Obsessed for Men by Calvin Klein

The Rooster, as we call it at home. Let it age for a year and now it’s brutal, beast mode, getting compliments everywhere. Lasts forever on clothes, so I don’t wear it on skin anymore. Anyway, a delight.

Compadre… about 65-70% of winter or evening perfumes revolve around vanilla…

Picked it up recently, May 2022, after trying several options looking for something different, strong but wearable. At first, it smells synthetic, powdery, and vanilla with patchouli, but later it shifts to something more adult and masculine with soft but dominant cedar and leather. I liked it and have no regrets, though I think it’s better for mild or cold weather with a sweater. Five sprays and it’s noticeable from a distance; the trail is moderate but could be cloying to someone nearby. A woman can wear it too. Don’t skip it, I recommend trying it; few talk about it because people take it for granted as just another Calvin Klein, but it has something different, believe me.

I find it vanilla-sweet, versatile, and better suited for cooler rather than warmer days. I consider it has a slightly talcum-powdered base. I quite like it; it’s easy to wear and has earned me spontaneous compliments.

The opening is synthetic; it wraps you in ambroxan like you’ve taken medicine. Within minutes, the vanilla and cedar notes come out accompanied by leather, but that sweet medicinal presence remains there and invasive. Hours later, it shifts with floral and fruity tones. I’m a Calvin Klein fanatic, it’s a different and acceptable proposal, I think I’ll stick with using it. It would be more oriental and balsamic.

This perfume isn’t new or innovative at all, but it’s very versatile and pleasant. It smells vanilla, soft, and a bit sweet. It’s quite good in terms of trail and longevity. It’s a good option for daily use to smell good without complications. I see it as suitable for any season. It won’t be a must-have in my collection, but it’s good.

I’m not an expert at detecting notes; I don’t have a trained sense of smell, but I do notice the sweetness. It’s a pleasant sweetness with a touch of lavender. For a summer cologne, I’d wear it during the last days of summer and the first half of autumn. It’s a bit dense for high temperatures. It doesn’t last long, but it does last longer than some others I’ve tried. It’s not expensive. The bottle design is beautiful; it looks like a drop of water. I still have many fragrances to try, but once I run out of this bottle, I won’t rule out buying it again next year.

I ordered Obsession but they shipped Obsessed instead—I paid $100 for the mistake. Luckily, they refunded me and sent the original back. I wear it in the heat, apply it generously: it opens with ambroxan, lavender, light leather, and a citrus touch. Projection is low, then it clings to the skin; longevity is moderate, nothing special, just another perfume. The box says it’s Spanish 125ml EDT. Do I use it? Yes, I don’t dislike it. Would I buy it again? No, for that price there are better options. Greetings from Argentina.

I tried it today at a perfumery. At first, it seemed minimalist and perfect for daily wear with casual clothes (I loved Obsession for Men back in the 90s). But upon smelling it, I found it one-dimensional, generic, and overly synthetic. The projection was minimal and the sillage scarce. I left the store running away.

This is the second cousin of Dior Sauvage, fortunately with less projection. At first, it smells very similar; I assume the grapefruit/amber combo is akin to the bergamot/amber blend in Dior: that rough, raw, citrusy mix that captivates many (I’ll confess, the ambroxan reminds me of the scent of semen). After the initial phase, it smells like something I’ve heard a hundred million times: it could recall a club oriental by Carolina Herrera or the flanker #150 focused on the night side of Issey Miyake’s Eau de Toilette. It’s that warm composition of soft, sweet leather, Axe-style, which in 2017 doesn’t surprise but bores to death. Projection and sillage are minimal.

It’s the second cousin of Sauvage, but with way less projection. At first, it smells the same—that harsh, raw, citrusy blend of grapefruit and amber that turns many people on (not me; ambroxan smells like semen to me). After the initial phase, it smells like what I’ve heard 150 million times: a clubby oriental like Carolina Herrera or the Issey flanker 150 for night, that warm composition of soft leather and super sweet, Axe-style vibes that in 2017 don’t impress but just bore you to death. Minimal projection and sillage.