Obsession Calvin Klein (1985) Eau de Parfum

Obsession (Eau de Parfum) by Calvin Klein

Bottle Design: Pierre Dinand

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Obsession (Eau de Parfum) (Calvin Klein)

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7.7 / 10 367 Ratings

Obsession (Eau de Parfum) is a popular perfume by Calvin Klein for women and was released in 1985. The scent is oriental-spicy. Projection and longevity are above-average. It is being marketed by Coty.

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Perfumer

Jean Guichard

Fragrance Notes

Top Notes	Basil, Bergamot, Green notes, Mandarin, Peach, Vanilla
Heart Notes	Exotic spices, Jasmine, Coriander, Orange blossom, Rose, Sandalwood, Cedar
Base Notes	Amber, Oakmoss, Musk, Vanilla, , Frankincense, Civet

Ratings

Scent

7.7 (367 Ratings)

Longevity

8.8 (252 Ratings)

Sillage

8.3 (242 Ratings)

Bottle

6.1 (249 Ratings)

Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 26.02.2019

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Reviews

11/26/2018

10.0 8.0 10.0 9.5/10

Schwälbchen

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Schwälbchen

Greatly helpful Review 25

Not the holy grail, but damn close

Vintage and current version - a comparison

A bottle of recent obsession has been in my collection for quite some time and I have to say that I really like this fragrance. The warm and flattering vanilla - omnipresent but not nose-filling - gives the current version a very attractive aura. The fragrance is warm, ambry and slightly spicy right from the start. I cannot grasp herbs or even green notes, rather the Eau de Parfum is underlaid with a fruity orange hint. The impression of a freshly peeled orange peel is tangible. Individual spices, on the other hand, do not want to be revealed to me. For example, I don't notice cinnamon at all on my skin, although I love it very much. It is rather this inviting, benevolent spiciness that makes obsession so irresistible. A very sensual pleasure and even if the reformulation cannot hold a candle to the original, I find both fragrances fascinating and see them as independent orientals in my collection.

The Vintage is even more sensual compared to the current version. Many stories entwine around this fragrance icon. And I also get the impression of eroticism when I sniff it for the first time. No, not subtle eroticism. This fragrance is a vamp, self-confident, radiant, refined seduction and ... yes, sex. No other fragrance is able to create such three-dimensional associations of hot and sweaty skin, damp sheets and (I completely agree with JUMI) wet hair. There's no flirting here. Facts are created here. To be able to wear a vintage obsession, a woman must give herself completely to her femininity. Pride and self-confident grace embody fragrance and wearer. For example, there is this angular, green-herbal start with a lot of incense. Animalic resonates and surrounds the wearer with a (by today's standards) wonderfully unadapted fragrance restaurant. Musk, civet and vanilla meet for a rendezvous of unimagined endurance. In overdose - and this is quickly reached here - he is able to take the breath away from his fellow men. Gently applied, it is a fragrance that has no equal.

If you compare the two fragrances, I would say that the current version with its balsamic feel-good character is definitely suitable for the office but always for daily use. Well-made designer quality with high durability at a top price are combined here.

The VINTAGE, on the other hand, with its irrevocable influence on the limbic system of apparently civilized forms of life and their predatory behavioral changes as a result, is ZWINGEND subject to a weapon licence.

Well then: Waidmanns Heil und Namaste,
your Schwälbchen

6 Replies

09/19/2018

Pinkdawn

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Pinkdawn

Greatly helpful Review 18

Noble mix for drama queens

If there is a reason to look forward to the cold days in late autumn, then it is - obsession! Because for me this heavy, velvety soft, warming, sweet, oriental perfume is a typical winter scent.
My first obsession was a gift. At first I wasn't too enthusiastic about the massive scent bomb - probably I got it in summer. Meanwhile I appreciate the fragrance so much that I just bought the EdT - Obsession is only available as EdT - in order to meet cool times in a stylish and fragrant way.

