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Phantom is a release from Paco Rabanne that has become very popular with the public since its release. It’s one that I don’t completely understand personally, but enough folks seem to enjoy the scent. Anyway, the brand has followed up the original Phantom with a newer Parfum version in 2023.
Which of these robot bottled colognes smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy? I’ve tested each and the following are my results.
Quick Overview
🏆 My Verdict
Phantom Parfum wins on opening, projection, longevity, and overall scent, while versatility is basically a tie.
Buy Phantom Parfum if you want the fresher, stronger, and better-performing version with a smoother citrus opening and longer-lasting projection.
Buy the original Phantom if you specifically prefer the apple note and slightly juicier tropical sweetness, but overall Parfum is the better buy.
| Category | Phantom | Phantom Parfum | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening | Apple, lemon, lavender, vanilla, and a juicy semi-tropical sweetness | Lemon, bergamot, rhubarb, cardamom, and a fresher colder citrus opening | Phantom Parfum |
| Projection | Strong start, then quickly falls to moderate and later lighter | Stronger start and stays upper-moderate for much longer | Phantom Parfum |
| Longevity | Around 6–7 hours | Around 8–9 hours | Phantom Parfum |
| Versatility | Autumn/winter, younger, casual, nightlife | Autumn/winter, younger, casual, nightlife | Push |
| Overall Scent | Nice opening, but becomes a more average patchouli-heavy sweet scent later | More of the best parts of Phantom with stronger performance and better citrus freshness | Phantom Parfum |
| Best For | Fans of the original apple-heavy Phantom opening | Those who want the stronger, fresher, better-performing flanker | — |
Tale of the Tape: Phantom vs. Phantom Parfum
Phantom
Notes include: lemon, lemon zest, lavender, patchouli, vetiver, apple, smoke, and more
Click here to try: Phantom by Paco Rabanne
My Full Review: Phantom
Phantom Parfum
Notes include: bergamot, lemon, rhubarb, cardamom, lavender, patchouli, vanilla, geranium, balsam, cedar
Click here to try: Phantom Parfum
Read my review: Parfum
Opening
With Phantom, I actually kind of like the start. Phantom kicks things off with apple and lemon notes, creating a juiciness that is quite nice. The aroma is semi-tropical and sweet, with the way it ties together.
Under that, is lavender and vanilla, further pushing the aromatic creaminess.
That juicy citrus fruit opening will be pushed out by a drier and earthy aroma. The juiciness fades, and patchouli will have its time to shine, with an herbal sort of spice coming together. It dirties it up, and yes, there is a touch of smoke.
With Parfum, we get a stronger use of the citrus up top. That lemon, bergamot, and semi-tropical aroma is back, longer lasting, and better than the original.
With that, you get a rhubarb and cardamom in lieu of the apple note. Once the fruitiness has toned down, this one feels fresher and colder. Slightly greenish undertones, in the early stages.
Which is better? I think Parfum is preferable. I like the start of the original, but I think that Parfum is more appealing in comparison.
Edge: Parfum
Projection
The original Phantom starts off quite strong, but will pretty quickly decay into something moderate, and finally a lighter scent that I can catch whiffs of.
It wasn’t a sillage powerhouse, but could be decent.
With Parfum, I do get a bit of a stronger start. Not by much, though. However, the real value with it, is how long it lasts at a higher level.
Phantom Parfum doesn’t just quickly fall off and it will be in the upper moderate range of projection for a large portion of the wear.
Edge: Parfum
Longevity
With the original Phantom, I could get 6-7 hours of wear on my skin. It wasn’t great, but it was fairly solid, as a fragrance.
The Parfum version will go a bit further. During testing, it lasted 8-9 hours. Not a ton of extra time, but it is noticeably stronger and lasts longer.
Phantom Parfum easily takes this.
Edge: Parfum
Versatility
I don’t think there’s any real distinction here. Both are built better for the autumn and winter months. Neither is going to hold up well in the heat and humidity.
Parfum isn’t different enough to change what the Phantom DNA is all about. Skews younger, casual, can be worn out at night, etc.
To me, this is a tie.
Edge: Push
Overall Scent
Overall, which of these Paco Rabanne fragrances do I prefer?
Phantom never did much for me. I didn’t completely hate it. I enjoyed the apple and lemon peel notes, after the initial spray. When those two blend with everything else it’s nice.
After that, Phantom was basically just an average scent. Nothing really stood out about it.
Phantom Parfum gives me more of the parts that I like, with more performance.
Parfum doesn’t completely win me over to the Phantom line, as I personally still don’t want a bottle of either. However, I do like it more than the original.
Note: If you still can’t decide between these two, you could get a similar fragrance to the original Phantom for cheaper by the Dua Brand called: Error 414. Then, buy Phantom Parfum also.
The dry down is a big dose of vanilla, some woods, and a now generic sweetness from the top notes. That initial ‘tropical’ scent isn’t there anymore and it has the same vibe as any number of Paco Rabanne scents after that.
In the end, if you liked the original Phantom, you should try Parfum. If you didn’t, I don’t think you need to put Parfum through its paces. Even if, it is the best between them.
Winner: Phantom Parfum
Who Should Buy Each?
Choose Phantom if:
You prefer the original Paco Rabanne Phantom DNA
You like apple, lemon, lavender, vanilla, and juicy sweet openings
You enjoy the more tropical fruity feel at the start
You do not mind average performance after the opening fades
You mainly care about the original opening rather than the full wear experience
Choose Phantom Parfum if:
You want the better overall fragrance
You prefer stronger citrus with bergamot, lemon, rhubarb, and cardamom
You want better projection and longer-lasting performance
You like fresher, colder openings with smoother development
You want the best version of the Phantom line based on this comparison
Paco Rabanne Phantom FAQ
Which Paco Rabanne Phantom should I buy first?
This is a line that I think that you should try before spending. Again, I’m not a big fan of any of these, but the answer is probably Phantom Parfum or maybe Phantom Intense. I haven’t tried every single release as of now, but those would be my picks if I had to purchase a Phantom cologne.
Is Phantom more fruity than Phantom Parfum?
Actually, Parfum has more of an initial fruitier kick and it also lasts longer. That’s part of its appeal for me in comparison to the original. But, Phantom comes across as sweeter, while Parfum is more citrusy.
Are Phantom and Phantom Parfum very similar?
They are quite similar. The differences are that Parfum is a smoother experience and the dry down periods are different with how they smell. Woods and vanilla, mostly.
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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with the different fragrances that I’ve owned, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, that new hobby grew into a consistent passion, helping millions of readers along the way. I have personally written reviews for well over 800 perfumes and colognes for both men and women. This is along with writing hundreds of other in-depth fragrance guides. You can also follow me on: YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok!