Escape

It took me a bit to 'understand' this one. My batch is from 2021, I have no idea if that means my bottle doesn't have calone since I read they apparently wound up removing it from the formula after it became too ubiquitous in other perfumes of the era. When it came out it was a novelty in Escape, and then it got tired, and so they removed it. Which sounds pretty stupid to me, but ok. This reformulation, god only knows what number in the line it would be, is not nearly as nuclear as some reviewers write. It does last long but not insanely so. Escape can be interpreted as this scene: you left your groceries in your hot car by accident. Such groceries consist of only a 5lbs of peaches and 2 vacuum sealed frozen tilapia filets. Alternatively, you can think of the dumpster pile in a verduleria or fruteria, where the bulk of it is rinds of watermelon and cantaloupe + it's November, so they have plenty of cempazuchil/marigolds around the place. Limp, chamomille bundles in one of the stands nearby. Someone here said that they enjoy it as a summer scent, and I imagine that was more or less the intention from CK too, from the name and promotional material. I've been putting it on this past few days where the mornings have been a crisp 12-20C. And later in the day we get 34-37C. I think this shines much better in the first half of the day. I find myself getting borderline nauseous with it in the peak of heat, and that's with just the remainder of the scent after what is around 12 hours, when it comes and goes in soft wafts. There's beautiful moments in Escape, where it smells kind of like skin, skin after drying on its own after a shower. Or after taking a swim in the ocean. There's a savoriness, and a "humanish" musk, and a soft jammy fruitiness balancing it out so it's not perceived just as "sweat". If you lick your skin right now, say, your forearm, provided it's clean, with no lotions or fragrances or whatever, that taste is exactly what Escape can smell like at times. As such it can be an intimate and comforting perfume. It did nothing for me when I pulled it out in the winter, so not the warm cozy blanket kind of comforting. It's kind of "motherly" (Yuck, that sounds unappealing, but I swear it's not). Don't know how to put it better. The main characters are cantaloupe, peach, marigold, carnation and clove + that fishy, or "crab meat-iness" that I want to say is calone from what I've read about it, but I think that surely 2021 is too late for my batch to contain it?? I may never know. I was on the fence about writing this down as a "like" or "love", and then I asked myself, would I buy another one when i'm done with it? And the answer is yes. Love it is! Unconventionally so.

Once a few years back now, the sales assistant at the chemist queried? "What perfume is that you are wearing'? "Well". "It's Escape by Calvin Klein". I answered. "Oh" She replied. "I always wondered what that one smelled like"? "It's nice on you." She said. That particular chemist does stock some hard to source fragrances. This one is away's on special there for around 25 Aussie dollars for 100 mills EDP. I recall paying well over 80. Dollars AUS, when this one was launched back in the early 90's and I was just into my third decade here on earth. I have three bottles of Escape, fear I might run out? One bottle I scored cheaply as a tester, no box or spray nozzle for 5 Aussie dollaroozies. A bargain. I have said nothing about it's aroma though. It is in my educated opinion . Yep thought I would throw that one in. I am a retired High School Arts teacher. "A CLASSIC". Needless to say that I also have 'Sunflowers and copious amounts of L'Eau D'Issey. These fragrances having similar notes and similars smelling aroma's on my skin. I'm MELON HEAD. Just like that episode on 'Friends' when Joey gets the turkey stuck on his head I envisage myself with my noggin stuck inside a melon. That's right Monica did too! This fragrance is still being manufactured that I am most truly grateful for. Thank you Mr Klein. Many reviewers here seem to hate the period in time known as the 90's and sadly belittle the decade for it's worthlessness. Mind you. The 90's are known to have been the most progressive artistic period in time, since we started caring and documenting our history. 'Escape' is a complicated and complex fragrance that is not for anyone it seems, it is or can be long lived and linear. The actual fragrance colour is quite deep and syrupy looking housed inside a round faceted flacon. 'Multifaceted'.I love this fragrance. I take breaks from it but I still love it. My affair with 'Escape' will never end. I can detect hints of carnation, chamomile, peach and ever so soft musk and cedar. I agree with many here 'Escape' is about carefree sunny day's with a disposition to match. Cheers T. Ps it can last well into the next day after application. The site logged me out.