I like oriental scents very much. I love Shalimar from 1925, whose powdery sweetness reflects the extravagance of the late 1920s. A similarly opulent fragrance experience lets us experience Calvin Klein with his obsession. However, this fragrance is less playful than Shalimar, for example. It is much too earthy, spicy, passionate and sensual. The manufacturer speaks of a warm base of ambergris and musk. I would even call them fiery.

The most famous protagonist for this fragrance from the eighties was probably not by chance Kate Moss in 1993, who is known for her excessive, excessive lifestyle. At that time she was, of course, a 17-year-old, malnourished model.

For me, Obsession is a fragrance for very feminine women who appreciate and wear the sensuality of Zibet and the sweetness of vanilla. It is sweet, heavy, intense and guarantees a great performance. Therefore one should dose extremely sparingly.

Obsession by CK comes in a simple, egg-shaped bottle made of heavy, thick lead crystal that fits well in the hand and radiates noble simplicity. The perfume has a bright brownish, clear colour reminiscent of amber.

After spraying on Obsession starts very sweet. Vanilla is immediately present and pushes bergamot, peach, mandarin and basil into the background, where these chords do not ebb away, but give the vanilla a refined and harmonious background.

It's hard to believe. But in the second act it gets even sweeter. Jasmine, rose and sandalwood are combined to create a strong appearance, to which the spice of coriander adds depth.
Finally, vanilla comes back into play, lots of vanilla. Plus musk and civet. Frankincense brings a touch of mysticism, while vetiver ensures that not everything sinks into dark red plush - metaphorically speaking. A noble mixture for drama queens.

For me, the characteristic aroma of obsession vanilla - velvety, sweet, heavy vanilla notes - is and remains. Especially they make the fragrance so sensual and beguiling. I would say that he guarantees a great performance and many compliments, especially from the masters of creation, who do not always make subtle decisions about women's fragrances, but often, so to speak, from the gut. And of course the passion and eroticism of obsession scores points. The name does not mean "obsession" by chance. So the fragrance seems to be quite appealing to male primordial instincts. That sounds good, but it also has a downside. If applied too much, what happens here easily, the scent can be a bit vulgar and intrusive for some women.

What I particularly like about Obsession, however, is its silage and durability. With most perfumes I am annoyed about their short shelf life. Obsession, on the other hand, has an exceptionally strong "fragrance tail" and lasts all day long. The scent can still be found everywhere for days - in scarves, sweaters, bed linen, hair, handbags, gloves - without losing any of its powdery sweetness.

No wonder obsession is a fragrance you won't soon forget. It is very intensive and has a high recognition value. In the meantime, perfume has long since become - and rightly - a classic that has won many fans.

If any alien who happened to land on our little blue planet ever asked me what it is, a perfume like the one people use, I would keep obsession under his hopefully existing nose. I think he'd understand right away. Without long explanations.

For me, obsession is exactly what you imagine perfume to be: It smells good, is sweet, striking, intense and - seductive.

4 Replies

09/18/2018

6.0 8.0 9.0 7.5/10

DonJuanDeCat

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DonJuanDeCat

Greatly helpful Review 15

For the possessed!!

Today I describe a fragrance that should certainly no longer be an unknown fragrance. But I think that its name is a perfect match for you perfumes. "Obsession." Because you're all obsessed with scents. Who among you is not happy when she (or he) gets a little bag full of scent samples? You get a bag of mixed sweets just like a little child... and I have to admit that this "mixed bag", as you used to get it from kiosk traders, was one of the biggest things in life back then :D Well, now it's just a mixed fragrance bag. And this brings a smile to your faces, doesn't it? It just goes to show that you guys are crazy about scent! Obsessed! Especially if you can't go to bed at night without taking another look in the souk :DD

Great,... and now my mouth watering when I think of all the marshmallows, jelly bears, gold thalers, clams, sour apples and cucumbers, liquorice snakes, smurfs, Haribo sharks, gum earthworms and and and :D

But I prefer to come to the smell, before I start drooling here again. It's a good thing that it's almost autumn, because the cooler air makes jogging more pleasant when you've stuffed too much into yourself again and want to do some sport :D
Oh and autumnal is also this fragrance here!

