Musk Xylol
Musk Xylol
Musk Xylol is a powerful nitro musk compound known for its warm, powdery, sweet musky scent with faint animalic and floral undertones. Highly diffusive and extremely long-lasting, it is used as a classic fixative to give perfumes depth, tenacity, and a soft, lingering drydown.
Often used in orientals, floral musks, vintage perfumes, and oil-based attars, Musk Xylol imparts a deep sensuality and elegant richness to both natural and synthetic compositions.
Olfactory Notes
Powdery · Sweet · Musky · Animalic · Warm · Floral · Diffusive · Long-lasting
Key Features
- Classic nitro musk with intense longevity and diffusive powdery warmth
- Ideal for oriental florals, musky perfumes, and deep fixative blends
- Adds body, elegance, and strong fixation to top and heart notes
- Suitable for attars, roll-ons, solids, incense pastes, and vintage-style perfumes
- One of the most tenacious synthetic musks available in perfumery
Key Properties
INCI Name: Musk Xylol
CAS Number: 81-15-2
Molecular Formula: C12H15N3O6
Appearance: White to off-white crystalline powder
Odor Description: Sweet powdery musk, slightly floral-animalic, soft and lingering
Purity: 98%+
Boiling Point: Decomposes
Flash Point: >150°C
Density: ~1.30 g/cm³
Solubility: Soluble in alcohol, limited solubility in oils (pre-dissolve in DPG or alcohol)
Recommended Usage Level: 0.05%–5% in concentrate
Category: Nitro Musk Fixative – Base Note – Perfumery Use
Application Tips
Use 0.2–2.5% in your base to create a powdery-soft, deeply fixative musky foundation.
💡 Pro Tip
💡 To build a strong and elegant musky foundation 🌫️💗, use 0.2–2.5% Musk Xylol in roll-ons, attars, or alcohol perfumes.
🌸 Pair with heliotropin, rose, or violet for powdery floral musks.
🧴 Use in oriental or amber bases to increase depth and staying power.
🪔 Blend with coumarin or ambroxan for a rich vintage musk effect.
🔄 Always pre-dissolve in DPG or alcohol before adding to oil-based formulas.
⚠️ Very strong—dose carefully, especially in delicate or modern light blends.
FAQ – Musk Xylol
Q1: What does Musk Xylol smell like?
It smells powdery, sweet, slightly animalic, with a musky-floral softness that lingers for hours.
Q2: Is it natural or synthetic?
Musk Xylol is a synthetic nitro-musk, developed to replicate and enhance the warmth and diffusion of natural musk.
Q3: Can it be used in oil perfumes or attars?
Yes—but it must be pre-dissolved in DPG or alcohol due to its crystalline nature and low oil solubility.
Q4: What types of perfumes benefit from it?
Perfect for orientals, floral musks, powdery bases, attars, and vintage-style compositions.
Q5: What does it blend well with?
Pairs beautifully with vanillin, heliotropin, tonka, sandalwood, musk ketone, coumarin, and floral absolutes.