Contradiction Calvin Klein for women

Fragrantica asks if you love it or hate it, but in this case they need a button for "I'm confused by it." The sweet, almost maple-y layers of florals are warm and soft and invite you in closer, but the eucalyptus gives it a definite chilly plot twist vibe--it comes across as distinctly metallic, which is interesting, but not necessarily pleasant. I don't think it's for me, at least not currently, but I think I respect it.

😢Same old same old. With every reformulation the juice becomes weaker and weaker unfortunately. I loved this back in the nineties it was strong, loud and longtivity and projection was much above average. Now not so. I still love the kind of smell but because of it weakness nowadays i will use my bottle but not purchase again.

To me it’s airy soap bubbles.

a typical fragrance from the 1990s, completely bizarre and innovative, I've never smelled anything like it, it doesn't smell of flowers, nor vanilla nor spices nor the sea breeze...ah maybe an ozonated note like an abstract pink cloud, really eccentric, a creepy little friend of the great Gucci Rush

I succumbed to blind buying after getting curious, reading the reviews. It smells like nothing so much as a department store. The clothing section. Those silver metal racks they hang the clothes from. You know what I'm talking about. JCPenny's, Mervyn's, Nordstrom's Macy's... Not really like a perfume at all. Rather disappointing. Not like a human, either! I can see that it might be a 90s/00s scent, but really... who wants to date a woman who smells like this?! Not me.

I mostly smell eucalyptus and peony. The lily note was why I bought this perfume, and I don't really detect it at all. Peony note smells really pretty, but tends to go harsh on my skin. And the eucalyptus, which probably is intended to be bracing and aromatic, also is just harsh here. Not awful, but not pleasant for me.
I read other reviews describing Contradiction for Women as smelling somewhat masculine. Since I tend to like perfumes that are considered "unisex" or "for women and men" the most, I rolled my eyes about those reviews. I can wear me some masculine perfumes, but the reviewers were right, and I can't comfortably wear this one.

I had it since forever.
I loved it but I was wearing other perfumes
at 90's era.
My huge bottle turned after some years.
A girl that we have a swap she send me also this
A gift, she never care for it as she told me wanted to
give it away like a present.
Today I saw it in the game zone.
Oh dear, dear I had forgotten it.
It is a perfume that goes with everything.
From office till a night party.
It is so very delicate and smells so unique I have
never smell something like this.
I hope it will be still around forever but maybe it is already discontinued.
Reminds me parfums like Nina's Ricci Premier Jour.
Wear it everywhere and anywhere.
Soft and lovely.
I real gem.

5/5

V

Despite all its hype and recommendations from perfume shop. I just didn't like it. Although, it's not the worst, it's more mediocre.

The bottle reminds me of the “flashy thingie” from “Men in Black”.
I had this years ago and couldn’t find another bottle “in the wild” to replace it. I stumbled upon in at a Burlington, and I’m glad I did. It’s cold but warm. Floral but aromatic. It fits the name, and is not like anything else I have. No regrets.

When this was launched back then, 25 years ago in 1997 (how time flies) this was one of the most stunning fragrances. And I mean the whole thing, it was unisex before the unisex was in, it was just bow wow. It was my perfume for so so so long, and let me tell you: I still love it and think that it was and remains ahead of (its) time.

Few perfumes ever will be able to match that force of feeling and simply be just the best sexy jeans&white-bright-u-name-it-what T-shirt fragrance. This is still one of the most stunning fragrances out there. As in: I own the place type of fragrance, but I cannot be bothered to scream it out loud. A classic.

And there is a reason it's a classic. I feel sorry for the youth today, saturated with so much choice, everyone trying to be original and precisely because of that all are the same. Indistinction of difference. Niche as a must, which is just nonsense, not to mention that it unnecessarily raises the prices of the perfumes and creates yet again niche-to-be-different, and yet everybody either is a niche or strives towards it. Not that I do not like some niche creations, but it is just so infinitely borning, the whole concept.

I will always and forever love this perfume and it is always gonna be ahead ot (its) time. This is such an incredible, sexy, mysterious, clean, dirty, lovely bitch kind of fantastic perfume.

A cold mix of flowers, eucalyptus, compact powder and metal shavings. Was my signature scent for like a decade.

Honestly I had such high hopes for this perfume. All the layered floral notes. And when I’d sprayed it I smelt that herbal type smell that others talked about and so I waited for that to leave. It didn’t leave so much as die down a bit. I still don’t smell florals. Overall it smells like an expensive soap with maybe a hint of peony and orchid. And at one point it smelt a bit of caramel? That was only for a moment. Maybe just me. I’m definitely a fan of feminine “pink” scents. This one isnt quite that but is a PERFECT unisex scent.

Lovely unisex floral scent. The unusual presentation makes this fragrance immediately recognizable. Performance could be better, this one turns into a skin scent far too quickly.

This is the oddest scent. It is so "not really there " perfume... almost like a very fancy toilet paper smell.... but the bottle is BEYOND!!!!!

Gorgeous
If only it lasted longer :(

Contradiction is so interesting! I love the eucalyptus/aromatic opening, and just wish that part lasted longer, but then it dries down to this beautiful, vaguely vegetal, salty/spicy lily, which brings to mind the MUCH stronger Donna Karan Gold. But where DK Gold is warm, strong, and of a completely different character (aside from the lily note), Contradiction is cool and at once both watery/aquatic and dry/aromatic, clean floral and salty musky -- nicely full of contradictions! I love perfumes like this, that play around with different types of smell. To me, this one works beautifully, and it also seems like, even though it's a bit strange, it's also subtle enough that it won't bother anyone; it's fairly well-behaved in spite of its unusual nature. Longevity is around 4 hours -- neither great nor horrible -- and it plays close to the vest with the exception of the opening; my one wish is that it stay a little bigger throughout. But overall, this is one I think I may love!

(2021 vintage) Since I bought this last summer I’ve worn it less than a handful of times. Weeks pass until I pick it up I and think “why haven’t I worn this?” Until I do wear it and the cycle begins again. On me it’s a perfectly fine office-friendly light sweet indeterminate white floral with minimal projection even after 8-10 sprays. There’s some well-behaved herbal notes in the background and a metallic tang that makes me think of hairspray. Very nice hairspray, but still. Life is too short to smell like hairspray.

I wanted camphoraceous eucalyptus + lavender, juicy blackberries and heavy tonka but none appear to be on offer. To be fair, I love dramatic moreish scents (even dry spare Dune is a stunner in its own way). Contradiction is for someone who wants a pleasant polished fragrance that is interesting but won’t disturb other people on the bus to work on a warm day. This leans feminine on me, possibly because I can’t remember meeting a man who smelled like hairspray.

The herbal aspect does not last long, but I don't enjoy it. It doesn't smell like eucalyptus as I recognize it, but suggests lavender. The floral aspects are nice, but overall I am not drawn in. The 'metallic' note people have mentioned, I notice this also in CK Truth. Not appealing to me. Contradiction is a strangely inert fragrance, for me. I tested from a decant.

It is a nice fragrance that I would even say is unissex, however it has a metallic note that lingers a lot and doesn’t agree with my skin. Had a long time, sold it and would never repurchase.

I really took a chance buying this fragrance without sampling, and I'm glad I did! This is such a great woody floral. The Eucalyptus definitely elevates it. The florals are so well blended that I can't particularly pick out a single one. Contradiction is crisp, fresh, a touch spicy, and bright - The color of the juice perfectly sums up the smell of this fragrance. It truly screams late 1990's without really coming across as what some would consider "dated" in my opinion.

It's something that generally stays in the back corners of my fragrance closet as it's not something I reach for often. It was the Fragrantica Readers' Choice Awards that brought it back to my attention. See, I was really amused by how confused some people seem to be by the "Most Futuristic" category. It seems like people are just using it as an extra platform to push their favorites instead of really giving credit to epoch-making fragrances that have brought something new to the table and have introduced either new ingredients, notes, combinations or changed something in how the target audience is spoken to.