The Scent:

The fragrance begins sweetish, but then you smell green and spicy notes. There is some basil, but it will soon disappear. Then I smell some peach, which soon disappears again.
Then the sweet and spicy notes become stronger again. You smell the amber quite well, as well as the vanilla, then general spices (generally because you can hardly determine what you actually smell there), something resinous like incense, a little oakmoss, and finally you can still smell animal notes like Zibet, which already smells stronger than most other fragrances here.
A little later it actually continues to smell as described, only the intensity of individual fragrances changes. Zibet becomes weaker (but still smells pretty good) while the resinous and vanilla fragrances become stronger, oakmoss and amber remain the same and cedar wood is added. In general, the fragrance is now slightly softer and less scratchy.
Even later, the fragrance becomes even smoother. Because the vanilla is now stronger, which also makes the fragrance more powdery. The animal notes, on the other hand, are now clearly losing strength. Also the oakmoss is now in the background in the base. The scent remains sweet, but also soft and spicy, whereby everything harmonizes beautifully with each other.

Sillage and durability:

The Sillage is quite strong, so strong that one could already speak of room-filling here. Because the charisma remains on a strong level for longer, so that it should always smell good on one for a good while. The shelf life seems to be eternal, because I could smell the scent sprayed on in the morning until late at night.

The flacon:

The bottle is roundish-oval and bulbous. The last third of the bottle is darker in colour and represents the cap. There is no label, the name of the fragrance is directly on the bottle.
The scent liquid is amber, which gives it a nice appearance (but you might wonder if the scent liquid leaves stains on light-coloured clothes...). Looks okay.

Hmm... Obsession is one of those fragrances where you have to think of the scents of the 80s/90s right from the first sniff. Strong, sweet, ripe and classically fragrant with oakmoss etc.... but it does not smell bad, but might not go down too well with the younger ones.

Otherwise the fragrance is no longer a hit, but it certainly has its loyal fans, for whom this fragrance is the greatest. It smells quite okay and is particularly suitable for an evening or evening fragrance, especially in autumn and winter. So you can test it!

...
Sooo... as indicated yesterday:
This was my last comment here!
Before all of you now weeping and sobbing screaming "Nooooo!!!", this is of course only temporary. I'll only be gone for about two weeks! :D

On the other hand, some really disappointing faces have already come up here, so I decided to put some commis on my mobile phone, and maybe write here every few days depending on the time, even though it might do you a lot of good to miss me here for a while, who seems to live on perfumo anyway, every day as I normally am here :D

Well, you'll see if I get to publish something from time to time, otherwise see you soon :)

4 Replies

08/05/2018

7.0 8.0 9.0 9.5/10

Carlitos01

Very helpful Review 5

Guichard's intemporal artwork

Jean Guichard is the director of the Givaudan Perfumery School.
Besides being highly praised by his students, he is an incredibly accomplished master perfumer whose signed works include such hits as Cacharel Eden, Cartier So Preety, Madame de Carven, Soleil de Fragonard, Hermés Concentreé d'Orange Verte, the magnific Montana Parfume de Peau, Paco Rabanne La Nuit, Donna Trussardi, Dior Poison Esprit de Parfum and... Calvin Klein Obsession. He grew up in Grasse - the perfume capital - where his father grew flowers for the perfume industry. His son Aurelien Guichard is also an accomplished perfumer in his own right.
Women perfumes have always been the preference of Guichard. Well... some unisex as well.

