Musk

Musk

Note Profile

Animal 21,048 perfumes

Also Known As

airy musks, Black Musk, Blue Water Musk, Cashmere Musk, Creamy musk, Dark Musk, floral musks, gentle musk, Gray Musk, musk salvia, Musks, Musky, Musky Notes, Pink Musk, Powdery Musk, soft musk, soft musks, solar musk, Sweet musks, Synthetic Musk, synthetic musks, Tonkin Musk, transparent musk

About

Clean, skin-like musks

Scent Profile

Musk in perfumery typically refers to clean, skin-like aromas with soft, powdery, and subtly sweet nuances. Modern musks are often described as warm, slightly creamy, and reminiscent of freshly washed skin, evolving gently and lingering for long periods. They lack the animalic harshness of natural musk, offering a smooth, enveloping base.

ScentWheel

Breadthfocused

EnvelopeBase · ~48h lasting

Family Amber · Musk · Leather

Read off the wheel, not a label applied to the note.

WorldSee it in Note Island

ScentArt

What is ScentArt?

What this is made of

galaxolide

Principally this

CAS 1222-05-5

Galaxolide is the highest-volume musk in use and the default reading of an unqualified 'musk'. Confidence held at 0.7 because 'musk' names a class, not one material.

Declarable allergen: Named in EU Annex III as Hexamethylindanopyran products must list this name above a set concentration

These are facts about the substance, not about any perfume with this note.

Why that matters

A perfume that names Musk can use a different extract, a reformulated version, or a synthetic reconstruction. It can also hold less than the amount that requires a declaration. We cannot tell which applies. These rows cover only the substances we hold a link for.

How the layers join

Origin

Today, musk is almost exclusively produced synthetically, using compounds such as muscone, galaxolide, and ambrettolide. Natural musk was historically obtained from the gland of the male musk deer, but ethical and legal considerations have led to its replacement by synthetic alternatives. These musks are synthesised in laboratories from petrochemical or plant-derived precursors.

Usage in Perfumery

Musk is primarily used as a base note, providing fixative properties and enhancing longevity in fragrances. It blends well with florals, woods, and ambers, imparting a soft, cohesive finish to compositions. Perfumers use musk to create a sense of warmth, intimacy, and subtle sensuality in both feminine and masculine fragrances.