Winter is not my favorite season of all. Other than the layers and layers of clothing I have to put on everyday, commuting to and from the office has become cumbersome especially when there’s snow. During these gloomy and cold days, I really long for summer. Scent-wise, I tend to wear heavy perfumes. The light and sheer ones is like wearing nothing at all – reminds me of Calvin Klein’s CK Free. The fragrance comes off as faint and sillage goes downhill after the first spritz.
I used to love Calvin Klein fragrances. But lately, their new releases have become a bit too generic. CK Free is the latest cologne for men from CK. It was designed by Givaudan and was released in August 2009. Woody and aromatic, CK Free is composed of the following: top notes are Thai star anise, jackfruit, juniper berry and absinthe; middle notes feature suede, tobacco, coffee, South African buchu; base notes are patchouli, oakwood, Texan cedarwood and Costa Rican ironwood. The bottle is very modern – a transparent block of clear glass. Initially, I was impressed by the minimalistic design and the concept of the advertising. It really looks fresh and natural. In the ad, the model drives the car in full throttle. The thrill of speed correlates to freedom. I guess the marketing team captured the essence of the fragrance but sadly, the impressive appeal ends in the ad.
I tested a sample of this cologne and what I’ve got was the signature explosion of fresh notes at the top. The initial notes are crisp, comforting with a bland floral base. The scent, on the whole, is not groundbreaking. It smells like the other CKin2u perfumes, in my opinion. With the countless CK flankers in their collection, I couldn’t even remember which CK fragrance is comparable to CK Free in regards to olfactive-experience.
CK Free is a nice casual daytime cologne. I love how summer-y it is and well, that’s about it. Longevity and sillage are not something to rave about either. If you’re looking for something exciting and impressive, explore CK’s Truth and Contradiction. You won’t be disappointed.