Calvin Klein Obsession is a terrific Oriental Spicy feminine fragrance, with niche quality and superb blending.
I bought it for my wife after being really impressed with the men's cologne. I could not help judging it as an unisex scent right from the first sniff.
It opens with a shy citric and herbal green accord that quickly unveils a dry woodiness, and a glorious vanilla and spices accord. A bitter deep balsamic incense envelopes the leathery civet and the warm and powdery amber. Before the drydown starts, a new vanilla accord develops in this swirling complex scent, fooling you to believe that this is a sweet fragrance.
This is very long lasting perfume and two sprays is more than enough to give you all the juice that you need for a full day. Obsession will be even more beautiful with colder weather when the vanilla and amber notes projection will be more noticeble whilst moving around, while the dry incense and the musky animalic civet impress more as a skin scent.
In all stages the fragrance reveals class and sophistication. A supreme quality and a general sensual, rounded, deep feeling is quite evident.
It's my best "feminine as unisex" purchase ever, making me happier than with the Angel and Muse purchase I did some while ago.

How do I rate my Obsession?
- Scent opening............8.75 (enchanting semi sweet semi bitter opening)
- Scent Dry Down........10.0 (supreme balsamic vanilla amber accord)
- Longevity....................9.0 ( >10 hours, 2 initial sprays)
- Sillage..........................8.5 (sillage peak at 6~7 feet, projection for 2.5+ hours)
- Versatility....................8.0 (Avoid hot days; This is a Winter/Fall/Spring/Night fragrance and very good at it)
- Usability......................9.0 (very good for almost any situation; superb for fancy events, a night out, clubbing, open air gatherings and intimacy; don't use it in places where you may sweat like the gymn or by the seaside)
- Compliments..............9.5 (a natural compliment grabber)
- Uniqueness.................9.0 (some minor similarities with some other upscale fragrances like Must de Cartier, Krazy Krizia... and with Obsession for Men; there are no other look alike fragrances that I am aware of)
- Quality.........................9.5 (it smells very expensive and classy. It really competes with fragrances that cost five times more; very good over all quality)
- Presentation...............7.5 (a "does the job" bottle; nothing fancy but simple, easy to hold and not tacky flask)
- Price...........................10.0 (€20,00 for 100 ml tester.)

Average:......................8.98/10.00
between 7 and 8 =above average; Are you sure you want to buy it? Please do test it before any decision!
between 8 and 9 = recomended; Certainly many people will like it! But you better test it first!
bigger than 9 = don't miss it; Hardly a perfume will make you as happy as this one! Excellent gift as well!

Opinion on CK Obsession: It's damn good!
Blind buy worthy? Yes if you are a girl or if the perfume is a gift for a lady friend. If you intend to use it yourself, it's better you try it before you buy it!

07/30/2018

4.0 6.0 9.0 7.5/10

Jazzy76

Spicy liqueur

This scent is really powerful and its name is right because you have a sense of trouble in mind when you smell this potion.
You mark immediately that there are dark spots on the mouillette when you spray it. It seems a liqueur not only for its color but for the notes which arrive at your nose: first, the spices, warm, strong, quite intoxicating, after the base made of amber and warm incense. It could be associated with the fire and it is a typical fall-winter scent. The sillage is very strong and this is typical of the "bombs" of the glorious and opulent Eighties.
I love its result on my skin: it becomes a little bitter but always pleasant.
Only pay attention to the dark spots if you spray it on your clothes.
What else? wearing this scent is like singing "Come on baby, light my fire!"

07/31/2017

Germanblonde

Love potion number One

If one of the main accords is listed as balsamic, it is a pretty sure bet that I like it. And with Obsession it is LOVE. I always have a back up bottle, because I dread the day that I might not be able to get her anymore. Now, I usually wear her just at home and so far didn't dare to take her with me for a night out. I feel that she is too intimate, too close to reveal my REAL intentions. So much so, that even when being with my man, I keep her for very private moments - just the two of us. She is almost like a dominatrix, like she is saying: "I'm here boy, watch out, because this gal is getting right to it and knows what she needs." Not ladylike at all, but hot, driven and super sexual. She is one of my bedroom staples - a real love potion. Maybe I will be able to build up the confidence to actually wear her in public. But as of now, she is WAY too erotic for me to dare to leave the house with her.

02/07/2014

7.5 10.0 10.0 9.0/10

Karinoula

Very helpful Review 1

Spice magnet

I really love this perfume and I don't know how blind I was not to have spotted this so long. It is a superb smell which lasts all day and if preferably wearable for winter. The incense along with spices makes it a total mysterious and rare perfume. My husband likes it too.

