As much as we love a floral or fruity perfume that transcends through all seasons, then there is a musk perfume that stands out for being luxe and one-of-a-kind! The best musk perfumes for women are so chic and edgy that they have a niche fandom of their own. Musk scent is often a secret ingredient in many perfumes! Thanks to their subtle and balancing qualities, they can instantly give a va-va-voom effect to every other perfume that it is combined with. It has depth, warmth, and a long-lasting effect that lingers on for hours.

In the words of our contributor Ghanima Abdullah, an experienced cosmetologist, “Musk is a natural scent that blends with the body chemistry to give a unique fragrance per person. It's a heavy, but hollow fragrance that's filled in with your natural bodily scent, so it suits many people.”

Musk perfume embodies sensuality as it consists of earthy notes that create a mesmerizing olfactory experience that is both inviting and warm. As Coco Chanel rightly said, “No elegance is possible without perfume. It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory.” Perfumes are truly that invisible accessory that adds oomph to your personality, and musk perfumes surely bring out that enticing charm. So, to add that ‘wow’ factor to your ensemble, we have tried out the perfumes and listed some amazing musk scents that you need to add to your vanity right away!

• 1
  Best Overall

  Kenneth Cole White for Her Body Mist

  Buy on Amazon

Nothing beats the beautiful and everlasting fragrance of a musk perfume by Kenneth Cole. Apart from the dry note of musk, this body mist boasts a fresh scent of apricot, mint, and vanilla. Inspired by warm sun-kissed skin, this mist is an amalgamation of mandarin, watermint, ginger, watermelon, freesia, jasmine, lotus, rose, and amber. Whether the summer or winter, post-workout or for date night, this fragrance is smooth and instantly elevates your mood. Embrace a burst of seduction with undertone vanilla notes that will make heads turn as soon as you walk into any room. 

2

Best for Gifting

LOVELY by SARAH JESSICA PARKER EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY

Buy on Amazon

Get your hands on the epitome of modern luxury with this signature fragrance - Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker. This musk perfume is a mindfully whipped-up formulation that is intimate and discrete with enticingly silky undertones. It is a sophisticated concoction of musky, citrusy, and rosewood notes that lingers on with you for hours. The top notes include mandarin orange, martini, bergamot, lavender, and palisander rosewood, which is subtle. It then lingers into middle notes of crisp patchouli, orchid, and narcissus. Lastly, the scent finishes off with white musk, woody richness, cedar, and amber that makes you smell fresh and delicious. Our team discovered through using this product that this perfume is undeniably sexy and super refreshing.

3

Best Refreshing Scent

GUESS EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY

Buy on Amazon

With a classic and distinct feminine scent, the GUESS perfume is a sweet blend of fruity and floral notes layered with musky scents. The perfume features top notes of bergamot, tangerine, and apple that add to its fruity scents. While the middle notes consist of red fruits, peaches, freesia, and lily of the valley, which is extremely refreshing. It then lingers onto the subtle notes of moss amber, rustic skin musk, and cedarwood. With such multi-faceted layers that are a refreshing blend, it is sure to make your presence felt in the room instantly.

4

Best Luxury Parfum

Lancôme Idôle Eau de Parfum

Buy on Amazon

Best suited for special occasions, the Lancôme Idôle Eau de Parfum is a sophisticated and intoxicating scent that is perfect for modern, contemporary women. With a cheerful Chypre floral note, the fragrance opens with crisp notes of pear, pink pepper, and bergamot. It blends into heart notes that consist of rose essence, rose absolute, rose water, and jasmine that feel super refreshing. And it ends with soothing base notes of white musk, patchouli essence, cedar essence, and vanilla extract. Our team discovered through using this product that its enticing fragrance envelops your senses and uplifts your mood almost instantly.

5

Best for All Age Group

Victoria's Secret Bombshell Eau de Parfum

Buy on Amazon

One of the most popular when listing down the best musk perfumes for women is - Bombshell from Victoria’s Secret. It is everybody’s eternal favorite, thanks to its perfect blend of floral and fruity scents. The fragrance opens with passionfruit, grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine, and strawberry, which is super delicious to smell. It then goes into the heart notes of peony, vanilla orchid, red berries, jasmine, and lily of the valley for a hint of floral notes that are simply refreshing. The fragrance then hits the warm base notes of musk, woody notes, and oakmoss that add to the inimitable aromatic twist. After putting it to the test, we draw a conclusion that this is one of the best date night perfumes!

6

Best for Everyday Use

Nicki Minaj Pink Friday Eau de Parfum Spray

Buy on Amazon

Launched by American rapper Nicki Minaj, the perfume Pink Friday is composed of flirty, fruity notes. It opens with star fruit, mandarin, and boysenberry, and this fragrance smells simply sultry! Leading onto lotus and jasmine petal heart notes, it leaves a soothing feeling with moderate sillage. The scent ends with hints of musk, blending with wood, vanilla, and caramelized pear as it settles into a sweet fragrance. As per our expertise, it surely takes a top place in perfumes with musk base notes and is ideal for wearing on summer days.

