CK be by Calvin Klein
Men Women 1996
Description
CK be by Calvin Klein is a floral musky woody fragrance for men and women. Launched in 1996, the nose behind this composition is René Morgenthaler. The top notes reveal lavender, green notes, bergamot, mint, juniper, and mandarin; the heart unfolds green grass, jasmine, peach, freesia, magnolia, and orchid; while the base notes settle on musk, sandalwood, cedar, vanilla, amber,…
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When to wear it (votes)
Key notes
-
Top
lavender
-
Heart
Green Grass
- Base musk
Community
6,717 votes
- Positive 74%
- Negative 13%
- Neutral 13%
The olfactory pyramid
A guide to the opening, heart and lasting trail of the fragrance.
The community speaks
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In the collection
Leading answer I own it
19,248 votes
What do you think?
Leading answer Like it
6,717 votes
Season
Choose severalLeading answer Summer
7,985 votes
Time of day
Choose severalLeading answer Day
4,338 votes
Each question has its own vote count. You can choose several seasons.
Fragrance profile
About CK be
CK be by Calvin Klein is a floral musky woody fragrance for men and women. Launched in 1996, the nose behind this composition is René Morgenthaler. The top notes reveal lavender, green notes, bergamot, mint, juniper, and mandarin; the heart unfolds green grass, jasmine, peach, freesia, magnolia, and orchid; while the base notes settle on musk, sandalwood, cedar, vanilla, amber, and opoponax.
Flowers Green, herbal and fougère White flowers Fruits, vegetables and nuts Woods and mosses Spices Musk, amber and animalic
It may remind you of
Ranked by what the community voted.
More from Calvin Klein
More from René Morgenthaler
How it wears
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Longevity
Leading answer Moderate
3,761 votes
Sillage
Leading answer Intimate
3,815 votes
Character
Leading answer Balanced
2,876 votes
Value perception
Leading answer Good value
2,613 votes
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Community reviews
40 reviews
Share what you noticed: opening, drydown, sillage and the moments when it works for you.
Neither here nor there, more ‘eh’. Maybe it had its moment, but everything changes. I don’t know what it smells like, it’s a mess. I gifted it and hope they don’t hate me, I won’t be buying it again.
Love it, smells masculine and distinct from CK One, but the longevity is a disaster: barely lasts 4 hours on skin even when macerated. A wonderful scent that I don’t understand why it fades so fast 🤔
I got everything wrong: it doesn’t smell like CK One, it’s not just for men, it’s not for winter, and most importantly, I actually liked it. Totally surprising.
Hated it, smells exactly like a bottle of gin.
Perfect for half-seasons or quick outings like grabbing bread. Fresh, herbal, and citrusy, but not too bright; that ‘grey’ touch makes it perfect for cooler climates. Note: it’s a mature, classic scent, stay away if you’re a fan of Valentino Born in Roma. Yes, I like it.
Got it as a Christmas gift and it was a pleasant surprise. Despite the negative reviews, it’s fresh, herbal, and citrusy, very easy to wear. Reminds me of a high-quality hotel air freshener. Works well for any age and gender, timeless with almost 30 years on the market. Its only flaw is performance: 4 hours on skin and 1 hour projecting, but at the price ($23 for 200ml), reapplying doesn’t hurt. Ideal for the gym or daily use.
Tested it in-store and it’s soft, herbal, and aromatic. I understand the bottle is black, but it smells much less intense than CK One.
A subtle surprise. Soft herbal and floral notes with a touch of peach that adds freshness. Everything is balanced to be unisex: carefree and perfect for everyday wear. Not a beast, it accompanies discreetly. When dry, clean woody accords, a slight sweetness, and an earthy touch that adds sensuality without being cloying. Simple but very pleasant on skin. My rating: 9/10. Easy, versatile, and minimalist charm.
Has a special memory, it was a gift from my mother and that makes it unique. For me, it combines two concepts: musky/clean and green/herbal. The opening has a sparkling touch of citrus and juniper; it doesn’t smell as much like lavender as they say, that herb is barely noticeable against the dominant green notes. The heart is a soft floral where no note stands out. The base is pure musk with cedar, the other notes just add depth. The scent is rich if you like green perfumes, but nothing to defend regarding performance. Longevity: 1-2 hours on skin, 3-4 on clothes. Sillage: 15 minutes projecting, 1 hour fades and leaves a trail. Scent: 5.5/10, smells good but it’s not my type. Use: day only in spring and summer. Gender: unisex masculine. It will always remind me of my mother, so overall it’s 10/10.
Does what it costs: 3-4 hours longevity. It’s very green and it makes me dizzy, the more I smell it, the worse it gets. I’d only use it outdoors, not in enclosed spaces.
Exquisite, but it fades in just two hours; if they made a ‘beast’ version, this would be a perfume.
Nothing like the CK One; it feels like they mixed anything and got a terrible, unclassifiable disaster. It’s not just bad, it’s horrible.
Smells rich, though honestly, I think it’s more for people over 30. That said, it lasts a long time and is great for casual outings.
