Throughout the history of perfumery, some of the most captivating scents have come from surprising sources. That includes some not-so-non-cruelty uses of animals to create the invigorating and earthy scents we know as animalic fragrances. From the waxy by-product of whales to the glands of beavers, animal-produced notes have been used in fragrance to create lingering, deep and sensual notes. But today, thanks to modern science, we can recreate these once-animal-derived scents using synthetic ingredients for a cruelty-free approach to animalic fragrance creation.
What Are Animalic Fragrances?
Desired for their depth and sensuality, animalic fragrances encompass any scent with predominately musky, earthy and skin-like notes. That includes the softer scents of clean skin and fur, alongside much bolder and intense scents of body odor.
Musk
Originally sourced from the abdominal glands of the male musk deer, musk is an essential perfume ingredient. Able to evoke clean and comfortable notes, musk is associated with the scent of clean skin while carrying a light, fruity scent. When governments declared the musk deer endangered, synthetic alternatives became the go-to to recreate this ingredient. Synthetic musk, also called white musk, is created to be a transparent, close-to-skin scent.
Ambergris
Perhaps the most legendary fragrance ingredient, ambergris is a waxy byproduct of sperm whales. Highly prized for its long-lasting scent and value as a fixative in perfumery, ambergris was one of the most expensive ingredients in perfume making—at least, until it became illegal to buy and sell. As part of an endangered animal, ambergris cannot be collected, kept or sold in the United States, Canada, the UK and Europe. Instead, perfumers use cetalox or ambroxan, molecules that are found naturally in ambergris and can be synthesized in a laboratory setting
Civet
Native to tropical forests, civets are small, mostly nocturnal mammals. Despite being commonly called civet cats, they are actually more closely related to mongooses. In perfumery, you guessed it, it’s their glands that were prized. Known for its strong musky and even fecal notes, master perfumers used civets to establish an aromatic sweet musk that radiated through fragrances. Like other animalic fragrances, perfumers have replaced civet with a synthetic counterpart. Civetone is a synthetic musk that’s apparently accurate enough to attract jaguars to camera traps.
Castoreum
Used to flavor ice cream, soda, alcohol and candy, castoreum is a natural substance that’s secreted from the castor sacs of mature beavers. Located in their anal glands, these sacs are part of their scent-marking process. In perfume, the sacs are dried and aged, creating and enhancing leather notes. Synthetic versions are lab-made and focus on these leathery notes, minimizing more pungent scents. The flavoring, still used in some products in small amounts, is comparable to vanilla.
Animalic Fragrances We Love
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Cetalox (Synthetic Ambergris)
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Fossilized Amber, Patchouli, Vetiver
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Gardenia, Osmanthus, Apricot, Musk
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Aldehydes, Jasmine, Neroli, Sandalwood
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Musk
