Fantome - Black Friday 2019 Haul

as a scent hound living literally across the world from most indie perfumeries in the USA, one of the major challenges i faced with this hobby was managing shipping costs, especially when these could reach large amounts disproportionate to the price of the stuff i was buying.

so when i found out that Fantôme offered free shipping on all orders over US$35, whether domestic or international, whether during a sale period or as part of regular policy, i definitely knew that it would be worth my while to try what they were offering. 

i was mulling over what to get for a while, so when black friday 2019 dropped, the extra goodies for spending over certain amounts made my purchase even more compelling, and i ended up getting one of everything. literally. i crossed the US$100 tier in this order, which allowed me to pick two free 10mls and a 3-pack of sample vials as a bonus - surprisingly, quite a good deal!

i like that Fantôme's samples for perfume oils come in half-drams (slightly more than 1.5ml), which is a nice size to try out and play around with compared to the typical 1ml or smaller vials. the math (in terms of number of bottles) also checked out very nicely such that i was able to try one of everything available in their collection at that time.

i blind-selected the two 10mls based solely on their notes alone, picking what i thought would be my favorites from the whole collection available. it was not an easy decision because everything looked so good, but the two which made it were Kensington (Vanilla, citrusy, creamy, floral. Earl Grey tea, cashmere, dark vanilla bean, smooth cedar, dried rose petals, mandarin zest, pink peppercorn, and a burst of fresh bergamot) and Ectoplasm (Spooky, goopy marshmallow over bone-chilling white musk, sweet amber, a gossamer sugar glaze, dark myrrh, and creeping greenery).

i also got sample vials of the rest of the 12 perfumes in their general catalogue (Kensington being the 12th):

• Amria (Sultry, dark, mysterious. Crushed rose petals, honeyed figs, black currants, and black tea. Hints of tonka bean, orange blossom, amber, and dragon's blood.)

• Arashiyama (Fresh, musky, and atmospheric. Rain-drenched bamboo, fresh aomikan slices, Japanese pear, cherry blossom, sandalwood, ginger, white tea, and faded perfume musk.)

• Apsara (Sweet, balsamic, resinous. Juicy black figs, hibiscus nectar, smooth patchouli, iris, resinuous woods, aged frankincense, benzoin, and spices. *Not vegan)

• Duende (Atmospheric, green, woody. Evokes the smell of being lost in a forest—with oakmoss, cedar, fir, resinous labdanum, benzoin, tree sap, wild violets, and lilac.)

• Eos (Bright, fruity, citrusy. Tart lemonade with fresh raspberries, candied rose petals, wild berries, and a hint of zesty ginger.)

• Faun (Green, deep, musky. Opens with a deceptive hint of sweetness from neroli, grapefruit, and iris—then deepens into dark vetiver, oakmoss swirled in amber, and hints of animalistic musk.)

• Lycanthrope (Bright, crisp, and citrusy. Spicy tomato leaf, dark honey, and oakmoss, with hints of peach, lychee, ivy, vanilla, and tomatoes fresh from the vine.)

• Lymphae (Aquatic, floral, and atmospheric. Fresh musk, cool vanilla, a swift-running stream, Italian lilac, orange blossom, damp earth, and the ozone of spring thunderstorms.)

• Olwyn (Velvety, floral, gourmand. Magnolias, plush white lilies, night-blooming jasmine, and gardenias over rich, buttery vanilla, myrrh, benzoin, and a hint of orange blossom. *Not vegan)

• Surem (Warm, earthy, resinous. Honeysuckle, cedar, labdanum, myrrh, creosote, musk, and tobacco evoke the rich and complex scent of the warm Mojave sun.)

• Triton (Oceanic, green, resinous. Murky sea water, ambergris, ancient forest mosses, crushed leaves, frankincense, resins, ozone, with a hint of citrus.)

plus the entire Japan collection in sample vials:

• Gion (Powdery, floral, classic. Delicate ume (plum) blossom, rose-scented makeup powder, white tea, creamy honey, paper parasols.)

• Kinmokusei (Fruity, floral, resinuous. Ripe apricot, juicy peach, tree sap, golden blossoms with a hint of citrus, and deep, resinous amber.)

• Kuidaore (Gourmand, vanilla, sweet. Fried pastry dough, fluffy vanilla cream filling, and a light dusting of matcha powder.)

• Kyuu Kohi (Tropical, atmospheric, balmy. Coffee, incense, a warm tropical breeze, summer rain, vanilla.)

• Namba (Aquatic, atmospheric, vanilla. Salt water canals, melted vanilla ice cream, buzzing neon, and a grounding hint of motor oil.)

• Tatami (Warm, earthy, resinous. The welcoming and familiar scent of a Japanese temple. Tatami--rice straw mats warmed in the sun--with a hint of temple incense.)

and sample vials of the entire Spiritualism collection:

• Ectoplasm (Spooky, goopy marshmallow over bone-chilling white musk, sweet amber, a gossamer sugar glaze, dark myrrh, and creeping greenery.)

• The Fox Sisters (Spiced cardamom cake with orange zest and candied red currants, caramel cream, dragon’s blood resin, and flecks of vanilla bean.)

• Madame d'Espérance (White sage laced with creamy jasmine, sensual red patchouli, frankincense, dusty cedar, a hint of rose, and intoxicating ambrette.)

• Mesmer (Deep, luxurious oudh, refined vetiver, cool frankincense, slightly salty ambergris, smooth myrrh, and dark patchouli.)

• Not Dead, but Arisen (Freshly turned grave soil and spring greenery lie beneath uplifting orange and crisp yuzu.)

• One White Crow (A soft, classic fougère with creamy white tea, airy vanilla, violets, and honeysuckle over a bed of moss and ivy.)

• Parlour (A darkly polished mahogany rapping table, spirit boards, sweet rosewood chests, burning incense, and a hint of vetiver.)

• Rochester (Rich earth, crisp fallen leaves, sweet tobacco, a hint of patchouli, garden tomato, and newly ripened autumn gourds.)

the owners Bree and Megan were also very generous - as with most indie companies, i was pleasantly surprised to find that together with the rest of my purchases, i also received three smaller sample vials of Kensington, Kyuu Kohi and Surem, and a beautiful tiny glass bottle containing some frankincense with a mini handwritten tag. it smelled amazing and best of all, it looks so pretty next to my growing scent collection.

moreover, the turnaround time of 3 working days was one of the most impressive i've had so far - i placed my order on december 2, got my shipping notification on december 5 and received my package in perfect condition on december 16. will definitely be going back for more!

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this review is of perfumes that i had purchased at regular price with my own money. i wasn’t asked to review this as a condition of receipt and didn’t receive any incentives for writing this. i’m not affiliated with Fantôme and as always, all opinions remain my own.

Fantôme's catalogue is available here. prices are US$32 for a choose-your-own pack of seven samples. 

all information correct at time of publishing.