Animalic

Animalic is the perfumery word for notes that smell warm, musky and faintly like skin, fur or leather. In small doses an animalic accord does not smell dirty; it adds warmth and depth and makes a perfume feel as if it belongs to the wearer.

What you will smell

Depending on the material, animalic notes can be soft and powdery like clean skin, leathery, honeyed or slightly salty. Historically they came from musk, civet, castoreum and ambergris; today perfumers use synthetic versions and plant sources such as ambrette seed, labdanum and beeswax.

Where you will find it

Animalic touches sit in the base of musks, ambers, leathers, chypres and rich white florals. Many cotton and skin scents use a trace of them to turn a clean musk into something warmer and more human.

When to wear it

Lightly animalic musks are easy everyday scents. Stronger animalic fragrances are better kept for evenings and cool weather, when their warmth is an advantage.