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Best for Flirty Fun
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Best For Date Night
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Best Classic
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Simplicity and a casual-chic style is the core of the Calvin Klein brand. In fact, designer jeans weren’t even a thing until he started putting his name on the back pocket in the 1970s. Today, the CK brand is known for celebrity endorsements and is a well-respected brand in clothes, underwear, and accessories.
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When you choose a CK perfume, you are choosing something from a brand that is known to set trends, not follow them.
Our Top Calvin Klein Perfumes Picks for Women
Below are our top picks for Calvin Klein perfume. This guide will take you through the best CK perfumes for greater ease in selecting the one that’s perfect for you.
Best for Flirty Fun
Euphoria
CK Launched Euphoria in 2005 and ever since it has made countless best-of lists. Think about the feeling of sheer happiness as you eat a fruit salad on a picnic in a beautiful summer garden. That’s Euphoria.
The bright fruit scents mingle gently with the different florals and settle nicely with the base note of mahogany.
The bottle is a shape to behold. It has a unique curved shape with rose shades on the sides. The lid contrasts the soft curves of the bottle with rectangular sharp edges.
When To Wear Euphoria: The fruity and floral scents all make this a fun fragrance to wear on special occasions. It’s an explosion of sweet meets flirty.
Fragrance Notes: Top notes of pomegranate, persimmon, “lush green accord.” Heart notes of lotus blossom, champaca flower, black orchid. Base notes of liquid amber, black violet, cream accord, mahogany wood.
Sexy Date Night
Obsession
Obsession is a classic Calvin Klein perfume, launched in 1985. It is a more sensual and dramatic fragrance. Calvin Klein himself described it by saying, “I didn’t want an old-fashioned recipe, I wanted something direct, sensuous and provocative, which represents the way I feel about women.”
The bottle exudes the woody overtones and sensual nature of the perfume. It has elegant curves and dark colors throughout.
When To Wear Obsession: This is a more mature fragrance. Wear it on girls’ night out, date nights, or the times you want to feel sexy and alluring.
Fragrance Notes: Top Notes: Lemon, Mandarin, Bergamot, Peach, Jasmine, Rose, Orange blossom, Rosewood. Heart Notes: Coriander, Marigold, Armoise, Ylang ylang, Cedar, Sandalwood. Base notes: Amber, Oakmoss, Vanilla, Musk, Civet
Best Classic
Eternity
Calvin Klein launched Eternity in 1988, making this another fragrance that lots of people remember growing up with. It is said that Klein released it after he married Kelly Rector. This is one of the most feminine of his fragrances.
The design of the bottle is just as classic as the name implies. A tall, slender shape with silver hardware on top. It reminds you of the promise of a wedding ring.
When To Wear Eternity: This is the perfect fragrance to wear to work. It’s an all-occasion perfume that can also go from day to night without any effort.
Fragrance Notes: Top Notes: Freesia, Mandarin, Sage. Heart Notes: Muguet, White Lily, Marigold, Narcisse. Base notes: Patchouli, Sandalwood, Amber
Best Casual Weekend
CK One
This was launched as a unisex fragrance in 1994 and it quickly became synonymous with the youth of the 90s. But even so, this fragrance lives on and is still super popular among both men and women. The conglomeration of fruit with woodsy ingredients make for something everyone loves and feels amazing in.
Even the bottle is unisex and unassuming. It’s a simple shape with a silver twist top.
When To Wear CK One: Anytime is a great time to wear CK One. Wear it to the beach or when you are going out with friends. It’s both a casual fragrance and one that you can wear to work.
Fragrance Notes: Top Notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin, Fresh pineapple, Papaya, Cardamom, Green tree accord. Heart Notes: Hedione high cis (derived from jasmine), Violet, Rose, Lily of the valley, Freesia, Orris, Nutmeg, Green tree accord. Base notes: Green tea, Oakmoss, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Nutmeg, Musk, Amber, Green tree accord
Best for An Elegant Night Out
Beauty
Calvin Klein launched Beauty in 2010 as an elegant and beautiful fragrance for women. It is perfect for women that want something to wear that makes them feel beautiful instead of sensual. It exudes elegant sophistication.
This has very few notes, so you know what you smell when you put it on.
The bottle is timeless too. The round gold orb in the middle surrounded by elegant silver rings is pure elegance.
When To Wear Beauty: Wear this one when you want to feel dressed up. The jasmine makes it perfect for summer and springtime parties.
Fragrance Notes: Top notes: Ambrette Musk. Heart notes: Jasmine. Base notes: Virginia cedar.
Best for the Beach
CK IN2U
Calvin Klein launched CK IN2U in 2007 and it captures summertime in a bottle. There are so many citrus and sweet notes that all entangled in a truly happy way. It starts out with grapefruit – a fruit that plumps in the sun. And then on the dry down you will notice the warm vanilla and cedarwood.
The bottle even captures the essence of summertime. It looks like a beverage bottle. The glass swoops in an upward motion on the bottom, much like the waves on the beach.
When To Wear CK IN2U: The citrus and sweet vanilla notes make this a perfect late spring and summertime choice.
Fragrance Notes: Top Notes: Pink grapefruit, Redcurrant leaf, Sicilian bergamot. Heart Notes: Cactus, Orchid. Base notes: Ambergris, Red cedarwood, Vanilla
Most Unusual
Contradiction
Launched in 1997, Calvin Klein took a risk with this perfume and ever since wearers either love it or hate it. Perhaps it’s the eucalyptus notes since those aren’t used in perfumes very often.
