Calvin Klein

Contradiction (floral woody musk)

I became interested in this fragrance after reading comments. I thought it might me an ideal present for a woman whose tastes you don't know well. It's quiet impossible to find it in major shops only in internet-shops. And I'm afraid to buy without try. I was so surprised to see Contradiction in one big shop. I didn't hesitate a minute to test it.

Calvin Klein feels the time and creates fragrances which are in the full harmony with certain times and generations and more over they set trends.
Contradiction is a fragrance for an active urban woman, "she is always and never the same". Intensive floriental with a pronounced metal nuance was very actual in later 1990-ties.

The composition opens with the floral notes of rose, peony, jasmine and lily-of-the-valley. The new and modern note of eucaliptus in the middle is refreshing the classic floral buquet. The heart blends with eucaliptus, pear blossom, orchid and syringa. Oriental base includes sandal and Tonka bean.
The perfume was designed by Ann Gottlieb 1998.

Contradiction desappointed me from the very beginning. First it was too metallic. According to creator's conception it's supposed to be one of carachteristics of urban life. I don't like metallic smells at all.

The second thing I didn't appreciate is the rose that became too soapy. Thanks to God this scent didn't last very long on my wrist. It's one more example how dangerous the buying withoyt trying is. And I didn't get at all what of contradictory is in this smell.

My definition: metallic soap

Secret Obsession (oriental floral)

Since this fragrance was released in 2008 I heard and read only bad comments about it - almost everybody said it was stinking. I had the opportunity to try it only today (08.08.09). I can't say it's too bad, but too easy and really doesn't worth attention.

Secret Obsession by Calvin Klein is oriental floral fragrance for women. The noses behind this fragrance are Givaudan and Ann Gottlieb. Top notes are exotic plum, nutmeg (mace) and rose de damasc; middle notes are Egyptian jasmine, French orange blossom and seductive tuberose; base notes are cashmere woods, Madagascar vanilla, burnt amber and Australian sandalwood.

Launching of Secret Obsession fragrance is announced for September 2008. including Eva Mendes in new provocative campaign.

The campaign for the fragrance Secret Obsession has already caused a lot of fuzz. Commercial showing Eva with impure thoughts emphasizes provocation with Eva's sexy voice which tells all her sexual secrets. TV networks and advertisers did not like the commercial, precisely because of too accentuated sexual implementations.

Print campaign was created in black and white version with Eva in passionate rapture on the photographs. It is mentioned by the house CK that the video commercial tells the whole story, while print form of photographs can capture just one moment of passion. Fashion and lifestyle magazines will publish the commercial from September 2008.

And what did Eva Mendes say about the perfume when she tried it? 'When I first tried Secret Obsession, I was completely taken over by it. When you first try some kind of food and you instantly have a craving for another bite – that is exactly how I felt when I tried the perfume Secret Obsession.

Unfortunately I haven't tested previous Obsessions by CK, the comparations are inevitable in this case. As for me, the sensual video (by the way, very similar to Shalimar ad) is in total disaccordance with the fragrance which is not sexy at all.

I can smell mainly plum in sweet combination of vanilla and amber that creates impression of plum jam. I think the main mistake of creators of this perfume was to apply to its sexuality and to set it up for women. As far as I can see, if Secret obsession was aimed to younger "girly" auditory (like Nina New), it would have found much more fans (like Nina did).

As soon as plum desappears, the scent becomes very unclear and indiscriminate. I can't feel it anymore. The lasting power is poor, about 2-3 hours.

My definition: plum jam