Forget florals. How about something a little cooler for the -ber months?
The best musk fragrances have been taking over our editors’ fragrance rotations for their hazy, warm profiles that detour from the usual light, airy fragrances.
Warmer perfumes overall are currently trending (vanilla, anyone?), but, unlike the more popular gourmands taking over TikTok, musky perfumes take inspiration from skin rather than your pantry. “Musk makes you think of clean laundry, clean sheets, clean skin,” says Cecile Hua, a perfumer at Mane who created the ever-popular floral-musk blend featured in Philosophy’s Amazing Grace.
That means hazy, creamy notes you may be familiar with (hey, ambrette) or even synthetic forms of the musk deer-derived notes used in decades past, paired with soapy aldehydes to create a warm yet clean aroma, kind of like waking up in freshly-washed bed sheets. Just about every fragrance out there features some form of the hazy note in its base layer, but the following musky fragrances are our editors’ all-time favorites for celebrating the note in unique, captivating scent blends—check them out below.
Meet the experts
Cecile Hua, a perfumer at Mane
Our Top Musk Fragrances
- Best Floral: Balmain Beauty Carbone Eau de Parfum
- Best Clean: Byredo Blanche Eau de Parfum
- Best Gourmand: Glossier You Rêve Eau de Parfum
- Best Woody: Diptyque L’Eau Papier Eau de Toilette
- Best Powdery: Chanel 1957 Les Exclusifs de Chanel Eau de Parfum
- Best Citrus: YSL Beauty Myslf Eau de Parfum
Best Floral: Balmain Beauty Carbone Eau de Parfum
Why it’s worth it: Carbone is a spicier take on your classic rose—in one aspect, literally, because it throws in a dash of cumin. Rose neoabsolute turns the floral up ten notches, stirring up a more concentrated and fragrant version, and playing up the main white musk note. Coupled with hits of suede, patchouli, and sandalwood, Carbone is maximalistic and heady in the best ways, and always game to make an impression. No wonder Beyoncé is a fan.
Tester feedback: Senior editor Sarah Felbin says that Carbone woke her up from her “fruit-forward stupor” and “opened up a whole new world of scents.” Senior beauty editor Jesa Maria Calaor also sings Carbone’s praises. “Rose-based scents are divisive and not something I usually gravitate toward. Balmain Beauty Carbone is the exception—I wore it every day this past fall and winter. It’s an unexpected, uniquely romantic take on the floral note. Viscerally, it’s like putting on red lipstick (striking), putting on a vinyl record (moody), and the feeling of a great first date (exhilarating).”
Key notes: white musk, rose neoabsolute, suede, patchouli, sandalwood, and cumin | Sizes: 10 ml, 50 ml, 150 ml (refill)
Best Clean: Byredo Blanche Eau de Parfum
Why it’s worth it: If you’re an aromatic clean freak (as in, you live for a scent that smells like a soapy bubble bath), you’ll love every moment of Byredo’s Blanche Eau de Parfum. This Allure US editor-favorite blossoms with rose and aldehyde, the latter of which gives this fragrance its soapiness. As it settles onto your skin, a floral duo of peony and violet shines through while the fragrance’s base notes of musk and sandalwood intensify its warmth. Basically, it’s akin to slipping into a plush robe after taking a long everything shower.
Tester feedback: “I wear this perfume when I want to smell like I just stepped out of a luxurious bubble bath, even if I haven’t showered for the day—so I’m a little gross, sue me, but you’ll never smell B.O. on me!” says commerce writer Jennifer Hussein. “It’s so wonderfully soapy at first spritz, but like fancy soap from a five-star resort, not your usual drugstore toiletries. Once it dries down, I sulk in its musky goodness all day long since it actually lasts all day, unlike other aldehyde-heavy fragrances. I have an enormous bottle of this fragrance, and I’m sure it’ll outlive me, but I’ll gladly pass this down to my next of kin as an aromatic family heirloom.”
Key notes: rose, aldehyde, peony, violet, musk, sandalwood | Sizes: 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz
Best Gourmand: Glossier You Rêve Eau de Parfum
Why it’s worth it: Even if you aren’t a full-throttle fan of sweet gourmands, you’ll love the sweet, fruity blend that is the Glossier You Rêve Eau de Parfum. This musk perfume features a tangy twist à la plum butter to cut through its hyper-sugary addition of buttercream. To heighten its warmth without diminishing its appetizing sweetness, Glossier spiced this fragrance with nutty toasted almond, subtly floral iris, and a creamy combination of sandalwood and ambrox, a synthetic form of amber.
Tester feedback: “Glossier You Rêve Eau de Parfum is a step up from the original You, in my opinion. It’s still comforting but smells like I’m in the company of someone I love—likely because of the sweeter notes that accompany it,” says commerce editor Sarah Han. “It’s alluring but not overpowering, so it’ll definitely have a spot in my rotation—and I have a feeling You Rêve will layer nicely on top of You.”
Key notes: buttercream, plum butter, toasted almond, iris, sandalwood, ambrox | Sizes: 1.7 oz, 0.27 oz
Best Woody: Diptyque L’Eau Papier Eau de Toilette
Why it’s worth it: Those who appreciate the cozy vibe of snuggling into a comfy chair and cracking open a good paper book (not an e-reader) will love Diptyque’s L’Eau Papier Eau de Toilette. It smells exactly like a lavish library (or, rather, how we’d imagine one to smell like) with its blend of white musk and steamed rice, which gives this fragrance that sharp “paper” smell. You’ll also notice hints of mimosa flowers and blonde woods that further enhance this perfume’s warm, woody energy.
Tester feedback: Commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann says this is her favorite fragrance to spritz before bedtime (really!). “Diptyque’s L’Eau Papier is a subtle, musky scent that brings me peace of mind before bed,” she says. “I’ve come to associate the blonde woods, rice steam, and mimosa flower notes with winding down. Even if I’m feeling a little antsy after a long day, changing into some comfy pajamas and spritzing on this scent instantly calms me down. I also spray my sheets and pillows with it too…try it before you judge.”
Key notes: white musk, steamed rice, mimosa flowers, blonde woods | Sizes: 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz
Best Powdery: Chanel 1957 Les Exclusifs de Chanel Eau de Parfum
Why it’s worth it: The best word to describe Chanel’s 1957 Les Exclusifs de Chanel Eau de Parfum is “rich.” Not in the sense that it’s heavy—this powdery fragrance is actually quite subtle in comparison to Chanel’s more concentrated blends—but in its old-money vibe that I can already see being a staple in many an Upper East Sider’s fragrance collections. Its core note is white musk, which has all of the hazy warmth you desire without erring on overwhelming territory for your senses. To amplify this musk scent, the perfumers at Chanel infused this fragrance blend with floral hints of iris and neroli alongside woody cedar, a powdery accord, and a touch of sweet, syrupy honey.
Key notes: white musk, iris, meroli, cedar, powder accord, honey | Sizes: 2.5 oz, 6.8 oz
Best Citrus: YSL Beauty Myslf Eau de Parfum
Why it’s worth it: YSL’s Myself Eau de Parfum warm, citrus-forward blend captivated our editors so much that we just had to give it an Allure US Best of Beauty Award in 2024. Bright bergamot and orange blossom give this blend a juicy, tangy touch that’s appetizing without leaning into citronella territory. Like many colognes, this unisex scent blend has a warm, musky base of ambrofix (a synthetic amber) and camphorous patchouli.
Key notes: bergamot, orange blossom, ambrofix, patchouli | Sizes: 2.0 oz, 3.3 oz, 5 oz
