Perfumery

Musks sniffing

heart cloud

It’s really impressive how the fragrance companies manage to keep coming up with new and specialized aromachemicals, each with a different nuance from its predecessors in the same category. I’ve accumulated several proprietary musk bases with names ending in “-olide,” and decided it was time for a musks sniffing. I knew it would be more challenging than the woods sniffing we did last week, because the variations can be quite subtle to my unprofessional nose.

The naturals

Agar musk (Abelmoschus moschatus)

The extract of this medicinal perennial plant, also known as musk mallow, in attar form with sandalwood oil, is one of the most soothing, smooth smells I’ve encountered—the olfactory equivalent of cuddling in a blanket with a warm cup of cocoa. It smells a little milky and nutty, and otherwise like the sandalwood, which is quite dominant.

Ambrette seed (Hibiscus abelmoschus)

Apparently this is the same thing as abelmoschus moschatus, although it smells quite different by itself. It feels fuzzy and smells very nutty, reminding me of the Middle Eastern confection known as halva.

Ambergris "silver white"

This is the prized, sperm-whale intestinal excretion that you can put on your skin to smell beautifully “you-er than you,” or to enhance many types of perfume. For a discourse on everything you ever wanted to know about ambergris and everything you never knew you might want to know about it, read Floating Gold: A Natural (and Unnatural) History of Ambergris by Christopher Kemp.

The “silver white” ambergris has been exposed to the elements for a long time, is light gray in color, and smells relatively mild. Its tincture is musky but also cool and a bit salty, with a denseness and roundness that marks its animal origin.

Ambergris "black gold"

This ambergris is “rawer” than the silver white, in the sense that it is less weathered, black in color and more oily, and smells much stronger. Its tincture has more floral (and, dichotomously, fecal) undertones, and makes me think of the creases in the thick skin of a large mammal, as well as the scents of a zoo.

The synthetics

Ambrettolide

Supposedly the synthetic version of ambrette, it’s much more plasticky by comparison, and has a cool, dry sweetness that I find ingratiating.

Ambroxan

The synthetic version of one of the facets of ambergris, Ambroxan is a cool, clean musk that smells almost metallic. Can be worn on its own (as Escentric Molecules Molecule 02 and Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume have demonstrated). Very diffusive, good fixative and enhancer.

Cashmeran®

Frankly, I’m surprised this is classified as a musk—I would put it under woody or even spicy. It has a vegetal facet over something mildly like body odor. Unpolished wood, a bit like hinoki, but darker. My other half was adamant that it smelled like red chard!

Also can be worn alone (à la Escentric Molecules Molecule 05).

Ethylene brassylate

Perhaps the canonical white musk.

Velvione®

A more expensive ethylene brassylate, richer and fruitier.

Edenolide

Light, clean, woody musk with overtones of apples, berries, and maybe some dried fruits.

Exaltolide® Total

Metallic and animal facets clamor for attention in this otherwise silky white musk. Sweet and a little rubbery.

Galaxolide®

Sweet and floral, with some sugared fruit. Would probably make laundry smell fluffy.

Habanolide®

Cooler and woodier. Elegant with the natural sweetness of an infructescence (like a gooseberry or a fig) at peak ripeness.

Romandolide®

Very mild—neither my other half nor I could smell anything discernible. I’m not too worried, as it is introduced as a “very delicate musky note” and less fruity than some of the others.

An interesting point to note is that even though these musks are supposed to be base notes (and thus long lasting), most of them disappeared from the scent strips within a couple of hours. Their effect is most apparent not on their own, but in what they do to a blend.

24 thoughts on “Musks sniffing”

  1. Pingback: Leathers sniffing – Nose Prose
  2. Pingback: Rose Milk Tea – Nose Prose

  4. This is really cool and something I’ve been looking into recently. Have you ever heard of Mandy Aftel? I just finished a chapter in one of her books about musks

    Like

    Reply

      1. Yes. You’re not Mandy Aftel, are you? LOL kidding I sometimes ask her too many questions on IG so I am pretty sure you’re not her.

        Also I’ve been playing around with the Magnetic Blends from Initio. I did some big testing with them. But at the end of the day decided not to get any

        Like

        Reply

          1. hahaha oh ya let me look up a description of another one…. I copied this from Fragrantica.com for the fragrance psychodelic love…

            “The signature of this narcotic bomb lies in three essential ingredients: rose, hedione and heliotropin.
            While hedione activates the brain regions linked to pleasure and the libido, heliotropin goes even further.
            Equally tender and illicit, this crystalline powder hides its intentions well.
            Beware of its creamy, powdery and floral facets, wavering between vanilla and almond!
            Used in over doses, heliotropin becomes a psychoactive substance. A forbidden shiver rushes over the skin.
            A substance under strict regulations.
            Its possession is strictly controlled by law, because heliotropin is used for the chemical synthesis of mda, a prohibited drug and substitute for ecstasy.
            Confronted with this diabolical indulgence, no one is safe from an olfactory obsession that can soon become a real addiction!” – a note from the brand.

            Like

            Reply

              1. Just a note from the brand…. “No one is safe from an olfactory obsession that can soon become a real addiction!” They should put that a warning label on that thing!

                Like

                Reply

                    1. It comes out in French first, and then the English version comes out just a bit later. I’ve read a few of them and really like them because they explore topics in depth and are very well written/translated. They each include a review of a decade in perfume as well as new launches within the last 6 months, and a “genealogy” map of perfumes featuring certain notes, to name a few things.

                      Liked by 1 person

          2. Magnetic Blend 7 [musk] is very beautiful but does not project a lot which leaves me disappointed for the price (I would basically use it just for bed I guess). And also whenever I layered a fragrance on top of it, the fragrance seems do die down and get engulfed by it…. rather than get stimulated by it. Also didn’t blend as well scent wise. Blend 1 (ambergris) blends and projects amazingly with everything. But smells unpleasant up close, and then gets to overwhelm me when I wear it for long periods. However the concept behind them is super interesting to me

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

  5. I’m somewhat familiar with “naturals,” but only a couple of molecules sound familiar (though, most likely, I smelled in perfumes many of those that I do not recognize by name).

    Like

    Reply

    1. I suppose most of them don’t stand out on their own enough to be showcased the way Ambroxan and Cashmeran have. They probably disappear into vague labels of “white musk,” “transparent musk,” “clean musk,” etc. I wouldn’t have come across their names if I weren’t browsing aromachemicals.

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment