Calyx

As a longtime admirer of Grojsman's work, I'd known for a while that I'd probably add this to my collection someday. So when I found a new bottle at a good price, my dastardly clicking finger didn't hesitate to push "Complete Order." I was not disappointed. As with all of her creations, Calyx has this strange, magnificent property of presenting itself simultaneously as a collection of very well-defined notes and as an impossibly well blended amalgamation greater than the sum of its parts. It's a bit like the olfactory equivalent of pointing your index fingers at one another in front of your face then allowing your eyes to unfocus just enough to create the illusion of a little cocktail sausage floating in the air: the perception of seamlessness that can nevertheless be decomposed, at will, into its constituent parts. Of course, what Grojsman achieves is both more complex and more elegant than a phantom cocktail sausage. xD When I try to discern the individual notes, I come away with syrupy tropical fruits (especially the guava and passionfruit), breezy-dewy white florals, powdery rose, all poised upon a creamy orris-sandalwood dais dusted with a bit of austerely green moss and vetiver. When I allow them all to snap into the miracle of olfactory unity, I'm left with a glowing, smooth, diffuse ember of tropical sunrise falling on freshly bathed skin, the glory of a carefree summer day only just breaking. It's lovely, easy, and welcoming. In the drydown, it does become a bit more insipid, perhaps a little shampooey (which is probably the reason for so many dislikes), but still quite pleasant. I don't know if anybody else can relate to this sentiment, but Calyx just feels so friendly to me, so fun and sincere. In any case, this will certainly be in my rotation during the warmer months. It's better during day, and amazingly unisex. The longevity is good, but not stellar, and it projects well without choking you out (something that can't be said for some of Grojsman's other fragrances). If you haven't tried this yet, I'd certainly recommend it!

This is certainly not a scent I expected to love but I was very pleasantly surprised! To me it reads as: Grapefruit, guava, green leaves and rose, in order of intensity. This sweet/sour/bitter accord quenches a thirst I didn't even know I had. I wear mostly heavy, darker, smoky frags and this is the perfect antidote to all that. Smelling Calyx is like taking off your glasses, stepping away from the computer, and going for a walk outside in the fresh spring air. To me there is nothing loud or over the top to this scent, I find it perfectly balanced and elegant in a natural and innocent way. The weird, scratchy texture of the scent of guava is presented superbly here and this really has me thinking that we are long overdue for a big guava-inspired blockbuster scent, maybe a masculine this time? I think green scents are inherently kind of cerebral and not conventionally 'sexy' and I'm fine with that. Calyx is like that person who's always quick and witty, but never at the expense of anyone's feelings. There's a warmth of spirit (not literally, Calyx is all cool tones) that gives a sense of cheerfulness and good humour. 100% deserving of its 5 star status, especially when you consider that it smells like it could have been released yesterday AND its the only green scent that's upbeat and positive (okay maybe not after fig scents became a thing) that I can think of. So not just good but totally unique and timeless. Also guys should try this its not a sweet cupcake scent by any means despite all those sweet sounding notes listed. A little hissy and high pitched at first but let it calm down. This has given me such respect for Ms. Grojsman that I think I'm going to have to go revisit Outrageous.

Finally received my order online as they don't sell it in my country of residence. Been wearing it for almost two months, and here goes nothing: Opens up with a zingy and insect repellent-esque blast of grapefruit and freshly-cut stems, and quickly dries down into a masterful blend of tropical fruit juices (with no added sugars) against a photorealistic backdrop of lily-of-the-valley and green notes. The fruit notes in Calyx feel rather 'niche', bearing no semblance to the candied and shampoo-like fruit notes popular in more marketable fragrances. True to its name, this scent really blooms under a humid tropical weather and scorching sunlight, veiling you in a cloud of fruity floral greatness. Unfortunately, Calyx does wither away in cold or rainy weather, at least for me (perfume-eating skin, sigh). 6-8 sprays is ideal for Calyx. Calyx does not feel dated at all and is rather unisex! Fragrances like this raise my appreciation for perfumers who emphasise the artful blending of notes instead of hastily putting A and B together. I did hear that Calyx is a juice which turns after a while, but I guess that's motivation to regularly use it and partake in fragrance overconsumption! Insanely wearable and mood boosting. Needs to be applied on well-moisturised skin to ensure it performs, but an exhilarating scent nonetheless. Believe it or not, this is the proclaimed signature scent of Ramona from RHONY; say what you want, you can't deny she's got great taste in fragrances. Clinique, please don't ever discontinue this beauty. And make it available worldwide; I've blitzed through nearly half the bottle!

