfume Now sold by QVC, smells gross. When I used to wear the signature, I only wore Tova, and wherever i went someone complimented me. I tried the new tova and I just hate it!! I know QVC bought you out, they bought your scent but QVC is so damn cheap that they don't even care that millions of people are complaining that the smell isn't the same! I understand why you sold it to QVC, I am sure you got a lot of money for the line, it just really stinks that they changed it. And, this has nothing to do with the bottle! If a perfume scent smells amazing, it doesn't matter what kind of bottle it is in, the scent will still smell amazing!! I wish the old Tova would come back because I have not found a scent that i like better than the old Tova!! QVC should just bring back the old tova and sell the bottle for $150. I bet you tons and tons of people would purchase it!!

Anonymous said...

Well, the first clear bottle that I bought did still smell the same as the frosted bottles from the past...honestly, I didn't understand what all the "stink" was about until I ordered my second (and, yes, third) clear bottles of tova. These last two clear bottles that I bought have a terrible smell to them. I am in withdraw and would pay the price they are selling for on ebay but I am nervous to drop the money on there for fear that it's a scam. See, I found a little tiny bit in an old frosted bottle in the bottom of my closet and (as you know) it is like crack so I was overwhelmed with happiness at my find only to spray it instantly and find out it had gone bad from being in a hot closet for years. I'm afraid the people selling it on ebay may not have stored it appropriately and it may be worse than the stuff you get on QVC now.

Anonymous said...

I am so dissappointed in Tova for letting all her customers down. Her explaination is so wrong. like it was said earlier. How do you not know your own perfume... So sad we made her rich and she doesn't care.

Anonymous said...

As a professional nurse for over thirty years, I can assure you that if I gave a watered-down version of a pain medication to my terminally-ill cancer patients and they complained that the relief they were getting was not the same and I countered by telling them that the reason the medication wasn't working was because the color of the syringe and bevel of the needle had been slightly changed, what would anybody think of my explanation?
Although I don't equate giving pain medication with spritzing perfume and I consider the perfume issue to be an elite problem, still, your explanation regarding the new Tova scent stinks! As does your "blame the user" embellishment; obviously we're too stupid to know when we have sprayed the right amount of perfume.

Anonymous said...

I dated a man 30 years ago, he was the "one who got away." But recently we found each other again. I'd been divorced, he'd been widowed. Soon after we started dating (this time around) he sheepishly revealed that he had a mostly used bottle of TOVA squirreled away in the back of his closet for the last 25 years. He'd take it out and smell it once in awhile, to conjure up my memory. Seems I was "the one who got away" for him too.

I started wearing TOVA when I was in my early 20's and I'm now 50. There is NO WAY that what is being sold by QVC is the same scent. I tried 3 different times to buy from QVC, each time, hoping... but I know with ABSOLUTE certainty, that what they are selling as TOVA is not what I've been wearing for over 1/2 my life. It is not the scent that kept my man dreaming about for all those years.

Two years ago I even went to a perfumer armed with my old TOVA and the QVC versions. She confirmed that the pre and post QVC bottles were NOT the same scent. We tried to copy the original scent, but after spending 3 months and $750-- and not even getting close to the great scent of original TOVA, I had to give up. I've bought all I could afford of the old formula from Ebay, but the prices just keep going up and I cannot pay $250 for a half used bottle.

I wonder if Tova B. could make the perfume again with her original formula, but under another name, or if she could somehow get the formula out there without giving specific amounts. She seems like a very smart and saavy woman, and a talented "nose"--so I cannot believe she really believes what she is saying about the bottle and pump being the reason the perfume no longer smells like itself. It's insulting to try to explain it away like that. I've put TOVA in many travel atomizers over the years, and it always smells the same on my skin.

I know it may seem shallow, but I'm actually mourning the fact that I won't be wearing this scent for the rest of my life. The scent my children, friends, family and boyfriend identify me with will no longer be around.

When my last bottle is gone, people will never say to me again: "Oh you always smell so great!" " I've never smelled anything else like that, it's so clean." "What are you wearing, you smell amazing!" : (

Donna said...

Tova must think we are "ALL" crazy. The scent is truly different & didn't even last 1 hour. This is just like politics, constantly lied to like we are fools.

Jill Nerheim said...

My 92 year old mother has worn your fragrance for years and years. This last order she received was a spray, inspite of the fact that she ordered a "splash". She is unable to spray the fragrance due to a malfunction on the bottle. What do you suggest. This is her one extravagance and she is deeply disappointed. Please give us some solution.

Anonymous said...

I miss smelling like me. People would always say that they could smell me coming, in the nicest way. I absolutely adore and love Tova and quite honestly I don't feel the same without it. I have no interest in any other perfume, as I would feel like I was cheating. Sounds silly I know, but it's very true.

sharon grimes said...

Like everyone else who wore Tova Original, people would ask what I was wearing. I am willing to pay more just to be able to have it again. I have tried many scents and none measure up. PLEASE ...We cant even get the "weak" Original Fragrance from QVC. Sharon Grimes

umd. B,Md. said...

How could they do this to all of us who have supported Tova for many many years? I have read all of the blogs and comments from loyal customers and fans of Tova! I guess it's true ,when they say All Good Things Must Come To An End! Disappointment doesn't even come close to how I Feel about this,but It was Good,when It was Good! I Loved the compliments that I received when I lavished myself with original Tova..I remember when I first encountered this amazing scent,while working in a hospital,Cancer unit.A volunteer was pushing her magazine cart,as I walk past her! I stopped in my tracks, her what Are You Wearing,I asked her..She told me the name and where to get and I have been hooked every since!!!

Anonymous said...

Please bring back the old Tova fragrance. It's the only scent I wore .... and the new one is NOT the same.

Anonymous said...

This just breaks my heart. I adore Tova fragrances and as many of you, for over 20 years now. She did at least address it above with that statement but I don't buy it either. The fragrance on all the products she makes has changes significantly and not for the better. I am so sad, I love this fragrance so much. I wish she'd be honest. I wonder if she's sold the company and we just don't know that.

Nadia Rahwangi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

One of the signature ingredients of Tova's original scent was bergamont. No where is that listed in the "new" formula. Hmmm that's odd!

Anonymous said...

shame on you tova for expecting thousands of loyal tova users to buy your explanation, it is nothing but an insult to us.

Anonymous said...

I think Tova's explanation is insulting and silly. I KNOW how to wear perfume! This change began around 2005 when Tova's line exploded with various new concoctions like "Tova Nights" and "Mind Body Spirit", which to me smell like every other drug counter scent out there. The "TOVA Signature Platinum" is the closest thing to the original, and even that is getting harder to procure.

In response to a comment above about Bergamot, another component in the change is that originally, TOVA was produced here in Beverly Hills, USA. Today, it is made overseas (The UK, I believe).

I tried purchasing a set this year which included some creams and lotions - and those containers were marked "made in china". There it is, girls! Proof that the products are being made out of the country where it is cheaper, making it more difficult for Tova and her QVC cohorts to maintain quality control.

Besides the perfume, Tova's cactine skin care line was incomparably good - until again, she dropped it after joining QVC! Why do companies do this? Why fix something that isn't broken??? And how can Tova - a woman I respected for many years - look into the camera and LIE to her customers every time she makes the claim that this is "the original"?

This situation has not only ruined my opinion of Tova herself, but I have lost a great deal of respect for QVC as well!

Anonymous said...

Tova-plz give us back the ORIGINAL FRAGRANCE--Whats so hard about doing that? I have tried your other fragrance but nothing compares to your original scent..plz bring it back :(

Anonymous said...

Tova!!!! I used to feel like a princess wearing your fragrance, it.was like walking on air. Mo other fragrance.came anywhere near. Then i then realised that my new bottle wasn't the same, smelt different, a bit.sharp maybe, just."not right"! The.scent.didn't seem to last either... I became.disparaged, disappointed - that's all i can say.PLEASE bring your.original back!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hello Tova and Tova fans -
I've recently come in contact with a scent that I couldn't get away from! It was the most amazing scent that drew me in immediately. As a child I remember its distinct scent and I've have never forgotten it. For the first time, now at age of 46, I got the nerve to ask a perfect stranger what she was wearing. She turned her head and looked right at me with a smile and proudly said, "it's Tova."

Anonymous said...

For all who have read the comment of the 46 year old running into this scent:

I've been wanting to verbalize that experience for many years but never found the right venue in which to do it until today. Now I'm age 56. When I found this blogging area and read all the posts before mine, I have to agree that the scent has definitely changed, and not for the better. Sadly, I was not as lucky as the rest of you in being able to wear this scent for as long as almost all of you here. I was very disappointed when I found this indescribable scent had changed.

Tova, You've no idea what this change has done. I don't know if everyone feels the same as I do when I say that the loss of this scent makes me feel like I've lost a part of who I am when I wear it. I'm sure each one of us acquired a certain feeling that would exude from the very core of us powerful women. We became who we dared to be from the inside. I never felt like that from any other scent that I've ever tried. There's no other out there that comes close to what you had created and I fear I'll never find it again. That was a sad day and remains that way today. I feel for your loss but pray you'll find its rebirth in the near future. I plead to you, please, PLEASE bring it back. :( Camie

Anonymous said...

TOVA,BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE - NOW THAT YOU HAVE READ THE POSTS PLEASE RECTIFY SO THAT YOU LEAVE YOUR FAMILY A LASTING LEGACY OF WHICH YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED. THANK YOU - THAT.S ALL WE CAN SAY

Anonymous said...

