White Musk
Eau de Parfum, Alyssa Ashley (2000)

If you're anything like me, you don't go crazy for pure musk scents. I prefer other genres; I love oriental and amber, woody, leathery, fougère, chypre, and I also like musky when mixed with other notes. Among other things, I recently observed that I am anosmic to some musks and that I do not smell some fragrances at all. So, white musk is not in my book. Surprisingly, it's a favorite of my hubby; he enjoys Alyssa Ashley Musk. Anyway, I came across White Musk by mistake. I saw it on promotion along with the body lotion, and I got it thinking I would give him a pleasant gift. But when I got home, I realized that there was a noun “White” next to "Musk". Oh man, the present ended up in the back of a closet and has been neglected until now. Since today is one of those gloomy Sundays, when you don't want anything, but to lie down on the sofa reading a book, I thought I'd wear this perfume and give it a chance.

In the blend of White Musk, the colorful flowers of the heart make the sensual and musky notes of the underlying musk elegant, rounder, sweeter. It starts with the musky base of the original Musk, with just a little bit of bright bergamot and a touch of spicy white pepper. The citrus and peppery notes last only a few seconds and then give way to the mellifluous ylang-ylang. The initial phase is like this, so it takes some time for the engine to warm up.

In the heart, it uses the sensual jasmine and the slightly smoky lily-of-the-valley to balance the animal part with the sweet and pure one. It also brings a touch of exquisite elegance through the use of a dewy rose without encroaching on the rosy field. Geranium enhances the spicy facet of the rose, masterfully harmonizing the result. It is a perfume capable of expressing the sweetness and soul of a dreamer. I feel a kind of freesia and a lilac note, perhaps misty violet. The middle notes are where the magic comes into play. A bouquet that radiates warmth as if mixed with a note of golden beeswax. it just blew me away at this point.

The base turns around musk, earthy, and amber accords. Musk is dusty, there is something that makes me think of white chalk, I know it might not sound good but it is very nice. A pinch of patchouli adds the right dirtiness, likewise, a tad of vetiver provides a sense of earthiness. The dark things blend with a light and sweet amber. Towards the end, it becomes a little sweeter, as if amber and vanilla finally reveal themselves, but remains a comforting skin scent.

I consider White Musk a more delicate category of musk, the epitome of elegance and class. And I have to say it's very airy and lovely. Like a white feather in the wind. It smells like a crisp morning spring breeze from the open window with beautiful budding flowers. This is not the typical fresh laundry moss. It is so velvety. So intimate. Clean but not soapy, at least on my skin. White Musk doesn't stand for pure musk, it stands for velvety musk, so the flowery notes of ylang-ylang, jasmine, and lily-of-the-valley play a huge role. Soft, transparent, and captivating. Not too jarring or hairspray, and it doesn't smell dated like white musk can sometimes. It smells good and doesn't look much like perfume, but like a clean and sexy skin scent. It also lasts longer on me. No longevity problems. It shouldn't even project; it is musk, and musk should be an intimate perfume. It has not of that nasty musk smell, which makes it look simpler on the skin, but it's also what makes it last longer. A great spring fragrance for days of leisure.

This review is for the perfume oil:

This one is warmer, more full-bodied & floral than the Musk version, & more like the musks that I remember from the seventies/eighties, though still not as sensual/animalic. It has that same clean musk with an air of fresh laundry, but doesn't have the sharpness or the powderiness of Musk. Hints of ylang ylang & jasmine push it more into feminine territory, & I don't really get the bergamot or tarragon, although these might be more apparent in the EDP. It's very soft & smooth, & four hours in it's sweeter, with a touch of vanilla. Seven hours in it's faded so close to the skin as to be barely perceptible, but when I move around & my body warms up I still get the odd waft.

Despite the lacklustre performance, I prefer the scent of this one to Musk, & I find myself wishing I'd bought the EDP of this one instead when I had the chance...