This is, however, the category that to my nose defines Contradiction. I first experienced Contradiction via a sample between the pages of some fancy architecture or interiors magazine in the early 2000s. I kept rubbing my wrist on that weird perfumed strip, amazed by a fragrance that was for my nose a completely new experience. And because it wasn't available around me at the time I only got a full bottle of it just a few years ago, after happening across it by accident. And even today it still gives me this peculiar feeling.

Contradiction, released in 1997, somehow manages to encapsulate something that is very 90s in essence, but instead of leaving it at that it puts forth a vision of a fragrance for the following millennium. The composition is somehow at once floral, metallic, musky and aquatic. It is dominated by eucalyptus without making it smell like eucalyptus, instead giving other components such as the lily, peony, sandalwood and musk an eucalyptus treatment which is what creates that cold, metallic feel. As it dries down the sandalwood, musk and tonka soften that initial cold blast, but in a very pleasant way. It definitely develops, but not into a different fragrance and the original characteristics are still retained.

I looked up the combination of the most dominat notes to see how common it is. If I search by only the two main notes, eucalyptus and lily, the entire fragrantica database only comes up with 10 matches, those 10 also including masculine-targeted fragrances. Each added note slashes that number further.

This fragrance is to my nose a true unisex scent and could be very hard to place in a blind test. Looking back at the advertising campaign (with Christy Turlington and Justin Chambers), it was way ahead of the often very scantily clad mainstream. Both the male- and female-targeted fragrances were advertised by models dressed in contemporary suits, shot in black and white, emphasizing the cool and minimalistic feel of the fragrance with sleek metallic backgrounds. Even the perfume bottles are far more similar to each other than most releases that have separate fragrances for women and men.

We constantly have more releases to choose from, and it might not be our first pick very often, but I want to give credit where it's due. Contradiction is still unique and still looking ahead. It's very much a composition speaking about our contemporary aspirations and visions of the future.

Powdery ? Not really. Fruity ? Not at all. This is more of a woman's perfume, not at all girly. I have the vintage original version. It starts out with a metallic style very herbal-green cool eucalyptus that clings around a soft woody spicy sandalwood. It's difficult to pick out individual flowers, since all these flowers are equally blended. The gentle flowers peek out now and then, but eucalyptus/ sandalwood blend remains strong through the dry down. After the first 2 hours, an underlying very lightweight tonka/musk accord appears, clinging softly close to skin. On my skin, this perfume lasts easily 8 hours. I'd say it's totally unisex, since it's musky and not sweet. Contradiction is unique and a fine addition to my collection.

This was my everyday perfume for years! I bought it multiple times until I got sick of it hehe! However, there's nothing bad I have to say about this fragrance. It does the job (^_^)

I really like this perfume, it's quite different (though, I have limited perfume experience). It is a slightly sweet floral, quite a mature scent. I just wish it would last longer- it’s extremely strong when you first spray if but it dies out really quickly- I would have absolutely loved it if it was longer lasting and more even in strength!
The packaging is unique and pleasing to the eye- the silver lid contrasting with the off-peach perfume is quite a nice touch.
Contradiction is quite versatile and I like to wear this all year around, it is slightly warm so I do prefer them for the autumn and wintertime. It can be worn during the day for a strong, alluring effect and for the evening its perfect if you’re going for light and easy-going.

a pretty nose-tickling floral that is a bit aquatic; almost seems to have pepper in it; the main notes are rose, LOTV, peony with support from orchid, some white musk, a little creamy sandalwood and lilac in the base and that odd opening that does not smell like traditional eucalyptus but lends a little herbal quality to the opening that gives it a fresh ocean vibe. Not like Reveal but more of a spring floral and not salty. No vanilla detected. It is pretty for spring and summer for the $20.

Contradiction and I go way back. I got it as an unexpected Christmas gift from my high school boyfriend's dad's fiancé. There's something extra sweet about receiving a gift from someone removed enough that they really didn't have to get you anything.

Contraction has everything Christmas 2000 would have called for. I can see from the listed notes there is sandalwood and tonka. That combination almost registers to me as spicy, perhaps verging on something like a vanilla bean or cinnamon. On top it's metallic. That's what helps it fit in with the 90s aquatics and more minimalist perfumes of the early aughts. It's sweet but at the same time it has a cologne vibe that moves it toward unisex. A perfect combo for a rather preppy era. In my late high school life and even in my 20s, Contradiction felt as suitable for a night out as it did for school and work. I miss that.

Contradiction won't permeate the air around you, but it will stay with you all day. I bought my second bottle in the late aughts and think I need to say goodbye in 2021. I wore it to work the other day, and while it hasn't turned, it has just kind of broken down. Contradiction was one of my few high school perfumes and boy does it bring back memories of clothes from The Buckle and the like. Thank you, Marilyn, for surprising me with a bottle of Contradiction on the Christmas trip to Lake Tahoe, and thank you, Contradiction, for the memories.

If softness and power had to come to a common name that would be Contradiction....a real perfume-bomb of the nineties introduced again in the 21st century. I am in a pleasant surprise to see it glowing again in the markets and revisited this glorious aroma once again. It's flowery and woody with a sharp edge that softness as time goes by. It makes you feel strong and tender at the same time. The aroma includes two opposite elements but they tight together unexpectedly well. I like this Contradiction very very much. It is one of those perfumes which keeps you awakening all day and want to wear more of it the next. It's an addiction for me.

So peppery! I'm not sure if the sample I have went bad, but this smells extremely spicy. Too sharp, the peppery note overpowers all the other notes. Unless I get a chance to try it again, for now it's just a huge nope for me

This was my signature scent from ‘98-‘01.

Back in 1997 this was pretty loud and had great performance. I remember that around 2010/2012 (?) that changed and it became much weaker. Wonder how performance is now. Was a great fragrance, deep and sweet and a bit dirty. Liked it a lot, back then.

I finally arrived, too. I bought this perfume in 1999 during my visit to the U.S. Being a serious Calvin Klein perfume fan you have certain obligations :). However I managed to break the bottle (I guess I held it by the cap), and somehow poured it over in a reusable bottle, but never really used it. Why I don't know. Maybe I had a problem of this scent making me have a headache or something, and eventually lost that bottle too. Last week I saw a bargain and felt nostalgic so bought it again. We are still getting to know each other :). It's weird to see it in its original bottle. I haven't seen it in stores for a while.

EDIT, 11th Feb 2022:
I've recently started adding tea-tree oil to my shampoo and conditioner and shower gel (in an effort to keep my Type 2 Rosacea in abeyance) and I'm finding that Contradiction does a fabulous job of 'masking' that rather clinical tea-tree smell that gets left on my skin.... it's as if the eucalyptus note in the Contradiction sorta swallows up the tea-tree smell and makes it part of the whole, in a very pleasing way, so that I end up smelling of Contradiction and not of tea-tree oil. I've tried other perfumes with the tea-tree residue, and I've been left with the two things both present on my skin and 'fighting' each other. The result is far more harmonious with the Contradiction than with other perfumes.
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Original review from 18th Feb 2021:

My most exciting, wonderful discovery of 2021 so far: this fragrance is still made and sold (online, anyway, in the UK).

I gave up on it about 15 years ago when it disappeared from the shops, and I did so with a very heavy heart because it had been my all-time favourite fragrance, and, for the years that I wore it (1998 onwards), it was the fragrance I wore every single day, to the exclusion of all others. Oh, how I loved it. It went down pretty well with the men I knew, too.

And now I have a new bottle in my possession, and I'm beyond delighted. I've been wearing it for the last few days, and I feel like I've *come home*, after a decade and a half out in the fragrance wilderness. Just wonderful. It seems just as I remember it: all the facets of the fragrance; the way it develops on my skin over time; the length of time it lasts on me (basically 23 hours, until I have a shower). Glory be. The only change I can detect is that the old metal cap has been replaced by a lookalike plastic cap, which is a shame, but in the scheme of things I frankly don't give a toss. The juice smells like it should! And the bottle still pleases my minimalist sensibilities. [I did do some research online, by the way, and found the website of the plastics company who redesigned the metal cap in plastic, and they note that they did it for Coty - who as far as I can tell have owned CK fragrances since the early noughties].

