Eternity (Woman) by Sophia Grojsman for Calvin Klein 1988

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Hi there Perfume Junkies,

Recently we showed the return of Christy Turlington (Burns) who was the original Calvin Klein Eternity model in 1988 return with husband Ed Burns as the faces of a new steamy 2014 Eternity campaign. I was so impressed with them bringing Christy back that I went and bought a brand new 30ml bottle to show my support.

Eternity (Woman) by Sophia Grojsman for Calvin Klein 1988

Eternity Woman Calvin Klein FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Citrus, green notes, sage, freesia, mandarin
Heart: Jasmine, narcissus, rose, violet, lily-of-the-valley, lily, carnation
Base: Heliotrope, sandalwood, musk, amber, patchouli

To be honest I was expecting it to be terrible, absolutely disgusting and completely unwearable. Having bought it (for almost no money at a chemist) I was then surprised that I unwrapped it immediately to have a sniff.

Fresh citrus blasts its way out of the bottle, a joyful reminder of a hot summers day dream of fresh citrus fruit salad lightly sugared. When the flowers come through they are a 100% faux bouquet, very synthetic, but not bad for all that. Eternity is a simple seeming, light but noticeable, clean fragrance that already has hints of the amber/sandalwood in the base. There is a lightly peppered feeling, cracked black rather than wet bell, through the heart too that is very appealing. I can remember smelling Eternity on people in the 90’s, it captured the fragrant zeitgeist (funny that that word is also used in the Perfume Shrine post) of its time perfectly and I think we are seeing a return to this style of fragrance. They are not scent similar but I think the Serge Lutens, Laine de Verre, is a modern take on Eternity and its cohorts, that 100% synthetic feeling.

1988_Eternity Woman Calvin KleinPhoto Stolen Calvin Klein

Luca Turin blasts Eternity thus, yet still gives it 3 stars: I have always though Eternity a copy of something not worth copying, Jardins de Bagattelle. Smelling them together now I can see why JdB, while arguably better, was a flop and Eternity a success. They art both unpleasantly screechy and soapy but at least Eternity does not pretend to be demure. LT

The rose is not rose-ish for me but I do get a spicy fruit/berry accord that could very well be a nod to rose? Yes, there is a very soapy vibe going on through late heart and dry down but it feels nice, wearable and I can see it still being extremely popular with the mainstream wearing public.

If you are only into niche and indie fragrances, want your scent to be filled with naturals or totally freaky then you will need to look elsewhere. Here we have a scent that will keep you smelling freshly showered and laundered all day, a slightly chemical wash that may not have people stopping and asking you what you’re wearing in the street but they may think that you are clean, neat and healthy and it will make a great weekend or work scent where you don’t want to stand out but would like to be fragrant. On these front Calvin Klein’s Eternity delivers in spades.

Further reading: Perfume Shrine
FragranceNet has $25/30ml (before coupon)
My Perfume Samples have $2/ml up to $7/5ml

Did you ever get on the Eternity scent bus? Was there ever a Calvin Klein fragrance that you did wear?

Portia xx

19 thoughts on “Eternity (Woman) by Sophia Grojsman for Calvin Klein 1988”

  1. Dear Portia, Nice review. I never liked Eternity my Sister used to wear it but we have very different taste in perfume. Interesting to read what Lucas Turin Saïd about Eternity, Jardins de Bagatelle was my first Guerlain when I was a teenager and I did not like it then and preferred Diorella. Good you are safe and sound and back in Sydney. I read in an interview with Sophia Grosjman That while working on Eternity she wore it ANd was followed by Someone to ask het what she was wearing.

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    • Hey Esperanza,
      Interesting that Sophia was stalked for her frag she was creating. I wonder if it would still happen with the current formulation and in this time?
      Portia xx

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  3. Oh gosh, Portia, I used to wear this in my 20s. 😀 Haven’t smelt this for ages, I wonder if I like it now…? Eternity was really distinct and although it was a bit synthetic, I quite enjoyed it. Ha, younger and innocent days. 🙂

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  4. There once was a boy in the late early 90’s who wore Eternity for Men. he was one of those brooding gothic bi-sexuals which seemed to litter the landscape at the time (leftovers from the 80’s)- he introduced me to My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult and my first full-on agonizing crush. i used to think if i could just rest my head on those shoulders awash in synthetics… i would forgive everything.

    luckily, i never asked, i never did… it was Morrissey, me & all the Aveda Purefume i could afford to perfume the putz out of my mind. 😉

    i do think, however, it is very classy of CK to bring Christy back.

    wow. i had no idea i felt so strongly about Eternity!

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    • Hi there Einsof,
      Ha Ha Ha. Perfume is STRONG magic.
      I have some of the original Aveda fragrances. A mate of mine in LA worked with the company, Daniel. They are lovely.
      Something so ubiquitous as Eternity is bound to bring out some memories for loads of people, nice that we can reminisce.
      Portia xx

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      • Yes, Daniel and i worked together. 😉 He’s a very talented scent artist himself!

        Although this was when i was a mere devote and not employee… although maybe by a year or so.

        Memory and scent… not much more entwined than that!

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  5. Hi Portia,
    No, I have never been on the Eternity scent bus. What a strange image… Anyway, the only CK I can remember wearing is Obsession (for woman) in the mid 1980’s. No surprise there since I still love heavy duty oriental spice mixes. One of those old and funny looking roundish flat bottles is still around here somewhere. There may even be some juice left in it.
    Azar xx

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    • Hi azar,
      Recently (in the last year or so) I smelled a woman at the cash register of our local grocery store, She was next to me in line and she smelled unbelievably good. I thought she must have been wearing at least a Serge or Malle but couldn’t place the scent. When asked she had been given a modern bottle of Obsession Woman, I was astounded at how amazing it was on her.
      Portia xx

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  6. I haven’t smelled Eternity in an eternity. Never wore the stuff. I did wear Euphoria for a bit because it was given to me as a gift. I used to love Obsession for men. Actually when I was a teenager there was a very handsome guy that worked in the vacuum department at Sears who wore it and I always loved when mom sent me to the mall for more vacuum cleaner bags. He was much too old for me but he was nice to look at.
    Hugs!

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    • Hey Poodle,
      What a great story. Though he was too old I bet he thought you were a hot tamali.
      Potrtia xx

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  7. I love that they brought Christy back – 90s all the way. Her hubby is quite cute too. I had a good girlfriend who sprayed the hell out of Eternity before moving onto Escape. I wore Obsession. I’m sure we were putting out some serious sillage together!

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    • I can imagine you both rocked them effortlessly meganinstmaxime. Yes, I am so happy that Christy is back, imagine the work it takes to maintain that.
      Portia xx

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