As a young teen, I was gifted this perfume, along with Eternity and Obsession. I loved Eternity. Would have broke the bottle and dumped it on my head to smell like it from head to toe. Obsession was a dislike, and Escape was a major dislike. It was pungent, sour, and plain headache inducing to me. Fast forward 30 years later. I decided to revisit fragrances from my past. At the mall I went to the fragrance counter and tried Eternity. Clearly it has been reformulated, and I couldn’t believe how boring it was. It didn’t even smell like the same perfume that I remembered. Even though I wanted to, I couldn’t smell an Escape tester there because they stopped carrying it at department stores a long time ago. No big loss, I didn’t like it anyway, right? I ended up buying Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden from a discount perfume retailer. I liked it when it first came out, but having not smelled it in over 3 decades, was surprised by how good I thought it was...1993 in a bottle, but damn if it didn’t remind me of Escape a little bit. How could I love one and not the other? I had to smell Escape again! I found a bottle that was ridiculously cheap online, so I thought, “What the hell, let’s give it a try.” Got it today, and checked the batch code first, like I always do when I buy perfume. It’s a newer batch, about a year and a half old, by Coty. The bottle is beautiful, I must confess, with its classic design and dark liquid color. Let me just say that with that first spray, my eyeballs almost popped out of my head! It. Is. GORGEOUS!!! What in the world?! It definitely smells the same as I remembered it all those years ago, so what changed it for me?! I have no idea! But I’m glad it did! This is why perfume is so wonderful! Was the change something chemical in the perfume, physical with my body chemistry, or spiritual because I am not the same person I was back then??? Why does it smell like the same fragrance I remember, but to others it smells completely different? Why did I dislike it so, but will now cherish it? Who knows. All I know is that I’m in love💜💜💜

Surfer's Dream of Misty Melon with Herbal-Spicy Accents... This classic Floral Aquatic scent by Claude Dir came out in 1991, a year which also saw the release of Point Break, the surfing film starring Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze & Lori Petty. The mood & tone of the film represent both the women's & men's Escape well, and I could imagine a scene from the film smelling like this, or Lori or Keanu wearing it on set. It reminds me of surfers getting up at dawn when it's still misty, to catch the best waves - has a misty, overcast & cooling vibe. There's a lot going on in the notes, but this is how I experience them: opens with a burst of melon accented by a blend of chamomile-tea & oakmoss. As it transitions to the heart, the melon gets elaborated with soft peachy tones, while the oakmoss becomes a spicy rose-oakmoss blend and then a spicy carnation. Overall there's a soft melon fruitiness accented by herbal-spicy notes, but taking a step back, the whole composition could also be an abstract cherry-blossom depending on your point of view. Alongside all of this there's also an aquatic freshness that fits with the theme & name Escape. My sister wore this back in the day, but I've always loved it too. Has amazing performance for a freshie, and a single spray will last me all day. It's a longtime love for me. 10/10 for an aquatic scent. Enjoy! Update 05/23/24: Sprayed this on my wrist this afternoon. It's strong until the spray dries, but then there's such a beautiful fresh, herbal sillage with something near-minty & near-honey I hadn't noticed before. Slightly bracing at the opening but then a gorgeous oceanic, refreshing, herbal escape that last for quite awhile. Still a love.

This is coming from from someone who doesn't like floral or fruity perfumes. I got a free sample of this with a purchase. Mildly curious, I tried it without looking at the notes. I'm glad I didn't look at the notes. If I had, I probably wouldn't have given this a chance. The first thing I get is aquatics, which I utterly love. Then, I immediately recognized hyacinth, my favorite flower, which has a very distinct, very strong smell. It smelled like a synthetic hyacinth, but still close enough that I immediately recognized it. And I don't usually have a problem with perfumes smelling synthetic, as long as they're done well. The other florals came in after that, but I don't know enough about them to pick out individual notes. It just blends together in this gorgeous, aquatic bouquet. The woody notes at the bottom, combined with amber and musk, really give this scent so much body, depth, and fullness. And every once in awhile, as I'm going through my day, I catch just the tiniest hint of vanilla. Because I haven't really attuned my nose to florals, they all smell sort of the same to me. White florals are great, I'm obsessed with jasmine, but straight floral perfumes, I just can't get into, and I can't tell the difference between them. But this is amazing. Definitely leaning toward unisex, but still romantic and lovely. Obsession is "meh," Eternity is pleasant, but this is amazing. I've already purchased a full bottle. Go figure, I completely love a floral perfume. I never, ever thought I'd love a floral perfume.

My love for Escape began with watching via satellite the US TV ads from Venezuela. Dune and Sunflowers had a similar beach themed ads, but Escape was the most sensual. I kept the magazine strips for all fragrances. I finally bought a dapper 50 ml bottle in Miami, in 2000, and was gifted a 100 ml tester, then I purchased a 100 ml for $25 in 2024 and is smells just as beautiful. Owning this fragrance along with CK1 and Eternity felt like magic. People who haven't tried this perfume have asked me what it was and really liked it. Escape cannot be sprayed heavily in scent sensitive places. I was told by an older coworker that it bothered her as I walked by and I kept using it anyway. Of couse, I know better to not use strong perfumes at work, but at the time I thought the lady had no taste. I laugh about it now, so I have a set of work fragrances. Escape is honey sweet, ozonic, cantaloupe, and chamomile with a slight touch of cedar. It's great for non scent sensitive occasions and it's really affordable now. I wish that enough people bought it so it stays in production. It lasts long, and of the similar fragrances above, it's closest to L'Eau d'Issey EDP that is sadly discontinued. Escape is stronger than L'Eau D'Issey EDT. I own these fragrances and these are also lovely.

