‘Musk’ describes a subsection of aromatic compounds used in perfumery as base notes, extending the longevity of a perfume.
In times gone by, musk was obtained as an extract from the caudal glands of musk deer. Recent years saw the growing endangerment of musk deer species, alongside ethical debates over the usage of animal products in perfumery, which culminated in significant restrictions to musk deer hunting and the near elimination of natural musk usage in perfumery.
Today, the desirable fixative effects of natural musk are replicated through the use of synthetic musks. These can be broken down into three categories based on their molecular structure: nitro musks (e.g. musk ketone), polycyclic musks (e.g. galaxolide), and macrocyclic musks (e.g. zenolide).