I just purchased this through Fragrancenet, so I don't have it yet, but I did so after carefully reading the reviews, comparing the notes, and deciding that if it brings me half the joy the Prescriptives version did way back when, then it will be worth it. I recall how when I first experienced Calyx, it was really unlike anything I had ever tried before. Back then, I neither knew nor cared about notes or anything else. My only criteria with fragrance was "Do I like it?", and while in the end, that's still the deciding factor, I realize that had this come out today, I likely would have skipped it because I would just assume that I wouldn't like all of those tropical fruit notes. That would have been tragic, because the Calyx I knew and loved was extraordinary! I lacked the words to describe what I was smelling. All I knew was that my mouth LITERALLY watered from the juiciness of the fragrance, and that I needed it. It was so different than the Chanels and Diors and every other fragragrance I loved and wore at the time. So I bought a bottle, wore it, and got on with my life. I have every reason to expect to enjoy the Clinique version just as much. After all, both Clinique and the late Prescriptive line are/were both part of Estee Lauder, so it's all in the family. I am going to try my best just to simply spray and let it be, without trying to deconstruct it seeking out specific notes. After all, that's how I fell in love in the first place! We shall see if lightning strikes a second time...

(re-adding this here now that the new version was added to the DB) Calyx is a fruity floral that's anything but typical, and it was a favourite of mine this summer. It has a lot going on, too much to be expected to be good really, and it's not subtle at all, but somehow it works, and very well too. The opening is extremely green, very soapy and quite sharp (although I don't think it dips over into harsh territory). It catches the attention at once, because it's not what you'd expect from a fruity floral at all. Later it mellows down, it becomes more and more fruity sweet as time goes by, really delicious. Still, that unique soapy accord stays (more subtly) present throughout, preserving the interesting and instantly recognizable character of Calyx. I've always thought of this as a grapefruit scent, but I don't really know why. After all, there are about a hundred notes, and although the ones listed here are still for the Prescriptives version I suspect it's about the same for the current Clinique version. So it's difficult to pick out anything distinctly; you get an impression of the mix, which contributes to the fragrance's charm that is a little old-fashioned in character.

Sure this has undergone a makeover since the original but it still has Sophia Grojsman all over it. I could only pinpoint the tweaks if I were lucky enough to own the original and do a side by side smell comparison. Looking at the scent profiles side by side, it’s obvious the Clinique is less complex, but wow it’s close. I was wearing this at work last week when my fourth client of the day noticed it. It wasn’t until I had her in the shampoo bowl that she got a whiff of it on my arm. When I told her what it was, she was transported to her time as a sales clerk at Dillard’s circa 1989. She told me that I smelled like a green and tropical fruit bomb and that it conjured up fond memories and that it made her day. 🥭🌿🍊🌷🍃🍈 In turn, she made mine. A great summer scent that comes alive in the humidity. When I was a teenager this was beautifully bizarre and unusual. It’s still beautiful to me though no longer unique and without the staying power of the original. I still love it. 💚

I waited a long time to purchase the Clinique version of the signature of my youth because it was such a good time for me. We had European exchange students at my small school in the city and of course it swept me away with romantic ideas about traveling abroad and getting out of the “boring” US. And when I finally did travel, Calyx is what all my scarves and probably a couple of young men’s jackets smelled like too! I purchased this carefully today while I was alone and sprayed it on in my car, not expected it to be the same. One spritz and my mind was taken back to a Roladex file of the most amazing memories, beautiful people and sights, and of a heart filled with love and potential. I’ll forever love this scent! It is basically the same. I’d say it’s lost a touch of a vegetal element that’s been exchanged for a touch of a soapiness on the dry down. Otherwise, reminisce away Gen X, reminisce. 💕

To me, this was the first unisex scent in the market although it wasn't marketed that way sadly. Regardless, it was so delicious that I didn't care--I wore it anyway. To me, this was always greener than it was fruity--at least on my teenage skin. Now, I certainly get the strong passionfruit/tropical fruit top and body. I just bought the scent--after not wearing it since the last '80s. Surprisingly, it's timeless IMO. It could have been released last year, and I think that's because the green notes still save it from becoming a cloying fruit/floral bomb. I think a splash of aldehydes might have made this even better (actually, this reminds me of an ancestor of Superstitious by Frederic Malle/Alber Elbaz) but overall, unlike most inexpensive scents, this one (I just paid $33 for it on Clinique.com) certainly holds its own against fragrances costing 10x as much.

This is a genius fragrance. And the freshest of the fresh. I’m almost frantic to ensure I always have a bottle on hand. And am with Sanchez on the desire to spray it over and over all day long, on myself, clothes, drapes, into the air. The swirled together breadth and depth of tropical and citrus fruits + white flowers + both tropical and temperate rainforest evocations = IDEAL fresh/fruity/flowery/citrus/green/wood. Stunning composition! The music of happiness, of plant life exploding into being. Palatable to, and asked about by the people around me. Everything's unisex as far as I'm concerned -- why limit one's options for beauty? -- whatever your gender(s), go for it. Calyx is a spirit-lifting fragrance year round, and makes me happier whenever I'm trapped indoors. A gift, a treat.

To follow up on my post below, my bottle of Calyx arrived. Let me start by saying I seldom take issue with reformulations, and this is no exception - to a degree! I like this very much but I don't love it the way I did when it was produced by Prescriptives. As is so often the case, the reformulation lacks the depth of the original, which used to almost make me swoon. It's still quite recognizable as Calyx, but there is something underneath it all the smells a little musty to me. I don't think it's something that has been added. It smells more as if something is missing - certainly something that made the original so refreshing. All in all, I am happy to have Calyx back in my collection and will get plenty of use from it this summer, but what was once loved is now simply liked.