Smells incredible, fresh and elegant. Perfect for a mid-20s guy who’s active, clean, and sporty. I gave it to my boyfriend at 28 and was fascinated by it; people were constantly asking for it, so beware if you’re jealous. It smells like citrus, clean laundry, and that woody touch adds elegance, but not so much for a gentleman smoking a pipe in his library.
Nice fragrance, but it lasts the breath of a moment.
It’s only for the gym and nothing else; it doesn’t last long and smells very ‘off’. Don’t buy it unless you’re looking for something to wear while training. I bought the 200ml version for about $18, and I wouldn’t buy it again, though I do spray it on like a firehose because the bottle is huge. I’m currently searching for a replacement for the gym: something fresh, cheap, and pleasant-smelling, even if it doesn’t last.
I just smell lavender, something sweet, and a metallic touch.
It’s very different from CK One, more complex to understand but no less difficult to like. When I first used it, I thought it leaned feminine, but it’s totally unisex and masculine. My girlfriend wore it, and I didn’t feel it was meant for her. As for the scent, it’s soapy and green. It’s very addictive once you get it.
I was gifted it and didn’t like it at all the first time. I tried it several times, and it became the most ‘pointless fragrance’ in history. I didn’t understand why anyone would want it. I kept trying it only because it was sitting in the bathroom cabinet. Over time, it became addictive, and I started to enjoy it a lot. I love its clean scent. Whenever I thought of fragrances with a ‘clean smell’ in my head, this was it. It smells CLEAN, without strong notes of citrus, fruits, or woods, just a tiny powdery hint. It doesn’t last and doesn’t project much. I don’t find it useful for going out, but for wearing it one night after a hot shower, it’s perfect. As a versatile fragrance, it’s a 1/10, but for staying in after a shower, it’s a 10/10. I think I’ll never need it in my wardrobe.
Everything has been said: great scent, but with very poor longevity and projection.
Forget about longevity; it’s short, lasting only about 3 hours, but perfect for post-shower. Smells like green talc and freshness, like diving into cold water right after spraying it, which is super generous. The opening is purely alcoholic, wait a few minutes, and then the aroma arrives—delicious. I wouldn’t use it outside the house, and even for the gym there are better options, but at 200ml for $19, it’s a total win.
Smells absolutely delicious, I love it, but the longevity is terrible. It’s typical of drugstore perfumes: great price-to-quality ratio for occasions where you barely want to be scented. It smells like pure cleanliness with almost no sillage.
The previous reviews say it all: great scent, terrible performance. I’ll just share my take: I love the opening, a mentholated lavender with citrus, nothing like that 80s barbershop vibe; it has a very wearable 90s touch. The drydown isn’t my favorite, not because it smells bad, but because it’s that clean, musky, simple, almost generic drydown that makes it feel unisex.
Instant citrus and sweet opening, followed by pure alcohol for a few minutes. Then comes a slightly sweet and citrusy floral aroma. At 20 minutes, bursts of tangerine appear that I didn’t notice at first, and it starts to get powdery. Ideal for feeling fresh post-shower or clean for working in the sun or hitting the gym.
Slightly green, powdery, clean, and floral. Feels like a great vintage 90s fragrance. Although it’s unisex, it leans masculine; it’s easy to wear and puts you in a good mood. Perfect for chilling at home or in very enclosed spaces. The issue is longevity and sillage: you need 8 to 15 sprays to match 3 sprays of Nautica Voyage. It competes with cubes, and even supermarket body mists outperform it. A 100ml bottle equals 25ml of traditional perfume, so it’s not as cheap as it seems.
CK Be by Calvin Klein. It passed without making a splash in my collection. It wasn’t as disliked as the One; it had a woody touch with lavender and mint, notes I usually enjoy. But it wasn’t a beast either. A simple perfume that repeats the CK line’s mistake: they aren’t potent. Ideal for everyday wear, especially on hot days, post-shower, or post-gym, just to be lightly scented. Low longevity, almost zero projection. Aroma is clean and powdery. Rating: 5/10.
For me, it’s totally for the gym. It smells extremely clean, with moderate longevity and soft sillage and projection. It doesn’t turn nasty with sweat. 4 sprays are enough to mask the gym smell without being overpowering. Personal note: 7/10. It works perfectly for its purpose, although other fragrances of mine completely overshadow it.
I love this fragrance; in fact, I’m a fan of CK perfumes. The only downside is how little they last on the skin. The EDT smells clean; initially, you get woody notes, some lavender, sandalwood, and a citrus. Then it opens up and the florals come through. It seems super complex to the nose; different notes keep appearing. Although it’s unisex, I notice it’s almost masculine, but I love wearing it on my skin.
It’s in my top 3 forever. It’s a spectacular clean scent, not citrusy. It’s neutral, powdery lavender with green bergamot touches that make it elegant. Longevity is very low, to be honest, but considering the price, imagine it as a fancier body splash from the market. 200ml for $25 is easy to find. If you apply it on clothes, it smells like fine detergent and lasts longer than on skin. You can reapply without any issues.
Odeur 53 for normies. Underrated.