For me, the eucalyptus is quite far forward in the mix throughout, but it's a 'smooth and cool' element, rather than a 'sharp and cool' element. And it's balanced by the warmth of the cosy sensuality of the sandalwood, tonka and musk. And then there are the flowers making me feel feminine (but never girly). And all the elements seem to meld into a single, if complex, impression.

Back in the day, I felt like this fragrance represented who I was really accurately and, given my personality hasn't changed much since then, I'm just delighted to be wearing it again after all this time. They'd better keep making it, that's all!

This is a lovely floral. First smelled on a girl working on a cruise ship in the early 90s, I loved it, never bought it until now when I have a collection of over 50 perfumes and I was just curious to smell this again. I found it on ebay and was quite cheap. I love the smell, it is a lovely floral , delicate but with a twist of something out of the ordinary florals, it is not boring and definitely smells more expensive than an ordinary perfume . I am sad though as it does not last and the projection power is confined to my body. It certainly brings back memories of youth and puppy love. :)

It's a really nice fragrance, not sweet at all, a metallic flower combination, fell in love right away, but it stays so little on my skin - 2h at best. On my hair maybe it's 4h. I'll wait to see how its aroma develops during summer...

I'm on a nostalgia binge, having ordered Dior Addict and this one by Calvin Klein, which I wore a lot during my late teens and early twenties. Natluvly describes it perfectly, this is such a good fragrance for when you're wearing jeans and a t shirt or sweater! Nice everyday and year-round scent, but still a real original, it isn't boring as those crowdpleasing everyday scents usually are. Sillage and longevity are excellent. Really happy to have this back in my life 😊

This was my signature perfume back when this was first released. I found a new bottle recently by happenstance and was transported back to college days and the unique freedom I felt at that time. This is a lovely, clean, definitely metallic, and also abundant floral fragrance. Not a scent for seduction, though not off-putting either. Very pretty, perfectly balanced, minimal but not. I was happy to find I enjoyed it as much today as I did back then. Sometimes nostalgia doesn’t pan out, but this fragrance is timeless and wearable. To me it smells of youthful beauty, optimism and independence. (Maybe that’s the fog of memory at work, but I’ll take it.)

There I was looking through pages of a fashion magazine back in the 90s. Suddenly stumbled over a thick page with a perfume sample. Rubbed my wrist and it was the first time I smelled anything CK, any designer perfume. It was fantastic, although smelled also of the magazine's ink and paper, and that's how I remembered it. 20 years later stumbled upon it in sales and could not resist. Beautiful bottle inside and out. Great scent, timeless and classic.

I absolutely adore fresh florals and this fragrance is jam packed w them. There are many fresh floral fragrances out there, but the eucalyptus is what makes this a special standout.

Eucalyptus as a fragrance note is very strong and normally completely takes over in a fragrance, but here it is mixed well so all the notes can come through. Although I sometimes feel it pushing past the other notes. I see why its voted as the strongest note detected.

Its really a gem, and this is entirely a unisex fragrance easily. Unique summer fragrance.

I hate the ugly cheap silver cover cap, but luckily I had another cap lying around to replace it with.

A nice floral fresh scent with hints of green (not grassy or leafy) clean florals, a coolness, a touch wet thoughnot jumping into aquatic territory. White musk, not specific flowers, just a nice blend.
Doesn't smell dated, Calvin Klein type of fresh

Blind bought this yesterday at Ross the large size for $19.99. Id been wanting to try this but never thought I'd find it. Super happy about the find. This to me smells like a mix of the first blast of Elle by Giorgio Armani and the dry down of Mania by the same house. I really like this. Very crisp and uplifting scent. Very soapy but in a green way if that makes sense. This feels like a white t-shirt scent. This is an elegant casual scent in My opinion for when you want to feel sophisticated while still feeling casual. A crisp casual elegant scent in my opinion. Really like it and also feel this could be unisex.

Edit: This is a sweater scent to me, it's kind of cozy though its fresh. The notes mesh well with sweaters and tees. I feel this is a fall/winter scent due to the composition. I noticed also this may be a great scent to layer with slightly sweet but powdery scents. So far from sniffing them together with this from the bottles I think these are gonna work well with this: Victoria Beckham Intimately beckham, Classique by JPG EDT, Jlo Still, and D&G the One L'eau. Interested to see how it goes.

Another edit: Why do I love this so much!? I think it is just the type of scent I've been searching for unknowingly. This does not last I don't think but I still love it. I think it's true it takes me back to the 90's. Made in '98 the year I graduated high school. It just has the DNA of scents from that time. But ck scents have a simpleness that I knew they had but I hadn't found one that felt like me on top of loving the scent. Really liking this ok I'm done!!

I love CK fragrances and since I had never smelled Contradiction before and it is discontinued I wanted to try it while I still can inexpensively. The opening is bitter and crisp but after 5 minutes or so it settles and the beautiful heart of this fragrance appears. Fragrant rose and peony are apparent, I do not smell a lot of eucalyptus but it could be that the bitterness on top is that note. To me eucalyptus is a medicinal sinus clearing smell and I do not detect that at all in this fragrance. This perfume is a great choice for everyday or office. It is not distinctive, but faintly modern and pretty in a simple way. Longevity is disappointing however I am glad that I was able to try it out before it's gone.

This was my signature fragrance in the late 1990s. I loved it. I guess I’ve always been drawn to intense florientals and woody scents lol. I haven’t smelled this in 20 years so I’m just going by memory, I remember it being intense, sweet, spicy, and almost metallic all at once. Wonderful fragrance for anytime, any day.

Usually, I'm a perfume bottle hater, but I like the minimalist and sturdiness of Contradiction; it's quite well-executed. That said, this fragrance is a quintessential office perfume on my skin: it sits close to my skin, and it's wearable year-round. The scent is sparkling and non-offensive, and a bit reminiscent to Nivea cream but with a mentholated twist. As it sets down, I mostly perceive lily, peonies, and blackberry over a light musky-woody base. It's delicate, but nothing too exciting.

6/10

Contradiction is a splendid bouquet of flowers with eucalyptus oil sprayed on it.
This is a woody lily with a little hint of menthol like, bright, fresh aroma. It has honey like underlying something as well. It is never too sweet though.
To sum up, Contradiction is a lily which grows in a mint field, surrounded by eucalyptus trees.
I love it, much!

This fragrance is so dear to me.

When I was in high school and hadn't yet started building my own fragrance collection, I always wanted to wear perfume to school dances. My Mom was wearing Contradiction a lot at the time and she would always let me wear it. When I wear it now, I instantly remember my school dance memories and am taken back to those fun days! Incidentally, I still can't wear it on a "regular" day. I only wear it on special occasions even though I have other fragrances by Tom Ford, Bond No. 9, etc... that one might think are better suited for fanciness.

This one just gets me in the feels!

This is a really interesting scent. It is sweet and floral with a peppery opening and i love it. I would wear this more if it lasted longer, but unfortunately on me it's gone within the hour. To be fair I've found that with all of CK perfumes... with the exception of Obsession which is a BEAST!

It could just be my skin though or my nose adjusting to the perfume. To be fair there are only a few perfumes that last all day on me.

This is a nice heavy bottle and a classy looking too - I'm not a fan of the celeb bottles with plastic dolls or tacky rhinestones. This looks lovely on a dressing table.

CK scents usually have silly names, and Contradiction is no exception. While it doesn't have the monster sillage and lasting power of vintage Obsession it does perform well enough. Unisex, work safe and quite affordable, C. is a winner.

Gina lianos perfume reminds me of this. Of course they are different to each other but i knew i liked ginas luminous because i had a lot of troublr finding contradiction which i think has been reformulated. If you like that sort of smell try gina liano luminous if you cant find contradiction.

One of the Calvin Klein perfumes of many that kind of stuck with me. I keep buying it over and over. Fresh, timelss and classy.
Feminine, clean and actually very unique.
A solid and well blended scent everyday use
Silage and longevity is above average on me.

Soft, flowery and fresh scent. Very feminine and settles on the skin like a silk pashmina. I personally like it a lot. The composition is very unique for how its smells. There are flowers like peony, lily, rose, lily of the valley, lilac and orchid composed with Tonka bean, blackberry sandalwood and musk?
I like it !!!

The first time I got acquainted with this perfume in my teens and I clearly remember how obsessed I was with it. My mom was working at a perfume store and always had lots of written off testers. I was wearing it on my first date, on my prom night and other adventures. Also, it strangely reminds me of the clothes I was wearing back then. :D

These days I finally returned back to this smell after several years, only because it reminds me home, my mom and my youth.

I find CK Contr extremely sexy and attractive, it's quite strong and powerful smell for young women though. Also, It's not something I would recommend to wear to the office, maybe for an occasion, event or party where you need to stand out from the crowd...

I know I am not helping here with identifying the notes and flowers but I can tell that for myself I do not hear eucalyptus here; maybe bcos of really strong rose and other flowers. Don't know...
One of my classic perfumes I will return back to over and over again. It reminds me of a love at the first sight and nothing else. ;)

Hmm--This was a blind buy, seriously marked down bottle from a local drug store,purchase---mostly out of curiosity. I don't really get anything unique or contradicting about it---top is fruity fresh, heart is floral, base is powdery-warm. It's perfectly pleasant, fresh and clean, office friendly and feminine in a non-cloying way. I certainly don't hate it--but it fails to move me. Usually, CK's scents are pretty DEFINITE---Obsession is a total ripoff of Le Must de Cartier EDP original, but VERY vanilla oriental sensuous--Eternity is over the top modern wildly romantic floral---and I adored it until every secretary in town was wearing it---Escape was SO green, fresh, outdoorsy.sporty va-cay scent---even CK 1 was SO VERY UNI-SEX!! This one is not VERY anything---it's like Switzerland---totally neutral.Plus---I can think of many fragrances that smell almost just like this--Eclat De Arpege, Life by Espirit, ETC---it's fine, it's just not EXCITING. YAWN!

I first bought Contradiction right after it was released in the late 90's. I really loved it and all things Calvin Klein at that time. I only ever had the one bottle and haven't smelled it in many years. I recently purchased a bottle to revisit the fragrance.

When I first sprayed it, the scent was familiar but maybe not exactly as I remembered it. The eucalyptus note is very unique. It's green, medicinal and metallic. The notes really do contradict each other. There is the cool eucalyptus but you also smell sweet and fresh florals and warm base notes. It's quite an interesting blend!

I'm very delighted to own a bottle of this again. Anyone who is a fan of 90's fragrances should definitely check this out. You're sure to enjoy the scent and the bottle!

My first encounter with this fragrance was when I was about sixteen. It was (and still is) comforting and addictive, and I would still count it as my signature scent if I wore it more often. Having said that, it is the scent that I feel most content wearing due to the nostalgic element.

The name of this perfume is very apt in that it is floral and warm (thanks to the sandalwood and tonka base); but equally cool (Eucalyptus). It is most certainly a floral oriental with a lovely, rounded bouquet of notes that would please most floral lovers- rose, lily, jasmine, lilac, peony. In my non-expert opinion, it is well-blended in that I get an emotional response from the scent rather than being slapped in the face with one note. Reflecting on this fragrance as an adult, I can see why my teenage self enjoyed this, but it is equally a floral which is suited to an older audience who don't want sugary or fruity scents.

Even back in the late 90s when I first came across this beauty, I had an immediate affinity with it. It is womanly due to the rose and lily of the valley (something my nan wore and I will always associate with classy ladies), but equally it is unique due to the- much mentioned- metallic element. The massive space-age bottle with the metal lid probably adds to the suggestion of metal in the fragrance! The eucalyptus in blend with other notes certainly creates a cold note, but to my nose the 'metal' is a wonderful edge to Contradiction that makes this far from your typical mainstream floral. In my opinion, the metallic note twinkles out from the blanket of warm that lasts 8+ hours on my skin (even more on clothes). It is a wonderful facet of this old favourite that gives it balance and makes it a true 'contradiction'.

I find reading others' reviews on Contradiction really interesting because it makes you realise that fragrance is so personal. This is my first review as a new member after years of using this site for research. I would say I highly recommend this classic, but it's clear that not everyone shares my passion. I'm secretly glad that it seems to be by-passed by many because it means that I never meet anyone wearing it apart from me!

It`s fresh and the first impression is that it was defo made for warm climate, or spring and summer: t is mainly the eucalyptus - which is not too strong or green like the essential oil would be, more diluted, airy and fresh, the way you could possibly smell it in real life off the actual plant - that I can make out and also the sandalwood, lily, musk and lilac, tonka and blackberry in this order, the first two notes are prominent - one fresh, the other warm, these make the scent interesting. Possibly therefore the name also..Over time it progresses from a sharp stage into fresh, then warm and in the drydown you mainly notice sandalwood and tonka. Both longevity and sillage are average, 3-4 hours at least, but it`s winter now, so I`d imagine it performs way better in the summertime..

It would suit both sexes equally, however, it`s not a sexy number but more of a `daytime-office wear-holiday` piece imo. I like it because it`s different, and the name describes it aptly, which doesn`t happen often to me..Recommended to try for spring and summer.

A nice everyday scent. Good for the price, safe. But it doesn't stand out.

Very, very nice. Sophisticated yet casual, Contradiction sure deserves its name. Perhaps a bit outdated for some people, it is intrinsically a child of the 90s. Kinda smells like Nivea cream, warm sand, and metallic rain, with a generous dollop of honey.

I had high expectations for that one, since I was waiting years until I finally found a sample. It"s unusual for sure, but not in the way I hoped. For me starts sporty, unisex in a similar way to Escape, however Escape is a complex composition that evolves on you during the entire day. In Contradiction the notes are more linear, I suppose the strong muskyness turned me off a bit. The eucalyptus - lily combo is strong too. I get some lilac, however I can"t smell any rose. Silage and longevity are moderate. A nice and safe everyday scent, but it doesn"t stand out from the crowd IMO.

Had this back in the 90s and really loved it. Came across a bottle at a TJ Maxx and bought it for nostalgia's sake. WHAT A MISTAKE! It smells awful now!

Wow it's a gorgeous and beautiful scent. Very unique and unisex. Floral woody and clean.

I remember back 17 years ago this was used to be very beautiful scent. You could smell a metallic cold vibe aroma from it.What is left today is a surupy peach kinda smell blended with a musk all together. It has been reformulated. I dont detect that metallic cold scent any more which made this perfume so unique. Its still a nice perfume for spring summer season but it has lost a lot from what it used to be.This has lost its originality. Brings lovely memories to me...though. Summer vacation in a greek island.

Mermaids smell like this.

This was another blind buy for me, for two reasons: it was on sale and I couldn't say no, and my skin really likes CK perfumes. I bought it last summer, wasn't very impressed and I decided to give it another chance in fall/winter. Very wise because now it is shining. This is a very nice, indeed. I can't detect the eucalyptus; on my skin this in warm and comfy; it has some sweetness and it gets a little bit powdery about an hour or so after spraying. I can still smell it on me (after more than 8hrs) and I'm sure it doesn't bother people around me. Definitely very happy with this buy and the bottle is slick. It's all good with this one .... well, apart from the sound it makes when you put it back in the box - that another fellow fragrantican here mentioned some time ago.

This perfume only works on me in cold weather, but when that time of the year comes, I enjoy it very much!

It is very unique, atleast in my perfume collection.

On me it's a powdery, fruity scent with the woody note as a base.

I really like it, when the scent has settled down and especially when it lingers in my big wool scarf. Very comforting and cozy smell!

