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 with artificial, which, although inferior in many respects to the true substance, however, has many of its perfumery 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 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 opposite 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 fragrance and is a powerful aphrodisiac and natural pheromone.
The story of obtaining musk
When the properties of a given substance were determined anddemand in the market of the perfume industry, it began to be actively mined. Initially, the iron of the musk deer served as the main source for its production, and to extract only 1 kilogram of musk, up to 40 animals had to be destroyed. Due to such a cruel massacre of deer, their population began to decline rapidly, and perhaps they could disappear from the face of the earth altogether, but by 1980 a ban was introduced on hunting and destroying this type of animal.
What musk is made from today
However, it was impossible to refuse the tool that had gained such high popularity. Therefore, they began to produce synthetic musk. What it is? The basis of this substance was the chemical component - nitroglycerin. However, the toxicity of this compound was later established, and the production of musk in this way was banned. But scientists did not stop their development and soon began to receive vegetable musk, which is created from galbanum. It is practically no different from an animal, but does not have such sharp and exciting properties. But what is most appreciated 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 synthetic musk is used, which is harmless to humans and the environment.
Healing properties of musk
Musk - what is it: medicine or cosmetic? After all, this substance has irreplaceable healing properties and is veryvaluable 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, as it is able to improve skin turgor and smooth wrinkles. Initially, musk was used mainly as an aphrodisiac in cases of cardiac decline. This substance is able to have an exciting effect on all nerve formations, so the validity of its use in violations of the heart is quite natural.
Musk can also be used as an anticonvulsant, especially for spasms of the glottis and whooping cough. It also finds its application in dentistry - when it is added to tooth powders, they acquire the ability to eliminate bad breath for a long time. Today, its use in medicine is not as popular as it used to be, because there are many other medicines that can cure the same diseases and at a lower cost. The substance is very widely used in perfumery, since the smell of musk is very individual and special.
Musk in the perfume industry
The main property of this substance (the aroma of musk) is used precisely in the perfume industry, in most cases in the production of expensive perfumes, odor fixatives or as natural fragrances, aphrodisiacs(attractants). Many perfume manufacturers use a combination of several different types of musk in the main formula of the entire fragrance, in order to most faithfully recreate the original smell of a real natural natural component.
Black and white musk - what is it?
Currently, one can find in various sources references to two types of this substance - black and white. Black oil is called musk oil, which is obtained from the glands of male musk deer. To date, the process of extracting this substance is humane. The gland is not damaged, and the animal does not experience pain during the procedure. The smell of black musk is tart, sharp with an admixture of an animal shade.
A special variety of this substance is white musk. It received this name not because of its color, but because of the freshest, purest and most delicate aroma, which is comparable to the smell of only children's skin. It is more refined, refined and elegant, but not at all as sexy and hot as black. If the shade of the smell of ordinary musk is acceptable only for evening, sensual fragrances, then white is widely used in perfume compositions intended for everyday, daytime use.
Perfume masterpieces with musk
There are many famous perfume compositions in which musk has been used. Its use in this capacity causes a high price of perfumes. A very large number of selective fragrances with notes of white musk are offered by famousmanufacturers. This component is added to both women's and men's compositions. Such aromas have quite definite properties. For men, they are able to give confidence, sex appeal and some brutality, while for women they add even more sensuality and tenderness.
White musk in perfumes is used in the following well-known perfume compositions: from M. Micallef "Ananda" with fruity, citrus and musky notes, "Ananda Parfum" with floral notes, "Automne" with woody-spicy notes of aroma; from Montale, the fragrance "Aoud Blossom" 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 scent of white musk, and many others.
Each musk-based fragrance created is a unique composition based on all sorts of subtleties and aspects of such a broad concept as "musky".
