Originally derived from the musk deer's glandular secretions, natural musk has been banned since the 1970s. Modern perfumery relies entirely on synthetic musks that replicate the warm, skin-like quality. Musk is perfumery's most universal base note — it anchors nearly every fragrance family and creates the "second skin" effect that makes a scent feel personal.
Warm, clean, almost intangible. Musk smells like skin — not your skin specifically, but the idealized memory of human warmth. It's soft, slightly sweet, with a powdery-animalic quality that hovers just at the edge of perception. Modern synthetic musks are clean and transparent, while vintage musk compounds could be more assertive and animalic. Musk doesn't announce itself; it draws people closer.
Musk operates at the subconscious level. It doesn't communicate specific traits like authority or creativity — instead, it creates magnetic pull. People won't remember you wore fragrance; they'll remember wanting to be near you.
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