That the musky smell in colognes are from a deer's sex gland?

[Kevin Peters]

I came across this article and was shocked. Turns out musk is originally from a deer's sex gland secretion. Does this kind of disgust you guys? Any thoughts?

 

[Paisley]

You'd better avoid pre-war cookbooks.

 

[3fingers]

Hmm. Out of all the potential topics for a first post here.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Perfumes and colognes were made from all sorts of vile substances -- anal fluid from the civet, a type of African mammal that looks like a cross between a cat and a raccoon, is another well-known root fragrance. Remember that the next time you shell out $150 an ounce at the Macy's counter.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Like politics and sausage, it’s something that you prefer not knowing how it’s made.

 

[Bushman]

I find that, sometimes, the more money you have to spend, the odder your partakings are. Let's just say that, no matter how much money I have, I will not try escargot or caviar.

 

[TimeWarpWife]

Perfumes and colognes were made from all sorts of vile substances -- anal fluid from the civet, a type of African mammal that looks like a cross between a cat and a raccoon, is another well-known root fragrance. Remember that the next time you shell out $150 an ounce at the Macy's counter.

Actually, the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) has banned the use of things like animal products, i.e. deer musk and civet oil, as well as a whole slew of other ingredients such as real oakmoss and bergamot, in perfumes. Perfumers are now required to use synthetic versions of these banned substances, which is why your favorite perfumes from years ago probably no longer smell like they did. This is why the Vermont Country Store's version of the 1970s Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific shampoo doesn't smell terrific at all ~ synthetic musk oil rather than real deer musk. So you can still shell out that $150 for an ounce of perfume at Macy's and know it's not going to contain any real musk, civet, oakmoss, or anything else on the IFRA banned list. It also won't smell like it did years ago either. The only way to get the perfumes with these banned products is to purchase them on the secondary market, probably at exorbitant prices. I had a vintage bottle of Guerlain's Mitsouko that smelled absolutely divine because it contained real oakmoss, but the post-IFRA banned bottle I bought of it smells like a chemistry experiment gone horribly wrong thanks to all the synthetic ingredients.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Thanks, TWW. This is one of the reasons I keep coming back to the Lounge. Where else could I possibly learn such arcane information about such an offbeat topic? Fascinating stuff. If I’m in the mood to splash on something, it is usually Egoiste by Chanel which smalls of wood, spice, and... er ...vanilla, I guess. I’m assuming those are “natural” scents and not some chemistry experiment. Or am I wrong? In other words, is your banned substances list pretty narrow and limited to a few more-or-less exotic ingredients?

 

[Paisley]

I went to buy a bottle of Live Colorfully (a fresh floral scent) with a check I got for my birthday. Yikes--the price had doubled!

 

[TimeWarpWife]

Thanks, TWW. This is one of the reasons I keep coming back to the Lounge. Where else could I possibly learn such arcane information about such an offbeat topic? Fascinating stuff. If I’m in the mood to splash on something, it is usually Egoiste by Chanel which smalls of wood, spice, and... er ...vanilla, I guess. I’m assuming those are “natural” scents and not some chemistry experiment. Or am I wrong? In other words, is your banned substances list pretty narrow and limited to a few more-or-less exotic ingredients?

I can't really answer your question, Tiki Tom, about the inner workings of the IFRA, nor can I list every banned substance. Here's an article that may help some: https://www.fragrantica.com/news/Forbidden-Smell-is-Sweet-IFRA-and-Fragrance-Safety-8073.html

 

[Nobert]

I'm not sure if I knew that. I did know that many perfumes were made from whale barf. It doesn't especially disgust me, but then again, I work in a place where people voluntarily order matcha. And drink it. It certainly doesn't surprise me. If you've ever smelled the not-unpleasant musk of a road-kill skunk from about half a mile off, or walked past a coffee-roasters working at full steam, you know that things that smell wonderful in moderation can be revolting in abundance, and versa-vicea.

 

[Nobert]

In any case (he added, thinking he was done, but then finding more stuff to say on the subject), eggs are chicken foetuses, cultivating mold gave us one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the twentieth century (and also matcha), most of the tastier things in life are the muscular tissue of dead animals seasoned with the natural insecticides produced by plants of the the Mediterranean and Asia. Everything is disgusting if you think about it long enough.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I remember being at some swanky-type party I was forced to attend when I was in radio, and being horrified at the sight of people picking up little wads of raw hamburger off a tray and popping them into their mouths. Imagine my surprise and horror to learn there was such a thing as "steak tartare." That's almost as disgusting as the eating of a gummy paste made from the oversaturated liver of a force-fed duck. We're talking Caligula-like levels of perverted decadence. Which way to the vomitorium?

 

[Paisley]

...things that smell wonderful in moderation can be revolting in abundance, and versa-vicea.

My dad worked at Coors. Golden, Colorado has a sour smell to it--you don't have to be at the brewery.

 

[Paisley]

I remember being at some swanky-type party I was forced to attend when I was in radio, and being horrified at the sight of people picking up little wads of raw hamburger off a tray and popping them into their mouths. Imagine my surprise and horror to learn there was such a thing as "steak tartare." That's almost as disgusting as the eating of a gummy paste made from the oversaturated liver of a force-fed duck. We're talking Caligula-like levels of perverted decadence. Which way to the vomitorium?

Don't forget the raw egg yolk that sits on the hamburger for steak tartare.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

I remember being at some swanky-type party I was forced to attend when I was in radio, and being horrified at the sight of people picking up little wads of raw hamburger off a tray and popping them into their mouths. Imagine my surprise and horror to learn there was such a thing as "steak tartare."

I believe it was our ancestor, Homo erectus who first created ways to make fire on which to cook meat, we have much to thank them for.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Back in the old german days, people got a line, if someone overdone with perfume:

"Man, you stink like a moschus ox, fallen in the poop!"

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Back in the old german days, people got a line, if someone overdone with perfume:

"Man, you stink like a moschus ox, fallen in the poop!"

That's a Musk oxen. I've never smelt one up close but I'm guessing I'd prefer their delicate scent to someone who has bathed in cheap perfume.

 

[Trenchfriend]

That's a Musk oxen. I've never smelt one up close but I'm guessing I'd prefer their delicate scent to someone who has bathed in cheap perfume.

Moschus-Ochse is the german word.

But today, synthetic Ambroxan is the big deal.

 

[Tiki Tom]

I remember being at some swanky-type party I was forced to attend when I was in radio, and being horrified at the sight of people picking up little wads of raw hamburger off a tray and popping them into their mouths. Imagine my surprise and horror to learn there was such a thing as "steak tartare." That's almost as disgusting as the eating of a gummy paste made from the oversaturated liver of a force-fed duck. We're talking Caligula-like levels of perverted decadence. Which way to the vomitorium?

Ha ha! Caligula-like levels of Perverted Decadence! Don’t tell that to the Confrérie du Pâté de Périgueux. I’ve obviously been living too long on the wrong side of the Atlantic. Sniff. (wipes eye.)