It has a lot of fruity and powdery scents that make you think of fun times in the sun with your friends. It’s a fragrance that captures youth and sunshine.
The Contradiction bottle is an understated aluminum matt with just a little color showing through at the bottom.
When To Wear Contradiction: This is a casual fragrance with sweet notes. It’s great for younger women to wear to parties. The pear and peony notes make it perfect for spring and summertime.
Fragrance Notes: Top Notes: Peony, Rose, Lily, Lily of the valley, Orchid, Philadelphus. Heart Notes: Pear, Blackberry, Eucalyptus, Lilac, Jasmine. Base notes: Musk, Sandalwood, Tonka bean
Best for Versatility
Escape
Escape was launched in 1991 as an outdoorsy fragrance. People who wear it feel like they smell the melons strongest, with floral and musk hints beneath it. It captures fruits and flowers in a very easy-to-wear combination.
Much like other CK fragrances, the Escape bottle is sleek and understated.
When To Wear CK Escape: You can wear this anytime. It really does change depending on who wears it. It’s perfect for a full day of work.
Fragrance Notes: Top Notes: Mandarin, Apple, Blackcurrant bud, Apricot, Melon, Peach, Plum, Bergamot, Calone, Chamomile. Heart Notes:
Jasmine, Rose, Carnation, Cyclamen, Lily of the valley, Heliotrope, Orris, Rosewood, Clove, Coriander. Base notes: Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Musk, Oakmoss, Amber, Vanilla
Best Wear to Work
Women
The newest one on the list, Calvin Klein launched Women in 2018. It was launched by an all-star all-female team, making it for women, by women. It combines both the strength and tenderness of the female experience. It has a woody floral scent that communicates both confidence and sophistication.
The bottle has an off-center lid with a delicate pink liquid in clear glass.
When To Wear Women: This is a fragrance you can wear literally any time at all. It’s the best when you want to feel a burst of confidence, so wear it to work or when you have a presentation.
Fragrance Notes: Top Notes: Eucalyptus, Acorns. Middle Notes: Orange Flower. Bottom Notes: Alaskan Cedarwood
What are the different types of perfume?
This list will cover the Eau de Parfum versions of CK fragrances. But when you go shopping you’ll notice a range of choices – Eau de Toilette, and body mist among them. Here are the different types of perfumes you’ll find and what they mean:
- Eau de Parfum – stronger, less diluted fragrance with a stronger scent
- Eau de Toilette – the fragrance is diluted in more alcohol with a light scent
- Body Mist – super diluted fragrance. Doesn’t last very long when you put it on, requires multiple applications.
This also means that while EDTs will be priced lower, you might have to apply more of it to obtain the same effect as EDPs. So for the purpose of this roundup, we are only going to describe the EDPs.
How to Choose a Calvin Klein Perfume
Calvin Klein produces eloquence and confidence in a bottle. Since so many of their fragrances are so likable, it might be intimidating to find on that is perfect for you.
First, try to pinpoint whether you prefer perfumes that are fruity, floral, sweet, or sensual. Once you narrow that down, you can begin picking out a few to try and then select your favorite.
It might take going to a perfume counter and testing them out. And that’s just fine. Sometimes perfume can be just as personal a choice as your shoes!
About Calvin Klein and His Beginnings
Calvin Klein started out as a designer of jeans and underwear. He is now one of the fashion industry’s famous name and brand. As a boy he learned to sketch and sew all by himself and even won a place at New York’s High School of Art and Design.
He also managed to join the Fashion Institute of Technology and this is when he was inspired to create clothes. After having worked for some Seventh Avenue fashion houses for around five years, he decided to launch his own brand with the help of his childhood friend Barry Schwartz.
Schwartz invested $10,000 in Klein to start making his first designs which were coats. To this day, Schwartz is still part of the house of Calvin Klein.
He is one of the most influential people in the fashion design industry up to now. He also changed the way advertising was conducted when he asked Richard Avedon to photograph a very young Brooke Shields for his 1979 jeans campaign. This ad ran with the now famous slogan, You know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.
The press and most of the young people at that time went crazy for Calvin Klein jeans and underwear. Supermodel Kate Moss, who was then not so well known, also helped launch his Calvin Klein perfume, cK one.
In 1975, Vogue magazine described him as a definitive picture of the American look. In 1970, he also ventured into sportswear and introduced his designer jeans in the late 70’s. Boxer shorts followed and soon his first ever Calvin Klein perfume, named Obsession. His cosmetics department, including Calvin Klein perfume, is licensed to Unilever but Calvin Klein Inc still markets and carries the brand name.
Most of the Calvin Klein perfume lines are now more accommodating to the younger and trendier age group. The House of Calvin Klein made an effort to be more accessible and more visible to the new generation. This includes the famous Calvin Klein perfume lines which are now trendier and also caters to the hip young crowd.
The Calvin Klein perfume roster includes scents like Obsession, cK one, Eternity, Euphoria, Escape for men and Contradiction. Most of the Calvin Klein perfumes are refreshing, with an incredibly clean scent that makes us think of wide open spaces and romance. His perfumes are globally well known and in demand. They sometimes do not need that much advertising because the brand name can market itself.
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Annie is a self-motivated, ambitious, enthusiastic individual and a self-proclaimed "people person." Her passion for communication and problem-solving is evident in a variety of media. She currently lives with her family in Washington DC.