This is another perfume I picked up in the 90s and have been wearing ever since. It's light and almost powdery, with a clean and crisp floral background.

I use to wear this perfume back in 2002. I loved it. It's funny, because today I was wearing Burberry Body. The entire day I was trying to figure out what it reminded of?. And then, bingo! it was this perfume Contradiction. It has the same notes.

Reviewing a mini. Alot like Estee Lauder´s Pleasures to me...alot....It has that same cumin type blend. I like it a little better than Pleasures though as it is not as booming down one´s nose. This is an OK scent to me, nothing super special, but fine.

I have a FB if anyone wants to swap with me :)

Got this from the flea market-- nearly full bottle for $5.00

MY issues with Calvin Klein frags are that they have no identity or personality.
Go ahead and blast me. I do not care. His formulas are so...so....weak and faceless one would think that an artist (in one sense or another) would strive for something unique (of course without going over-board).

I realize that Calvin Klein frags are like the McDonalds hamburgers of the fragrance world -- so maybe this falls on deaf ears . Oh well. I tried VARIOUS Calvins over the years and each time the scents were right up in the air--- with the prevailing winds....no destiny and no ground.
Useless and vague.

I want my $5.00 back!

Many compliments when wearing this. Funky bottle.

This certainly is a contradiction ... a soapy sweetness, harsh yet creamy, delicate yet cloying. I can imagine an attempted eucalyptus but I don't think they managed to pull it off. I get lemon verbena and ginger but even though I like those notes, Contradiction only makes me feel headachy and nauseous. I wish it smelled like a walk in bushland but in reality my eucalyptus wool wash smells better.

Realised I had this once a very long time ago. Found it confusing. In no way pretty, it is unusual, nostalgic, fresh and herbal. Definite like. Reminds me a bit of estee lauder's pleasures.

Jasmine2040 is right when she says this sells like Australia. To me it smells like dry heat, spicy bush flowers and gum trees. Summer in a bottle--not the summer of tropical fruits, but of my hot childhood Christmases. A lovely, casual-but-elegant wearable perfume that is that bit different to everyone else.

Shame it doesn't last on me very long. and shame it's discontinued.

For me, Calvin Klien frags are a little bit 'no frills' for me, but this is very nice on a hot day and you need to cool down, the eucalyptus is prominent

Ah the memories this one evokes! I would class this as a woody spicy fragrance with a hit of the eucalyptus also which gives it a very slight men's cologne-ness to it which I love! This is quite a heavy scent so best for Autumn and Winter days with a cosy jumper! Longevity and silage are amazing too! I loved it then and still love it now, CK does it again!

For me this smells like Australia, the eucalyptus and woody smells reminds of walks in national parks on a hot summers evening with cockies and galahs over head, it's really classically beautiful- guess that's why it's stood the test of time!!!

Horrible! Smells like disinfectant.

To be honest, I don't know what to think about this scent. At first, it has a terrible herbal-medicinal note, like a cough herbal syrup, then it smells nice and soft with delicate lily of the valley and wood note, just to disappear after a few minutes.
My dilemma is whether I should spray half of my bottle at once, survive the "medicine smelling" period and enjoy the perfume for the rest of the day or spray just a little bit and not feel it at all?...
I guess I'll leave it for the autumn and try again then, now it doesn't seem to work for me at all and that's a big disappointment.

One of the worst scents I've ever come in contact with! Was just shocked that CK came out with this one!

Update: I am in love with the scent.
What I feel:
I get orange note first which is so sophisticated not the tutty fruity type. then musk which really compliments the oranginess. Eucalyptus is really sugared down if not it would have dominated the whole scent and made it a medicinal syrup. During the dry down, i get the lily of the valley (usually i dont like it) which is quite cool. Overall this fragrance just blew me away.

Quality: Unique I cant find anyother perfume smelling like this
Silleage: 8/10
longevity : only cons (which doesnt last more than 4 hrs)

Wow!!! a true gem!!
I was looking for a perfume which doesnt resemble any of the perfumes available. I ordered Contradiction before checking out the notes on fragrantica and some of the notes scared me. I was eagerly waiting for it and when i got it i prayed that it shouldnt disappoint me. :)

Ok. I opened it. Found the initial spray very unique, literally unique. I have been using hypnotic poison, poeme, shalimar, samsara, cinema, chanel no.5 and a lot more like curious, boudoir, purr, so many, <> this fragrance is totally different. I can feel orange, musk, and the eucalyptus note is in the drydown which is so amazing. I am sure, if used in moderation, every person will notice its magnetic charm.. There is something really mysterious about this perfume and that gives it the enigmatic aura which i dont see in any of the top fav perfumes. Its really my most loved fragrance.

DISCLAIMER - to those buy perfumes online. check this website checkcosmetic.net and give the batch code to verify the product has been expired or not. And some reformulated version may be there online, always check this facts out before buying or using a perfume...

Not a big fan of this scent, but I did get a lot of complements when I wore it.

This is the first (and only) perfume that my hubby bought me and therefore, it will always have a special place in my heart.

That said, I don't love it....it's ok but that's it. I wear it mainly for nostalgia and if I'm having a night out with hubby.

Bought it based on the reviews here. Not for me. Happy to swap. I have a 30 ml bottle with approx 90% left.

It reminds me my first 20s !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a present given by my dad when he came back home from US... I LOVE U DADDY!

I have this. it is old and still smells good brought when I worked at sea back in the 90's it is nearly all used

I cannot help it but I've always thought that Contradiction smells a bit like metalic (metalic-y) watermelon.
I've been wearing this perfume since the late 90's (now I think I might have been a tad too young to wear it but it didn't stop me then) and it is still one of my favorites. Love the bottle, love the smell, and really like the TV ad.
On me/my skin it smells very clean, more soapy and woody than floral and sweet - but that's the way I like it. And it really changes throughout the day which makes this perfume so extraordinary. Staying power is fantastic.

What an amazing frag! Incredible! Now one of my faves! Yes, yes, yes! I’m reminded of Meg Ryan in the movie When Harry Met Sally! I love this n it’s another I want to shoot up my nose! Will start hoarding 4 sure! Already have 4 big bottles lest I can't find!! LOL!! Love, love, love!! Multiple fragasms!!! I like Gosha’s description; CHIC METAL but I don’t get girl next door at any point perhaps SEXY TIGRESS so that would be the contradiction? A METALIC TIGRESS perhaps? I don’t get so much softness as sexiness and passion, lots of passion!
Reminds me a bit of Secret Obsession CK (another fave).
PN: I'm reminded of the riding stables, the mustiness n leather, the horses n sweat all in the best way possible!

Blind buy with very satisfying result. This is very fresh, clean, smooth feminine scent. Very floral, a mood lifter to me. Also can be found for very good price. Gorgeous bottle.

Wow, this scent surprised me. Somehow I didn't know it before. I know it's been on the market for ages, but somehow I'm not in CK scents so much.
I found it on a really good sale and tried. Actually I loved these first fresh and clean notes, so I decided to buy it. But I let it settle for a while. After 20 minutes of shopping I found on my wrist beautiful, creamy, powdery and extremly sexy scent.
There were no more clean and fresh notes, but I loved it even more.
It sits so beautifuly on my skin. Warm, quiet, creamy and sexy, but not screaming. Subtle and feminine.
I love it. I got 100ml and will use it with pleasure.

My scarf smells sooo good after I spray it with Contradiction. Warm, delicate and sexy.

Body Chemistry + your choice of fragrance can make a
positive statement when you know the different types of fragrance families that will work best on your body chemistry. This is a very gorgeous,unique type of scent that is both fresh, and different to any other in the marketplace,sensual,female and can't be left without being worn very long for my taste rolled into one masterpiece. You get the distinct and right to the point roses and fresh sprinkles of beautiful orchids that compliments this delicious and delicate non screaming out loud notes of pear blossom and woods. Lasts and lasts, compliments come easy for me wearing this beauty.

