Circus Fantasy by Britney Spears

🎪 Circus Fantasy (Batch 2016) – A timeless gem. My bottle from nine years ago is still a wonder: the longevity is incredible; I wear it in the morning and the next day I can still detect that powdery violet dry-down on my skin. This batch has a depth that current reformulations have lost; now they are lighter and more youthful. Mine balances the fruity and floral notes without being cloying. The heart is creamier, and the violet in the dry-down is much more pronounced. If you find an old batch, do not pass it up: it is an aromatic capsule from another era.

It is super aquatic, but the longevity leaves much to be desired: it does not last more than four hours, not even on clothes. Ideal for spring, summer and daily wear. I would not recommend it because there are other aquatic fragrances with better longevity and projection at that price point, such as Cool Water, Blue Seduction or Armaf Voyage Hawai. These are aquatic florals that last longer.

It would be perfect if it did not have those woody notes.

I tried it at a discount pharmacy. I do not know if it was the tester, but it seemed awful to me. What a pity.

It is similar to Cacharel’s Amor Amor, but more youthful.

For me, it has nothing sweet about it; it’s more fresh, marine and aquatic. Ideal for the beach or a poolside terrace. The scent is lovely and youthful with a soft trail, but the longevity was very weak; in the end, I gave it away. It’s not unpleasant, but I expected something more gourmand based on the notes, and it wasn’t.

It’s too fresh; I don’t sense any sweetness, but rather an aquatic and woody vibe. It stands out in the heat for being fresh. Perhaps it’s undervalued; it’s not a common or mass-market scent, but an original one not for everyone. I always receive compliments when I wear it, from both men and women.

Based on the notes, I expected something sweeter. I saw reviews saying it’s dry, fresh or aquatic, and I thought: how can it be if the notes are sweet? Well, yes, it’s fresh, to the point where it could pass as unisex. I’m a lover of sweet and gourmand scents, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s very pleasant and has an excellent trail, better than Hidden or Midnight Fantasy, which are softer. It seems spring and summer appropriate, but I think it works all year round; it’s a very clean all-rounder.

I really like it; it was a 15th birthday gift and at 25 it’s still the same, what a pity they discontinued it. I bought it again at a flash sale for 690 pesos. It’s very sweet, fruity, perfect for school and everyday wear. Better suited for spring, summer or winter due to the sweetness; if you don’t like sweet scents, it’s not for you.

I read so many contradictory reviews that I hesitated to buy it and almost left it for the end of my Fantasy collection. Finally, I decided: for me, it’s a 10. I adore it. At first, I notice the scent of the fruits from Amor Amor 2003 (I think they reformulated it as I can’t smell them the same way anymore), but with time it settles into an aquatic scent like Light Blue. It has become one of my favourites in the line. 💙

To be honest, it sits somewhere between ‘I like it’ and ‘I’m indifferent’ for me; I can’t decide. It’s pleasant, but it has a spicy little touch I can’t quite describe, a bit strong for my nose.

The least sweet of the entire Fantasy line I’ve tried. It’s pleasant, but the longevity is short.

Circus Fantasy, what can I say… In my opinion, it’s not an Eau de Parfum; I’d categorise it more as an Eau de Toilette due to its short longevity (barely 3 hours). Out of the whole Fantasy line, it’s the one I like the least; however, its opening is citrusy, you can feel the raspberry and peach, giving way to a subtle vanilla close to the skin. The formula remains intact since its launch, as I’ve bought it 4 times, freshly released in my country as gifts from my brothers for Three Kings Day or birthdays (they know my tastes regarding Britney). Since it launched in Spain in March 2009, it has been the same scent and durability. It was only discontinued in perfumeries after about 3 years… it’s easy to buy online in Spain for 15€ for the 100ml size. For me, it smells good, I absolutely don’t dislike it; I’ll use it in summer or spring as its notes suit that season more, and for the day, it won’t be one of my night perfumes. Edit: I’ve been wearing it for several days in May, and with the heat, the notes become more pronounced and it lasts longer, approximately 7 hours in humid and warm weather. That said, I sometimes feel it’s masculine; I’d say it’s the most masculine of Britney’s scents.

It was a blind buy because I got it at a good price online, and I don’t know why my first impression was so bad. I suppose it was too early when I tested it on my skin, because the first thing I thought was ‘this is going to give me a headache’. I’m still learning to distinguish the notes, but it was like a very strong synthetic raspberry juice concentrate. Before drawing conclusions, I let it dry for a while, and after a few minutes, the vanilla and the sweet base notes started to take space, which ‘calmed’ that strident raspberry a bit. However, I kept using it for several days, and it never gave me that unpleasant sensation again. Now I feel it like a super delicious sugar-raspberry juice; it automatically puts me in a good mood. It makes me want to have one of those little shaped shot glasses. It’s a fun, summery, relaxed fragrance; I don’t know if it reminds me of a circus (I’ve never been to one, at least not a traditional one), but it does transport me to an amusement park near a beach, or a fun walk on a holiday trip with friends. It’s perfect for this time of year (spring-summer) and for the day, in my opinion. I would use it every day if it weren’t so hard to get, at least in my country. The longevity and trail on my skin are moderate to weak; after 3 hours, I feel it very close to the skin and have to reapply, but honestly, given the price I got it for and how beautiful the bottle is, I’m more than happy.

At first, this fragrance evokes the scent of freshly cut cane, along with water lily and peony, then I feel an accord like melon and a ghostly raspberry, and finally a sweet mint. I barely perceived the rest of the notes. I really liked the scent, however, the longevity on my skin is terrible and the trail is weak, so I wouldn’t buy it again despite its cheap price. Although it’s sweet, it looks very good in hot weather. The bottle is very cute and the colour suits this scent perfectly. A pity about the longevity… 🙁