Tova, how sad to see a review that questions the ORIGINAL TOVA,yet I agree that the original is no more. THIS NEW SCENT,or the several new scents all have become MASCULINE- No longer the pretty,unsual elegant lady like fragrance it once was. WHY DID YOU ALLOW QVC TO BUY YOUR ORIGINAL only to water it down,and yet add masculine ingred's. I never really trusted Q- BUT I ALWAYS USE TO TRUST YOU

Gail said...

It is not the original, I just bought a bottle of the "original" formula and I know it is different. I was so careful not to waste the old bottle but finally... it is gone. I WANT MY TOVA!

Anonymous said...

it is all sadly true - i wore the original tova fragrance for over 30 years - strangers would comment on how good i smelled - it was my signature scent - i have tried 3 or 4 different bottles - they look just like the old - but i returned every single on because they smelled terrible - i dont understand why, if you can see that there is such a huge demand you would not want to bring this product back!?! please, please, please bring back tova!!

Anonymous said...

OMG!!!!!! I cant believe she changed the formulation of the scent.........I used to wear signature for many years and always loved it, I decided to go back to it and just ordered a bottle from Ebay, darn, I paid for it and became a bit curious when the seller said taht its "very close to the original formulation", sooooo I am not getting what i remember loving and getting tons of compiments. I AM ALREADY DISAPPOINTED, perhaps it will be a good room fragrance!!!
Why fix it, If it aint broke?????

Anonymous said...

I agree this is not the same smell, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, bring back the original. I recently ordered what I thought was the original Tova scent and after paying such a high price to find out it wasn't. So Please you have loyal fans who love the original scent/smell. Bring it back

Anonymous said...

Tova, Tova, Tova..... There is NO way this is the same perfume. The manner in which it is spriized, sprayed, or otherwise despensed would have no bearing on the chemical properties of the cologne. The original was AMAZING, and this new version smells like citronella! I would be ashamed to have my name associated with it. PS... I bet you wouldn't wear it!

goldiesgirl said...

Tova, its like this, Get your perfume back from qvc. we liked it the way it was and not the garbage it has now turned out to be. It is a shame what has been done to it. I cannot invision Mr. Siegel (qvc founder) doing this.

Anonymous said...

Tova: My mother & I have worn Tova for YEARS. I just got my bottle, & it is DEFINITELY not the same. I know scent & that isn't it. Why when people love something & buy it do manufacturers such as yourself change to scent? And yes, it is changed. I won't be buying it anymore, as I don't like this "scent that isn't changed". Just not buying it. Sad. Bring back the old scent in the SAME bottle & the SAME scent & the SAME spray.

Anonymous said...

Look at Chanel No. 5. Same scent for years & years & years. Bring it back Tova

Unknown said...

Hello Tova:

My mom introduced me to your fragrance in the early 1980s, in the 1990s, I noticed it did not smell as unique as the original fragrance. I phoned your company directly and asked a female rep of your company, why the fragrance smelled different. I will quote what she said to me: "They changed the formula." I asked her why, she stated: "It was cheaper to make." Speaking for myself, I have always admired you and still do. Anyone that has experienced the pleasure of your original fragrance would appreciate you converting back to the orignial fragrance. Once the formula changed, I stopped buying your product. Please don't insult people's intelligence by stating the formula has not changed when it clearly has. All you have to do is smell it.

Unknown said...

Hello Tova:

My mom introduced me to your fragrance in the early 1980s, in the 1990s, I noticed it did not smell as unique as the original fragrance. I phoned your company directly and asked a female rep of your company, why the fragrance smelled different. I will quote what she said to me: "They changed the formula." I asked her why, she stated: "It was cheaper to make." Speaking for myself, I have always admired you and still do. Anyone that has experienced the pleasure of your original fragrance would appreciate you converting back to the orignial fragrance. Once the formula changed, I stopped buying your product. Please don't insult people's intelligence by stating the formula has not changed when it clearly has. All you have to do is smell it.

Anonymous said...

I have been wearing Tova for 15 years and have never had any issues with the product. In May 2015 I ordered two bottles from QVC and. Was convinced there was a mix-up at the manufacturing plant since the scent was so "off". QVC promptly shipped another two bottles as requested and I am equally disappointed. The scent is very lemony and really doesn't smell like Tova at all and does't last either. I won't purchase any more unless the formula is corrected.

goldiesgirl said...

the mistake was made when she sold QVC the rights to her products. I think we all have to realize that the Tova we liked in the beginning is gone and that is sad.

doc nadyne said...

I have been wearing Tova nights since first introduced. I no longer wear it because the fragrance I loved is no longer. The new bottle is filled with alcohol and smells as such. QVC as well as HSN are huge corporations that take undo advantage to their brands. I no longer shop with QVC and support the idea of regaining original ingredients which I assume we're patented and then do an informercial

Anonymous said...

Bring the original signature TOVA back, please. I have worn nothing since 2005 when I was shipped something that was supposed to be TOVA...but was NOT. I worn it exclusively from 1980 to 2005. I think I know what it smelled like. Not fair to reel us in and desert us TOVA lovers. Please reconsider....

