The intense, clean fragrance of white musk soap

The synthetic essence that reproduces an animal odour

White musk is one of the most popular fragrances used in cosmetics, perfumery, and cleaning and laundry detergent products. However, its origin is still a little foggy, so let’s try to shed some light.

How is white musk essence obtained?

Despite its name, white musk has nothing to do with the musk growing in the woods or the nativity scene. It’s not a plant or lichen, and its scent does not hint at humid, earthy, flowery, or bushy notes. On the contrary, white musk essential oil does not exist in nature. It’s a synthetic molecule reproducing the essence of animal musk. The latter comes from musk deer glands (Moschus Moschiferus), a fawn-sized deer widespread in Central Asia that deposits its secretions in the mating season to mark its territory.

Since musk deer hunting is now prohibited (fortunately!), the cosmetic industry has found a way to synthesise white musk essence without getting it from the animal’s glands but reproducing the scent chemically in laboratories. However, if the musk found in nature is a very intense and animal fragrance with amber notes, synthetic white musk has been purged of its wilder, animal component, resulting in a ‘cleaner’, rounder perfume. That’s why it’s called white musk, as it has been “cleaned” from the animal origin.

White musk soaps smell like clean

White is universally associated with the idea of cleanliness. The presence of white musk notes in many detergents, from floor cleaners to laundry detergents, has led us to consider it a “clean fragrance”. Moreover, we usually associate white musk with values and meanings traditionally related to white and cleanliness: freshness, softness, purity, sweetness, and, why not, sensuality.

White musk scent is ideal for soaps as its natural cleanliness makes it suitable for gentle skin and body cleansing products that leave the user feeling pampered. Our artisanal body lotions include white musk soaps available in various sizes and versions:

• the traditional, elegant Classic range, with plant-based white musk soap (also combined with two other fragrances: Lemon-Rose-White Musk);

• the elegant, minimalist White Brique range, which includes white musk liquid soap, white musk shower gel and white musk body lotion.

Buy Alchimia Soap white musk soaps and body lotions online and feel the fragrance of cleanliness on your skin.