Home

Musk

Musk is a class of fragrant substances used in perfumery and cosmetics. The term originally referred to natural secretions produced by the musk glands of the musk deer (genus Moschus), which impart a strong, long-lasting scent and function as a fixative that helps other fragrance notes persist. Because musk deer have faced poaching and habitat loss, natural musk production is tightly regulated and greatly diminished; in modern perfumery, most musk is synthetic.

Synthetic musks are developed to mimic the odor of natural musk and to provide stability and duration.

Regulatory and environmental notes: Some nitro musks have been restricted or phased out in cosmetics in several

The word Musk can also refer to the musk deer itself or to individuals bearing the surname.

They
fall
into
categories
such
as
nitro
musks
and
polycyclic
or
macrocyclic
musks,
and
are
widely
used
as
base
notes
in
perfumes
as
well
as
in
soaps,
detergents,
and
other
consumer
products.
The
use
of
musk
substitutes
has
reduced
demand
on
wild
musk
deer,
but
raised
concerns
about
environmental
persistence
and
potential
health
effects.
regions
due
to
persistence
and
accumulation
in
the
environment
and
possible
risks
to
human
health.
Polycyclic
and
macrocyclic
musks
are
also
scrutinized
for
environmental
impacts,
leading
to
increased
use
of
alternative
scent
ingredients.
Notable
people
with
the
name
include
Elon
Musk,
a
technology
entrepreneur
and
CEO
of
SpaceX
and
Tesla.