I was my birthday in August and strangely enough, I'd been browsing through some perfumes online. I don't think I mentioned this to my boyfriend so his mind-reading powers were spot on when he bought me one as a gift. Calvin Klein Eternity definitely looks the part for a present and smells pretty nice too!

Calvin Klein is an extremely well-known brand and one with a fair bit of prestige. It's one I tend to think of as being a bit fancy so I don't tend to buy it, but I know their range of fragrances has a few classics that are very popular, 'Eternity' being one of them. It's a brand often referred to as 'CK' and the general connotations to the brand and its range of perfumes seem to be quite positive.

I have the 30ml bottle of eau de parfum (EDP). It comes boxed, in quite a plain and simplistic white design. On the back we're given a list of ingredients but very little else, so it's very minimalist. This simplistic style is also reflected in the design of the bottle itself. When I first saw it I thought 'elegant' and quite chic, because it's understated design gives it a classic feel. The bottle is rectangular glass, transparent so that you can see the clear yellow-tinted liquid. On the front is simply the name of the perfume in grey, which is very light so you can only just about see it, again giving the sense of being understated. The 'lid' is silver with a T-shape to it, and this twists off to reveal the push-down spray mechanism.

This is described as an 'harmonious blend of classic and contemporary...perfect combination of timeless quality and modern style'. As for the actual scent itself, it's designed to be a fresh, clean fragrance with romantic floral notes. It does smell quite flowery, of white flowers, that gives it quite a daytime, spring feel that's fairly sweet and feminine. I wouldn't say it's sickly sweet, but it's definitely one for those that want something fresh and a bit flowery. Even the scent itself seems somewhat understated in a way that reflects the contemporary blend with timeless classic; it doesn't hit you in the face, but it's there enough to be noticed and seems feminine in a classic sense rather than being tacky or too young by overpowering you with flowers.

The fragrance is lovely when it goes on, but I'll admit I was a little disappointed it didn't seem as strong or long-lasting as I had expected from a perfume. It does depend on what you're looking for, of course, but I wanted it to be noticeable and a scent that was fresh and lingered for hours. It's most noticeable straight out of the bottle and just after application, but then the scent seems to fade quite quickly. I've had comments from my boyfriend but that's when I've told him I'm wearing it and he gets very close to have a sniff, so I don't think it's one you walk in to a room and people comment on how lovely you smell unless you use a little more than usual perhaps.

Would I recommend? Yes, because I love the design and its understated blend of contemporary / classic, along with the sweet, floral fragrance that's light and fresh. However, it doesn't seem as strong or long-lasting as I had hoped, hence I'm knocking off a star, so you perhaps need to use a little more than usual if you want it noticeable. As for value for money, I'd say it's reasonable / average for a perfume from a designer brand, and I like that I can add something a little more special to my beauty toiletries collection with this.


30ml spray can be bought for around £20 (Tesco / Amazon), or more expensively at Next for £30.