So, the other day I was trying to recreate a perfume that I really like. I wanted to make a dupe for a well-known scent. It’s a fragrance with a strong musk base.

First, I had to do a little digging around to figure out what makes musk smell like musk. I mean, we all know that distinct scent, but what’s actually in it? It turns out there are a bunch of things, both natural and man-made, that give off that musky vibe. I was surprised to learn that the real-deal musk from deer is a big no-no now. You gotta kill the deer to get the musk, and it’s inside a pouch in their abdomen. No one wants that!
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Finding the Right Musk:
I found out that a lot of musk perfumes use a mix of different synthetic musks. Apparently, not everyone can smell all types of musk. Some folks are just blind to certain musky scents. So, to make sure everyone gets a whiff, they throw in a bunch of different ones. I started experimenting with different synthetic musk.
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Mixing and Matching:
I got my hands on some essential oils known for their musky notes. Angelica, also known as wild celery, has seeds that apparently smell fresh and musky. Then, I started blending. I grabbed some geranium oil, a bit of lavender, some patchouli, and a touch of vanilla. The idea was to create a warm base that would complement the musk and add a bit of complexity.
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Trial and Error:
I have to say, it wasn’t easy. I went through a lot of trial and error, tweaking the amounts, adding a bit more of this, a little less of that. I was looking for that perfect balance, something that would make it a decent dupe for the original. The first few tries were okay, but not quite there. It took me a few days to work out the right proportions.
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Adding the Musk:
Once I had the base sorted, it was time to introduce the star of the show – the musk. I experimented with different types, mixing them into my base blend. It was a delicate process, making sure the musk didn’t overpower the other notes but still stood out as the main character.
I added a bit of rice scent at the end of the base notes. I did it! It took a while, and I went through a bunch of essential oils and synthetic musk, but I finally cracked it! I managed to create a pretty good dupe of that perfume I was aiming for. It’s got that strong musk base, but with other notes that make it unique. I am super happy with how it turned out. It’s amazing what you can do with a bit of research, some essential oils, and a whole lot of patience!