If you’re the kind of person who likes to change up their fragrances depending on things like the season, time of day or occasion for which you’ll be wearing said scent, I can tell you that musky perfumes go hand in hand with cosy season.
These notes give the feel of being wrapped in something comforting; they’re soft, warming and ever so slightly sweet all at once. While qualities like sillage, projection and whether your chosen scent is a long lasting perfume can all be observed, preferences for the best perfume are so subjective. I have go-to olfactory families whose fragrances I’m more likely to enjoy – woody or amber perfumes, for example – but there are always exceptions to the rule.
Similarly, there are some brilliantly formulated perfumes that I wouldn’t wear on myself but know would suit and appeal to others. However, in my experience musks score highly in terms of universal appeal. Here are six musky scents I think you'll love.
Six beauty editor-approved musky perfumes to have on your radar
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RRP: £150 for 50ml
Key notes: Rose petals, cedarwood, vetiver, silk musk
For a long time, this Byredo number was the closest thing I had to a signature scent. It is the ultimate creamy, woody, musky scent, with one of my favourite perfume notes, cedarwood, taking centre stage. I’m a firm believer in wearing whatever scent you like, whenever you like, but these qualities mean that it works well at any time of day. It’s the perfume equivalent of an oversized chunky knit jumper that you can dress up for Sunday lunch somewhere fabulous or curl up in on your sofa.
RRP: £99 for 50ml
Key notes: Bergamot peel, mandarin, freesia, jasmine petals, waterlily, vanilla orchid, jasmine sambac absolute, amber, sandalwood, musk
Phlur has won over the hearts of fragrance fans around the world with its hugely diverse perfume portfolio. Opening with soft-not-sickly vanilla, Soft Spot is a lovely skin scent, balancing fruity and floral notes without ever leaning too heavily into either fragrance family and wearing down to tell-tale musk. It’s not particularly punchy, but it is moreish and one you’ll probably want to spritz and re-spritz.
RRP: £190 for 50ml
Key notes: Bergamot, mandarin, white magnolia, blackcurrant, white sandalwood
This is like a burst of autumnal sunshine in fragrance form. There’s an initial citrus hit, but it’s subtle enough that it doesn’t take away from the undercurrent of white and rose musks. Along with these, soothing sandalwood rounds out the woody base. Its price tag is quite luxurious, but the newer hair perfume is a nice way to try this scent for less.
RRP: £153 for 75ml
Key notes: Musks, iris, ambrette seeds, pink peppercorn
I’ve previously described this scent as opening with a fizziness in our guide to the best Diptyque perfumes – which Fleur de Peau unquestionably is. A beautiful floral musk that’s made a little spicy thanks to pink pepper, this fragrance has that “Parisian chic” feel that typifies the brand as well as the comforting effect of a musky base. It’s wearable and gorgeous.
RRP: £62 for 50ml
Key notes: Pink peppercorns, iris, ambrette, ambrox
Arguably the fragrance that got us all hooked on skin scents, Glossier You isn’t the kind of perfume that bursts into the room demanding the attention of anyone and everyone present. Rather, it’s a soft and cosy musky scent that – arguably like all perfumes – smells different on every wearer. The initial hit of pink pepper, supported by a soft injection of iris, wears down to that cosy feel that can only be imparted by ambroxan and ambrette seeds. Excitingly, Glossier has just expanded its fragrance portfolio to include two new iterations of You; which you can read all about in our Glossier Réve and Doux review.
RRP: £245 for 75ml
Key notes: Mandarin, bergamot, pear, violet petal, musk, sandalwood
Parfums de Marly’s newest fragrance manages to be very sweet without tipping into gourmand territory. It opens with juicy pear, which, I personally find is more noticeable on clothes than the skin. Here, it manages to strike just the right balance between fruity, floral and powdery for something that somehow feels familiar the first time you spritz it; it makes me think of Parma Violets from an incredibly chic and sophisticated sweet shop.
What is musk in perfume?
Musks have long been used in perfumery, but though they were once animal-derived, alternatives have been used in their place for decades. Today, as luxury fragrance house Creed notes, musk notes in perfume are either down to synthetic musk or a plant-derived alternative.
What does musk smell like in perfume?
Musk is an animalic note that manages to be lots of things at once; creamy and softly sweet, some describe it as being slightly woody or powdery. There are no hard or fast rules in perfume, but musks are often middle or base perfume notes that you smell as the perfume wears, which is what gives off that cosy impression.
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