Fantasy is the second fragrance release from Britney Spears under the Elizabeth Arden label. It follows Curious, which apparently made a tidy 30 million in its first three months alone. Fantasy was created by nose Jim Krivda, and the notes include red lychee, golden quince, kiwi, cupcake accord, jasmine, white chocolate orchid, musk, woods, and orris root.
I should begin by admitting that I am so entirely outside of the target market for this fragrance that my opinion is pretty much meaningless. To start with, I am more than a few years past the age cohort of interest, which is said to be 18-30. My advanced age, perhaps, explains my second handicap, which is that I only vaguely know who Britney Spears is, and it may also explain the fact that I do not find the bottle design particularly appealing.
I did recently (finally) try Curious, and found it a pleasant enough light fruity floral. It is not something I would wear, but it is considerably more wearable than I had expected. Fantasy, for those of you who follow such things, is meant to capture Britney's new, grown-up status, according to a brand spokesperson:
Curious was about taking chances, being rebellious, bold and young. Fantasy is more romantic and sexy. Now that Britney is married and starting a family, it's time for a more seductive, elusive fragrance. (via Women's Wear Daily)
Fantasy starts with tart fruits, but that lasts nanoseconds. Then it is very sweet fruits and the promised cupcake accord, which smells pretty much like a vanilla cupcake with a little dab of chocolate icing. The sweetness (and the bakery vibe) lessens considerably as it dries down to warm, creamy, musky woods with very subtle hints of vanilla and chocolate and the tiniest whisper of a floral note. It is not a terribly complex fragrance, but it does have more depth and sophistication than Curious, and it is nowhere near as one-dimensional as Aquolina Pink Sugar, to which it is frequently compared.
Given that my expectations were low, I was pleasantly surprised. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I like it, but I don't hate it, and if given the choice between this and say, Miss Dior Cherie, I would pick Fantasy. As celebrity scents go, however, I would say that Sarah Jessica Parker has done the best job so far this year, at least of the few that I have tried.
Fantasy is an Eau de Parfum, and is available in 50 and 100 ml bottles or in a "Work Your Magic Body Souffle". It is available at most major department stores and will undoubtedly be at the discounters soon.
I am probably just slightly older than the target demo for this, and I am a huge Britney Spears fan, since when driving a $19.99 Budget rental pickup truck on California freeways while visiting one's parents, sitting next to one's balding, gray-bearded husband, the ideal soundtrack is Britney's eponymous third album. Nothing beats watching your metalhead husband sing along to “I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman.” Nothing.
That said, I thought this fragrance was both horrible and great, just like Britney. It is horrible because it is a cavity-inducing confection, which to me evokes not the cupcakes that her press release insists I'll smell, but instead cotton candy. The top accord smells like the strawberry syrup flavor that goes into strawberry soda or strawberry cotton candy; then the browned sugar comes rising up out of it. It makes you smell like a child who has just gone on a sugary carnival rampage and needs his parent to get a napkin and a water bottle and wipe this child down. All that said, for what it is, Fantasy is perfect. In other words, if you like this sort of thing, you'll really like this sort of thing.
I actually never go nuts over a foody fragrance but this one did hook me. I have not caved on it but if I ever spot it at TJ Maxx I will clap and do a twirl in the middle of the aisle. I like it…but do not want to pay over $30. Does this make sense? LOL
I am *just* within the age bracket for this scent, so perhaps I should hurry up and sample it within the next year or so … I don't like the bottle either, R, it looks like something Elle Woods from Legally Blonde would have on her dresser right next to her pink Mac. And, to Britney's spokesperson, there is nothing “elusive” about a cupcake accord. 🙂
T, I am embarrassed to admit that I have never heard her sing. Not sure my own husband, who is more of an aging Deadhead, will be willing to participate, but it might be worth a try.
It really struck you as way more sugary than it did me, I found the sugary stuff just about gone once it dried down.
A, I saw Curious in TJ Maxx this year, so you may eventually get your wish! Maybe when she releases her 3rd scent…
LOL M — I think the elusive part is supposed to be what happens after they take the cupcake away 🙂
I am embarrassed to admit I couldn't even stick around for the full drydown!
Really, you are missing nothing by not hearing her “sing.” I promise. We just love her the way we like Fritos: it's the fact that they're no good that's appealing.
I have been trying to be more openminded, therefore I perversely test fragrances that ordinarily I would pass up. In this case, the bottle is enough to put me off. However, the fragrance was just ok, not particularly offensive. It had that sweet strawberry note that seems to be the trend of the day and then something vaguely gourmand. I can think of worse things on the market though.
On me this was sugared berries and cotton candy…Not incredible for me and I'm in my 20's. Everyone is saying it smells like pink sugar, but it's just too much money for what it is to buy it. It's not bad, could have been sickly sweet or annoying. Maybe it will grow on me, but like other's say I won't buy it till it's at the discount store. I'd like to see what a date would say about it. Risky lol
the only fragrance that to me is a grown up scent that is sweat and not sugery sweat is Henae Mori which the dry down is sexy, smart, and elusive with a grown-up touch of Strawberries and sandalwood.
I am not a Britney fan, Yes I love her second edition.
LOL at Fritos! When I want Fritos music, I listen to the sugary-pop music of the 70s that I grew up with. I'm sure nothing Britney has done is any worse than “Don't Pull Your Love Out On Me Baby”, which was my favorite song for more years than I would care to admit.
V, I liked it much better than several of the more expensive “designer” fragrances from this year, not that that is necessarily saying much. Can't argue about that bottle though!
I am surprised it isn't at the discounters already, but guessing it will be within the month. Curious didn't take long, at any rate.
Yes, the Hanae Mori for women is well-done, although not a particular favorite of mine. I just don't want to wear sweet fragrances very often. I liked the version for men a bit more, since it was less sweet, and not particularly masculine for that matter.
Now I'm LOL! I don't know that song, but I think the title says it all.
{v. small voice} …I quite liked Curious. I found it similar to, and no worse than, Benefit's Maybe Baby. I also {even smaller voice} was rather charmed by the bottle, and suspect I may like the Fantasy bottle too.
Think she sounds like a clockwork toy when she sings, mind you.
LOL — surely no need for the very small voice, I am sure there are fragrances that I love that you don't! I should own up to a few of my own “sweet tooth” favorites soon.
Jessica Simpson made that whole cupcake line of body souffles. I have not smelled them, but they are cheap. They are equally cheesily packaged, however.
Tigs,
I love Jessica, but her fragrance line is now sold at the local drug stores and Very faux smelling.
Hi R! Great review and now I am slightly curious about Fantasy.
LOL! I really enjoyed reading Tania's comments – and I must say that she is quite a gal – but I am not a fan. 😉
I must make it a point and try both and ignore my usual snobbery with these “famous” names (hahaha).
Am also totally outside most target markets. The bottle looks quite tacky – what is it like in real life?
Hope you are well and have a super weekend. 🙂
Talk about NOT being the target audience! BUT: I had to laugh at the WWD quote saying that now that Britney's married and has a baby she needs a more “seductive” ('lose that pregnancy weight and take off the flip-flops gurl!”) and “elusive” ('get outta the HOUSE, hit the concert arenas and start replenishing the bank account$!”) fragrance. In fact it's GOOD advice she should heed — she's overexposed on the home front and doing nothing career-wise (I ain't complainin' about that). I can't believe there will be a THIRD scent! Anyway, I'm waiting for Mickey Rourke to come out with a male cologne! HA! K
I simply cannot bring myself to even try this. I am getting hung up on the tag line for Fantasy.
“Everybody Has One.” A bellybutton? (There is also a rude version of that question, but I'll refrain!) I think she means a fantasy, of course, but after watching the commercial for the scent, I have realized that her “fantasy” scares the bejeezus out of me. Her fantasy apparently involves getting shot. K-Fed chases her through a forest, wearing twee little wings that make him look like the Pimp-Fairy, and he shoots her with a giant arrow. Ooooookay. I think if your fantasies involve trips to the hunting section of a sporting goods store, you've got issues that are frankly embarassing.
Yes, and she has another new line (Sweet Kisses) at Walmart now, or maybe that is the same one…
N, the bottle is pretty much the same in real life as it is in the picture. I have to say that I didn't like the SJP Lovely bottle either. I just don't like rhinestones on my perfume bottles. You have a great weekend too!