I just upgraded this to a love. I hadn't worn it in a little over a year, and I decided to wear it today, fully expecting a prominent note of grapefruit to hit me upon application. But sometimes has happened over the past year, and it now smells much closer to the Prescriptives version I loved so much back in the day! The grapefruit has taken a backseat to the sweat, tropical fruit opening I remember so well and it is unfolding beautifully! I was really considering purchasing a vintage bottle. The prices they are asking for it now have seemingly doubled since I last checked!! I no longer think I need to do so. I still may seek out a small decant just to check it out, but in the meantime, I plan on enjoying it very much this summer.

I used to wear Calyx by Prescriptives and loved it. This is almost the same, but not as sharp, I think. I love this, it's so clean and energizing. On me, it's a blast of pure citrus and green for almost the whole time. But it's a grownup fragrance. I never get any hint of florals or sweetness at all; it just gets a little bit woody/oakmossy at the end. And it lasts forever. I put it on at 8:00 this morning. It's almost 6pm and I can still smell it. Calyx is very summery and cheerful, like a walk on a breezy, sunshiny day. I don't think of it as a winter fragrance at all, but I'm wearing it now, in January, because I just need the optimistic, clean-out-the-cobwebs mindset it gives me.

I can't compare Clinique Calyx 2013 to the Prescriptives predecessor, because I never tried that earlier version. But I can say that this is a fragrance that requires some sensibility. It has depth, nuance, and a shifting and evolving presence as it dries down from sharp citrus (Hello, grapefruit!) to dewy flowers. The composition is a daring one. I think the sweet, opulent jasmine set against the sunlit spray of tropical fruits throws some people. But that's okay. If you like it, the good news is Calyx sticks around for most of the day and projects with restraint. Fun fact: "Calyx" is a botany term for the cup-shaped structure that surrounds and protects a flower bud.

The papaya, guava and freesia are what stays throughout the longevity. You get a nice, sweet citrus and green smell on first spritz. It's an entirely unique fragrance. I was an account executive for Pescriptives for 5 years, and we had to wear Calyx every day. It's pretty easy for a man to wear this because the fruits in this are not juvenile. I finished my last Px bottle in March of 2016 and in April I purchased the Clinique bottle. The Clinique version is exactly the same as the Prescriptives ; it hasn't changed at all. If you think it has, it's just your memory playing tricks on you.

This is my 2021 New Year signature scent. It smells like the newness of spring and its an uplifting happy perfume ☺. Calyx is everything I need in a scent to wash off the year 2020. Edit: This one is a complement getter...who knew! I know I love LOVE this. It truly does embody its name. Calyx: the sepals of a flower, typically forming a whorl that encloses the petals and forms a protective layer around a flower in bud. This scent has a luscious green cocoon around the light floral bud scent, that is sweetened by a tropical cornucopia. This is a true LOVE.

My first impression on trying this was a somewhat pleasant guava concoction but within 10 minutes this thing turned on me LOL into a disgusting rancid lemon nightmare not unlike a strong cleaning solution. There must be something in this that violently disagrees with my chemistry - probably the tropical fruits because I know I'm ok with everything else. I have never liked tropical scents, maybe this is why. I wanted so much to wear EL Beyond Paradise once and it too was not for me. Oh well, there are many other fish in the sea!

This is the only perfume I’ve bought and willingly paid full price for in the last several years. It’s only the 2nd perfume I’ve bought this summer. Calyx is zingy, fresh but not aquatic. Tropical but more like a fruit salad, not the typical tropical scent. Floral, yes, but not intensely floral. Guava definitely sticks out to me as the top note. It smells like those little snack guavas you can get. It smells clean but not like a body/hair product. It has personality. I love it.

Calyx has zesty, sweet and fresh cistrusy notes. I can smell the grapefruit which I love and can make any woman feel young. My man loves it on me! It is truly different and perfect for hot summer days or nights or for anytime you want to feel young and revived. I don't understand why some women think it's not sexy..Any perfume is as sexy as the one who wears it. And btw, why every perfume has to be sexy? The art in perfume is in its originality and the magic it creates.

I bought this for pure nostalgia reasons as it was one i wore in high school back when it was sold at the Prescriptives counter at the mall. It smells as I remember for the most part. It seems a little more screechy than i recall. Still close enough to my recollection to satisfy that itch unlike other like my Lauren Ralph Lauren that was relaunched in a bad way. The husband seems to like it as well. Worth the price if you can get it on the grey market.

This is a nice fragrance. Not outstanding at all, but I will enjoy during the hot summer months. Man on man I am getting so I somewhat hate summer high heat. Love the sunshine not the blistering heat. Will probably use this around the house or while doing the barbecue thing with friends. Edit: Loving this the more I wear it. Fresh, clean, slightly sweet smell. Like breathing in the first cool breeze of spring. Great in hot weather.