Our take
What does Defy smell like?
Released in 2021, Defy is a Calvin Klein eau de toilette. Three IFF perfumers share the credit: Anne Flipo, Pascal Gaurin and Loc Dong. The official pyramid is short and readable. Bergamot, mandarin and cedar leaf open together. It smells like freshly squeezed zest with a green, peppery edge. The heart is the best part. Lavender absolute meets clary sage, muskier and faintly salty, while violet leaf adds a metallic coolness. The base stays restrained. Vetiver leads, joined by soft amber and a musk that smells like a clean shirt. Nothing spills over and nothing really surprises. That is both its strength and its limit. Next to Eternity for Men, the house's 1989 lavender masculine, Defy feels more modern and drier. It also avoids the ambery sugar that floods so many recent men's releases.
When to wear it
An everyday scent from spring to autumn and an easy office pick. Three or four sprays on the neck and wrists.
It belongs to the Woody, Aromatic family. Defy is one of 24 creations by Calvin Klein in our encyclopedia.
