An escape into bliss? [reviewing Blissful Fantasy edt, by Britney Spears]

Inspired by Britney's eternally sunny mood. Paradise is not a singular place. It is a state of mind. Escape into your own bliss.

The Fantasy line from Britney Spears fragrances hit a bump for a while and produced a string of 'meh' releases, but after changing hands from Elizabeth Arden to Revlon several years ago the brand has been revived and they have been producing hit after hit into the Fantasy family over the past few years.

Therefore it's no surprise that as soon as Blissful Fantasy appeared on the Superdrug site at the end of February, I was all over it...

The melon note develops instantly and lasts all the way through Blissful Fantasy, giving it a tropical, freshly sweet touch from the start - it gives the fragrance a happy, fun & sunny vibe. I also pick up on hint of something vaguely orange-like underneath the melon; tangerine maybe?

The strongest & fastest-developing florals in here are the lily and the tuberose for me - I've personally have always found both of thse floral notes tart & 'chilly', but I find that the jasmine & tiara helps to warm it up a bit and add a touch of sweetness.

The differences between the opening, heart, and base stages are very subtle, thanks to the longwearing fruit, lily & tuberose notes.  I've never been able to separate the promised freesia and only detect the powdery iris some of the time. The musk is detectable, as is the sandalwood, though they are subtle.

The fragrance is light and close-to-the-skin, so it's hard to say exactly how long it wears, but I'd give a rough estimate of 4/5 hours. Not the most awful longevity for a edt, but not particually good when compared against the last few most recent Fantasy edt flankers - spritzing some of on your hair, bra or tank is ideal for longer wear.

Official key scent notes: Fire lily, honeydew melon, freesia, jasmine, tuberose, tiara, sandalwood, musk, and iris.

Blissful Fantasy doesn't remind me of Fantasy scent-wise, as the fruit notes are lighter than has been common for the line, and there are no overtly sugary accords present. If I had to compare it against other Britney Spears fragrances, I'd say that Blissful Fantasy definitely leans more on the white floral side and is like a mix of Radiance and a healthy splash of Curious.

Blissful Fantasy is one of those Fantasy flankers that is in the middle of the likeable scale for me; good enough for me to recommend picking it up when you see it somewhere on special offer, as it makes a pleasant option for a affordable 'everyday' spring/summer fragrance. However I wouldn't reccomend paying full-price for it, as I don't think that it is on the same quality level as the previous 4 Fantasy flankers [Festive, Intense, Sheer & Electric] have been. So if you want a more casual and relaxed spring/summer fragrance, collect Britney Spears fragrances, or want a non-offensive fragrance as a gift option for someone, then Blissful Fantasy is worth checking out. Everyone else can hold fire for a bit and wait for a sale.

At the time of starting my notes, Blissful Fantasy is only at Superdrug [both online & in store]; 30ml is £23 and 100ml is £37.

Other retailers will begin to stock the fragrance in the coming weeks.