Anonymous said...

Do you take us for fools? The TOVA being sold today is not the same formulation as the TOVA sold in the 1980's. I wore the original signature TOVA as MY signature perfume for years and years. It is an insult to try and pass off this new TOVA as being the same as the original TOVA (pre- ~2005). PLEASE bring back the original signature TOVA. I would be willing to pay more for the wonderful original scent.

goldiesgirl said...

A big AMEN to what everyone has said.

Anonymous said...

Because I can no longer find the first signature Tova, I don't wear any perfume at all. I wore it every day for years. That is how much I loved the original Tova. I don't understand why you won't bring it back. Apparently, these women who have posted comments feel the same way.

Unknown said...

Fly spray!

Anonymous said...

Tova, you are a fraud. You have sold your soul to QVC. How dare you treat your 20+year customers in this fashion. We deserve better. You will be very sorry you have done this to so many. How can you live with yourself must less still appear on TV selling your wares as nothing has changed? Unforgivable.

Anonymous said...

I feel just like everyone else about the original Tova that I used to order from Beverly Hills. When QVC took over this product a number of years ago, the formula was changed and they were selling it as the signature scent. However, it was not even close to the original. Please, Tova, bring back the original. Ellen T.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...


OK so I am a youngish lady and in my former days, i always wore your perfume. I loved Signature but Nights was my absolute favourite. I adored it. It was magical. I bought it about 5+ yrs ago again, and it is so different! The smell vanished after a few (if that) minutes on the skin and it had lost that richness to it. Appauling really that it could be sold to us loyal customers in this way. I feel betrayed :)
Is it back folks, or are we in the same position..... as I'm willing to forgive if it means getting my favourite smell back again.....? QVC would you not consider negotiating with Tova (as it is crystal clear this is not the same perfume) so that they can give us the authentic smell we all so clearly love? We can't all be wrong! I feel sad to say you've let us all down on this one QVC. I'd like to hear from you...

Anonymous said...

Ohhhh boy...Hate to say it. Stop the Bull shit..Please. There are people here that are 90 and 50's and 60's...Do you honestly believe that they are going to believe this lie? We are not children and we expect respect from you. I am sure "YOU ARE WEARING THE ORIGINAL" ...WE ARE NOT...and the worst part of all is that we are still hopeful and we run to purchase your crummy bottles at such a high price. It is absurd to even try to explain it because we all know the truth and you are obviously lying. Ladies! let's seriously move on and stop supporting Ms. Tova. For the record I wouldn't even buy it even if it returns just to prove a point. We are not stupid, however, you are treating us like it. You are all about the money...Best of luck to all

EDIE said...

I have worn Tova Signature fragrance for over 23 years, ordered from your shop, etc, in California....I've been asked by men mostly at Casinos, grocery stores, emergency rooms, post offices, etc what is the fragrance I was wearing.....THE FRAGRANCE IS NOT THE SAME AND DOES NOT LAST VERY LONG...I am shopping around now for a new fragrance that at least when someone hugs you you might get a "you smell wonderful, what's the fragrance"....I no longer buy/wear TOVA as the fragrance does not last at all, and I get an alcohol smell...When I find a fragrance I will post on here as THIS MANY WOMEN CANNOT BE WRONG.....SEEMS AS THOUGH WHEN YOU SOLD OUT TO QVC THEY LOST YOU A LOT OF LOYAL WOMEN.....MY HUSBAND ASKS ME ALL THE TIME...WHY ARE YOU NOT WEARING PERFUME? IT SMELLS SO GOOD...so, in the meantime I am open for suggestions for another fragrance....by the way, Tova is not an inexpensive purchase....another disappoint Tova wearer....in the ER when we were evacuated from home due to a hurricane, my ER nurse said she would be back in a few minutes....when she returned with all the nurses she said....just take a deep breath, the fragrance this woman is wearing has made this room smell wonderful.....I had sprayed, walked into the perfume as you have demostrated, and that was around 7 a.m. went to the ER around 5 p.m............that was the OLD Tova not not NEW one...........

Anonymous said...

I feel exactly the same way. I am so grateful you have all taken the time to so passionately express how so many feel about a fragrance that has become OUR Signature.
Question: Has anyone purchased the legitimate fragrance we love anywhere? I see some posted for sale on sites other than QVC and would like to get my hands on some? Thank you.

Anonymous said...

This is a remark from a man with a rather sensitive nose whose wife does not wear Tova exclusively. She switches between Angel, Aromatics Elixier and Tova. For a while she was unable to buy Tova. Finally it again became available and she bought it. IT IS NOT THE SAME!! During the time she was unable to buy the product it appears that someone bought you. The formula has changed. Long ago someone taught me a lesson. If you want nice fresh oats you have to pay the price. After they come through the horse they're a little cheaper. I can understand wanting to maintain a price. I can't accept your thinking that your devoted followers are stupid and can be fooled. If necessary raise the retail or shrink the bottle but go back to the original
formula. Your ice cream analogy is insulting.

