CK2

CK2 by Calvin Klein is one of the most tragic discontinuations and is also the first fragrance i ever bought in panic after its cancellation was rumored in the fragcom, and is also one of the most treasured fragrances in my collection, not only because it's an absolute banger and a very unique and (perhaps formerly, depending on when you're reading this) affordable designer perfume, but also because of some significance it holds to me and my development. see, CK One was my signature fragrance when i was young. like, 4 years old young. actually, it wasn't CK One, it was U by Designer Imposters because at that point (1999, for reference) i don't think CK One had reached it's bargain basement cheapie price yet and my working-class single mother would probably rather not buy a designer fragrance for a grubby toddler because she's a sensible woman. i loved that god damn bottle of synthetic trash. it smelled GREAT. i took it everywhere in my powerpuff girls backpack and i sprayed it on every day before i went to my pre-school and it made me feel VERY cool and grown up. perhaps that it's due to this memory that CK One still has a deeply beloved place in my heart. this of course makes CK2 the sequel to something that was incredibly important to me as a child. it could turn out to be a Kingdom Hearts 3 situation where sequel was actually good enough to justify the wait and the potential putting-off of your established audience from back in the day, or it could be an Incredibles 2 and be a heartless ploy to snatch money from the wallets of nostalgic and now-employed millenials that sucks out loud. it isn't tho! CK2 is, thankfully, a fresh fragrance in a way that not many other freshies dare to be fresh. it smells like an arboretum after it's rained in the spring: green, floral, a touch woody, and very, very damp. refreshingly damp! the ozonic wet stone note reminds me of the life-giving rains of spring, and also (as a former South Coast resident) the relief of a hurricane having rolled over without putting a tree in your roof. it's a relaxing and uplifting scent through and through. other big players here are violet leaf, which adds some bright fresh greenness, and wasabi, which adds some peppery fresh greenness. the vetiver adds a bit of woodiness to make the fragrance more "sturdy" i suppose, it's already quite light and i can only imagine it'd be only half the strength it is now without it. it's woody and pleasant and does not lean this fragrance in a masculine direction which is what i tend to think when i hear "vetiver." the florals are here and you CAN smell them (unlike the alleged incense note which is AWOL from the start to the end of CK2's duration) but i could not pick one of them out if i tried, they all sort of blend together, much like thescent of a rained-on flowerbed. the mandarin and pear add the obligatory citrus/fruit pop at the start of the fragrance but don't really hang out for long, the mandarin might add a TOUCH of sweetness past the opening but that's it. i'm not gonna even bother doing bullet points for the boring review stuff like usual because there's not much to say: it performs okay for a fragrance in it's style for about 4 to 5 hours, it's perfectly unisex but if you're a guy and flowers terrify you you might say it leans feminine, and pricing is/was good. i got a 100ml for 30 bucks, and prices still seem decent provided you can find a bottle. i'm currently looking for a jumbo just so i never run out. this is, like most freshies, a summer/spring daytime fragrance but i can see wearing it in winter for a blast of cold watery goodness. The Point Of All This is that CK2 is the Kingdom Hearts 3 of fragrances and is a very unisex walk through a soaking-wet botanical garden in full bloom. it is probably the finest of all of the Calvin Klein unisex fragrances in my opinion and it's discontinuation should qualify as a hate crime towards me and me alone. it would have been nice to actually smell that incense tho. 9 long-awaited sequels to 90's children's media/10 - 博

I've revisited this one since last summer and must say again kudos to Calvin Klein & perfumer Pascal Gaurin! I love this fragrance, admittedly it won't be for everyone as it's quite floral (rose) and full of modern synthetic notes, it does however smell fantastic! Paradoxically even though it's synthetic I'm instantly reminded of the smell of rain on sun-warmed flowers and plants (and on stones!), or of the special scent you get inside a florist's shop, that watery aroma of the cut flowers and the unmistakable odour of fresh roses in bloom. Add to this an underlying lightly salty yet somehow sweet scent which for me recalls a day at the beach on the Mediterranean, sun drying the sea water on sunscreen sweetened skin. It's a relaxing, musky but non cloying scent, kind of an oddity in the designer realm with a unique 'water cooler' presentation. I wonder will this go the way of 'Crave' and be almost completely forgotten or will it become a cult classic/unicorn fetching silly money in a few years time? In any case I'm glad I have it in my collection as it's a little beauty. Edit: 30/06/19 - I wore this to a wedding yesterday at a magnifique Chateau during this intense heatwave (38 degrees Celsius) in France , sprayed on (5 sprays) including one on my shirt and two underneath. I had a nice refreshing sillage for the whole day, beautiful. More than 24 hours later I could still smell it on my shirt (just before doing the laundry). Absolute gem of a scent, simply perfect, it will forever be one of my favourites, for me to wear but also to smell on the lovely ladies.

