Downtown by Calvin Klein

I don’t detect any citrus notes; instead, the woody base makes it warm and perfect for cloudy or cold days. It’s a comforting aroma, though a bit flat. It has a sweet touch, but nothing cloying. It reminds me a bit of Tommy Hilfiger’s EAU de Prep and Montblanc’s Lady Emblem.

To me, it’s a very feminine scent where the gardenia shines with fresh citrus and powdery notes. It’s a clean, refreshing, and floral fragrance with a woody base that adds sophistication. I see it as semi-formal or formal for warm weather, even for the office, and I think it’s more appreciated starting at age 25. On my skin, it lasts over 8 hours with moderate sillage; as it dries down, it radiates cleanliness and freshness. Totally recommended, nothing beats testing it on your skin.

It’s sweet but not heavy; on the contrary, it’s a discreet fragrance perfect for everyday wear or summer. It’s fruity and quite generic, like others. When I put it on, I was reminded of fruit gum, Frankenstein melon candies that leave your tongue green (XD), or Biofruta melon-watermelon. I know melon isn’t listed, but that’s what it smells like to me. It has a subtle woody or musky dry-down that gives it a body cream vibe.

I liked it; I owned it quite a while ago. It’s not overpowering but moderate; it smells aquatic, fruity, and floral, and it won me over, leaving a great impression with the packaging.

I don’t like it! It’s a semi-powdery floral. I bought it blindly trusting that most CK scents work for me, but nope! Even in my case, it gives me nausea. It’s not terrible, but something in it makes me dizzy, gives me a headache, and causes nausea after a few minutes. I repeat, it could be me, not the perfume. Would I buy it again? Not even as a gift.

THIS PERFUME IS SO GOOD! THE SCENT IS SO PLEASANT IT WRAPS YOU IN A SWEET BUT DELICATE ATMOSPHERE. ON MY SKIN, THE BERGAMOT AND GARDENIA NOTES DOMINATE. IT’S BETWEEN SWEET AND CITRUS. IT’S A GREAT OPTION! THE LONGEVITY IS MODERATE. GREETINGS!!!!

I smelled it in the store and it was another mistake on my part. I regret the purchase. It smelled divine on paper, but on my skin it changed completely. Ugh… I don’t sense anything sweet, fresh, citrusy, or floral; I just don’t like it. I’d recommend it to a woman over 35, because at 23, nothing works for me. Note: test it on your skin, it smells different than on paper. An expensive mistake. It surely has its fans, but if you’re under 30 or have a youthful spirit, believe me, you won’t like it. It gave me nausea.

I was pleasantly surprised by Calvin Klein’s Downtown. I ordered it online without testing it first—something I rarely do—but since I was buying other perfumes and this one was on sale, I took advantage of the bundle. I tested it alongside some Dior and Paco Rabanne scents… quite a mix, right? Blending so many strong fragrances on my nose in one day was a mistake. Anyway, when I first smelled it, it felt youthful, fresh, and sweet, almost teen-like… I guess the potency of the other scents I was testing prevented it from disappointing me, but it also didn’t seem particularly interesting. However, the next day, I only tested two: Givenchy’s Play (pink) on one arm and Downtown on the other… and oh surprise!!! After a few hours, I started smelling a woody, sweet scent, and without a doubt, it was Downtown. The next morning upon waking, it was still on my skin, rich, musky, woody, and sweet… Honestly, I didn’t expect that kind of reaction on my skin, but I really liked it. It’s truly a Floral Woody Musky fragrance for women, definitely feminine. The top notes I perceive are lemon, bergamot, pear, and plum, plus an artificial mix of red berries (strawberry-cherry-raspberry); the heart notes are pink pepper, and I’m not sure if it’s gardenia, roses, or violets, but it’s not just gardenia. What surprised me was its freshness, which must come from the violet leaves. Finally, as I mentioned earlier, what remains after 12 hours are woody notes, I assume Texas cedar, musk, and very few sweet notes. I’ll use it in summer and for everyday wear. For evening, I’d recommend something more persistent like Armani Mania, which is great for those of us who love sweet woody scents. After years of not owning any CK fragrance, I’ll finally try this one… Who can recommend another CK scent from the same line that’s woody, sweet, and musky? Cheers.

Very woody, but in my opinion it feels weak and timid: it was CK’s attempt to move away from their classics, but the experiment failed, resulting in a scent that’s not annoying but doesn’t captivate either. I wish they had gone bolder. On my skin, it doesn’t last long and the trail is moderate. Perfect for casual days.

Total disappointment… I gifted this to a friend years ago for her birthday and I remember it being much sweeter. I’m not sure if my sense of smell has changed or what, but now it smells like lemon, musk, and wood. It is sweet, yes, but not in that gourmand line that I like. Still, it’s perfect for daily wear in the mornings during spring or summer. It’s not bad, but I expected more… Although I can’t complain about the price, €27 for a 50 ml bottle is a good deal.

Arantxa, if it came out in 2013 and now we’re in 2015, that’s two years ago. Even if it had launched yesterday, I don’t see how the release date has anything to do with the review or the scent. I gave it to a friend as a gift a while back—maybe a year, maybe two, I don’t know, I didn’t write it down. Why should I have to check? I don’t get it. Anyway.

At first, I thought it was Euphoria, but it’s more subtle, with less consistency and a slightly ‘smoky’ touch, probably from the incense. It’s sweet, but powdery and clean, nothing cloying. Despite the sweet note, it’s not too youthful. It’s a very subtle fragrance; it lacks strength and presence, really it’s too discreet for my taste. A good option for those looking for discreet perfumes or something soft for everyday wear. In any case, it doesn’t live up to the brand and is expensive for what it offers.