Anonymous said...

May 27/2012
What a shame.Unlike many of you I have only become familiar with Tova in the past few years. I was very lucky to obtain a few of the frosted glass bottles. One was the Beverly Hills formula, the other TOBH. INC Qvc's factory. The TOBH was the weaker of the frosted bottles but still smelled good. After researching and reading more on Tova I heard Tova Signature in the vintage blue Tiffany box was a close runner up to the original. I have to say it is not bad, not the same but the dry down is close, lasting power good silage very weak. I did more research to find that Tova vintage Signature Platinum was also close so I am waiting on those and will report back later. This is a very fishy story.... does not jive at all. I suspect Tova has a stash of her famous fragrance original and is sitting on it and the original formula must be locked up in a safe.

Anonymous said...

I can use some insight here please. I know there were various bottle designs for this perfume. We started with the simple frosted black caped bottle. Then we went to some diamond shape, then some special edition etched glass... I've seen round frosted bottles, then the signature, then platinum.. Exactly what bottles smell the best? What is the closest to the original if any? I hear some say they ordered new formulation years ago that still smelled nice and close to the original. I would love input on this if anyone happens to know. I am a huge perfume addict and own over 120 bottles of fragrance from all around the world. I have the original bottle marked TOBH and it does smell lovely - lasting power ok. Input please?

Anonymous said...

I continue to try new formulations its NOTHING like the original

caribbeanria said...

I won't spend another penny till she brings back the original

Anonymous said...

I really want to be wearing your perfumes again Tova. Turquoise and Signature are my favourites but I can't find anywhere to buy them other than on ebay (extortionate prices for frangrance of unconfirmed quality.
Can you please return them to QVC UK? Christmas is coming and Tova frangrance would be a wonderful gift! xx

caribbeanria said...

From your lips...
I miss it so much

Anonymous said...

I have worn and loved Tova Signature for years. My mother introduced me to it years ago and now when I wear it I always think of her. Please bring back the original!

Anonymous said...

I AGREE WITH EVERY COMMENT POSTED ABOUT THE LYING. THE SCENT SMELLS LIKE STRAIGHT ALCOHOL! I FIRST PURCHASED THIS PERFUME IN THE 1980'S AND WORE NOTHING ELSE. MEN AND WOMEN USED TO STOP ME AND ASK WHAT I WAS WEARING. WHERE IS THE INTEGRITY & HONESTY?

caribbeanria said...

So true, that's all I ever wore too, you would think they want to make money so I just don't get it

Anonymous said...

The new stuff is not TOVA. It's bug spray.

Rose p said...

PLEASE TELL US THE TRUTH, SO WE CAN ALL STOP WASTING OUR TIME ON YOU. THIS NEW FRAGRANCE IS CRAP!

Anonymous said...

Okay, the proof is in the pudding...dear Tova, the thing is: if there is really such a change in the scent, when it it is put in another differently shaped bottle, so why for heaven´s sake don´t you change it back , if thousands of customers are asking for it ? You then will prove them all being wrong and you will make another fortune... Oh how disappointing is this, being fooled as a long-term, loyal customer !

LouAnn said...

Please Tova, that is a blatant lie!! I still have a tiny bit of the original and a bottle I purchased a year ago. Don't dare insult our intelligence that way!!! It's not the same and you and ALL OF US know it!! Ernie would be so disappointed in you!

Anonymous said...

QVC destroyed the original Tova! This isn't the first or last time either! Remember all the clothing lines that they had & ruined? They will never get another dime from me! TOVA-bring your perfume back with a new name!

D. Nelson said...

I have been wearing Tova Signature for, at least 20 years. It is my EVERYDAY fragrance and I don't know what people are talking about. This fragrance has not changed! I will say that if it is opened and sits too long, the scent changes. But fresh out of the box, I haven't experience a change. I'm upset because I can't find it! When I do find it on eBay, etc, it's like 200.00 or more! I love it but I'm not paying that especially on eBay where I don't know how old it is. Please Tova Borgnine, let us know when it will be available again!

athelas said...

I discovered Tova Signature when it debuted and have worn it as MY signature ever since. Can't even SAY how many comments I've gotten about it. Really miss the original (the new stuff is sort of close but NOT the same - and I agree with the poster that said the new bottles don't function).
Now I can't even find the new stuff for under $100.00?!?!?
I loved it so much I had it on autoship. Now it's really, really not the same. I read on another forum that one of the ingredients (Russian musk?) became too expensive to add.
Phooey on that! Do it right or just don't do it!
I miss smelling like "me".
I have managed to recreate a similar scent with essential oils. But shall always miss the original.
Really sucks when you find the perfect product and then it craps out and disappears.

Anonymous said...

