Musk originally referred to an odorous secretion produced by a gland of the musk deer, a small ruminant from the mountains of Asia. Today the word mostly covers a family of synthetic molecules that smell of clean skin or powder. Musk is one of the most widespread bases in perfumery: it sits in the base of most compositions, often without being the subject of the perfume.
A gland of the musk deer
Musk deer make up the genus Moschus. They look like small antlerless deer but belong to a separate family. They live in the forests and mountains of Asia, from the Himalayas to Siberia by way of China. The male carries a pouch under its abdomen, the musk gland, which produces an odorous secretion mainly during the breeding season.
Once dried, this secretion forms brown, almost black grains. Their smell is extremely powerful, animalic and somewhat urinous when concentrated. Diluted, it turns warm, round and skin-like. The word musk is thought to come from the Persian mushk, itself linked to a Sanskrit word.
Musk travelled very early between Asia, the Arab world and Europe. It was used as a remedy and as a perfume. Merchants distinguished several grades according to their origin. So-called Tonkin musk, named after a former region in the north of present-day Vietnam, was considered one of the finest.
The end of animal musk
In perfumery, musk was used as a tincture: the grains macerated in alcohol for a long time, and the tincture was then used in very small doses. Our article on the extraction of raw materials describes this process, which is still used for other materials.
Harvesting long relied on hunting, and musk deer populations declined sharply. These species are now protected and the trade in their musk is strictly regulated. Mainstream perfumery gave up animal musk decades ago. Rules vary from country to country and we do not claim to detail them here. When a pyramid simply lists "musk", it is in the vast majority of cases synthetic musks.
Synthetic musks, in four families
Chemists had been trying to reproduce musk since the late nineteenth century. The first artificial musks appeared by chance, during research on explosives. These are the nitro musks: musk xylene, musk ketone, musk ambrette. They smelled soft and powdery and were widely used for decades. They were later abandoned or banned for safety and environmental reasons. Despite its name, the musk ambrette of this family has nothing to do with the ambrette plant.
Polycyclic musks took over from the mid twentieth century. The best known is Galaxolide, which smells clean, sweet and slightly floral. It is found in countless perfumes, but also in laundry detergents and fabric softeners. Tonalide belongs to the same family. Their use is now monitored, because these molecules persist in the environment.
Macrocyclic musks are the closest to natural musk. Their molecule forms a large ring of atoms. Muscone, the main odorous molecule in animal musk, is one of them. It was isolated in the early twentieth century and is now made synthetically. The same family includes Exaltolide, found naturally in angelica root, Habanolide, ambrettolide and ethylene brassylate. They smell of skin, wax and sometimes fruit, with great softness.
A fourth, more recent family brings together so-called linear or alicyclic musks, such as Helvetolide and Romandolide. They add a fruity facet, close to pear, or a more ambery one. A perfume usually combines several musks from different families.
Ambrette and plant musks
Some plants produce musky molecules. The most used is ambrette, Abelmoschus moschatus, a plant of the mallow family grown in tropical regions. Its seeds yield an oil or an absolute that smells of musk, pear and wine, with a slightly oily facet. It owes part of this scent to ambrettolide, a macrocyclic musk.
Ambrette seed is expensive and used at low doses. On a pyramid, it often signals the wish for a livelier, more plant-like musk.
White musk and musk anosmia
"White musk" is a trade name. It refers to an accord of synthetic musks that smells of cotton and dry laundry. It has become a note in its own right, and many pyramids use it to signal a clean, discreet base.
Musks have one particularity. A significant share of people cannot perceive some of them, or smell them only very faintly. This is called partial, or specific, anosmia. It affects one molecule or one family, not all musks at once. Two people can therefore smell the same perfume very differently: one perceives a soft, lasting base, the other almost nothing. It is one of the reasons perfumers combine several musks in a single formula.
What musk smells like
Musk has several faces depending on the molecules chosen. The clean facet evokes laundry, cotton and soap. The powdery facet recalls rice powder and pairs beautifully with iris and violet. The skin facet gives the impression of warm skin, as if the perfume were part of the person wearing it. The animalic facet, rarer today, is warmer, denser and a little dirty.
Musk is a base note. It evaporates slowly, extends the longevity of the other materials and rounds off the edges of a composition. It softens citrus, gives breadth to white flowers and rose, and makes woods more enveloping. With vanilla or milk, it slides towards the gourmand. With leather and oud, it reinforces the animalic character.
Musk perfumes from our catalogue
All the perfumes below list musk, white musk, a musky accord or ambrette in the pyramid published on their product page. The product pages do not specify which molecules make up these musks.
White musk after citrus
Gin Sling, by Aaron Terence Hughes, takes its inspiration from the gin and tonic. Gin, tonic and lemon in the top, then ginger, nutmeg and pink grapefruit in the heart. The base comes down to a single note, white musk, which closes the cocktail on a clean softness. It is a good example of musk used on its own.
In Aura+, from the same house, white musk is paired with a "clean skin" accord and sandalwood, beneath an opening of bergamot and sweet orange and a heart of passion fruit. The product page presents it as Aaron Terence Hughes's personal signature. Our introduction to Aaron Terence Hughes looks back at the house.