LOL — Mickey Rourke! That would be perfect!
Wow, I'll have to go look at that commercial online, K.
The comments of today are hysterical especially katiedid! Very good replay of the commercial! YIKES! Unfortunately I am way beyond the target by 15+ years but did try Fantasy as well as the whole Jessica line. I find them to be very sickeningly sweet with no real oomph, if that's a real word. Unfortunately they are long lasting because I had a very hard time getting the smell off my arm! Even my boyfriend turned up his nose! haha.
I agree however, that Jessica's Lovely might just be winning the fragrance game thus far. Then again, she's how old? haha.
Take care all!
SJP is much closer to my age, which probably explains why I like hers better 😉
Have no idea what the sales figures are, but would take a wild guess that Fantasy will make more money(?)
I hang my head in shame.
I relinquish my Bergdorf Goodman Charge Card.
I have purchased and indeed I wear and love both Curious and Fantasy.
I am 55 years old.
There is something seriously wrong with me.
WOW you have a ton of comments on this post already! I guess that's star power for you…
I was really looking forward to checking out Fantasy, with all the ad hype and whatnot (to my embarrassment I wrote a 4 part saga about it on my own blog, BeautyAddict).
When I finally tried it, I found that it was the cupcake accord that stayed with me, and how silly! A cupcake! Blech. If Britney really wanted to capture the essence of snack food she should have commissioned a scent with Cheeto accord, Cheetos being her favorite snack, of course (she has frequently been photographed noshing on Cheetos while barefoot, especially at gas stations – I'm not kidding).
You're right though – it beats Aquolina Pink Sugar by a mile. That stuff smells like something used by big comglomerate bakeries like Tastykake and Entenmann's to ice their cakes. If you let a child have one whiff of Pink Sugar they would be bouncing off the walls the rest of the day.
I also agree with you on the SJP fragrance – it definitely has a leg up on the other celeb scents this year.
BTW, if anyone is interested in reading my silly Britney saga, my quest to catch a whiff of Fantasy, you can check it out at
http://beautyaddict.blogspot.com/2005/09/whats-your-fantasy.html
Cheers
Kristen
P, I know I don't have to tell you that you should never let anyone else tell you what you can & can't wear, and certainly not based on your age. But LOL — do I get the charge card? I could use a few things at BG 😉
K, that is funny, the cupcake part really did not last long on me. My son was not impressed with it at all, his favorite is Antica Farmacista Vaniglia, which smells like cookie dough so of course he adores it. He would probably love Pink Sugar too 🙂
LOL! I feel like I am becoming the queen of celeb scents these days. But I decided to give them a fair chance, and there are some delightful ones out there.
SJP is still my favorite of all of them.
I should award you custody of the BG card! It is a very dangerous piece of plastic to own!
Here's the worst, when my 18 yr old step-sister was asked what she wanted for her birthday it was “Paris Hilton, J.Lo, or Britney's fragrance.” Yikes…At least she had the good sense to request Brit last year…
P, hate to point out the obvious but your BG card might be safer in your own wallet than with me…especially now that the JAR boutique is open!
M, I wonder if she had smelled all 3, or just liked the celebrity connections? Either way, obviously she needs some homework assignments from her step-brother 😉
I smelled this yesterday after reading the review. It is really not terrible at all, but it's not that interesting to me either. I kind of like the opening but after that it just smelled a bit cheap to me… I guess I'm having trouble reconciling the idea that a more sophisticated, grownup and elegant version of someone means “cupcake”. This woman has a child. It's a little scary…
LOL — they will grow up together, I guess 😉
Oh Robin! The only reason the BG card is safer with me is that I am further away from the store than you are!
I had a sample of Golconda that I passed on to someone else a long time ago. It was sent to me by Atticuss from rareessence, when he and I had a phone conversation several years ago. I was not impressed. It was lovely, to be sure, but certainly not a better carnation than Bellodgia.
I wonder what happened to rareessence.
I have not tried Golconda on skin, only from the glass jar at BG. I did try one of them on skin while I was there, and now I can't remember which one it was, LOL! I guess I don't need a JAR then. I am not familiar with rareessence.