Not bad, but nothing special either, in my humble opinion. A somewhat pleasant mixture of flowers I can't really put my finger on,lacking true character.

Lovely. So very different from all the "loud" fragrances of the 80's (Poison, Giorgio, etc., which I loved, by the way). Wear it when you want to smell different and want people to ask what you're wearing. It will stand out. Very subtle and never overpowering. I don't think it's possible to wear too much of this. Would make a fantastic masculine :) Just plain classy. One of only two Calvin Klein fragrances I've ever liked, the other being Obsession.

This scent is just so unique and beautiful. I remember about 10 years ago I took this on holiday and the smell captures memories of that holiday. Shame its so hard to find these days :(

I had this perfume in high school, and although I liked it (because it wasn't popular), this was somewhat masculine and harsh to me and could have been unisex (or I got a bad bottle). I didn't smell any of the floral notes at all except the ever present rose, and just the woods and musk with a bit of green (didn't know it was the eucalyptus). I got comments about it from the guys, but unfortunately it gave me headaches, so I didn't keep it for long.

I wish this fragrance would be a play of eucalyptus and sandalwood with a touch of flowers and juicy berries, but the version I've got via online shop in Lithuania is nothing else but a cheap water with non-articulated beginning, which fades away in an hour. Well packed and bad inside.

Please be aware of fake versions of this perfume. I've purchased it online before i found it was discontinued and none of off-line boutiques sells it.

I really love this, so if anyone is willing to trade / swap let me know. Chat me up!

love it..it's unique..there's nothing like it..graceful, sophisticated..warm..works best when used in cold, crisp weather

the bottle is genial. just art. old (from the 90´) but still modern and still unbeatably till now <3 i bought it in every avilable size (30ml, 50ml, 100ml) just to have it as an art objekt in my living room. the scent is very nice, too. but not my very favorite

not to forget: now im gonna buy the men version for the same reason too :). but the scent is awful

I love it. I don't know any other perfume that smells like it. One of my favorites.

It was my very first perfume so I am a little sentimental about it :) Now I don't have it and I don't really miss it but at the time I had it it's been a lot of pleasure using it as I felt so 'grown-up' wearing this fragrance. It was on the heavier side and was rather woody. I still enjoy fragrances with a slight 'woodyish'/masculine notes every once in a while, and maybe it's beacause of Contradiction :)

At first glance (or sniff) Contradiction appears to be just delicate, tidy and pretty. A pretty Girl Next Door in my opinion. When I put this on, I envision all those nice things pretty, good girls might wear: small pastel-coloured sweaters, starched shirts, ditsy hair accessories, knee length pencil skirts... and I am thinking "I should wear those, as I have always liked it", but somehow it seldom happens.
Same with Contradiction. I really like it, really enjoy it (there are moments when I even feel emotional :-D towards the fragrance ), but all in all - for some reason it doesn't seem to "gel with me" enough to make the effort to get it (or keep it in this case as I already have a bottle).
As I said, it's pretty. Very, very girly, in spite of the unusual, fresh, clean, green, minty note of eucalyptus. That, in fact, is what lifts Contradiction from the (for me usually unwearable) plain floral group into something rather unique with quite a bit of personality!
It's not sweet in an edible way, but there is abundance of those sweet, gentle, feminine blossoms, which really play the important role in this fragrance (to me anyway). The dry-down is rather lovable and does linger on the skin in a very pleasant way, but it's the bottle that really makes Contradiction to stand out: a cool (in every sense of the word), ultra-modern, somehow urban, chic metal (yes, I did say "chic metal" :-D ). That is brilliant!

G O O D ! ! !
Totally agree with Kysyona's review... This is the fragrance for one who pressed the "reset" button...
And very good for Iron Maiden concert... I mean it !!!

Oh dearest, this is a revelation! It feels like someone has been able to read my mind and make a perfume for me... soft,soft soft and delicate. And the flacon is a masterpiece. This is in my top ten of bottles

Contradiction... what a nice name to a somewhat not so "contradicting" smell! :) I love this one.. mysterious and alluring at the same time. So bad its discontinued. CK does come up with some fantastic perfumes and this one is a winner for me.

Edit circa november 2017: this fragrance never cease to capture me, just recently bought a vintage version of this. Produced in the year 2009 and comparing it with a 2015 version I had bought last year, the vintage one is so so much better! Love love this one,not just for nostalgic reasons but the scent is simply comforting and beautiful!

Love love love this. I find this perfume deliciously peculiar. There is something about this perfume, an it factor :) I did prefer the perfume on paper more than on my skin, but as the weather settles I can imagine this being such a comforting and powerful smell through Autumn and Winter. I'm excited to try it these colder months approaching, this is not a summer fragrance in my opinion as it loses its might against the heat... let's just hope my 50ml bottle lasts for at least another few months!

Yeah got myself a 100 ml bottle finally! This one is gonna be my signature scent, how could I ever not know that.... I got my first 100 ml bottle from my ex boss about 11 years ago because she got it as a present and really really disliked it. I loved it at first smell! It was definitely my perfect scent! I emptied it aboyt two years ago because I have never been much of a scent wearer, just for special occasions. But since my boyfriend casually told me he would like it if I'd wear scents more often I decided to build myself a nice little collection for all occasions, but most importantly for daily life. And I had to get myself a big new bottle of Cotradiction of course! I really hoped I still liked it and I do so badly! My first two orders at different retailers never arrived (????) but today, finally, retailer no 3 made my day! When I sprayed it on again, it felt like coming home, like the final 2% of ME I did not know I was missing, came back to me. Seriously, this smell touches me. To me itis soothing, warm, home coming, special, contradictional (sweet but savory), bright, intelligent, honest, it is me :) I can't stop smelling myself.... I refound my signature scent!

From analysis of the notes I like over the last few months I understand now why I like jasmine, sandalwood, tonkabean, peony scents... they all remind me of Contradiction but I never realized that until today :)

It does remember me quite a bit of Womanity by TM, in that that it is sweet and savory/woody, exciting, unique, addictive. Womanity is sweeter, wet, more sensual, Contradiction is more fresh/herbal, powdery but they both tease my senses, leaving me wondering what the heck is smelling so good over and over again, tickling my nose....

If you like jasmine and sandalwood and daring, interesting, sweet with savory/woodsy compositions, get yourself a big bottle of Contradiction while you still can! I hope one of my first two orders arrives after all so I can keep a second bottle because faith decided I should... :p

I don't know if this one went bad...I had it tucked away somewhere for several years before using it. But to me it smells musty and fusty. Sprayed lightly it isn't too bad. But I sprayed it quite liberally one morning before going out, and was almost gagging the rest of the day. Couldn't even wash it off me. I dislike this so much I don't think I'll even give it away. Unless it's to someone I hate. hmmm...come to think of it I can think of someone! Muahahaha.

Jokes aside, I guess my bottle must have gone bad. So many people can't be raving abt something so yucky.

Ok, I've GOT to revisit this one and see what the fuss is all about! I had it once, in a deodorant spray version, which is not supposed to linger on the skin, but I swear I sprayed half of the bottle in one go trying to figure out what this actually smells like - on me, in a deo cap, on hair..A big plus is that "ice" note in it, fused with something metallic - this effect is a little similar to the effect of RL POLO SPORT, and for a warm weather it is so great, or just when one wants to feel refreshed, renewed, upbeat. I do not catch any vanilla in there , nothing of the kind, rather a plum, a scent of a fresh plum just cut open: this is the 1 full-bodied note I detect in the background. Apart from that - unmistakeable citrus, but not acid, rather softened by the plum. This fragrance is very ascetic, stripped down to the bone, and imho it is ideal for someone, who wants to start again - after a breakup, after losing family, or just after being on a bad streak of luck for a while. This is a scent of leaving a lot behind and taking only the bare minimum into a new life, turning a new page, daring to explore foreign grounds. It is literally a blast of cold air into a window flung open, that says . there's nothing left for you here, so go, live it, dare. If I were to start a challenging job somewhere where having guts to take risks were a must - that would be the bottle ( a very nice design to my eye) I would reach for. The actual CONTRADICTION of it is that according to a number of reviews men find this irresistible, while there's absolutely nothing obviously feminine in it! I will use my hubby as a guinea-pig (again) and try it out: he comments only when he really likes something, and he's a bigger nose ( literally as well as metaphorically :)) than me, and then will revisit the forum and update with the final verdict. Would strongly recommend trying on skin, like any other perfume: no idea who invented that nonsense of spraying on paper...

