One of the most popular perfume ingredients is musk. However, in most fragrances today it is not present in its natural form due to its high cost. It is replaced by artificial, which, although inferior in many criteria to the true substance, however, has many of its perfume properties.
Musk - what is it?
Musk is an aromatic substance with a specific strong odor, which is produced by the strongly odorous glands of some animals (for example, beaver or musk deer) or is found in the roots of special plants. Under natural conditions, it is used by animals in order to mark "their" territory or to attract an individual of the other sex for mating. Currently, this substance is very widely used in the perfume industry, as well as as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent. It has a fixing and ennobling effect on any aroma and is the strongest aphrodisiac and natural pheromone.
History of Musk
When the properties of this substance were determined and there was a demand for it in the market of the perfume industry, it began to be actively mined. Initially, the deer-musk deer iron was the main source for its production, and up to 40 animals were required to kill only 1 kilogram of musk. Due to such cruel reprisals against deer, their population began to decline rapidly, and perhaps they could completely disappear from the face of the earth, but by 1980 a ban was placed on hunting and destruction of this species of animals.
What Musk Gets Today
However, it was impossible to refuse the product that acquired such high popularity. Therefore, they began to produce synthetic musk. What it is? The substance is based on a chemical component - nitroglycerin. However, the toxicity of this compound was later established, and musk production was banned in this way. But scientists did not stop their development and soon began to receive plant musk, which is created from galbanum. It practically does not differ in any way from an animal, however it does not have such sharp and exciting properties. But, what is most valued in this substance, it retains the softness, sensuality and warmth inherent in natural musk. This leads to its widespread use in the perfume industry. Currently, mainly used synthetic musk, which is harmless to humans and the environment.
The healing properties of musk
Musk - what is it: a medicine or a cosmetic? After all, this substance has indispensable healing properties and very valuable qualities. It is able to fully affect the entire human body, strengthen immunity, increase defenses, improve capillary blood supply to blood vessels, cleanse the bronchi, lungs, and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In cosmetology, musk also finds its application, since it can improve skin turgor and smooth wrinkles. Initially, musk was used mainly as an aphrodisiac in cases of cardiac decline. This substance is capable of exerting an exciting effect on all nerve formations, therefore the validity of its use in cases of cardiac abnormalities is quite natural.
Musk can also be used as an anticonvulsant, especially for spasms of the glottis and whooping cough. It finds its application in dentistry - when it is added to tooth powders, they gain the ability to eliminate long-term bad breath. Today its use in medicine is not as popular as before, since there are many other medicines that can cure the same diseases and have a lower cost. The substance is very widely used in perfumery, because the smell of musk is very individual and special.
Musk in the perfume industry
The main property of this substance (musk aroma) is used precisely in the perfumery industry, in most cases in the production of expensive perfumes, odor fixers or as natural fragrances, aphrodisiacs (attractants). Many perfume manufacturers use a combination of several different types of musk in the basic formula of the whole aroma in order to most reliably recreate the original smell of a real natural component.
Black and white musk - what is it?
Currently, there are various sources of mention of two types of this substance - black and white. Black is called musk oil, which is obtained from the glands of male musk deer. To date, the process of extraction of this substance is humane. Iron is not damaged, and the animal does not experience pain during the procedure. The smell of black musk is astringent, harsh with an admixture of animal shade.
A special variety of this substance is white musk. He got this name not because of his color, but because of the freshest, purest and most delicate aroma, which is comparable to the smell of perhaps only baby skin. He is more sophisticated, refined and elegant, but not at all as sexy and hot as black. If the shade of the smell of ordinary musk is acceptable exclusively for evening, sensual aromas, then white is widely used in perfume compositions intended for everyday, daily use.
Masterpieces of perfume with musk
There are many well-known perfume compositions in which musk was used. Using it in this capacity determines the high price of perfume. A very large number of selective aromas with notes of white musk, which are offered by well-known manufacturers. This component is added to both female and male compositions. Such aromas have well-defined properties. They are able to give men confidence, sexual attractiveness and some brutality, while for women they add even more sensuality and tenderness.
White musk in the perfume is used in the following well-known perfume compositions: by M. Micallef Ananda aroma with fruity, citrus and musky notes, Ananda Parfum with floral notes, Automne with woody-spicy aromas; from Montale, “Aoud Blossom” fragrance with oriental citrus notes, “Ginger Musk” with spicy hints of the east, “White Musk” - the quintessence of white musk; by Serge Lutens Clair de Musc, filled with the delicate aroma of white musk, and many others.
Each created aroma based on musk is a unique composition based on all sorts of subtleties and aspects of such a broad concept as “musky”.