I have also used
Tova for many years and stopped buying because it did not smell like it did. Please bring back the original fotmula!!!!
I do not know who it why it was changed pose fix. If you can't or won't pose be truthful about and stop selling the stuff you are selling now. I think that is called fraud


Donna said...

I still love Tova signature even though I agree it's not quite the same. Please just make it available. I can't afford to pay $300.00 on Amazon.

Anonymous said...

Regardless of whether a brand of perfume was sold at a drug store, a department store or a high end boutique every one that was on the market was either overpowering, to the point of causing headaches, (for the wearer as well as the helpless people who were unfortunate enough to be within 10 feet of the wearer) or was alcohol based & the scent was gone within 5 minutes of the application.
Three of the scents that would guarantee to take over the atmosphere & never diminish were Estee Lauder’s signature perfume, which is worn by every old lady, excerpt me, on this planet, Revlon’s Fire & Ice & Coty’s Tabu but the list is much, much longer.
For that reason I never wore perfume until I discovered Tova, the original scent with the frosted bottle that DIDN’T include the phrase “signature.”
There was literally never an occasion when I used it that I didn’t receive a compliment & a question wanting to know the name of the perfume I was wearing!
Only one spritz lasted overnight because instead of fading as the night worn on it seemed to be refreshed by the wearer’s body heat. But, conversely, it never was so strong that it took over the room the wearer was in.

It’s a published fact that the formula for Tova has been changed due to the increased cost for the original ingredients, so for Mrs. Borgnine to assert that there hasn’t been any changes made is an outright lie.
What boggles my mind is why, when there’s such an outpouring of negative remarks, would her company continue to claim there’s been no changes? From a strictly business aspect I would think that the increase in the properties that make up Tova is far less expensive than alienating her loyal fan base & loosing the income from trusting customers.
I think Tova is having a DUH moment!


Anonymous said...

Please bring back the Tova Signature scent!! Has been my perfume for 20 years. Why fix it if isn't broken?

coolflutist said...

I, too, wore Tova Signature for many years (since the late '80s) and it was amazing!! Now it's a huge disappointment .... scent is terrible and doesn't last. I guess not lasting is a good thing since it smells bad!!
The fresh, clean Tova fragrance changed about the same time she sold the formula to QVC. Coincidence?? I think not!!

Anonymous said...

Bring back original Tova Signature!! Pleeeeese!!

Nanny said...

It seems we all miss the original TOVA and our cries are falling on deaf ears. Who has a direct line to the lovely creator - shout it out please!!!!!

Unknown said...

I too was a loyal fan of the original. Then it changed. I know because I could wear the original, and I
Have an alergy to the new version. I too noticed the list no longer showed bergamot. Sad, but since it was one of the very few I am able to wear, the excuse of nothing has changed pure poppycock.

Unknown said...

Love tova, please come back.

Barbara said...

Sorry Tova, I've used Tova Signature Parfum for about 30 years, this is at least the 2nd and worst change. The first change was a few years ago but it was close to the original. This change was not only the bottle but the scent, and it does not last very long. So very disappointed since i absolutely loved the Tova Signature Original Parfum. Please bring it back.

Unknown said...

I believe that when Tova originally brought her fragrance to QVC it was still "hers". I don't know if she sold the actual formula to QVC...probably. Either that or there may be an issue with the ingredients. I am a perfume collector and in the past 20 years frag-heads left and right are screaming because all of the beautiful old fragrances have been reformulated because of crack downs by the FDA that have banned the use of some ingredients. The houses are left scrambling to reformulate and people are angry. I know oakmoss is one of these and I believe that may have been one of the ingredients in Tova. Also....if she sold to QVC, she may be under legal contract not to disclose or discuss changes to the formula, so....She may have sold out, but it's not really fair to come down on her for not admitting that it is a different fragrance. If I remember correctly, I believe the formula changed after she lost her husband...maybe she was just done and sold out. We don't know....could be a billion reasons. As I sit here, I have, once again purchased it from QVC....they claim this one is the real deal...I am going to give it a few days. We shall see....

Anonymous said...

Among thousands of others, I am in withdrawal without TOVA; sometime a couple years ago when the scent changed, I read somewhere there were changes with the manufacturing of perfume in the US and the import of certain flowers/ingrediets from other countries was banned, and TOVA used key materials involved, which then changed TOVA's original. Fact or fiction does not matter, what does matter is someone obviously assisted her in writing this pathetic note of a reason of why the scent changed and is off the market right now. QVC continues to become a mamoth engine of strategic and monopolistic sales efforts -- if we all stop buying anything from TOVA or QVC, perhaps that sends a message. Unfortunately we have become addicts to the scent and for some, price and integrity go off the table to satisfy the need.

Anonymous said...