10/31/2013

Happygeisha

memory lane

i got my first bottle of Obsession the year it premiered in 1985 in san francisco. my rich lesbian aunt, whom i had been visiting, brought me into Neiman-Marcus and bought it for me for my 13th birthday. i used to keep it in its original box and worshiped it as if it were a deity. it was my introduction into the world of fragrance and will always remind me of the excess and extravagance of the 80s. to this day, when i smell it's heady amber fumes i am hearkened back to the days of ENORMOUS shoulder pads, gravity-defying hair, popped collars, Dynasty-esque wealth, that weird Obsession commercial (!!!) and Duran Duran, of course. truly a classic and forever a memory.

09/10/2013

5.0 7.5 10.0 10.0/10

Sorceress

Helpful Review 3

Obsession-Riding Boots, Cable Knit Sweaters and Levis

First whiff-adoration! No matter what others say, I will always love this perfume. I truly believe all the hype and commercialization has turned people off through the years and that is a true shame. It's a beautiful fragrance that should not be taken lightly.
A warm, powdery, sweet scent with amber laden spices surrounding and tickling your nose. Creaminess abounds throughout the different layers and surround your olfactory senses constantly.
Vanilla, peach, citrus and basil are what I get in the top notes, spices, oakmoss and cedar in the middle, and amber, musk, civet, incense and vetiver in the base. This is such a complicated fragrance and that's the reason I delight in it.
Obsession gives me an image of leather riding boots, cable knit winter white sweaters over well-worn Levis, cozy comfortable clothing, a pashmina scarf tossed casually around my neck. It has a hint of masculinity, yes, very definitely. It appeals to the yin and yang of our souls. Forget the commercials and what the media has told you. Spray it again on a vulnerable spot and luxuriate in yourself. You'll be glad you tried it again. It's a sensual fragrance that awakens your inner self.
Although it seems more of a night-time fragrance based in the cooler months, I love wearing it year-round. It's mystique and scent is just that delicious.

01/07/2013

7.5 7.5 10.0 8.0/10

Katad

Helpful Review 3

A night at the Opera

Sometimes when you spray a scent it evokes a scene in your mind. To me the scent of Obsession takes me to the lobby of the La Scala Opera in 1921. The floor is covered with plush oriental rugs and dim light radiates from the golden fixtures on the wall. Glamorous women in beaded gowns and jewels mingle on the carpet and smoke fills the air as they gesture with their long cigarette holders. Men in immaculate black suits bow and kiss the ladies outstretched hands as they are introduced. Tuxedoed waiters circle the room with trays of champagne glasses upraised. A tiny bell sounds and people slowly make their way up the cool marble staircase to their seats, clutching their opera glasses and programs.

I have never been to La Scala opera house, but scent of Obsession sure takes me to my fantasy of what I think it might have been like.

It is a really potent spicy oriental fragrance - very masculine to start, with the spicy woods coming on strong. As it fades some of the florals come out underneath nice and creamy. I love the sandalwood. Very exotic and sexy and interesting. Something very astringent too, not sure what it is. Heavy, but as there is so much interesting action going on here it seems to spread itself out amongst the layers.

I would say perfect to spice up that special night in the dead of winter. I find the shape of the bottle to be very phallic, was the designer trying to tell us something, or is that just my dirty mind...

1 Replies

09/25/2012

7.0/10

Awesomeness

Very helpful Review 5

Skank tested. Skank approved.

Today I wore CK Obsession for the first time in a long time, and I wore with an entirely new reference in mind - skank. So, with skank in mind, what does CK Obsession smell like?

