It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas: Hidden Fantasy EDP by Britney Spears...

Reviewing a festive fragrance back in September made me think about my favourite "Christmas is coming!" perfume, so lets take a look at it now that the festive season has arrived...

 Hidden Fantasy was released in 2008 and is made by Elizabeth Arden. I think it was limited edition, but it is extremely easy to find online cheaply [under £20 for 100ml] most places  and it still pops up in stores too - both discount stores, and regular retailers.

It is something that I wear regularly during autumn/winter, and most days in December. It has a warming effect on me, and I find the cake batter, clove and orange combination very festive - I've made sure to have a bottle of it on hand since it's release as it very quickly became my traditional "Christmas is coming" fragrance for cold and gloomy days - I think I've gone through three bottles so far, and I just ordered a new one two months ago.

So lets take a closer look at Hidden Fantasy, whilst there is plenty of time left to pick up a bottle in time for Christmas...

HIDDEN FANTASY opens with citrusy fruits, its more tangy then sweet on me. Things start to get interesting as the middle notes develop on my skin, as the Neapolitan cake accords develop and give everything a slightly chocolatey cake batter undertone, but the clove note develops on first application and prevents the cake accord from being strong and sweet. The starring powdered white floral notes seem to be spiced to me, as the clove mixes well with them.

The vanilla and amber base notes combine wonderfully with the woods, lending comforting warmth to the middle notes, minus the sugar rush I was expecting from them mixing with the lingering Neapolitan cake accords.  The throw and longevity is very good; it wears for about seven/eight hours, and carries around a foot around me.

Scent notes: sweet orange, tangerine, grapefruit blossom, verbena, jasmine, stargazer lily, clove, sweet Napolitano cake, vanilla bean, jacaranda wood, fluid sandalwood and amber.


This is the first entry in the Fantasy line that I think could be classed as an 'adult' scent, and I think it is the best Fantasy fragrance released to date; although I also think this will remain as one of the least popular editions out of the Fantasy line as it isn't as edible and sweet as the other Fantasy perfumes.

Advantages: low price, for women of any age, men could wear this too 

Disadvantages: Only suitable for colder weather 

Summary: A fantastic scent for the festive season