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Synthetic musk

In view of the current situation, for the launch of my Musk Collection, I thought that a small article on musks would be interesting. During various exchanges with passionate customers, I have observed a real craze for white musks or musky notes. They are mellow, cottony, very tenacious, comfortable notes. Some of them smell like baby's skin, clean, others are fruity (see below).

During my travels in the Middle East, I discovered this habit that men and women have of applying musk-based oils all over their bodies, before putting on their perfume (sweet mixtures of musk notes between natural and synthetic). I will soon do an article on natural animal musk from the chevrotain, even though it is no longer available.

In Lebanon I discovered a flower very similar to gardenia (see White flowers), which is called the foul and I loved it. During this last trip I had the idea of combining white musks and the foul. This gave me the perfume Cruel Gardénia from the L'Art et la Matière collection by Guerlain. This work was done in collaboration with a perfumer of triple nationality, Syrian, American and French: Randa Hammami.

 

 

White musks also inspired me for L'Instant Magic, which I worked on with the same perfumer. I wanted an overdose of white musks dressed in a large proportion of beautiful natural materials (see Natural almond). I invented the name "Musquinade", as a nod to the famous "Guerlinade".

It should be noted that Guerlain is not only in the Guerlinade (in two words: the Guerlinade wants to express the "oriental side" of Guerlain). I will develop the subject in a future article.

I draw your attention to the Mitsouko perfume, Aqua Allegoria, Vetiver, Eaux de Cologne, Jardins de Bagatelle, Chant d'Arômes, Parure and many others. These perfumes do not have the Guerlinade, but they all have a relief and a strong personality.

One enthusiast, whose comment I read, talked about musk-based fragrance oils. These were soft, westernised versions for her and him, oils inspired by those found in the Middle East. But we have withdrawn them from sale.

Here is the result of my investigation: many chemical molecules have been created over the last century as substitutes for natural musk, but they only reproduce a partial aspect of its overall scent and properties. However, the new musks have opened the way to a new style of composition in perfumery.

 

Categories of synthetic musks

There are 4 categories of synthetic musks:

  • Nitro musks
  • Polycyclic musks
  • Macrocyclic musks 
  • Linear or alicyclic musks

 

1. Nitro musks (forbidden at LVMH)

These are the oldest: developed from 1888 by A. Bauer. 

  • Musk ambrette, which the industry has banned itself since 1981, because of its photo-toxic and neurotoxic nature. 
  • Musk xyxlene (1893) and musccetone (1894). Both musks have been identified (in trace amounts) in human breast milk. 
  • Musk moskene 1932 and musk tibetene. Both are now banned in Europe, not because they were dangerous, but because the industry did not want to finance the toxicological tests that would have shown them to be perfectly harmless.

Olfactively, these musks are the most powdery.

 

2. Polycyclic musks (from 1955 to 1970, banned by LVMH)

  • Tonalide (IFF 1967) quite woody, earthy (12 euros/kg).
  • Galaxolide (1954) clean, round and ripe fruity (IFF), widely used first in functional products and then in fine perfumery (6 euros/kg).
  • Fixolide.
  • Celestolide (IFF).

These polycyclic musks, which are generous and round and act as base notes, are cheap and above all smell clean and cling well to fabrics. They are known to be poorly biodegradable. In addition, they have been identified in small quantities in human breast milk. They are not in the process of being banned. They are self-limiting for environmental reasons.

 

3. Macrocyclic musks (the only ones authorised by LVMH)

These are the most recent and the most used, some of them are really expensive:

  • La muscone (Firmenich): powdery, peeling, little animalic note, a bit old fashioned for my taste (480 euros/kg).
  • Muscenone (Firmenich): powdery (400 euros/kg). I love this one!
  • Exaltolide (Firmenich): floral, angelic. Discovered in ambrette seed.
  • Habanolide (Firmenich): metallic, waxy, woody, powdery (25 euros/kg).
  • Ambrettolide (Givaudan): amber, fruity. Found in angelica juice.
  • Globalide (symrise): steamy and clean.
  • Musk T (Takasago) or ethylene brassylate: can be used to give a galaxolide effect, Musk T is easy to use, round and soft.
  • Dihydro ambrettolide and ambrettolide: fruity, and reminiscent of ambrette.
  • Cosmone (Givaudan captive). Powdery, it allows to give a nitrated musk effect to the compositions. I find it delicious.
  • Nirvanolide (Givaudan).
  • Astrotone (Firmenich).

For the moment, they are not the subject of any accusations or media attacks.

 

4. Linear or alicyclic musks

Finally, the 4th category, as octavian, from 1000 fragrances@blogspot.com, has indicated, a new generation of so-called "linear" or alicyclic musks

  • Helvetolide (1990): clean, white, milky, fruity musk very effective (Firmenich).
  • Serenolide (Givaudan): soft, powdery.
  • Moxalone (Givaudan).
  • Romandolide (Firmenich).
  • Applelide, Nébulone Sylkolide, the last musks found have more sweet and fruity accents.

These last musks have a linen and cotton effect.

 

Some examples of musky fragrances (non-exhaustive list) 

  • L'Instant Magic by Guerlain
  • Bvlgari for Men
  • Mûre et Musc by L'Artisan Parfumeur
  • Flower by Kenzo (Muscenone in overdose)
  • La Cologne by Mugler
  • White Musk by Body Shop
  • Original Musk by Kiehl's
  • Jovan Musk by Jovan

More "animal musk" note :

  • Musc Ravageur by Frédéric Malle
  • Muscs Koublaï Khän by Serge Lutens
  • Musk tonkin by Parfum d'Empire

 

Musk in Sylvaine Delacourte perfumes

Discover the Musk Collection of Sylvaine Delacourte. You can try it with the Discovery Box (5 Eaux de Parfum x 2 ml).