More than 10 years ago, he seemed more cold and metallic. Now, very gentle. Initially caught the valley, but they are mixed with other flowers: peony, lily, lilac little, interesting combination. And then to me such a nice powder, lily of the valley, vanilla, warm dust.

The top notes are fresh and very likable. But then, the orchid and something very peachy shows up that gives me a headache every time. So I scrub if off and have never really reached the base notes.

It has very good projection and longevity. Just keeping it for sentimental reasons but thinking of swapping :P

Have a full bottle(used 5 sprays max) of 100 ml Edp up for swap.

I have a full 3.4 oz bottle up for trade! (message me if interested)

Was anyone else reminded of the smell of sunscreen from this?

I dunno, I can understand how other people like it, but, it just did not go with my oriental chypre floral nose.

I plan on using it for my first trade on here...

EDIT: just to qualify, I own this and I really did try to like it. I put it on my skin again and again, it never worked right. I just wanted to add that cause I hate it when people bash a scent after trying it once.

Just went to Calvin Klein website and checked both Europe and America site and couldn't find Contradiction. I guess that means it's discontinued. It seems all good fragrances are discontinued. So sad. I think Contradiction was one of his best fragrances. But it seems it's still sold on different perfume sites. Haven't checked if they still sell it in shops.

I love the bottle, 'cause it looks like it's a tiny bottle with a huge hat or what do you call it in English? Anyway, when you take the hat/top off, the bottle goes on all the way up. You were fooled in a good way. And the fragrance itself...yummy like candy. Smells like red berries mixed with sweet, sweet candy. Dangerously delicious!

This is a great day time smell, but i find it doesn't last as long as i would like it too. its Very fresh and smells powdery on me. Might have to give it another try.

I had this years ago and absolutely LOVED it at the perfume counter and on me, but, unfortunately, the scent just did not last. Every other CK scent I've had has lasted on me, but not this one. Disappointing. I ended up reselling it online.

I'm obviously in the minority, but I find this one to be fairly ordinary. I guess it would be a nice summer time fragrance, but it's like so many other slightly boring non-descript perfumes out there. Staying power and sillage are not brilliant on me either. Ho hum.......

LOVELY!!! I like it very very much! To me it's quite 'salty' and amberish. It reminds me of Due Donna by Laura Biagotti (which I have and wear a lot) very much!
I know that their notes are not at all the same but this is what I got when sprayed it on me. It's just deeper, more pleasant and soft.
I've never smelled eucaleptus in a perfume and I must say that this perfume is not what I imagined it to be. In fact I don't get an eucaleptus note at all. I get sault and amber instead, none of them is listed among the ingredients of the perfume.
It's suitable for every age and mostly a day perfume, IMHO.

This smells very soapy and clean to me. Its nothing special or overpowering, I wear it during the day when I dont want a cloud of parfum around me.

Complicatedly Simple

I feel like me when I wear Contradiction. That's the best compliment I can give any fragrance. It is incredibly affirming to catch a whiff of the complex, musky, cool, herbal fragrance and to notice how it changes throughout each wearing. It has a perfect balance of maturity, softness, and intellection. The floral launch quickly gives way to the hours-long twinkling of fresh herbal breezes that appear over the warm sandalwood and musk base notes.

To passers-by, Contradiction appears generic and overly simplified. Some who catch a glimpse of its complexity are confused by it. It takes a lot of work to convey that simplicity and perceived minimalism. There are so many things going on behind the scenes with Contradiction, and it takes patience and willingness to travel along with the scent throughout the day to gain a true appreciation of it.

Funny side note: I've always been a little disappointed that I cannot easily travel with my bottle of Contradiction. It looks like a pipe bomb, and I don't think I could make it through security - - even if it's under 3.4 oz. I love my old friend, regardless. :-)

I used to love wearing this frag. It works well during day & night in most seasons (perhaps not hottest summer). I consider it an 'interesting' frag that made me feel intellectual yet sensual. The only reason I no longer get it is that I associate it too much with the ex who originally bought it for me!

Got it as a present (it's good to have an anniversary, even it's your 40th, helas...)Smells like fresh herbs on me, I find it suited best for summer, but it's quite nice! I can't sniff the rose at all, only eucalyptus and maybe some lilac. No lilies-of-the valley, also, even I love their smell...
Guess I have to wear it this summer, it's too green for my winter taste. Still, it smells very good on my skin. Longevity: above average. The drydown is extremely pleasant, not green at all, just musky and woody. To be kept!

The musk and lilac only give it a depth without making it offensive or overpowering. It makes a perfect day fragrance. This fragrance makes me think of a really soft scented body lotion and reminds me a little bit of mania by Armani. Soft and tender.

It smelle wonderfull.Discret and warm.

SMELS LIKE NOTHING SPECIAL

WOW! Smells like lipstick! yes, basically 90's cosmetic's. Its so nostalgic. I would also describe it as smelling kind of herbal, powdery and woody.

Projection is good, and Longevity is great. Just remembering the smell makes me smile. Its sweet and pleasant but interesting. I really like it & would definitely own it one day.

after seeing eucalyptus as a main note, i decided to blind buy it. oh why did i waste my money on this sweet cloying cheap smelling disasterpiece?! too much of everything, notes mix are plain wrong!

I really had to grow up to this perfume, but I'm glad I did, giving it one more chance all over again. In the beginning I really hated it, thinking it was: cloying, generic floral, bitter, annoying, boring, etc. But I heard a voice saying: don't dismiss it! :))
After some time I dicovered that, first, it was a well balanced scent without unnecessary sweetness, two, it had a nice, feminine, pear-fresh facet, and three, a deeper stage was similar to Truth (berries, I guess), giving it a nice kick and edge. It is somehow what J'Adore could be if it wasn't so boring floral... I smell even a hint of incense, somehow.
Oh, I forgot it also manages to be a fresh scent, thanks to the eucaliptus!
Contradiction is like Frank Sintatra - it does it its way (and it does much). Only it doesn't have a voice like he had - it is quite silent and without projection, and this is the big problem that keeps it from becoming a classic and might make it discontinued (I'm affraid it already happened - what a pity. I will get myself a nice 100 ml, while still possible)
It deserves more popularity, does not deserve discontinuation.
I reaches back to times when Calvin Klein's perfumes used to be so thoughtful and conceptual. I hope they don't change the trend (I'm not so sure about the new releases, though)

I wore this extensively throughout high school, and remembered it as being soft and warm with a kick of spice. When I found a mini at my local perfume shop, I quickly snatched it up and applied to wrist immediately upon getting home.

*sigh* Either my memory of this scent is off, or this mini is off, as the eucalyptus dominates all the way through the long dry down. It's medicinal, sharp, and not to my liking. I get hints of the scent I remembered in the background, but the eucalyptus kicks it backstage, not wanting it to steal its spotlight.

I suppose the usage of sharp and sweet might've been the point of Contradiction, and as high school was over 10 years ago my skin chemistry is more than likely just different. I'm glad to have a mini for the nostalgia but I have no need to get a full bottle.

My husband likes this one. I like it just not too crazy about the smell of pears. Lasts a long time. Will wear it around thanksgiving

I really like this one because it is long-lasting, feminine, and warm. Definetely not a summer fragrance but a nice winter-autumn perfume.

I've just come back to Contradiction after a few years, and I'm pleased to say I still love it. From the sparkly, sweet opening of roses and peonies with a hint of pear through to the warm, slightly powdery base note it's a delight.