Might be a good back of the knees spray. This was my first “grown up” perfume purchase in 1998. My dad wore Eternity for men at the time and I think it influenced this purchase. I haven’t smelled it in years and I just repurchased it for myself in December 2025. It’s quite strong and projecting but I find the scent pleasant, even when I close my eyes and actively dismiss the nostalgia. As a more mature scent fan, I can now discern the different notes beyond just “I like this”. The rose floats to the top on the open for me. It doesn’t give me a headache but I can see how some feel that way. I think if you did an air spritz and walk into it with the back of your knees, it would last all day and wear well without being too heavy. It has a clean, soft floral scent. It’s not at all powdery which I love as, for me, powdery scents tend to feel like I’m breathing literal powder. I’ve also noticed that it smells different at different ranges. Like when I spray on my wrist, it smell roses and some of the fruits and spices, but when I bring that same wrist to my nose, I smell carnations and melon and almost soapy white flowers. It’s a very interesting fragrance that’s sometimes fun just to analyze because it’s packed with so many notes.

It's fun!!!!!!!! A cheerful, smiling, radiant perfume! Fun and creative! It smiles! It laughs! It shines! No other perfume is like this one, not even close! Full of personality. Confidence, enthusiasm, soul, brightness! Watermelon's glory artisticly transformed into personal expression of joy, fun, happiness! It captures the essence of breakfast's watermelons from beach hotels in Brazil and what they mean: vacations, happiness and... fun that's only starting (there's more to come)! Yet, it's a cosy, warm expression. It's friendly! Smiles and hugs you as a friend! As a soft sun at skin as well....There's sunlight in this fragrance! Air, water, fruits and much sunlight and warmth. "Come! Let's have fun! Life is a party!" Escape CK says! "The harvest was amazing, time to eat, celebrate, relax! Wooohooolll! What a beaaaaautiful daaaay!" - If a perfume could talk, this one would be such a good and cheerful friend! Side note: the combination of fruits brought the Brazilian watermelon scent in the end. Juicy and red watermelon. With notes of sunlight, beach, winds, vacations, laugh and complete happiness! The other notes are friendliness, comfort and hugs!

This is my first perfume review and also my first perfume. My grandma bought this for me when I was 18 in 2003. I remember her telling me this was a very mature perfume for my age. I didn't know what that meant and I didn't care. I wanted this perfume so bad since my trip to visit family in Virginia in 1997. My aunt wore this perfume and I could not get enough. When we left, I asked her to spray it all over my sweater and I smelled that sweater hanging in my closet for MONTHS. 20 years later and I still have half that bottle. I had a few perfumes when I abruptly left my ex 11 years ago, but this was the only one I made sure to grab since it had so much sentimental value. This a complex scent to me. I have a very untrained nose, but I've never smelt anything quite like this. When I close my eyes, I can smell this scent in my head. You never forget it. I've haven't smelled the reformulated, but I would make sure to buy a vintage formula, you can find some affordable on Mercari.

This review is for a purchase that was supposed to be the vintage, original Escape formula. I went ahead and sprayed this on fairly heavy the first time, as I am a chronic over sprayer! A lot of reviews talk about a melon and aquatic note, but I don't really get that. To me, it smells like dried herbs and flowers. Specifically chamomile and Marigold. I also get notes of fresh aromatic flowers and herbs. It does have an underlying sweetness and freshness to it that I really like. It smells like a very warm, sunny afternoon in a vast herb and flower garden. A little dry, but also sweet and green, with someone watering nearby with a hose or watering can. It's different and unique and I like it very much! EDIT LATER IN THE DAY: I am slightly disappointed, as to me the dry down is not as unique as the first several hours. I would have been more pleased if that phase had lasted longer. I still enjoy it very much though.

I emptied so many bottles of this during school and my teenage years. It was one of my more grown-up scents, I suppose. Other favorites during that time were Aqua di Gio, J'adore and L'Eau d'Issey. Escape is the first of the so called trio (Sunflowers & L'Eau d'Issey being the other two). They do share similarities but are still quite different. To me Escape is a wonderful combination of warm & cold, lush & restrained. Not everyone is fond of the Calone note but after the first blast everything settles nicely and I am left with an aquatic rose, LOTV, woods and some fruit. I consider this to be one of the best offerings of CK. I also think that Escape smells best from afar, not when I press my nose against my skin. Maybe not the best scent for cuddling but whatever. I need another bottle!

