I’m a huge fan of the original Britney Spears Fantasy Eau de Parfum that I reviewed in a previous post. So when Britney Spears Hidden Fantasy came out in 2009, I jumped right on it thinking that it’d be reminiscent of the sweet, soft girly scent I loved about its predecessor.
If you’re into vanilla, caramel, and gourmand fragrances like I am, this isn’t the one for you. It’s a far departure from the original. The original had a cotton-candy smell suitable for a younger crowd (or at least the young at heart). Britney Spears Hidden Fantasy perfume is stronger, sharper, and appropriate for the slightly more mature woman who likes tangerine and orange scents.
Britney Spears Hidden Fantasy Pictures:
Fantasy (100 mL), Hidden Fantasy (50 mL) & Circus Fantasy (100 mL)
Claims: TRUSTED, but Product: BUSTED (Opinions on fragrances are subjective, and this one didn’t agree with me)
- Seductive scent (Yes)
- Fruity fragrance (Yes)
- Notes of orange & tangerine (Yes)
Key Notes
- Name: Britney Spears Hidden Fantasy
- Amount: 50ml
- What I Paid: $63 CAD
- Price Per Unit: $1.30 CAD per ml
- Scents Available: Fantasy, Midnight Fantasy, Hidden Fantasy & Circus Fantasy
- Where to Buy: Shoppers Drug Mart, FragranceNet, Amazon.com & several Canadian drugstores
Britney Spears Hidden Fantasy Review
As the name suggests, Britney Spears Hidden Fantasy has a seductive, warm scent. It was created by Rodrigo-Flores Roux for Elizabeth Arden (which houses the Britney Spears brand). The inspiration, according to Wikipedia, was “white florals, vanilla, and luscious desserts”.
The notes include sweet orange, tangerine, grapefruit blossom, verbena, jasmine, stargazer lily, sweet Napolitano cake, vanilla bean, jacaranda wood, fluid sandalwood, and amber. Had I paid more attention to this, I don’t think I would’ve bought it because I’m not a fan of citrus eau de parfums – they tend to give me a headache (and this one was no exception). Because I don’t like to waste things I pay good money for, I still wear this occasionally but very lightly (just one spray and pat my wrists together).
I did spritz some on in the store and shopped around for a good 30 minutes to see how the scent would evolve in relation to my body chemistry. But I guess I was in a weird mood that day because I thought it was wonderful, and I admit to being overly anxious about buying a new eau de parfum. It was only after I bought it and wore it for the first time to work that I realized what a terrible mistake I made. Pounding headache ensued.
The box it comes in is very playful with a generous sprinkling of various pictures including fairies, unicorns, treble clefs, eye masks, horseshoes, and cherries. I think it’s misleading because the design looks like it would appeal to a little girl, yet the scent contained inside is for the more mature woman than the one who likes the original Fantasy or someone who likes louder, more energetic or sporty perfumes. Also, it annoyed me how even though the packaging has cherries, there weren’t any cherries in the fragrance notes.
When I spray it on, I pick up the initial notes of grapefruit and tangerine, and I can’t really smell anything else. It’s very strong, but after about 10 minutes, it becomes slightly muted. At the end of the workday, I start to smell a hint of vanilla, floral, and sandalwood, but the tangerine is still there, and I don’t care for it.
The bottle is the same shape and has crystals all over the body just like all of the other ones in the Fantasy line, except Britney Spears Hidden Fantasy is a deep red. The bottle itself isn’t as gaudy as the original pink Fantasy bottle, but I still think it’s quite tacky. That being said, the 50ml bottle fits nicely and has a nice weight in my small hands.
| Pros |
- Comes in 30ml, 50ml & 100ml bottles
- Scent lasts a long time
- Casual fragrance that can be worn anytime
- Cute design on box
Cons
- Tacky bottle
- Misleading girly packaging because scent is slightly more mature
- Strong, sharp notes due to orange & tangerine notes
- No cherry scent despite cherries depicted on the box
Final Verdict: 4/10
This scent would be perfect for those who love citrus fragrances with tangerine, orange, or grapefruit. Unfortunately, it’s a smell I can’t take large doses of because it’s quite strong. If you prefer softer gourmand scents that don’t have a farther throw (i.e. they lie closer to the skin), then you can pass on this one without looking back.
Check out my other Fantasy perfume reviews:
