Musk

Animal musk was one of the animal raw materials used in perfumery, along with civet, castoreum, ambergris and hyraceum. Musk is now banned in perfumery, there are many alternatives to avoid using these natural animal notes.

There are perfumes as cool as the flesh of children,
Sweet as oboes, green as meadows
— And others are corrupt, and rich, triumphant,
With power to expand into infinity,
Like amber and incense, musk, benzoin,
That sings the ecstasy of the soul and senses.
- Charles Baudelaire, Correspondance

History of animal notes

Discovered in 330 B.C. by Alexander the Great, animal notes were widely used by perfumers, who appreciated their imposing aromas and evaporation resistance.

Even when associated with light and delicate scents, animal notes were used in very small quantities in fragrances. They gave a lot of softness and refinement to the fragrances, without their presence being noticed.

Animal raw materials, used by the Egyptians and by certain tribes, were especially present in the great majority of perfumes at the beginning of the 20th century. Very tenacious, these notes were used as fixatives, combining with the base notes (they evaporate very gradually and prolong the scent of the perfume). Animal notes were used to bring a very sensual side to perfumes.

What is animal musk? 

Musk is a substance secreted by the abdominal glands (an organ located between the umbilicus and the penis) of male musk deer during the breeding season. There are three species of musk deer: the Siberian musk deer, the Himalayan musk deer and the black musk deer.

The musk chevrotain 

This animal resembles a roe deer of about 80 to 100 cm in length, and 50 to 70 cm high at the withers, and weighs between 10 and 17 kg. Only the male is hunted, the female is unable to produce musk. 

The musk chevrotain was hunted intensively in the 1960s and 1970s. It was very lucrative (the price of musk was 300 to 400 000 francs per kg). In addition, the animal's leather was used by the Tibetans to make small bags, and its fur was reserved for stuffing the best mattresses and pillows used by the Chinese emperors. In Asia, there is still a great demand for this substance, it is believed to have aphrodisiac properties. The diluted liquid is drunk through a straw at the counters of some local bars. They say that the substance has curative properties against impotence, and would be effective in reducing heart problems. This is why musk is often associated in people's minds with a notion of sensuality, tenacity and wake.

Protection of the musk chevrotain
Even if it is protected today, as it is currently in danger of extinction, the chevrotain is unfortunately still poached.

However, measures have been taken, and the musk trade is now controlled by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES: Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) signed in Washington on 03/03/1973. The aim of this convention is to establish worldwide controls on trade in wild animals and plants and their products. This convention was applied in France in 1978.

Furthermore, in 1988, captive breeding was set up in China to obtain musk without killing the animal. The animal can provide musk 10 to 12 times in its lifetime. The extraction of musk was advised once a year on chevrotains of 2,5 and 8 years old.

However, despite all these efforts to preserve the existence of the musk chevrotain, it seems that breeding has not been a good solution. Indeed, the chevrotain is a solitary species that does not reproduce well in captivity. Moreover, overpopulation gives rise to fighting between males. It has also been proven that the free-raised chevrotain produces better musk.

Use of animal musk in perfumery 

Animal musk and white musk

Moreover, the scent of synthetic musk used in perfumery is close to the smell of black coffee, or even flowers (do not to confuse with the scent of animal musk, that is very strong, slightly bestial). In order to avoid any confusion, synthetic musks are called white musks. The musky notes (or white musk) are base notes in the perfumes.

Musk extraction technique 

The musk was extracted by lubricating the pouch, a kind of silver spoon was inserted to gently extract the grains. However, this method practised in the past was not very satisfying, and was practised on the animal without anaesthesia.

Use of musk tincture in perfumery 

In order to be used in a perfume, animal musk was treated in the form of tinctures. From the musk grains, it was necessary to prepare cold tinctures and, more rarely, hot infusions with 96° alcohol. These products were then improved by ageing in huge bottles called Dames-Jeannes for at least 18 months. Muscone is the characteristic constituent of natural musk (present from 0.5% to 2%).

The trade distinguishes different qualities of musk:

• Tonkin Musk* (hunting in China, Tibet, Mongolia and Kashmir)
• Assam Musk
• Musk Kabardin (the lowest quality, four times less powerful than Tonkin musk)
• Tawpee Musk
• Yunnan Musk
• Musk Bouchara

* Tonkin musk is a type of musk found in the Himalayan musk chevrotain, that lives at an altitude of over 2,000 metres in northern India. Very early introduced to Europe, this fairly sedentary animal feeds on leaves, flowers, mushrooms, mosses and lichens.

Falsification of animal musk

Musk, which is very interesting from a lucrative point of view, was the object of numerous falsifications. Skilful hands opened the pouch and emptied the precious product by filling it with falsifying agents (earth, dried blood, liver, dried hairs, manure, pieces of lead, infused tea leaves...). Initially bought in the form of pouches, then it was bought in grains.

Musk has a honey-like consistency and a reddish-brownish colour which hardens quickly once it is out of the pouch. Quality musks are soft to the touch and blackish-brown in colour. Good quality pockets yield 70% grainy musk, while bad pockets yield 40-60% grainy musk.

Many molecules were found in animal musk, that made it possible to obtain many musky notes reproduced in synthesis and called white musks (cf. Musky facet). White musks are not forbidden, but regulated.

The various animal raw materials are now prohibited following the action of WWF. Nevertheless, some labels continue to use them, especially Middle Eastern manufacturers for local production. 

Today, many alternatives exist to avoid having to use these natural animal notes, such as :

• Synthetic musks, including muscone
• Animal notes contained in jasmine: indole
• Paracresol
• Vegetable musks like ambrette
• Vegetable notes, with slightly “dirty" notes such as cumin, costus, cistus labdanum, sage, atlas cedar, hyssop, osmanthus, leather notes, etc.

Sylvaine Delacourte fragrances

Discover Sylvaine Delacourte's brand with her Orange Blossom, Musk and Vanilla Collections. You can try them thanks to the Discovery Boxes (5 Eaux de Parfum x 2 ml) and rediscover these raw materials as you have never smelled them before.