I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said here before! My 2¢: It doesn't seem unique at first sniff (I was almost let down when I tried my sample at home because I thought I had a mix-up at the store). But once it dries down CK2 becomes fresh and clean. To me, it's a VERY wearable, unisex, and modern. I think it's a light fragrance ideal for everyday wear and sits well on the skin. Perfect for offices and when you want a hint of something rather than a blast. Totally get the minerally smell that is like river rocks. It adds an unusual sophistication! UPDATE: Apparently this is being discontinued which is a true shame. There are a bunch of reviewers who think this means CK2's popularity is forced, due to perceived rarity. Not so! It's a unique spin on this type of scent. There is no laundry, soap, or kitchen cleaner aspect. It is very unlike many perfumes in that regard, as they often express cleanliness as those things. After owning this one a few months, I am struck but how hard it is to find something similar. I will say, however, there is a passing resemblance to L'Artisan Parfumeur Amour Nocturne. It doesn't have the same sweetness or warmth, but there is an echo of the gunpowder note that must be from the pebbles interacting with something.

This reminds me of Reveal which I LOVE! This is a little more clean, like it should be day wear and Reveal, evening wear. I don't even care what these smell like ON me I love them so much! I like to please others, and often will wear something to pleasantly accompany a companion or surrounding area. Not this time! Plug your nose if ya gotta! I passed this up several times at T.J. Maxx....just like Reveal. I'll never learn! I'm going to get in a swap though, so I'm happy...AND will purchase another one if I run into it for 20.00 again! These scents to me, are like...I wanna smell like HER. WHY does she smell SO good? It's a brand new home smell...by a cool water hitting the hot dry air breeze. SO excited to wear this along with my Reveal. This is a scent to share with a partner also. I'd love smelling it on a man. Except...I can't if I wear it myself! Too bad for me! Got my bottle in a trade. I just can't say in words how addicted to this I am. Pebbles seem to be first on the list of what others smell. Well, me too but, it's the smell of pebbles in a perfect dream, only saltier. I may see about putting a box in an outside area like Goodwill does for used clothing, only I will be collecting disliked bottles of this!

Fragrance as pop art. Instead of trying to hide its artificiality, CK2 embraces it. Imagine a child's drawing of a cosmos bloom, scrawled in bright red crayon; that's CK2. Reading reviews, I expected something cold and sterile; that's not what I get from this at all. I pick up on the wet pebble quality that comes up so frequently, but to me this is more of a warm summer drizzle than an icy downpour. The florals are by far the most dominant note to my nose, a blast of vivid pink-ish red that softens over time. There's just a hint of sex to it. Its use of wasabi in the opening is so unique, too; so many fragrances open with spice, but there's a dry quality to the wasabi that's several steps removed from anything I've encountered before. Really, that typifies CK2 for me; lots of familiar elements that are just a few degrees off of what you expected, rendering the whole thing alien. It's like someone 800 years from now, on a distant planet with no access to Earth materials, tried to recreate your typical fragrance of today with only a tattered notes chart as reference. The end result is surprisingly close to the mark, but it's clear the individual components are not of this world.

I just ordered another back-up, pre-owned 100ml for a bargain price, to add to my two 50ml and one already started 100ml. I never want to be without this beautiful, therapeutic and almost magical fragrance, that should do for now! I originally blind bought this after not being able to find it in stores (even though it was a fairly recent release at the time). Best blind buy ever! I don't know who makes the decisions at Coty/CK but whoever decided to axe this gem of a scent (and bottle) really should explain themselves, also CK/Coty need to have a good look at how they badly market most of their better fragrances! This is among the best CK releases of all time, and like someone said below, it wouldn't seem out of place in a niche brand bottle. Although having said that, I find this has both the creative appeal of a niche or indie fragrance as well as being a scent which should please the majority of people who typically wear designer fragrances. Don't sleep on this one folks as it could soon become scarce being that it's no longer in production (as crazy as that seems). Prices seem to be creeping up quite a bit now ;)

This is by no means generic as some have stated. This is an interesting fragrance. I can actually smell the rain soaked cement/pebbles or stone like accord mixed with an undercurrent of fresh/fruity vibes. I asked my 10 yr old what does it smell like and she said the beach, I agree but sans the salty sea air smell. it reminds me of water soaked sand with a mildly sweet aroma. I'm not sure if I can detect the wasabi but their is another twist to this fragrance I cant identify, all I can say is I love it and will be rocking this this spring and summer. It's a plus that its projects really well, I wore 4 sprays on a warm 63 degree F winter day. 1 on each wrist, 1 back of neck, 1 on front of pants, it lasted an entire work day and then some, about 10 hrs. my coworker could smell me about 2 hrs after application from a cubicle next to me about 6 feet away separated by a partition. not sure if she liked it but I told her to tell me if my cologne was ever too strong because of her allergies. I gotta go a little easier on the trigger or crack a window. for a freshie I'm impressed with the uniqueness and performance.

From the 'wtf is this' first impression this scent managed to grow into one of my very favorite perfumes, and of course, to get discontinued. It is unusual, unisex, unique :) Lots of U-s here. The pebble note in it is very prominent, I have never smelled anything like that before. It is literally the scent of the sun bathed, slightly wet rocks on the wild croatian coast, without turning into a salty-citrus average summer beach scent direction. Violet leaf and wasabi is also there, making it even more intriguing. It is not for everyone, but it can be a signature summer scent to someone with a taste for unusual. I never owned any CK fragrance, although I have sampled almost everything from the house, but somehow they never captivated me enough. This is my first one and I love it! It also never happened to me before to buy another bottle of something I have not even finished the first bottle of, but it makes me sad that it was discontinued and I don't want to live without. The bottle is also a masterpiece. Clear, modern, captivating. What a shame this was discontinued. Way too much character in it?

Therapeutic. Pure, extremely simple, healing balm. The essence rises and falls, fluctuates in the absence, it lacks all those perfumes we are used to. Absence is its strong point, and what it emphasizes to me. Not exactly wet. Umid is for sure, not reaching though an extreme freshness or coolness. And this detail is priceless to me. It refers to the pebbles but doesn't border on an earthy feeling. These pebbles, despite the humid context, give back a dry warm scent. An ethereal presence is on my wrist. Invisible, impalpable presence, yet somewhere I feel there is a trace. I see the incense rising from the brazier, I don't perceive its aroma if anything an illusion. Even the bottle disappears like a ghost between the crystalline transparencies of the liquid and the glass. CK2 is a masterpiece of fragile and fading appearances and yes, if I weren't wearing it, this empty space around would smell so different. CK2 smells of uncontaminated nature, and mildness I love.

My second rewiev about the phenomenal CK2, my all time favorite. Bad news: This one goes bad too fast... When I saw that Calvin Klein discontinue this precious creation, I stocked few bottles. As of today I realized that my two bottles of 100 ml., one of December 2015 and the second of January 2016, both originals, both kept in their original package and in good conditions but both gone bad. By going bad I mean: The first sharp-citrusy-spicy spalsh is considerably weakened (and 12/2015 bottle is weaker than 01/2016) the top notes nearly disappeared, like the fragrance starts from middle notes and the overall sillage and longevity weakened too.. That reminded me that Clinique's Happy is also famous for going bad too early. I feel sad and frustrated, this is so unique, decent creation... Calvin Klein, you must bring CK2 back, continue to produce it, may it be only for your own prestige to have this futuristic, spectacular quality in your collection.

From time to time, Calvin Klein surprises us with a good fragrance. To me they are CK One ( the ultimate and timeless unisex fragrance) and Shock ( because it is so well made and yet so underrated). I saw ck2 and I not even bother to try it, I thought to myself: another ck boring, generic and fleeting fragrance. But then I found a 5.4oz bottle for just $29.99, I couldn't resist the temptation. Yes, the opening is very CK, quite generic. But then it slowly become more deep and interesting, not so linear. A fresh incense. A watery green. Reading the reviews I was laughing, "pebbles" and " cobblestone smell", give me a break! But yes, the combination of some of the notes gives an image of wet cobblestones or pebbles recently picked out of a river. The middle and dry down are, literally, glorious. So now CK2 may well join CKOne and Shock as one of the best CK fragrances in years.

Truly there is nothing like CK2! It is so forward thinking for a Calvin Klein offering. Over the years, I have tried many niche fragrances which advertised themselves in that curiously conceptual way: solar rays, concrete, petrol, lightbulb, dust, etc, etc... yet for some reason CK2 is the only fragrance I’ve used which captures the allure of synthetic futurism. On me it is at once both cold, brightly metallic and dry sauna aromatic. Very sweet as well. Very linear, as others have said, but it’s “one note” performance is an interesting one. It’s longevity and silage are respectable on me. Contrary to the experience of other reviewers on here, I can usually still smell CK2 by the end of the day (close to the skin, mind you, but it is always still there). Really bummed this was discontinued, one of my all time favorites. I’m gonna have to bulk buy and hoard.

Every time I smell this, all I can think is, "This is the best perfume of all time!"...seriously. Perfectly unisex, fresh, clean and aquatic without smelling like any other generic freshie or floral perfume out there. Juicy like a fresh cucumber without smelling like one, sweet and slightly feminine without any fruit or florals being obvious at all, and brings about the nostalgic recall of freshly cut grass and ocean washed pebbles, I seriously have a hard time working this perfume out or even explaining it! All the notes listed are present but blended so beautifully they all dance off of each other so beautifully! The combination of mandarin orange and pear is delightul. I layer this with angel nova to make it more sweet fruity and floral, or with apple brandy by kilian to make it warmer fruity and more mature. A beautiful all rounder!