This was my FAVORITE perfume!! I wore it out, and 4 of my friends also wear it. I'm kinda tired of it now.
Sorry you got tired of it…that is one of the dangers of wearing something you're going to smell on everyone else too. Maybe put it aside for 6 months?
Although I'm all for sweet smelling scents, this one was just a tad too fruity for me. I passed.
Ah well, Britney will have a new one out soon enough, I'm sure 🙂
Can't bring myself to wear this even though I didn't think it was all that bad when I tried on the sample. I guess I'm too old for this kind of stuff. >_<
I am interested to see what they do with the upcoming Midnight Fantasy…
I love this scent and have bought it three times now with no sign of tiring of it.
It just works for me because of it's sweet and vanilla emphasis, as well as it's lasting power. Getting scents to stay with me has always been a problem, so this makes it a winner also.
The bottle is such a pretty thing too, that I love displaying it.
Now, if only Britney's life could be as sweet as her perfumes.
Glad it continues to work for you 🙂
i love this perfume. and i love doughnuts too….
🙂
I love Fantasy. If you like Angel, but find it too strong (I get migranes & dizzy spells from it), you should test Fantasy.
The fruit notes calm the sweeter notes down. A very nice blend.
The bottle is pink with sparkles – I love it!!!
(I'm 23 & anything girly will hook me in)
It is well done, even if not particularly to my taste 🙂
I love Fantasy! It is at the top of my Britney scents along with In Controll which is very different as it is sexier. The atomizer on it though is great for spraying on just the right amount.
Anyway Fantasy is a refreshing scent-when I smell it on me it reminds me in a way of fresh strawberries with flowers mixed in. It's fun and carefree and not overpowering unless you apply it too heavy.
Jenny
So glad you love it 🙂
Hey R! Thanks for reviewing this. Haven't tried this yet but plan on soon.
I'm inside the age range for this product and I actually love the bottle! 😀
I think people are too harsh on Britney, she's a great singer.
M, try the new Believe too, it's nicely done. Yes, people are harsh on Britney — including me — but that is the price of fame, no? I've never understood why anyone would want to be famous, it seems like a real drag.
I love this perfume, But i'll take into account that i'm still a teen.
Hey, if you love it, you love it! That's really all that matters — wear what you love, otherwise what's the point?
I just bought this perfume today. i guess I'm a little younger than the target demo (15) but I absolutely love this perfume. I sat next to a girl in one of my classes this year that wore this and was tempted to ask her what she was wearing. Fortunately, I had smell it before and had vaguely remembered it might be Fantasy. I tried to smell it at Ulta (but they didn't have a tester) before buying it at marshalls ($25 for the 3.3 oz Eau de Parfum….SWEET!) Its got nice floral notes and I definitely smell the cupcake accord. Its all this stated above yet has a nice clean-ness to it. I actually like the bottle, but hey, thats just me. Overalll, great investment!
I thinking about it… I love Paris Hilton's fragrance and now I'm hooked on this one… I think reckless young stars come up with the best perfumes! Just kidding… I think its so sad that star have to go through their traumas with the whole world watching, no matter how bad their decisions are..although when they became a star, I guess they kinda signed up for it lol…
Check Marshall's… got mine (3.3 oz EDP) for $25! great price! did a little happy dance myself…
Congrats on your purchase — that's a deal! — and glad you love it!
Mmmmm.. this is one of my favorite perfumes by Britney! At first, it smells like a blend of cotton candy, but I can also sense a little bit of a woodsy smell to it. It also lasts a really long time so you'll smell yummy all day (:
Glad it still has fans!
This is one of my favorite perfumes
Its smells soo amazing- just like cotton candy!
i went to marshalls and i saw midnight fantasy 3.3 oz for only $15 so i had to pick it up (such a great deal) it smells just as good as this. I love the bottles theyre sooo cute! i didnt relalize the rhinestones on the fantasy perfume bottle are green i thought they were clear-until i saw the lip stick and roll on perfume duo of fantasy. anyone have the duo?
i wonder if the lip gloss is flavored.
^You found Midnight Fantasy for 15 bucks??? Ahh! I have to get another one! I gave mines to my older cousin. She begged me for it for months! I finally gave it to her. I miss it. I'll have to try Marshalls
iluvperfume, sorry, I've no idea if the lip gloss is flavored or not. You'd think it would be…
yeh i really like the smell its fruity and sorta smells like candy, plus its not that expensive.
Are you talking about the lip gloss, or the perfume?
This scent is already on my Christmas Wish List!! It seems like it smells scrumptious and I can't WAIT to try it.
This perfume is enough to make me vomit, it smells like some sort of perverse sugar-coated fairy sweet-shop on me. I had to run home and bathe in Burberry just after I tested it- and I only recently made the target age group! 😛
LOL — sounds like you don't need any 😉
i understand this was posted quite a long time ago but since there are recent comments, i'm not so hesitant to give my two cents. 🙂
i can't say my taste is as sophisticated as most of the people commenting (and i'm younger than its supposed target audience) but i do have a very discerning nose compared to most people i know.
i actually only smelled it for the first time a week ago, expecting to love it. the bottle is beautiful and very whimsical, just as the perfume's title anticipates. i know it's way too cutesy for most people, but i find myself appreciating it anyway and enjoying it's extra girly feel.
in fact, it reminds me of a dream i had when i was around 6 or 7, where i dreamed of creating my own perfume and this looks almost exactly as i myself had pictured it.
but enough about me… 🙂
when i first smelled it, i anticipated it being very sweet and fruity. and that it was, for about 5 seconds. i spritzed it on my neck and had immediately wished i hadn't. perhaps it was some sort of musky, creamy note but whatever it was, it was terribly heavy and gave me a headache.
i was surprised too, since my favorite perfume is britney's curious, i had the impression that this would be in the same avenue.
unfortunately, i was highly disappointed. i would have liked if the base notes were crisp, rather than musky.
and to mention curious once more, i would like to have seen a full review on that fragrance, rather than a snippet in this one, because to me they are completely unrelated as far as how they smell.
and because even though i just discovered this website today, it is exactly what i have been looking for as far as perfume reviews. i would really like to have heard what you thought about it.
Hi Stephanie, and welcome! Sorry you did not like Fantasy. It isn't as light as Curious, it's true. I don't know if we'll ever review Curious or not — our list of “to review” perfumes is VERY long, and I don't know that we'll ever catch up. Maybe you'll like the upcoming Hidden Fantasy better…
Hello Ladies,
I am a 37 year old woman who loves all of Briney’s line! Fantasy is my favorite, I love the candy concoction spritz that dries down to a very feminine sweetness. Keeps me young and happy!
Glad you love it 🙂
Ok, so I absolutely love this perfume! It has a wonderful smell to it, and I went to TJ MAXX and got a 2.3 fl oz. bottle for $25.00 OMG totally worth it! Everyone complements me on it. Think anyone between the ages of 11-20 should get this… i’m sorry but really it not a adultish perfume.
Nice deal, congrats!
does anyone actually know if this has been reformulated. because I am absolutley sure it has!!
it smells nothing like when I first smelled this when it launched.
No idea, sorry, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Fantasy is one of the most gorgeous perfumes you will ever smell. However, you must have a certain type of perfumes to like this one, You have to be into super sugary perfumes with a pinch of musk to like this. (Which is what I like) When you first see the bottle you will fall in love with the looks its hot pink with diamonds sprinkled all over it, when you smell it the first scent you smell is, sort of like a cotton candy scent, and then it will dry down to a vanilla, then musk. It has a fresh clean smell to it too. Very, very sweet but the musk will balance it out I highly recommend this perfume. Hope this helps! 😀
I agree totally to what you said—I love the sugary scents, also! And, I will keep the pretty pink bottle on my vanity after the perfume is gone. 🙂
I love my Fantasy perfume! It’s like a cupcake with hints of floral. It’s not a strong perfume, so I wear it on my blue jean days. I also use Curious from time to time, it’s more floral than Fantasy. I don’t like Believe—it has a weird, cutting smell that I do not like. But, to each her own! 🙂
curious does smell good(:
i actually like this one. i also like the curious. it smells really good.