I am about to pull the trigger on the Tova Signature at QVC. I have bought the "original" over the years but none was the same as the real thing I bought back in 1999. It did truly draw compliments. I remember leaving the hospital after visiting my mother and was standing by the elevator when this woman asked what I was wearing. I remember her writing it down! LOL And I had gotten a few other compliments as well. I was in college back then and didn't have a lot of money. I had to nurse that bottle because I could barely afford it at the time. I only wore it on weekends and special occasions. For some reason I think it was around $80 but maybe I am mistaken. Maybe it seemed like $80 since I was a poor college student. In any event, it was so heavenly. I'm hoping I'm not disappointed with it now.

Unknown said...

I am sorry to say that I agree with you all. I have LOVED and worn Tova for the last 30 years.. This is the first bottle I have purchased in quite a while and I whole heartedly agree that the scent is not the same. While it is nice, it is in no way close to its original. I will not replace this one. Very sad...

C.E.Moore said...

I still crave it, still dream of it, still want it desperately. Pathetic that so many have all but groveled in an effort to get Tova, QVC or whoever to correct the formulation and make it available once again to the people who made Tova famous and wealthy. We bought it and wore it religiously , we gave it as gifts and nurtured our children via our scent. We need it back and Tova you are the key to making it available once again. Nothing else has satisfied. Please stop this insanity and make the original available to us. How pitiful do a bunch of women need to be before you would deign to help them Tova? Maybe you purposefully addicted us so you could then cut the drug with some abhorrent filler that completely ruined our high and sent us spiraling to such intense depression and craving that nothing but the real thing will return us to the land of the land of the self assured,beautiful people we once were. I pray today is the day! You must have known this intoxicating elixir was addicting and that abrupt cessation would result in the same devastating withdrawal syndrome that stopping any potent drug would cause.i think I need an attorney.

Anonymous said...

I agree with all ladies, the ORIGINAL TOVA is gone no more, if you try to full us, that this new bottle is the same as before, than sorry, but you lost a lot of good customers. And I am the one of them, from now on I will be sending my money to a difrent industries. And if this is not the reason to bring the original bottle back so then I don't know what is. I was using this parfume for 25 years

Anonymous said...

Either the formula or the quality of ingredients has definitely changed. It absolutely is not the same product as the original. No one is asking any longer what is that fragrance you're wearing because the fragrance no longer lasts like it used to. I even wonder who is replying as "Tova", it is the internet you know!

caribbeanria said...

I haven't been able to find a fragrance I like

Unknown said...

feel the same way the new perfume does not last and smells bad

Chef AJ said...

What do you think the truth is? I have an original bottle and put one on each arm and had 20 people smell it and no one thoughtt was the same perfume. The new one feels and smells terrible. I returned all 3 bottles and will never buy again.

BILL said...

Why oh why do people have to “change “ what was already perfect.

AmyT said...

I would pay double, maybe even triple, just to have the original formula. I have tried nearly every "new" variation over the years, and it is definitely NOT the same as the original. I used to spray it on my pillow and it would last, to a degree, even after washing! It was the most beautiful scent ever, and, like others, I had people stop me everywhere I went and ask what I was wearing! I bought it on eBay, and, to my disappointment, some had either been tampered with or, likely left in the heat, so the fragrance became rancid. I gave up. What a sad legacy. I love Tova and wish her signature would return to live beyond her years, as it should, as it was brilliant!

Unknown said...

I have a 2.5 ounce bottle of the original TOVA Signature eau de perfume spray (in the orignal "FROSTED, OPAQUE" spray bottle) that I'm WILLING TO SELL. The bottle is full (minus about 2 or 3 sprays, that I know of). I obtained this through an estate liquidation about a year ago and forgot about it. It came in a TOVA gift box along with a .5 ounce bottle of TOVA NIRVANA, a .5 ounce bottle of TOVA NIGHTS, and a 5.5 ounce bottle of TOVA BODY SOUFFLE. These were sold via QVC as a set a number years ago, and I would prefer to sell them (together) as such. I have the original Tova box, but I mistakenly through the interior display away because one of the bottles leaked slightly... (The bottle that leaked was the Nirvana, and it disrupted some of the paint at the top of the bottle, but didn't leak very much. Bottle still appears very full.) If interested, I will entertain offers for these items for the next few days... Please email me at Sheryl6786@gmail.com with questions and offers. (P.S. I would love to keep these and use them for myself, after reading so many glowing comments on this and other webpages, but I need the money for my family more. Thank you.)

Trish said...

Tova…Tova…Tova… You are way too classy to tell us the formula hasn’t changed, and expect us to believe it. We know… it’s NOT the same. Please, please, please… go back to the original formula… use a different bottle and packaging… rename it to “The Real Tova”… don’t involve QVC… and tell us about it. We surely will buy it!��

Unknown said...

There was a Tova perfume that was discontuned and I cannot remeber the name of it. Any ideas?

Anonymous said...

I have not gotten a complement for smelling so good, and being asked what fragrance I have on, or you always smell so good since Tova Signature has changed, I have the Signature and Autumn =but no =they are not my beloved Tova fragrance. NO others compare. I usually don't wear this new Tova or any other brand now. Nothing compares. I really, really miss it. Had planned on wearing Tova Signature for life.