I hope it isn't discontinued but I wouldn't be surprised because I've noticed a number of retailers selling it at greatly reduced prices recently.

Somewhat annoying, too sweet, choky. Maybe it happened for me to receive an old bottle, but I have unpleasant memories regarding this scent.

Too sweet, overpowering and sickening when first sprayed. Should let it settle for a while on your skin. I do not reach for this much often, Shame!!!

First spray it smells a bit off-putting, but please wait... after a few seconds (minutes?), you can start to smell roses with a right touch of sexy. The lasting power is incredible and I turned heads when I walk past men... But remember not to put it on too strongly. I believe this is a perfume that is meant to be subtle but flirty to the person kissing your neck...

Medicine, Soapy, Sharp, overpowering and sickening.

You don't hear too much about Calvin Klein's Contradiction these days, as it is often overshadowed by newer releases like Euphoria, CK IN2U and CK One. While I don't find it to be anything overly amazing, I fear that it may be the first fragrance to be discontinued in Calvin Klein's current collection, which would be such a shame.

Contradiction is a pleasant enough blend of delectable florals and powdery woods. The eucalyptus note in the heart, is possibly what causes some to refer to this fragrance as being metallic. I quite like the uniqueness of the eucalyptus note. I'm an Australian, from the country, so this particular note reminds me of home and the bush, which perhaps in turn makes me a fan. Escape for Men also gives me the same nostalgic feeling.

There is a definite powderiness to this fragrance, which is a good or bad thing depending on each person's personal taste. One review of this fragrance on MakeupAlley, likened Contradiction to the scent of a warm photo-copied sheet. I quite like that description, I think it is very apt and truthful.

I'm on the fence with Contradiction, while I like certain aspects of it, particularly the floral powderiness, the woodsy notes just don't work for me, neither does the lasting power which is relatively poor.

After a while, Contradiction becomes tiring and somewhat generic. The eucalyptus and the odd paper smell, is what keeps this fragrance alive and different. Every now and then it shows some similarities to Armani She.

A comforting but sophisticated scent suitable for everyday. This reminds me alot of Allure eau de parfum but more casual. The eucalyptus is a note I particularly like in this perfume.

At first I smelled nothing!Slowly a rosy peony smell emerged and tickled my nose.Shortly I felt bac on the farm in the fruit orchard where the pear trees blossom.beautiful scent.I always loved to smell the beginnings of fruit.At the end,there is my fav tonka bean,which came peeping out like an old friend.This would b good for any age.anywhere,any season.To me its not heavy,or light.Just hangs around and makes u smell good a long time.Its a yes.

Just for plain nostalgia I purchased some of the fragrances of my teen age...wings, lutece, contradiction...
First I thought I've gotten an out-of-date product, it just didn't smell right. I tried a couple of times again, but got nothing more than the notes of a nail polish remover.
I live in Tx, and as one brought up in Europe, I still have a hard time recognizing freshness in this air....actually I still remember getting off of the airplane, and looking around if we've parked next to a giant garbage container...that's how bad the Dallas air smells to a European.
So it came to pass (: that there is a cold front with a storm approaching and out of the nowhere I just thought of giving that big bottle of Contradiction a last try...same experience, until I walked outside and in the cold, rainy wind there appeared flowers and exotic woods that seemed to really enjoy the fragrance of water....amazing. I'm gonna use this bottle this year at the water park in my turquoise swimsuit and light blue georgette cover-up...but it's definitely best for cold and fresh weather.

Wore this years ago when it first came out and I was still in my teens. Loved it then as it was the perfect combination of sweetness (which suited my age), but also warmth and a dash of sophistication. Not sure I'd bother with it now as I feel there's a wealth of far superior sweet/warm/intimate scents out there, but it's definitely very nice, especially in colder weather and would suit both day and evening wear (though go easy in the day, it's quite strong!)

Though I barely like or could wear any Calvin Klein creation (tested till now), I have deep respect for each and every one, and find them unique, modern and perfect.

Contradiction is cold, strong, woody perfume. The most dominant note is eucalyptus, seems flowers obedient and silent, making them step one by one in a row, never forming a floral bouquet.

I returned to Contradiction many times, he kept changing faces, flower notes and composition. This is perfume with strong character, hard to fall in love with at first smell. Like jazz. Full of blue notes, improvisation and polyrhythm.

I don’t like Contradiction, and yet, bow deeply to genius Klein’s mind.

I love this stuff..it's a real complex woody floral to my nose. It smells like it's got a very light wood in it like blondewood or something that gives it a slight dry tone. But the florals are brilliant. I smell a different combination everytime I put my nose to my wrist. It's like thye're all vying for attention saying..."Smell me....NO....Smell meee" haha.

Sometimes I can smell the sweetness of the Peony and the Orchid, and other times it's more pungent like Jasmine (But in a good way)It morphs quite alot. But overall when it's smelled in the air around you it's lovely. It smells really unique with a clean streak running through it, always with that silight woodsy element. It's definately a more "Modern" floral with a modern bottle to match. Love it!

The only thing is..for an Eau De Parfum I don't think it lasts as long as it should which is slightly dissapointing. I love my bottle though and love re-spritzing it (As always) Nothing like a good spritz.

:)

Calvin Klein's CONTRADICTION, like all CK creations, is completely unique. This one opens slightly spicy and seems almost oriental but immediately morphs into a somewhat sweet woody floral that ultimately culminates in a still sweet but powdery drydown with a touch of muskiness.

The somewhat synthetic edge that marks CK fragrances as modern is present here, but somehow I find it pleasant. I believe that this quality is what unites the CK fragrances while making each unique. I have not worn CONTRADICTION in quite some time and was pleased to find that it has retained its integrity, well-preserved in its gorgeous aluminum cylinder-protected glass bottle, which I find very attractive. I even love the way it sounds when the glass slides against the aluminum.

CONTRADICTION is a sort of contradiction to my nose: a skin scent which is not really a skin scent. A non-skin scent which really is a skin scent. I can't reconcile the contradictions of CONTRADICTION, but I like it nonetheless and will continue to wear it now and then.

It seems spicy ,oriental on the first spray, as it settles the powdery scent dominates. It's an interesting scent, I can't really catagorize it as floral woody musk which is more suitable for winter, I wore this during the spring season and enjoyed wearing it since it was a light floral powdery scent.

I came across this in a cut-price perfume store. It was one of many I tried, but it made me stop in my tracks. There is such a harmonious blend of different notes and it seems just "perfect". On my skin it's slightly different, but still totally wonderful. It is very "me", so I think I will be buying it. The only drawback is that it doesn't have very good sillage. But being a skin scent, it's kinda nice how it doesn't stray far from your skin. :)

This is one of the few perfumes I bought more than once.I wear it regularly - I like its freshness of the eucalyptus, which is very prominent on me, and its floral musky character, which is the drydown on me.The tonka beans round the fragrance up: it's not sweet, not musky and flowery. Just everything molded together and the freshness gives it the extra kick I like so much.Lasting power is as well very good-at least 5hrs, depends on weather.I hope it won't become another disc. perfume...
edit: it is officially disc. - why?

I can call it a family perfume, my mom and granny like it too. A strict and sexy one. You can feel yourself a really attractive woman while wearing it.

I got a cheap bottle of this as it was no longer a new fragrance. I chose it because I liked the inital notes. Once it has settled a bit it has a powdery smell on my skin, which I am not keen on. I wear it during the day sometime, when I need a scent which is not overpowering.

i love this one but just when i wear it after long time as i get bored of it when i wear it everyday it's very sweety

I´ve got a sample of this from my sister in law, on her it smells really nice but on me it smells terrible. I get rotten flowers and a horrible metalnote that is so awful that I have to wash it off...

I really loved this one when I first smelled it! Sometimes a perfume makes you wish you could eat it, and that's what this one did. I still love the fragrance, but it's a bit too sweet for every day wear I think. I'll probably buy myself a bottle of it again some time.