A classic! Still smells amazing after it's launch 30 years ago, an ex-boyfriend who is an expert on fragrance picked this for me and said it's almost like this frag was made for me! And it's true, I get the most compliments every time I wear it. It's a complex combo of many notes which is unusual, as too many facets can make a fragrance smell a bit weird but this is a beautiful blend. I wear it all year round, it's great for casual or formal occasions, in summer it smells fresh, in winter it smells warm, it's a successful blend of several fresh, fruity, floral notes without being overly sweet. It was expensive when launched like all designer frags are, but has come down to a fraction of the original price, making it excellent value. I always have a bottle of Escape open!

A few years ago I was at work and a woman walked in and breezed by me and smelled like absolute heaven. I mean absolutely heavenly. And it radiated throughout the store and I had to know what it was. I asked her and she told me it was Escape by Calvin Klein and that she has went through too many bottles to count, buys it cheap online, and always always gets compliments. I was sold immediately and could not get that scent out of my mind. I finally purchased a bottle and sprayed it on me and was so so disappointed because it did not smell the way that woman smelled that day. But it soon did, it developed into this beautiful floral musky marigold scent that just blew me away. im sure it is not for everyone but man am I glad I bought this one. Absolutely love it.

I got a mini bottle of this in a recent trade and I like it. It’s somewhat similar to Elizabeth Arden’s Sunflowers, but with the chamomile, cloves, marigolds, coriander, and tagetes toning down the fruit and floral notes’ sweetness. It makes me think of chamomile tea mixed with the syrup from fruit cocktail. The longevity isn’t too bad (~6 hours on moisturized skin) and the sillage is somewhat modest too, making it a great casual scent for warmer days. One thing I will warn wearers is to be careful when experimenting with layering: don’t layer this over sweet lotions or perfumes- it’ll smell like vomit 🤢 Otherwise, it’s worth a try if you want a simple laidback scent.

When I haven't discovered the world of perfumes yet, I always use melon or watermelon body mist. And I have discovered perfumes through fragrantica, and first thing I did was to search abut melon notes perfume and I saw this. After reading reviews, I went to a mall here in the Philippines and bought a 10 ml of this and OMG!!!!!!! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH! I feel so fresh all day wearing this. In fact, during our flag ceremony (it was blazing hot and I was dripping with sweat), my co-worker leaned on me and sniffed me and can't stop smelling me during the entire ceremony!!! She said I smell so good!

Very comforting fragrance to wear at home. It really does evoke the feeling of being on the beach. With the smell of the ocean strongly in the air - Fall is around the corner, and you're comfortable wrapping yourself up in a cardigan as you walk barefoot in the sand. I don't know, random imagery I guess :P I definitely get the melon and chamomile - I'm reminded of tea. I notice the similarities to Sunflowers (at first spritz, in particular), however Escape is not heavy on the Rose, and it's more aromatic...Now that I own this, I enjoy Escape more. It's like sunshine in a bottle :)

This is what I consider a masterpiece. You don't have to get used to it. You don't have to try numerous times to love it. It's not hard to wear. It lasts until the cows come home. It's as fresh as a morning meadow. There's a wholesomeness to it. It just smells right. How can a person take this many notes and come up with something so delightful...something that isn't dated, terribly mature, and stuffy!? I realize that not everyone will agree with this...but WHY!? This should last a good hundred years more! I'm so thankful I've been exposed to this before it becomes extinct!

I've got my first Escape, a blind buy, after checking so many reviews and it's love at first smell! I'm extremely happy with my purchase. The formula dates from 2019 and it makes me curious about the initial perfume aroma. It's very fresh, greenish, flowery although I cannot name a specific one, not sweet at all (thank God). Almost like an expensive soap and i never liked soapy fragrances, but this one's makes me wanna keep smelling my wrist. Ah the love! Later edit: with time I get the melon aroma, subtle one, not the common artificial sweet flavor. Love it even more!

This was my signature scent in the 90s and I adored it. It seemed like I was constantly being asked what I was wearing (which is always nice) but when my friends used it, it never worked on them (which is odd!). There seems to be a make-it-or-break-it component to this fragrance so if it works with your chemistry, it's amazing. If it doesn't it, it can be awful. I would be cautious to recommend buying this one sight unsmelled. I recently revisited this one and it still works for me. It's clean, crisp, fresh, almost gender-neutral tone. I'm glad I found it again!

Oh Dears if you do not hold a bottle of ‘Calvin Klein Cosmetics’ which is the very first edition made in USA and thereafter or made by Unilever in both USA and France.....well I would say that you are probably judging a completely different scent. I got 5 bottles of the vintage era and trust me ...this is a MONSTER of the 90s .....all bottles made after Unilever (when Coty bought the group) are pretty much crappy and synthetic smells ....and I do not want to go in the Last formulation ‘made in Spain’ also made by Coty which is a Joke!!!