Table of Contents
Quick Summary
- The performance is great: 6 hours on the skin with a big projection the first couple of hours.
- CK One smells like Burberry London for Men with an energizing kick.
- This is only for fall and winter wear.
- Although its not one of my favorite fragrances, the scent is nearly unbeatable for the price.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Yet, we only endorse fragrances we’ve personally used or are highly recommended by trusted peers. You can learn more about our Disclaimer & Disclosure here.
What Does Calvin Klein One Shock Smell Like?
The opening starts with a hefty dose of cardamom spice, a subtle mixture of tobacco and warm amber, and a fresh clementine note in the background.
Cardamom is the most dominant and will be retained for the rest of the wear. However, over time it loses strength.
The amber and tobacco were fleeting at first. They were present almost in equal parts with cardamom for a couple of minutes but then died down.
The clementine note is not fleeting. It gives a fresh nuance to the top notes, then completely fades after the mid.
Within a few minutes, a unique mixture of lavender and cool cucumber takes over the amber and tobacco. While the fresh clementine is momentarily the most prominent.
As the wear continues, the freshness fades. Warm amber and tobacco come back in full force. The cardamom spice still lingers but only gives the dominant notes an intriguing touch.
There is a significant sweetness that sneaks in as One Shock dries down. The rest of the wear is sweet, amber, tobacco, and faint spice.
The official Calvin Klein One Shock notes:
TOP NOTES
- Lavender
- Clementine
- Cucumber
MID NOTES
- Cardamom
- Pepper
- Basil
- Osmanthus
BASE NOTES
- Tobacco
- Amber
- Patchouli
- Woodsy Notes
- Musk
One Shock Performance
The performance is nothing to write home about. It lasts five to six hours on the skin with below-average projection. Only pushing out one to two feet for the first one to two hours.
The wearability is just as average. One Shock is exclusively for fall and winter wear. It needs cooler temperatures to temper it, and the aroma best fits these seasons.
As for occasions, it’s all. There’s no special note in this scent to make it stand out. So, not the greatest for formal occasions but for this affordability, I won’t be too picky.
How’s its mass appeal and likability? Again, just average. It garners compliments but isn’t an attention magnet.
How Do The People Rate Calvin Klein One Shock?
Don’t just trust me; what do the masses think? This information is pulled from fragrantica.com. Providing a general estimate of what others think.
At the time of writing (March 2024), One Shock has 6,159 votes with a rating of 4.07 stars out of 5. Based on the cost-for-value metric, it is rated as good to great value.
Here are the top three pros and cons:
Pros
- Affordable
- Masculine yet sweet scent.
- Performs well for the price.
Cons
- Tacky bottle design.
- Not marketed effectively.
- Scent is not for everyone’s taste.
Final Words
From this review, One Shock is just average, and that’s true. But it’s still worth it. It is a moderately affordable fragrance and a great scent for cooler weather.
It’s neither a must-have nor the best affordable winter fragrance, but it is still worth a try.
One Shock is a decent winter fragrance. However, don’t just limit yourself to One Shock. Discover the best cheap winter colognes here.