Anonymous said...

Am I missing something or has she never responded to any of these posts? She got her money and then ran...ran far far away!

Anonymous said...

I am SO heartbroken. My post would read like EVERY one here. It is NOT the same and smells like something you'd find in the insecticide area at Home Depot. Unlike the HEAVENLY, original, this "stuff" in a large quantity would keep people away.
About 2 yrs ago I wrote to Tova's offices in Beverly Hills and was actually told that : " As we AGE our sense of smell changes.........". SO insulting on so many levels. Why then, does my 25 yr old daughter agree that the current "fragrance" that QVC is selling does NOT smell like " her mom" . My daughter and all her friends remember me smelling like heaven- now I use a white musk from the drugstore and I work in a very posh cosmetics and fragrance department. I cannot find anything like Tova from the early 90's and I feel as if I've lost a dear friend. Now I am being lied to.
Answer me this, Tova: If your fragrance is the same, why aren't your hours and appearances on QVC as frequent and as long as they used to be? Why don't you have your yearly TSV's? I'm in the business and I know. It's because you're product is not selling like it used to. Your fans and loyal customers are NOT dumb and are therefore not buying this embarrassing knock-off. Whatever legalities have you tied to you simply being a spokesperson should be reversed. You have the money for good attorney but do you have the INTEGRITY to swallow your pride and redeem yourself?
I used to love you but your fragrance apparently isn't the only thing that
has dramatically changed - and NOT for the better.

Anonymous said...

My aunt and I have been wearing Tova for years and we too believe that the scent is not the same... It is unfortunate that the absolute scent that takes your loyal customers breath away has been replaced. It would be so humbling if you would bring back your first recipe. We would all forgive you if you did because we all miss the scent we loved.

Anonymous said...

It is definitely NOT the same fragrance and it is insulting to loyal customers for Tova to say otherwise.
It is incomprehensible why you would think that women would not believe their own sense of smell.I have to think that there is some legal reason why you are prohibited from using the original ingredients. If you cannot duplicate the original scent then please just say so. Don't insult your loyal followers with an unbelievable explanation.

Unknown said...

Just received my alleged "Signature Tova", however it smells NOTHING like the original. It smells like soap and insect repellant! I absolutely hate it and am so upset that you would sell it as if it were truly the original scent. When i used the real original years ago, people would stop me daily to ask what i was wearing. Now my coworkers are asking if i spilled insect spray on myself. Its absolutely embarrassing and appalling. If you sold the original please just say that and stop leading your true loyal customers on.

Unknown said...

What a shame. So many comments and you seem to think all of them are wrong. It definitely is not the same Tova. I wore it for many years and got so many compliments.

Valentina said...

So just an idea as it generally upsets me how many loyal ladies have been betrayed- do NOT buy anymore with hope it might be the same- obviously THE ONE is gone! But if the bloody QVC doesn’t sell a single bottle in return they might rethink their strategy and we might see the old one back- don’t buy it, ladies!!!

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with so many of the other comments. I loved my first bottle of Tova. Then I purchased it again from QVC the 2nd bottle and was very disappointed. It barely had a scent. I couldn't believe it. I thought maybe it expired. I am still very upset. I called QVC and got another bottle. That also didn't have a scent. I am very disappointed every morning I don't have the perfume that I love and received compliments on it all the time. I'm thinking about buying another bottle but not from QVC to see if there is a difference. Please bring back the original Tova. Lost without it.

Donnababy6210 said...

I had never ordered a fragrance without first smelling it until I saw Tova on qvc Years ago. The way she described the fragrance with all her elegance had me mesmerized! I ordered it and will never forget the day I received it. I was so excited to get it open and smell it! The very first thing that came to mind when smelling it was 'play dough'! And I was disappointed but one day I wore it to work and the first patient of the day said " oh you smell so fresh!" After that I wore it daily and don't remember exactly when I became addicted to it but I do remember when the original Tova in the frosted glass bottle was replaced by Signature and sorry Tova dear but it absolutely sucks. At least do the right thing and tell us which perfume on the market is closest to the ORIGINAL Tova please. Please.

adairinair said...

Phalates- banned several years ago in fragrances-said to be cancer causing- this changed many original products not only Tova but many other fragrances. I guess the fear was of law suits if someone who wore Tova ( or other fragrance- most formulas used phalates) developed cancer and brought a claim. Just my suspicion....

Carmel Farrell said...

I check every now and again to see if the original formula is back. I see it hasn't. When it returns I will buy it.it was so good, people would stop me on the streets of NYC. Then I bought the new bottle and nothing. The fragrance lasted for a short time. Really miss it.

Decok said...

Tova Borgnine was an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She founded the beauty brand Beauty By Tova and contributed to various charitable causes. Her legacy continues through her products and philanthropic endeavors.
https://starfamegame.com/tova-borgnin/

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