I know it's hip and cool to hate on Calvin Klein fragrances these days, and probably a lot of that has been warranted in the last several years, but when that hipster hate extends automatically to some of the late 80's and early 90's CK offerings, I draw the line. Calvin Klein's Eternity made an impression on me from the first time I smelled it on someone else, and I absolutely had to have it.
This scent will always be the embodiment, for me, of the early 1990's "clean and fresh" smell, before that term became synonymous with the all-pervasive aqua trend. Eternity is spring and summer awesomeness, and yet stands worlds apart from scents like Cool Water, Acqua Di Gio, Azzaro's Chrome, and the like.
The original Eternity scent is wholly unique in the way it blends its citrus elements with florals and spices like lavender, jasmine, sage, and basil. It is at once earthy and fresh, energizing and relaxing.
I still have a bottle from the mid 1990's, so I can't say if recent formulations are as long-lasting or good at projection, but the stuff I have is more than adequate at both. It projects several feet (you don't need much more), and it lasts a decent 5-6 hours.
It's disappointing to me that this very original and remarkable fragrance spawned so many forgettable flankers. Not only has there been an annual "summer" release every year since 2005 (Eternity Summer for Men 2011, Eternity Summer for Men 2012, Eternity Summer for Men 2013, and on and on until you vomit), but we must also include:
- Eternity Aqua
- Eternity Intense
- Eternity Night
- Eternity Now
- Eternity 25th Anniversary Edition
- Eternity Collector Edition 2016
From what I've sampled, none of the flankers are really all that good, and I think that has ultimately harmed the reputation of the original. Fortunately for those of us who know better, that means it's entirely affordable right now. Fragrance Shop has 3.4 oz bottles for around $27, and that's a ridiculous steal considering what I paid back in the 90's.
9/10 stars.
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