Musk and ambrette, the soft base
Lost in a fluffy nest, by Tada Parfumeur, ends on lily of the valley, musk and ambrette. Grape, bergamot and cotton candy open the composition, then geranium, jasmine, rose and aldehyde form the heart. The product page describes a clean, comforting base that stays close to the skin.
Gyokuro, by the same perfumer, places ambrette seed in the heart, with maté absolute and white flowers, after a matcha accord, green notes and saffron. Musk returns in the base with sandalwood, cedar and guaiac wood. The perfume is named after a Japanese green tea grown in the shade. Our introduction to Tada Parfumeur presents the perfumer.
Ambrette with iris
Melancolie, by Adi ale Van, composed by Jimmy Bodin, tells the story of the morning after a party. Passion fruit, ginger, lime, vanilla and champagne in the top, white grape, violet and liqueur in the heart. The base pairs ambrette with Siberian iris and mahogany wood, with no other musk. See our introduction to Adi ale Van.
Fresh, mineral musk
Tianshan Spring N°L31, by ChuJian, evokes the meltwater of the glaciers of the Tianshan mountains. Lemon, bergamot and juniper berry in the top, then aquatic notes, musk and lavender in the heart. The base brings together ambrette, Ambroxan and cedar. The product page describes a heart of aquatic transparency.
Yuma, by Pernoire, takes the Swiss Alps as its model. Swiss mint, peppermint, yuzu and bergamot open onto an alpine breeze, edelweiss, ginger and cashmeran. The base pairs dry amber, vetiver, musk and patchouli. Our introduction to Pernoire covers the house in detail.
Musk beneath flowers and tea
Oolong Rocking Green N°P26, by ChuJian, takes its name from a stage in making oolong tea, when the leaves are bruised to release their scent. Bergamot, grapefruit, pear and green notes in the top, a bouquet of jasmine, orange blossom, ylang-ylang, rose and orchid in the heart, then oolong tea, vetiver, moss and musk in the base.
Moonlight Silken Veil N°L32, from the same house, evokes a veil of white silk under the moon. Bitter orange, citrus and blackcurrant open onto a heart of peach, rose, ylang-ylang and two jasmines. The base of fir, musk and moss stays restrained. Our article on ChuJian presents the house.
Musk with rose
Black II, by Widian, places musk in the heart, with rose and sandalwood, between a top of plum and mandarin and a base of vanilla and earthy moss. The house is presented in our article on Widian.
Musk and agarwood
Two perfumes from Zhufu pair musk with oud in the base. Master sets lemon, mandarin and basil over a heart of blackberry and red fruits, before agarwood and musk. Donglin Temple moves from citrus and ginger to a heart of lotus, cypress, fir and camphor, then finishes on rosewood, cedar, agarwood and musk. See our article on Zhufu.
Henna musk
Mo Suo Gu Niang, by Cinojad, means "the old brew of the Mosuo". Red-berried ginseng, rhubarb and coral ginger in the top, wild raspberry, Mosuo rose and a rice wine accord in the heart. The base brings together Lugu Lake fir, henna musk and Siam wood. Our introduction to Cinojad tells the story of the house.
Tonkin musk and skin
Kxxt +, by Aaron Terence Hughes, lists a "Tonkin musk" in the base, with cedar, patchouli and oud. The name recalls the Tonkin musk of the old merchants. The description adds a skin musk accord, a white powdery accord and smoke. Raspberry and saffron open the composition, then jasmine, iris and leather form the heart. It is the darkest perfume in this selection. Our article on leather in perfumery also features it.
More musky compositions can be found in our selections of floral perfumes and fresh perfumes.
Frequently asked questions
Does musk still come from an animal?
In mainstream perfumery, no. The musk deer is protected, and its musk was abandoned decades ago. Musk notes are built with synthetic molecules, sometimes complemented by ambrette.
What is white musk?
It is an accord of synthetic musks that smells of clean laundry, cotton and freshly washed skin. The name refers neither to a plant nor to an animal. It signals a soft, light base.
Why can't I smell the musk in my perfume?
Many people are not very sensitive to certain musks, or cannot perceive them at all. This is called partial anosmia. The sense of smell also tires quickly in front of these large molecules. The perfume is often still there, and the people around you can smell it.
What is ambrette?
Ambrette is a tropical plant of the mallow family. Its seeds yield an oil or an absolute with a musky, fruity and slightly winey scent. It is one of the few musks of plant origin used in perfumery.
What does "Tonkin musk" mean on a pyramid?
Tonkin was a region in the north of present-day Vietnam, once associated with the trade in a highly prized animal musk. Today, the mention evokes that historical musk. It indicates a warm, animalic style, without specifying what the note is made of.
Further reading
Musk is one of the materials presented in our guide The materials of perfume, along with ambergris, iris, sandalwood and vanilla. To compare a white musk, an ambrette musk and a darker musk on your own skin, the perfumes mentioned are available as 2 ml samples depending on the house, on our samples page.