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31 community ratings
Calvin Klein

Defy Parfum

Perfumer: Pascal Gaurin

2023MenModern
6.4/ 10
Community score
31 ratings
See your match

Calvin Klein Defy Parfum opens on cardamom, mandarin orange and pink pepper and settles into vetiver, sandalwood and cocoa shell: a fresh, citrusy yet sweet and spicy fragrance for men.

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Skunky's take: A night owl's pick; made for evenings out.

How does it perform?

From 25 community ratings, all out of 10.

Longevity
7.1 /10

Holds up through the day and fades gently toward evening.

Sillage
7.0 /10

People close to you notice, nobody gets overwhelmed.

Bottle
6.8 /10

Looks good without trying too hard.

Value for money
6.5 /10

The price makes you think, so a small size is a smart start.

Blind buy risk

High risk

Only 45% of votes are positive.

Notes

They open one after another, from the first spray into the evening.

Top notesfirst 15 minutes

Heart notesfirst few hours

Base noteswhat stays into the evening

Accords

From most dominant to most subtle.

  1. Fresh
  2. Citrus
  3. Floral
  4. Sweet
  5. Synthetic
  6. Gourmand
  7. Spicy
  8. Woody

What does Defy Parfum smell like?

Its longevity and sillage are rated as good, though the number of votes is small. Most voters pick fall, followed by spring and winter, with summer well behind. It leans towards evenings, nights out and leisure time, and reads masculine.

The opening is a fresh, spicy citrus built on cardamom, mandarin orange and pink pepper. Ginger, lavender and geranium form a floral, spicy heart. In the base, vetiver and sandalwood give a woody footing while cocoa shell sweetens it, leaving a powdery, creamy, gourmand dry-down.

How it changes through the day

  1. First minutes

    • Cardamom
    • Mandarin orange
    • Pink pepper
  2. First hours

    • Ginger
    • Lavender
    • Geranium
  3. Towards evening

    • Vetiver
    • Sandalwood
    • Cocoa shell

When to wear it?

Seasons and occasions, by user votes.

  • 35%
    Autumn
  • 27%
    Spring
  • 24%
    Winter
  • 14%
    Summer
  • Evening
    25%
  • Nighttime
    23%
  • Casual
    20%
  • Daytime
    18%
  • Office
    10%
  • Sport
    5%

Least picked for the office.

Smells like this

The closest scents by notes and accords.

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Last updated: October 26, 2026