Duende

Hated it on paper, loved it on me. First opens up strange and sweet, a touch too much amber for my taste. Then, the forest takes hold. Beautiful firs and their light coloured sap on a mild spring day (a perfect 72 degrees). Afterwards, she (definitely a she) becomes shy. The lilac peeks through. I wouldnt describe the scent as dark at all, compared to something like a Beaufort (I was honestly expecting it to be that dark). It’s much more playful, lighthearted, but still memorable. Like a beautiful spring walk you’ll never forget, but as there were no significant happenings, you’re not sure why you remember it so fondly.

I received a free sample in a dabber vial with my order. This scent is so comforting. This is Mei falling asleep on Totoro in the middle of a bed of greenery. The fir and forest notes soften after the first few minutes into something warm and calming. The violet is gentle which is good because that note gets overwhelming to me very easily. I prefer more sillage so I wouldn't go for a full bottle at this point.

This is very floral sweet and almost soapy on me, I don't get any of the mossy/woody notes. On first spray it smelt like Lush. Not a specific scent, just the whole store when you walk into it. I like violet and lilac so I don't mind! But I feel like I'm missing out on the moody depth others are describing

This one is a little disappointing. It’s ALMOST onto something, but the violet makes it too sweet and candy-like. The damp forest notes are interesting, but get drowned out by that violet unfortunately.

This scent feels like a mossy dark forest, the trees cover everything and leave no room for light. For some reason the violet comes through on me strongly. I don't mind it though.

reminds me of christmas. not my type of scent, but very pleasant.

This is a review for the perfume OIL version, I don't know how it compares to the EDP. I feel like the scent accords for this one are a bit misleading, I didn't get very much if any ambery accord. For me Duende was leathery and floral which didn't jam well together. I didn't pick this scent (and probably wouldn't have based on notes) but it was included as a sample in my perfume oil samples order.

This is one I would have blind-bought if I didn't get a sample so I'm glad I did get a sample and didn't blind buy. It is pretty mediocre, it smells fresh and leans a little masculine imo, like fresh mountain air when you've climbed a large rock and are looking out onto the forest below but in a generic way that a room or linen deodoriser would be. I wouldn't think someone was wearing a perfume wearing this, I would just assume they were in an ozonic/green area and they rubbed up on stuff and their clothes/hair/skin held onto a bit of that. There is no sweetness until the purple florals come through in 20 mins but they are light and not 'feminine', more of a general slight 'flower garden waft' with no specific scent and nothing in this is making it unique enough/hooking me but that is ok because Fantome have many other beautiful scents, this one just isn't what I was hoping for. This is something I would buy a guy who I just started dating because it's a safe 'clean man' smell and they could just layer it if they didn't love it because it is so neutral.

Super sweet ambery violets with lots of fresh green in the background. It smells like eating an intoxicatingly sweet lollipop in the forest. I'm genuinely shocked that there isn't a sugar or berry note. It's so so sweet. I was kinda expecting something more earthy and naturally sweet, but I still love this. I layer it with my wet soil perfume from Solstice Scents(During the Rain) and it really grounds the sweet notes of Duende. I feel like a forest fairy who was just done picking fruits and flowers from the soil with that combo hehe.

Fantôme Duende is a craggy, forested floral with entangled elements of tree sap, jagged rocky hills, and purple flowers. It calls to mind Backworld’s song, “The Devil’s Plaything“: As in a ruin where violets grow / In moss-covered fields / On cold marble stone... But it also makes me think of Mikey Bustos’ “Filipino Mythical Creatures Rap.” These, you will surely note, are two very different songs.