White Musk
Body Shop (1981)

Compared to other perfumes of 1981 (Antaeus, Cacharel pour l'Homme, Giorgio) this was ahead of its time.
A mix of white flowers and laundry musk, it was a staple of the Body Shop; they even captured the name as a trade mark.

The Perfume Oil was like some crystal drug on the skin, coarse and synthetic, a sort of scratchy Kouros for teenagers.

White Musk was powerful - if pretty crude. And there's no denying it was popular, it was cheap and it sold by the bucket load.
You can still feel it's influence today in something like Idôle, or the rash of synthetic flowers, musk and padding that have flooded the shelves.

It's still on sale today, but, according to their website, Body Shop have changed the formula. And why? To make it vegan.
The idea that somebody who smelled like a Meth lab for years should then suddenly demand Vegan Pong seems just kind of bizarre.
(In fact, according to fragrance chemist Matvey Yudov, the vast majority of perfumes are vegan anyway.)

Maybe another, and less specious reason is, BS are obliged by IFRA to remove the sensitising molecule Lyral from their formula.
Whatever the reason, there's already a complaint on the website that the new White Musk doesn't smell the same.

Back in the day, I found it interesting but too much like washing power.

I disliked this one and I blame ylang ylang, that vile stinky flower. After ylang ylang was gone it started smelling like soap, but I'm not sure if it's in a good way. Could be good for layering though.
Or it might be possible that I just dislike the washing-detergent kind of white musk, as I found CK One very similar and similarly displeasing.

This review is based on Perfume Oil concentration. When I tried the three concentration in store, the EDT and EDP turned out both to be harsh. But the PO concentration is another story.

Overall the perfume oil of White Musk doesn't change much. Upon application, it's a rich and fluffy musky scent decorated by various floral notes. The combination actually makes me think of some rice-themed fragrances. The floral notes are smooth and well blended. I could only identify the slightly smoky lily.

I wouldn't define White Musk as clean, as it has some earthy and dank characteristics while evolving, but more like a wet forest floor and far from being animalic. Towards the end, it becomes a little sweeter, as if amber and vanilla finally reveal themselves, but still remains a comforting skin scent.

The sillage of perfume oil is very close to skin, but at the same time stays solidly for almost 12 hours. It's a scent that I'd really associate with a cashmere puller due to its fluffy and comforting feeling and it will fit numerous occasions almost all year round except for hot summer days IMO. I highly recommend the perfume oil concentration for its high quality and affordable price.

Hi White Musk Lovers and Musk Lovers ! I was given a bottle of this 6 years ago and I found it nice ! reminded me of white lily musk, jovan clear musk and the like..... I have a cousin of it and sell it too ! I love the fragrance comparisons and tell my followers to always expect in a companies change of formulas its a good thing . but i try to keep mine the same for years . :)

I love this stuff; it just plain smells good. It's as unfussy and comfortable as a great old pair of jeans, but not at all out of place at work or on a casual date. Guys seem to love it, and even perfume-hating bosses generally don't bitch about it. Don't overdo it, though; one spritz is enough.

At the moment it's my favorite easy-to-wear, inexpensive musk. Basically soft and warm and cozy, with a couple of spritzes to keep it in the just barely noticeable category.