Calvin Klein's Contradiction for Men

I cannot say I'm a fan of CK scents, although I admit that I haven't tried a large number of them. I don't dislike them as much as I find them truly unremarkable as a whole. I have liked a few, but so far, only a few.

CK released Contradiction for Men in 1998. This spicy oriental gets mixed reviews....however....I can add this to my "like" list of CK frags. It's the dominant coriander in this that convinced me. It's reminiscent of the opening accord in Chanel PM Concentree....and.....I like PMC.

Contradiction opens with a spicy citrus and within seconds, the coriander teams up with a hint of gingery green. It's borderline gritty, but well done. This accord has some hang time as well and only gives way to the heart after some time has lapsed.

Geranium in the mid accord seems to lend longevity to the opening and adds a very subtle wood to the mix by way of listed rosewood. Normally, I can detect rosewood very clearly, but in Contradiction, I can only admit to a woody note augmenting the floral heart. The jasmin and carnation are very passive and not the easiest to discover in this accord.

The drydown is a noticeable transition, albeit on a lower volume than the initial 2 phases. It's a van-amber with subtle earthy-leathery tones mixed in. It's a soft, even-keeled accord, yet it may be Contradiction's finest moments. It is a pleasant, overall masculine that breaks no new ground or shocks the senses with innovative boldness. It's just a decent scent for a good price that will work in all seasons.

Sometimes ordinary and pleasant equate worthiness. I guess that's why there's a bottle of Contradiction in my rotation.

Comments

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog