What does Musk smell like?
Depending on the molecule, musk can smell of clean cotton and laundry, soft powder, warm skin or a faintly animal base. White musks are crisp and cottony, macrocyclic musks more sensual and fruity, some almost ambery. What they share is intimacy: the scent seems to rise from the skin rather than from the bottle. They reveal themselves in the base and last for many hours, often outliving everything else.
Origin and production
Natural musk came from the abdominal pod of the musk deer, a small Asian animal now protected under CITES, and it is no longer used in perfumery. From the late nineteenth century chemists discovered nitro musks, followed by polycyclic musks such as Galaxolide, macrocyclic musks such as Habanolide, and alicyclic musks. Ambrette seed also yields a rare and costly natural plant musk, prized for its pear-like, winey softness.
How perfumers use it
In the base, musk fixes, rounds and extends a composition. It softens citrus, gives florals a second-skin effect and lends woods a discreet sensuality. Narciso Rodriguez for Her placed it at the centre of its heart, alongside amber and orange blossom. Nina Ricci's L'Air du Temps uses it in the base to wrap its bouquet, and Byredo's Rose of No Man's Land relies on it to soften a peppery rose.
How to wear it
Year-round, for any occasion. It suits lovers of intimate skin scents, whether clean or sensual.
