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 Musk is one
of the delightful and amazing components used in perfumery. It falls to the
category of perfume classic fragrances as well as amber. The word «musk» comes from
the Latin «muscus», and the Latin language in its turn borrowed this word from
the dead Sanskrit which meant «scrotum» or «testicle». So, what is musk? This is
the odorous substance possessed and produced by some animals. Also the musk may
have a vegetable or synthetic nature. The musk is used in perfumery to create
the fragrances since it is known to have fixing abilities and make the scent
more elegant and delicate.
The musk of
animal origin is the product excreted by the musky glands with particular mammals,
and this substance is produced only by male animals. Musk is excreted by deer, musk
deer, musk-ox, desman and other animals. In the natural environment the musk serves
as the chemical signal used by animals to tag the territory and to attract the
opposite sex species. Also the musk is used to oil the fur. Musk appears as the
viscid granular mass of brown color with specific odor.
The musk
was preliminary received from the musky glands of the musk deer habituating in
the mountainous forests in Himalayas, Tibet,
Eastern Siberia, Korea and Sakhalin. The
animals should be killed to gain the musk. 30 to 50 deer are necessary to be killed
to get one kilogram of musk. There is an interesting record made by the Russian
traveler Afanasiy Nikitin about the musk gaining experience: «The umbilicus of domestic
deer is cut, where the musk origins, while the wild deer fall their belly
buttons onto the ground in forests and fields, losing the scent and the musk is
not fresh then».
This crude
and brutal method to get the musk was practiced till 1979. Currently the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species (of Wild Fauna and Flora) protects
the musk deer as the rare and endangered species of animals. Moreover, musk deer
are recorded into the International Red Book and the Red Book of Russia.
Presently the hunting on musk deer is limited. Though, the way out of this
situation was found very quickly for the perfume industry. There is an
alternative to the animal musk which is the musk of vegetable origin and made
synthetically.
There is a
humane way to receive musk that is from plants. The stem of Angelica, amberetta
seeds, Holy Ghost roots, hibiscus seeds,
parts of galbanum and some other particular plants produce musk. The synthetic
way to gain the musk is the easiest one. Many synthetic substances of different
structure have the musk odor, including some macrocyclic lactons and oxalactons,
nitromusks (musk-ketone, amber musk, musk xylol), some substituted tetrahydronaphthalene
and hydrindens (for instance, Phantolid, Versalide, Galaxolide). Some kinds of synthetic
musk are forbidden for use due to high toxicity. Moreover, they attracted the ecologists
due to poor ability to biological decomposition.
Musk is
processes by the special technology prior to use in perfume compositions.
During the processing the musk loses all volatile substances and acquires more
elegant aroma. Musk is used in perfumery to fix the fragrances. It makes the
scents more sensible and warm. Perfumers noted that the scent of the perfume
depends on the origin of the musk; whether the musk is of animal, vegetable or synthetic
origin. When the synthetic musk is included as the component of the perfume
instead of the animal musk, used before, the scent changes. Musk of animal origin
was more preferred earlier. Currently the musk of animal origin is a rare and
costly component, and is used to create expensive perfume for world
recognizable brands only.
It would be
interesting for any woman to find out which perfume contains the musk. The
modern fragrances having musk as a components include White for Her by Emporio
Armani and Glow by Jennifer Lopez. Classic fragrances often have musk component
due to traditions, like Forever Elizabeth by Elizabeth Arden, L'air du Temps by
Nina Ricci and, definitely, the legendary Chanel №5 by Chanel.
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