Phantom by Paco Rabanne is a Woody Aromatic fragrance for men released in 2021 as an Eau de Toilette. The perfumers behind this relatively new fragrance are Anne Flipo, Dominique Ropion, Loc Dong, and Juliette Karagueuzoglou.
Phantom has been quite popular ever since it’s been released, and in 2022, it was followed up by Phantom Legion. The keynotes of this Woody Aromatic fragrance are Lavender, Lemon, Apple, Patchouli, and Vanilla.
A note by the brand:
Phantom, the new fragrance for men by Paco Rabanne.The essence of self-confidence, fueled by feel good energies. A futuristic aromatic fragrance born from the clash between luxury craftmanship and new-tech. A bold scent with notes of addictive creamy lavender, energizing fusing lemon and sexy woody vanilla. Radically different, totally disruptive: discover our first connected bottle ever.
| Perfume Name | Phantom |
| Brand | Paco Rabanne |
| Year Released | 2021 |
| Concentration | Eau de Toilette |
| Scent Family | Woody Aromatic |
| Gender | men |
This odd-shaped robotic bottle of this fragrance has intrigued me for some time now. A few weeks ago, I finally got my hands on a travel-size bottle of this scent.
What does Phantom by Paco Rabanne smell like?
Phantom can be a whirlwind of smells, as if there’s almost a rotation of the notes at times. What I pick up clearly is the lemon, lavender, earth, and vanilla. It can come off a bit dirty but in a rather appealing way.
This scent profile reminds me of Versace Eros and Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male. However, Versace Eros has more of an edginess to it that I prefer. It also makes me think of JP Gaultier Le Beau. Although the opening Phantom has something reminiscent of Paco Rabanne’s 1 Million perfume for a few seconds, then it goes immediately into Le Beau territory.
This fragrance makes me think of a young, good-looking guy that’s charming but not in your face. The type of guy that’s confident without feeling like he has to prove something, so he lets his true personality shine through unapologetically.
| Top Notes | Lavender, Lemon Zest and Amalfi Lemon |
| Middle Notes | Lavender, Smoke, Earthy Notes, Apple and Patchouli |
| Base Notes | Vanilla, Lavender and Vetiver |
My Experience
The opening of Phantom is distinctly citrusy with the apple and lemon notes. I really like the semi-tropical and sweet vibe of it. Sometimes it feels like I’m getting a hint of pina colada. Now that I’ve tried it a few times, the juicy opening of the scent is by far my favorite part of it, and I only wished it lasted longer.
Once these juicy opening notes disappear, I start liking the scent less. The earthiness that the lavender adds is certainly interesting, and the patchouli is also the star of the show for a while. I sometimes can even detect a bit of smokiness.
However, in the end, I’m just left with the vanilla and lavender which for an aromatic creaminess. It’s certainly not bad, but I’m by no means blown away.
Sillage & Projection
I expected the sillage to be quite huge initially, as I just sprayed the fragrance. However, even at its peak, it’s only moderate and then quite quickly becomes a skin scent. I’d also classify the projection as being moderate on my skin.
Longevity & Versatility
Phantom is a super versatile scent that will work well for almost any occasion – from the office to date night to a club. Just spray it responsibly, and it will do what you need it to do. Phantom will really work at its best in the colder weather of autumn and winter.
Beware, this is definitely not the best choice in overly hot weather or crowded, sweaty places because it will be very cloying. In terms of projection, I can easily get around 6 to 7 hours of wear.
Closing thoughts
I would say this fragrance is more youthful, but I think anyone should be able to pull it off. That being said, it’s definitely not a safe blind buy, especially if someone is looking for a very typical masculine-smelling scent. It’s one of those fragrances where you really first have to smell it on yourself and see how it develops on your skin before you can make a judgement.
If you like Eros or the Le Male line, you will probably like this too. So if this is a scent profile you like it’s full bottle worthy, in my opinion.