The Evolution of Musk - Part 2

About this episode

Karen Gilbert discusses the evolution of synthetic musks and their impact on the perfume industry.

Following on from last week's show on the history of Musk, Karen is here to tell you all about the synthetic musks. First developed by accident in the 1930s, synthetic musks have evolved through many different variations, each one advancing from what has come before. In this episode, Karen gives you a full and comprehensive overview of the history of synthetic musk, how they changed the perfume industry, and the musks that you should have in your toolbox. KEY TAKEAWAYS Nitro Musks were the first synthetic musks, discovered in the late 1880s by accident. Karen gives you the history of this fascinating discovery and how it changed perfume-making. In the 1930s, macrocyclic musks were developed as a safer and more elegant alternative to nitro musks. Karen details their history, the perfumes that pioneered them, and the impact they had. Polycyclic musks were developed in the 1950s with the intention of being lower-cost and more commercial. Karen explains how they brought musk into the mainstream, including the Body Shop’s ‘White Musk’. Due to biodegradability issues of polycyclic musk, alicyclic musks were developed in the 1970s. Karen explains why they were created and how they burst…

People in this episode

Host: Karen Gilbert

Topics covered

• synthetic musks
• history of musk
• perfume industry
• nitro musks
• macrocyclic musks
• polycyclic musks
• alicyclic musks

Keywords

• synthetic musk
• nitro musks
• macrocyclic musks
• polycyclic musks
• alicyclic musks
• perfume-making
• fragrance history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Body Shop

Books & works: The Evolution of Musk - Part 2

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