What does musk smell like?
Is it possible for a perfume to roar? Is there a purr to be heard? Is 'sex-in-a-bottle' possible...? Musk is the only substance that has the power to produce such results. Perfume Posse describes musk as "speaking carnally in whispers or screams..." Most of us use perfume to make ourselves more attractive. Therefore it's in almost every fragrance we smear, squirt, or spray on our skin.
Musk, on the other hand, serves a purpose beyond this.
In the hands of a perfumer: it softens, balances, and repairs (adds staying power and keeps a fragrance on the skin while stopping other short-lived ingredients from disappearing too fast).
It has a skin-like scent.
Even more so, it's divisive: the original musk comes from a particular deer species, the Tibetan musk deer, whose sex gland secretion has become endangered. However, since 1979, this creature has been thankfully protected by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). A decline in the population was expected since it required 140 of these animals to generate one kilogram of perfume component.
However, the usage of musk dates back to the 6th century, when Greek explorers brought it back from India.
Its sensual properties were further refined by Arab and Byzantine perfumers (such as Al-Kindi). The appeal of musk expanded along the trade routes for silk and spices.
Of course, we'll never know who decided to use this powerful component in a perfume at some point along the road. After all, musk oil smells a little like excrement when it's raw.
It's oddly fascinating... and yet, and yet, and yet.
a well-known German perfumer, Phliip Kraft, beautifully portrays the love-hate-it intricacy of musk.
As one examines the character of 'natural musk tincture,' it becomes more contrasted, lively, and oscillating, including: repulsive-attractive, chemical-warm, sweaty-balmy, acrid-waxy, earthy-powdery, fatty-chocolate-like, pungent-leathery, fig-like, dry, nutty-and-woody.
It's been shown that a handkerchief infused with natural musk oil can still be smelled 40 years afterward.
Today, perfumers employ a wide variety of synthetic musks, ranging from sweet, fluffy musks to nearly metallic variants rather than the real thing.
The perfume business has spent many millions of dollars on finding substitutes for this key component, including patented notes like Galaxolide, Andoxal, Nirvanolide, Celestolide, Velvione, and Helvetolide.
This is the kind of work we'd want to do if we had the opportunity...
In addition to ambrette seed, galbanum, and angelica root extracts, other components like these may also give a scent a musky quality.
Those who are allergic to one or more of the musk components may have trouble detecting musk, although this is very rare.
Try to get a whiff of musk in the following fragrances:
Musk, on the other hand, serves a purpose beyond this.
In the hands of a perfumer: it softens, balances, and repairs (adds staying power and keeps a fragrance on the skin while stopping other short-lived ingredients from disappearing too fast).
It has a skin-like scent.
Even more so, it's divisive: the original musk comes from a particular deer species, the Tibetan musk deer, whose sex gland secretion has become endangered. However, since 1979, this creature has been thankfully protected by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). A decline in the population was expected since it required 140 of these animals to generate one kilogram of perfume component.
However, the usage of musk dates back to the 6th century, when Greek explorers brought it back from India.
Its sensual properties were further refined by Arab and Byzantine perfumers (such as Al-Kindi). The appeal of musk expanded along the trade routes for silk and spices.
Of course, we'll never know who decided to use this powerful component in a perfume at some point along the road. After all, musk oil smells a little like excrement when it's raw.
It's oddly fascinating... and yet, and yet, and yet.
a well-known German perfumer, Phliip Kraft, beautifully portrays the love-hate-it intricacy of musk.
As one examines the character of 'natural musk tincture,' it becomes more contrasted, lively, and oscillating, including: repulsive-attractive, chemical-warm, sweaty-balmy, acrid-waxy, earthy-powdery, fatty-chocolate-like, pungent-leathery, fig-like, dry, nutty-and-woody.
It's been shown that a handkerchief infused with natural musk oil can still be smelled 40 years afterward.
Today, perfumers employ a wide variety of synthetic musks, ranging from sweet, fluffy musks to nearly metallic variants rather than the real thing.
The perfume business has spent many millions of dollars on finding substitutes for this key component, including patented notes like Galaxolide, Andoxal, Nirvanolide, Celestolide, Velvione, and Helvetolide.
This is the kind of work we'd want to do if we had the opportunity...
In addition to ambrette seed, galbanum, and angelica root extracts, other components like these may also give a scent a musky quality.
Those who are allergic to one or more of the musk components may have trouble detecting musk, although this is very rare.
Try to get a whiff of musk in the following fragrances: