Resinous familyBase note
Musk
Musk is a base note from the resinous family: a warm, skin-like material, almost always a synthetic white musk today, that adds depth.
- 01Family
- Resinous
- 02Pyramid
- Base
- 03Best seasons
- Autumn, Winter
- 04Type
- Note
What does musk smell like?
Musk: a warm, skin-like material, almost always a synthetic white musk today, that adds depth.
From our page: Resinous fragrance familyMusk was originally an animal-derived material and is today almost always synthetic (white musks, polycyclic musks).
From our page: Fragnatique glossaryIUCN's 2015 assessment of the Siberian musk deer says use of musk in the perfume industry is decreasing as cheaper synthetic alternatives become more popular.
From our page: Does Real Musk Come From a Deer? The Musk Deer Explained
Is musk a top, heart or base note?
Musk is a base note.
- Top15 minutes to 2 hours
- HeartHour 1 to hour 5
- Base4 to 12+ hours
Musks are one of the material groups the notes pyramid places in the base, with woods, resins and gourmands.
From our page: Top, Middle, Base: How the Notes Pyramid Actually WorksBase notes are the memory: they are what lingers on a coat hours after you took it off.
From our page: Top, Middle, Base: How the Notes Pyramid Actually WorksWhat does musk pair with?
Most florals sit on a woody, musky or powdery base that controls how sheer or opulent the result wears; white musk is the quiet base that lets a floral wear close to the skin.
Named partners
Also in the resinous family
- Amberbase note
- Labdanumbase note
- Benzoinbase note
- Leatherbase note
- Tobaccobase note
- Frankincensebase note
The resinous family bridges to
Read more about musk
ScienceDoes Real Musk Come From a Deer? The Musk Deer ExplainedYes. Real musk comes from a gland of the male musk deer, about 25 g per animal, but IUCN says perfumers use less of it as cheaper synthetics spread.
ScienceTop, Middle, Base: How the Notes Pyramid Actually WorksThe fragrance notes pyramid explained: what top, middle and base notes are, why perfume opens bright and dries down warm, and how to read a pyramid.
Find the perfumes built around musk.
Fragnatique reads every perfume down to its notes and scores it against your own taste, with the reason behind each match written out. Start from a note you love and let the app do the narrowing.