What does musk smell like? The scent of clean, warm skin

Musk is in almost every perfume you have ever smelled. Often you don't notice it. It sits quietly in the background, making a scent last longer and feel softer and closer to skin. But musk has a dramatic past. For centuries it came from a small deer in the mountains of Asia, and it was one of the most valuable substances on earth.

What does it smell like?

Today's musks smell soft, clean and warm. Old animal musk was much darker. Depending on the type, you might notice:

• Clean laundry: fresh, soft and powdery, like just-washed cotton
• Warm skin: a gentle, intimate smell, like a loved one's neck
• Sweetness: a faint, fruity or powdery sweetness
• Animal: in vintage or "dirty" musks, a warm, slightly sweaty or leathery side
• Powder: a dry softness, like baby powder

Musk is often described as "your skin but better".

Where it comes from

The original: deer musk

Real musk came from the musk deer, a small, shy animal from the mountains of the Himalayas, Siberia, China and nearby regions. Male musk deer have a gland, called a musk pod, on the belly. Inside is a dark, grainy substance with an extremely powerful smell. Its main smell molecule is muscone.

Traditionally, the deer was killed to remove the pod. Musk from Tonkin (northern Vietnam) was considered the finest. Musk can be taken from a living deer, and some farms do this, but hunting was the main source for centuries.

Other natural musks

• Civet: a paste from the glands of the African civet. Now rarely used.
• Plant musks: ambrette seed (from a type of hibiscus) and angelica root contain natural musky molecules. Ambrette is still used in fine perfume and is expensive.

The end of animal musk

Overhunting pushed musk deer toward extinction. In 1979, musk deer were protected under CITES, the international agreement that controls trade in endangered species. Most musk deer species are now listed as endangered. Illegal poaching still happens, mainly for traditional medicine, but real deer musk has almost vanished from mainstream perfume.

Today, nearly all musk in perfume is synthetic.

A short history of synthetic musk

Chemists have been making musk in the lab for well over a century. There are four main families:

1. Nitro musks (1888 onwards). German chemist Albert Baur made the first synthetic musk by accident while working on explosives. Nitro musks like musk ketone and musk xylene were cheap and strong. Some were later found to be unsafe for people or the environment. Musk ambrette, for example, was withdrawn from use. Most nitro musks are now banned or tightly restricted.
2. Polycyclic musks (mid-1900s). Molecules such as Galaxolide and Tonalide are very stable, so they became common in detergents, soaps and fabric softeners. That is why "clean laundry" smells musky. Concerns about how they build up in the environment have reduced their use in some regions.
3. Macrocyclic musks. These are closest in structure to natural deer musk. Chemist Leopold Ružička made muscone in the lab in 1926, but only in tiny amounts. Large-scale use only took off much later. Molecules like Habanolide and Exaltolide smell rich and skin-like.
4. Alicyclic musks (1975 onwards). A newer family. Helvetolide, launched by Firmenich in 1990, was the first made at commercial scale. These musks tend to be fruity and radiant.

Musk in modern perfume

Musk is everywhere, usually as a base note that helps everything else last. It also stars in its own right:

• "White musk" perfumes, popular since the 1980s, are soft, clean and powdery.
• Skin scents use musk to smell like "you, but nicer" rather than like a perfume.
• Narciso Rodriguez For Her (2003) made a sensual, musky heart its signature and became a modern classic.

Why some people can't smell musk

Many people have trouble smelling certain musks. This is called specific anosmia: a "blind spot" for one smell. Musk molecules are large and heavy, and our noses vary a lot in how well they detect them. If a musk perfume seems to disappear on you, it may still be there. Others may smell it clearly. Perfumers often blend several musks so that most people can smell at least one.

Real vs synthetic musk

Synthetic musk is not a cheap copy. It is safer, legal, ethical and far more varied than deer musk ever was. No animal is harmed, and perfumers can choose exactly the style they want, from soapy-clean to warm and animal-like. Natural deer musk is now rare, illegal to trade in most places and not something you need to seek out.

What musk pairs well with

• Florals like rose, iris and orange blossom: musk makes them softer and closer to skin
• Vanilla and amber: for a warm, cosy feel
• Woods like sandalwood and cedar: for a smooth, clean base
• Citrus: for a fresh, after-shower effect
• Aldehydes: the sparkling, soapy notes in classic perfumes

Perfumes to try

• Narciso Rodriguez For Her by Narciso Rodriguez (2003): a sensual, musky classic.
• White Musk by The Body Shop: soft, clean and affordable. A cult favourite.
• Original Musk by Kiehl's: warmer and earthier, with a slightly vintage feel.
• Glossier You by Glossier: a light, modern skin scent built around musk and soft woods.
• Clair de Musc by Serge Lutens: a pale, powdery, elegant musk.

How to wear musk

• Musk sits close to the skin. Spray two or three times on pulse points and clothes.
• Don't over-spray just because you can't smell it. Others probably can.
• Musk works all year and in any setting, from office to evening.
• Try layering a simple musk under other perfumes to make them last longer.

Who will love it

Anyone who likes clean, soft, understated scents. Musk is perfect for people who want to smell good without smelling "perfumed". If you think you don't like musk, you may simply be used to it. It is probably already in your favourite fragrance.