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The 10 Best Musk Perfumes That Smell Super Understated but Luxe, According to Team Cosmo
Elevate your everyday scent with these skin-like perfumes.
Musky perfumes have come a long way in recent years. Once dubbed your mom or grandma’s “special occasion” scent, musks are officially cool again. They're cozy, warm, and endlessly addictive—and they have all the qualities that make an ideal signature fragrance
Our favorite musk perfumes:
These musky scents create the illusion of an elevated second skin, essentially giving off the "your skin but better" vibe, with some extra notes depending on your fragrance family preference. Whether you’re looking for a soft powdery scent or something that leans more spicy and sensual, there’s a musk to match every vibe.
Keep reading for the full list of the 10 best musk perfumes, according to Cosmo editors.
If you want to smell good, without giving off obvious 'I've doused myself in perfume' vibes, DedCool Xtra Milk is it. It's effortlessly cool, deeply personal, and luxuriously clean – all without trying too hard.
It captures the soft, lactonic undertone that gives the fragrance its creamy texture. This creaminess comes through as a smooth, cosy warmth that softens the musk, making it feel more skin-like, rather than sharp or powdery. Think of it as the olfactory version of warm skin under a cashmere sweater or a touch of almond milk stirred into clean white musk.
| Notes | Amber, bergamot, white musk |
Plur's Missing Person is classified as a musk fragrance, but not in a heavy way. Instead, this is a soft, clean, skin-like musk–think freshly washed linen sheets and warm, familiar skin.
Speaking of familiar skin, Missing Person has an emotional concept, as its name suggests. The scent is designed to smell like skin, warmth, and human closeness, triggering a nostalgic or emotional response, as if you're remembering someone who's not physically present but emotionally significant. Clever, huh?
Plus, because it's soft yet musky and blends floral and woody notes, it can be worn day or night. Clever and adaptable!
| Notes | Skin musk, bergamot nectar, blonde wood |
This lightweight perfume is the epitome of quiet luxury. Beauty editor Beth Gillette compares it to "wrapping yourself in a $2,000 cream sweater that feels like butter against your skin, or the inside of an ultra-chic hotel lounge you need a membership card to enter."
If you're a fan of the OG Glossier You, this is a more woody and earthy version, thanks to notes of violet, myrrh, and palo santo plants.
Features at a Glance
| Notes | Sweet Violet, Palo Santo, Ambrox, Myrrh |
This cult-fave musk perfume swirls earthy vetiver with sweet African marigold and zesty bergamot, then wraps it all in a soft, skin-hugging musk. It makes an amazing signature scent, and also layers really well with others.
| Notes | Bergamot, African marigold, violet, Moroccan cedarwood |
With notes of jasmine, sandalwood, pink peony, musk (to name a few), Loewe's 001 Woman is defined as the floral, fresh and warm fragrance of "the morning after". Aka, it has been formulated to interpret the intimacy and allure associated with the early hours of the first morning after. (We've all been there...)
It's not an obvious musk, but one that has you going back for a second whiff. Soft, powdery and comforting.
| Notes | Musk, linen, sandalwood, vanilla, and pink peony |
If there were ever a perfume to match the clean girl aesthetic, it would be this one. Made with just one note, Cetalox (a soft, amber-musk molecule), it smells like you, but way cooler... Sorry, not sorry.
But that's not the only impressive aspect of this perfume; It's also hypoallergenic and perfect for layering. One spritz and suddenly, you're the effortlessly chic girl in every room.
| Notes | Cetalox |
This perfume embodies being *that* girl who looks as if she would sip a dirty martini in a sophisticated velvet lounge, all while riding confidently solo.