7

Best Unisex Formula

MUSK by ALYSSA ASHLEY Eau De Toilette

Buy on Amazon

A rich and oriental blend of MUSK by Alyssa Ashley is a perfect everyday fragrance! It is a unisex formula that opens with Sicilian bergamot and goes into heart notes of absolute iris, tonka beans, musk, and vanilla. This is one of the musk based perfumes that leave with a floral hint after a few hours of wear. Thanks to the base notes of rose absolute, jasmine absolute, ylang-ylang, and geranium. And when we tried this product, we discovered that the fragrance lasts through the entire day!

These were some of our top picks of the best musk fragrances for women. Wondering what a musk scent actually smells like? Let’s dive in and learn more.

Musk is considered one of the timeless fragrances throughout the olfactive sensory world. It is because of its prominent scent of warmth that plays well with other fragrance notes that can either be used to amplify or diffuse their scents. Musk scent is generally derived from animal products which is why it has a warm and earthy essence to it. Most people consider it as a perfume that gives you the feeling of ‘your skin but better smelling’ as the scent settles into everyone’s skin differently.

Musk perfumes typically have a distinct pungent smell that can be described as powdery, slightly sweet, and animal-like. If you want to breakdown the general characteristics that musk is associated with, then here they are -

Warm: Most commonly understood when one mentions musk is the warm and inviting aura that evokes a feeling of coziness or intimacy.

Sensual: Musk fragrances are generally associated with sensuality as they add a depth and an alluring factor when used on their own or when added to another perfume.

Earthy: They have an earthy essence and tenacity which feels like it’s been evocated from nature.

Intrigued to get your hands on this luxe-smelling perfume? Then there are some points you must consider while buying a musk perfume so that you make the best pick.

While individual preference tops the list of things to consider when you buy any fragrance, but there are a few more key factors that help you in ensuring that you pick the best musk perfumes for women that are best in quality and worth investing in.

Scent Profile

Musk is usually derived in the purest and most concentrated form of fragrance oil. They are further classified into segments like a powdery scent, light, clean, deeper, or animalistic aroma. Depending on your style and preference, you can pick the concoction from intense to subtle.

Quality

To experience the best musk perfume, make sure you pick the one that is best in quality. Determine the quality of the perfume based on its fragrance concentration. Pure parfum has the highest fragrance concentration of 30 to 40% concoctions and lasts for 8 to 10 hours. Eau de Parfum has 15 to 20% of the concoction and lasts for roughly 4 to 5 hours. To help you determine the real musk scent, our contributor Ghanima Abdullah shares, “Real musk doesn't have a synthetic tinge to the fragrance, but a fake musk scent does. Fake musk scents are also not as long lasting.” Eau de Toilette has 5 to 15% of fragrance concoction and sustains around 2 to 3 hours, while Eau de Cologne has the lowest fragrance concentration of about 2 to 4% and lasts for barely an hour or two. So, based on your preference, pick the quality to make the most of it.

Ingredients and Formulation

Musk perfume usually comes with a formulation blended with other notes. Different musk variants, such as white musk, natural musk, or synthetic musk, have very distinct scent characteristics. So, check the other notes that are combined with musk. The best fragrance notes that go with musk scents to form timeless and classic fragrances are woody, spicy, floral, and a few fruity ones.

Longevity

Considering the longevity of a perfume is yet another key factor. While musk perfumes are known for their long-lasting property, it is still important to understand their concentration and sillage of how long the scent will last on your skin and how far it will project.

Season and Occasion

Consider the season and occasion for which you intend to wear the best musk fragrances. Some musk scents are best suitable for formal or evening wear, while others work best for daytime and casual use. Depending on the supporting fragrance notes, make sure you pick the right one. Also, spring and summer call for a light musk perfume, while fall and winters require something richer and more intense.

While a fragrance may be subjective, there are a few best musk perfumes for women that remain to be classic! These are so versatile that they are bound to resonate with your personal preferences and style. Musk perfumes are known to be the ones that adapt to your skin and make it better smelling. But you must allow the fragrance notes to develop on your skin for a few minutes after spraying it. This is important as musk is the only perfume that settles on every individual’s skin differently and brings out a warm and enticing fragrance. Musk is that scent that lasts the longest and works at any time of the day. Through our trial and error, we shortlisted some of the best ones in the market and listed them for you. We hope that these make it to your vanity and you enjoy them thoroughly! Don’t forget to check through the key factors mentioned above to make the best pick. Happy shopping!

Contributor: Ghanima Abdullah, Cosmetologist, The Right Hairstyles