I grew up with the hits of the 80s and 90s. Obsession for Men and Egoiste were my first real fragrance discoveries. Insensé by Givenchy and of course Joop homme were also a must-have.
No wonder I can't really relate to today's often so light, generic waters. Of course, my personal nostalgic feelings play a role here. Back then, even Calvin Klein managed to create an Eau de Toilette that at least had a statement. You don't have to like that statement, but at least you can engage with the scent.
Obsession for Men can literally be breathtaking. So it's better to be cautious with the dosage today. The days of scent overkill in rooms are truly over. Sometimes I find that a shame, sometimes it's really for the best; let's think of Joop homme in overdose.
The scent, the color of the liquid, and the shape of the bottle form a unity. The composition reminds me of a warm brown. Brown, soft velvetiness. This could have fit well even at the end of the 70s. After the rainbow colors era, brown and orange tones came into play. Here, a lot of cinnamon, rosewood, sandalwood, and vanilla are used. While cinnamon dominates for a long time, it doesn't immediately smell like gingerbread to me. But back then, these scent oil lamps were also trendy, and I would even vaporize cinnamon oil, patchouli, and other "strong stuff" on warm days. I still find the wonderfully warm, caressing base irresistible today. Simply fantastic! A bottle has once again found its way into my collection. I'm now old enough for nostalgic fits.
CK One Shock for him and Encounter are at least acceptable again, but they are only a vague reminder of what was once possible at Calvin Klein.
"Obsession for men" is a brilliant scent. I don't care at all whether it's modern or not. The same goes for the women's fragrance, even though both have been slightly "tamed."
All the others are interchangeable for him - and for me too.