70% Dana Tabu (vintage)
30% Femme Rochas

I put Obsession on, and Tabu immediately came to mind. However, as it wears, I find that Obsession has the same in-your-skin quality that Femme does. I checked the notes, and the similarities are there - the peach, cinnamon & vanilla of Femme and the spices, amber & civet of Tabu. Obsession also has a bit of a powdery quality, which I adore but might turn off many. Overall, I think Obsession is a bit "mature" in the sense that I can't imagine many 20 year olds wanting to wear this - in the 1980s & 1990s, yes, but in the 2000s & 2010s, no way.

I think Tabu and Femme are much easier to wear than Obsession, primarily because many of the CK fragrances have a white floral note that irritates me sometimes. Tabu and Femme also are smoother and closer wearing than Obsession.

Although I like Obsession, my DH loves it on me. Yes, it's true - men love Obsession on women. But if truth be told, I prefer Tabu & Femme.

Skank tested. Skank approved.

1 Replies

09/11/2012

5.0 10.0 10.0 10.0/10

LadyRogue

Very helpful Review 6

I'm Bringing Sexy Back

A modern classic that is smooth, sexy, sultry and sensual. It's all about exotic spices, incense, sandalwood, musk, oakmoss and in the distance, florals that surrendered their innocence to the sensual attack of this smooth mixture of sex in a bottle.
Hours of passion carelessly wrapped up in black satin sheets...Or a walk through an autumnal forrest where bonfires are lit and are scented with natures spices.
Earthy and primal....this Obsession continues to lead us astray in the most delightful way. Forget 'cute', 'floral' or 'sweet' this is a wicked scent -- a wicked scent that has always been, and always will be part of my collection for all those cozy or wicked moods ; )

Silage is: "come hither....I know you can't resist." -- Longevity is: 8+ hours and the drydown is just as yummy as the first and middle stage: smooth amber and vanilla kisses. x.x.x

01/30/2012

10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0/10

Lola82

Helpful Review

Obsession

The ampimathy of Style. Love the Color the color of the sunset. thats when the
real action starts the notes incense vanilla spices & woods
brings out the enticipation waiting
passion is in the air and having one
hot passionate love with your lover
this is the perfume for you.

01/19/2012

7.5 7.5 6.0/10

Missk

Very helpful Review 6

Heady spices

Obsession, well what can I say, a true masterpiece is what you are.

This fragrance is everything that you could ever want in an oriental. It's spicy, warm, incensey, sensual, beautiful, rich and utterly breath-taking.

Unfortunately Obsession does tend to turn away a lot of people with its opening, which is indeed very heavy and thick, almost polluting the air. However, I cannot urge others enough to let this fragrance develop, because that's where the real magic lies.

When the initial intensity subsides, Obsession transforms into an alluring and comforting spicy-sweet scent. Vanilla, incense, cedar, amber, jasmine, coriander and a variety of spices all blend together creating a delicious aroma that is almost good enough to eat.

When tastefully applied (that is, sprayed sparingly), Obsession is somewhat mysterious and utterly gorgeous. Unfortunately many have been exposed to this fragrance when its wearer has overloaded themselves in this rather potent juice, therefore resulting in many people disliking this scent.

I think it's a shame that a lot of people dismiss fragrances from the 80's simply because they find them dated or too strong. One thing that's for sure, they don't make scents like this anymore.

01/08/2012

5.0 10.0 10.0 3.0/10

Asphaltblume

Very helpful Review 6

More retro than classic

Obsession is a real blast, no doubt about that. Intensive, unmistakable, loud. And beautiful, too.
On my skin it develops as a mixture of musk, spices, amber and musk that is vibrantly erotic. Did I mention musk? And spices?
Obsession is obviously no current fragrance but a child of its time - and even then, back in the 80s it was a loud and unmistakable fragrance. And immensely popular.
Insofar it is dated, more retro than classic and it can certainly feel fusty, regardless of its vibrant eroticity: It depends entirely of its wearer's bearing which way it turns out.

Because Obsession is so immensely potent and projecting I strongly recommend to use it sparingly. It's supposed to be breathtaking, yes - but not suffocating in the way that requires an emergency doctor.
This might sound negative but I don't mean it that way! Applied carefully and delicately on the right person it's a truly wonderful fragrance!

1 Replies