It's moody, musky, and totally magnetic. It blends smoky black tea leaves with fig, bergamot, and a sensual swirl of musk that lingers all day. "It's fresh and crisp, but has a smooth warmth from musk and cedar." says Gillette. "And the tobacco note gives it a deep, smokier finish. I wear this when I wanna be wrapped up in a cozy cashmere blanket (or smell like I'm at the Edition—IYKYK)."
| Notes | Black Tea Leaves, Bergamot, Fig, Bay Leaves, Cedarwood, Vetiver, Musks |
Crafted by perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin, this scent was created to evoke the tactile experience of ink on paper, which, with every whiff, is ethereal and comforting.
"The second I smelled this, I found my new signature scent. And I’m a fragrance-obsessed editor—I don’t really do the whole ‘signature scent’ thing," says Gillette. "But L’eau Papier is just exactly how I want to smell at this moment in my life—it’s soft and fresh, like a crisp white sheet of paper, waiting for something to created upon it."
| Notes | White musks, steamed rice, mimosa, blonde woods |
Mast is a refined, tropical fragrance that transitions seamlessly from day to evening wear, making it a versatile addition to any perfume collection.
Its sun-ripened Italian bergamot and tropical coconut top notes create a fresh, citrusy opening that is both uplifting and inviting, while a middle note of orange blossom adds a subtle floral tang. But where does the musk come in? Well, once settled, Brazilian tonka bean (cumaru) and ambery forest notes provide a warm, resinous foundation, complemented by a velvety musk that lingers on the skin.
| Notes | Orange blossom, bergamot, coconut, tonka bean |
Meet the femme fatale of musk perfumes, Narciso Rodriguez For Her. She's mysterious, magnetic, and completely unforgettable thanks to the blend of fruity top notes, musky middle and sweet vanilla base.
Peach is the most prominent note in this musk perfume and it provides a fresh, fruity introduction that is both sweet and slightly tangy. It's complemented by bergamot, creating a bright and inviting start to the fragrance.
| Notes | Peach, Bergamot, White Solar Flowers, Heart of Musc, Vanilla, Vetiver |
How to choose the best musk perfume
Find your scent preferences
Listen, fragrance is extremely personal and will smell unique to every nose, so it's important to keep your preferences in mind before splurging on a new scent. Musk itself is a warm note, often described as comfortable, soft, fruity, clean, powdery and sensual. All in all, it's similar to the smell of skin.
If you're newer to musk scents, perfumes with fruity or citrus top notes tend to be safe and crowd-pleasing, easing into the deep musk middle or base. But if you're looking for something more experimental, try a musk scent with added woody notes or spicy notes.
Pay attention to the concentration
Ever wondered why some perfumes are listed as "Eau de Parfum" while others are "Eau de Toilette"? These terms refer to a perfume's concentration, or how much the fragrance oil has been diluted.
Here's a cheat sheet: Extraits de parfum have the highest concentration (and often the highest price tag), followed by eau de parfum, Eau de Toilette, and Eau de Cologne.
As a rule of thumb, a scent with a higher concentration will smell the strongest and last longer, while those with a lower concentration will have a lighter and more fleeting scent. Want your fragrance to turn heads and last all day? Look for a bottle that says "extrait de parfum" or "eau de parfum." For something more subtle, opt for an eau de toilette or eau de cologne.
Consider the occasion
Time and place are everything, people! As much as I love raking in the compliments when I wear a bold perfume, I don't want to make my whole office nauseous. Stick to lighter concentrations and fresher scents for daytime wear, and reserve your loudest fragrances for date night and going out on the town.
Why trust ‘Cosmopolitan’?
Lia Mappoura is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. With over three years under her belt, she knows what makes for a good great beauty product.
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan where she writes about all the best fragrance trends and new perfumes.
Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from viral celebrity hair and makeup news to the latest trend predictions, she’s an expert in recognising the season’s next big beauty look (before it ends up all over your social media feeds). You’ll usually find her putting TikTok’s recent beauty hacks to the Hype Test, challenging the gender-makeup binary and social stereotypes, or fangirling over the time Kourtney Kardashian viewed her Instagram Story (yes, it’s true). Find her also on LinkedIn.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
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