I am late to the party, so unfortunately I never had the chance to smell the original. But I was very curious about the scent, so I bought a sample of a 'parallel fragrance' for this on Acqua di Gabia. This one starts off very fresh, like an early autumn breeze, then it turns into something that reminds me a bit too much of public transport, but then the dry down opens into something very similar to the dry down of Wild Ocean by Courrèges, which I love. Very interesting fragrance! It takes you on a trip. Like you get on a tram in your slightly more rural area while the wind is picking up before it starts raining, then you spend half an hour in the subway and when you come out, the rain has stopped and the sun is shining onto a mix of old buildings, trees, cobble stones and small city ponds.

This has definitely been discontinued, which is a real shame. I don't usually do back-ups as like to try new things but for this I have two 50mls (one I'm using) and have just ordered a partially used 100ml (75% full). I may try to get more as gifts as I know family and friends who I really think would love this too. As we know fragrance is subjective and very personal and for me this is such a unique scent, I do feel though that once people get past any preconceptions about the CK brand they may discover this true gem. I honestly think people would be raving about this if it were in a 'flavour of the month' niche brand or private line high end designer bottle. Get it (or at least try it) while you can and take a calming stroll through a Mediterranean/coastal flower garden after the rain.

It is not a "statement perfume", it's "anti-statement". It's saying "I'm neutral, one of the crowd, neither a woman nor a man, neither spicy nor edgy nor strong nor.. anything in particular really". It may sound boring (actually it is!), but it became my most wearable scent ever, because you know - office.. people around.. mornings when I don't want to think and need to put on some decent clothes and be outside in 10 minutes... I'm coming to the end of the bottle and am hesitating whether I should buy the 2nd; normally I do NOT buy the same perfume again (too many good smells to try in life!), but here I'm really thinking (also the price now is so good when it's no longer new, so why not) It's super fresh but not too aquatic, perfect balance, I'm giving 5/5.

CK2 did it right! If you like the original CK One and wish there were a more modern unisex scent of that nature, this is absolutely it. I won't say that they're all THAT similar, but it definitely has that trademark "CK" smell, and it accomplishes what the original did back in the 90's: A perfectly unisex clean scent. It does however have a modern twist - it's not as "in your face" as the 90's CK One. The scent perfectly captures the smell of wet rock. Imagine the first few drops of rain on a hot sidewalk - that's the basis of this scent. Perfect. Petrichor. I would absolutely not mind smelling this on anyone, whether it be a guy friend, or a female love interest. It's pleasant. It's perfectly unisex. It's modern. It's clean. Mission accomplished, CK.

I like the concept of CK2. Androgynous? Yes, though slightly feminine. Unique? Yes. On my manly tanned skin in a humid tropical environment, CK2 is very linear, projecting the scent of an imaginary flower with a tiny hint of some sort of pepper-ish and powdery characteristic. Too bad that CK decided this is a flop and discontinued this amazing stuff. I mean, when was the last time we seen floral for men like Givenchy Insense (the yellow ones, not the Ultramarine bluish liquid) or Kenzo Power? I get it if CK tries to reinvent CK One to make it more "relatable" to the current generation, but seems they miss the mark though. Things might be different if this was a CDG or some niche brand perfume. Could easily pass as a CDG's creation though.

I now have a bottle (50ml) and I kind of wish I'd have gone for the larger size! Hmm maybe I'll get another if the price is right. This just hits me with memories of a special time and place, so on a personal level it was an awesome purchase. I definitely recommend this fragrance, but well, we're all different, with different experiences. It is a lovely subtle scent which somehow conjures a feeling of endless summers, the sea and rain. Yesterday I tested Ck2 alongside Mercedes-Benz Cologne and whilst this one didn't project as much (MBC is already fairly soft), it easily outlasted MBC on my skin even with it's very delicate but alluring and ever-so slightly salty (skin)scent. I love the bottle design too. Edit: get it while you can!

You just took a shower with the freshest shower gel, while still damp you put on a clean baggy white tshirt and clean grey jogging shorts. You slick your hair back with a touch of hair gel. Then you decide to step out on your balcony as the rain just stopped so you pick up the scent of the wet concrete of your building/balcony/street below. That’s exactly what this smells like. I love it. 100% unisex. The wasabi comes off as black pepper in the opening but it doesn’t last. Performs with moderate sillage and not much projection after 3 hours. It still lasts for about 7 hours. This is for those who want to tickle a someone’s nose with your clean fragrance as you walk by, but not fill their nostrils.