The Best Colognes With Civetone: A Comprehensive Guide

Civetone is a synthetic musk derived from palm oil that is commonly used in perfumery. It is known for its strong, musky scent, which is said to add a raw, sexy, and animalistic edge to fragrances. The chemical is a synthetic recreation of the natural pheromone produced by the African civet, a cat-like creature native to Africa and parts of Asia. Due to ethical concerns, civetone is now mostly produced synthetically, although some small perfumers still use the natural substance, which is collected from civets kept in captivity. Civetone is a key ingredient in many popular colognes and perfumes, including those by Calvin Klein, Chanel, and Guerlain.

Civetone is a synthetic musk

Civetone is the main odorous constituent of civet oil, which is produced by various species of the Viverridae family, including the African civet, large Indian civet, and small Indian civet. Most civet oil is produced on African farms, where the animals are kept in cages. The oil is a soft, almost liquid material that is pale yellow when fresh and darkens over time, becoming salve-like in consistency. Its distinctive odour is due to the presence of civetone at a concentration of 2.5 to 3.4%. The oil also contains other ketones such as cyclopentadecanone, cyclohexadecanone, and cycloheptadecanone.

Civetone has been used as a perfume fixative and flavour additive. It is highly desirable as a perfume ingredient, adding an animalistic-musk nuance to floral scents. The use of civet and civetone in perfumery dates back to the 10th century when Arabic perfumers first pioneered its use. Today, civetone can be synthesized from precursor chemicals found in palm oil, and it is found in many popular perfumes and colognes, including the Calvin Klein brand male cologne Obsession.

The synthetic production of civetone is important for ethical reasons, as it reduces the need to keep civets in captivity for the extraction of their glandular secretions. This practice has been criticised for the stress it causes to the animals. Additionally, the United States does not allow civets to be imported as they can transmit the SARS virus, although the importation of treated civet oil is permitted.

It is a pheromone sourced from the African civet

Civetone is a pheromone sourced from the African civet, a mammal native to the savannahs and forests of South and Central Africa. It is a macrocyclic ketone and the main odorous constituent of civet oil, which is produced by the African civet.

Civetone has a strong, musky odour that is used as a perfume fixative and flavouring agent. It is closely related to muscone, the principal compound found in musk, and has been used as a synthetic musk in perfumery. The structure of both compounds was elucidated by Leopold Ružička.

Civetone is sourced from the glandular secretions of the African civet, which the animal uses to mark its territory. In its concentrated form, the scent is extremely powerful and unpleasant, but when diluted, it becomes pleasant and inviting, with a warm and radiant quality. This process of dilution and transformation was first discovered by 10th-century Arabic perfumers, who used highly diluted civet to scent gloves in Shakespeare's time.

Today, civetone is mostly synthetically produced for ethical reasons, as the collection of the natural secretion involves keeping civets in captivity and causing them stress. Synthetic civetone can be made from precursor chemicals found in palm oil, and it is a popular ingredient in many well-known perfumes, including:

• Fueguia 1833 Don Giovanni
• Yves Saint Laurent Kouros
• Serge Lutens Muscs Koublai Khan
• Amouage Gold pour Femme
• Calvin Klein Obsession

It has a strong musky odour that becomes pleasant when diluted

Civetone is a macrocyclic ketone and the main odorous constituent of civet oil. It is sourced from the African civet, a large cat-like creature that lives in the savannahs and forests of South and Central Africa. Civet has a strong, musky odour that is used as a perfume fixative and flavouring.

In its natural form, civet is an odorous secretion produced by the civet's anal glands, which it uses to mark its territory. This secretion has a very pungent and fecal odour. However, when diluted, the odour of civet becomes pleasant and inviting, with a warm and radiant animalistic-musk nuance. This diluted form of civet has been used for centuries to add a seductive, musky note to perfumes.

The use of civet in perfumery dates back to 10th-century Arabic perfumers, who valued it as a highly desirable perfume ingredient. In Shakespeare's time, artisans used highly diluted civet to scent gloves. Due to the demand for civet, civet cats were kept in captivity to ensure a steady supply of the secretion. However, this practice is now considered unethical, and most civet used in perfumery today is synthetic.

The strong, musky odour of civet is due to the presence of civetone, which is closely related to muscone, the principal compound found in musk. Civetone can now be synthesized from precursor chemicals found in palm oil, so there is no longer a need to rely on natural civet secretion. This synthetic civetone has the same odour profile as natural civet but is produced in a more ethical and accessible way.

It is used as a perfume fixative and flavour

Civetone is a synthetic musk used as a perfume fixative and flavour. It is the main odorous constituent of civet oil, which is sourced from the African civet. Civetone has a strong musky odour that becomes pleasant at extreme dilutions.

Civetone is closely related to muscone, the principal odoriferous compound found in musk. It is a pheromone and has a similar chemical structure to muscone.

Today, civetone is typically synthesised from precursor chemicals found in palm oil. However, historically, it was derived from the glandular secretion of civet cats, which they use to mark their territory. This method of extraction is considered cruel and unethical, and most perfume manufacturers now use synthetic civetone.

Civetone is highly valued by perfumers for the raw sexiness it delivers to perfumes. It adds warmth and radiance to floral scents, enhancing their inviting, lustily musky character.

Civetone is found in many of the world's most notoriously seductive scents, including:

• Fueguia 1833 Don Giovanni
• Areej Le Doré Civet Bomb
• Yves Saint Laurent Kouros
• Serge Lutens Muscs Koublai Khan
• Parfums Dusita Oudh Infini

It is used in both men's and women's fragrances

Civetone is a synthetic musk with a strong, musky odour that is derived from the African civet. It is a pheromone with a distinctive scent that becomes pleasant at extreme dilutions.

Civetone is used extensively in perfumery and is known for its strength and tenacity. It adds a sensuous, animalistic musk note to the base of a perfume and is particularly effective in floral fragrances, where it adds warmth and radiance. Civetone is also used to harmonise with other notes such as aldehydic, chypre, oriental, and animal, and it gives elegant musky effects to citrus colognes. It is also used in fragrances where rose is a major component.

Due to ethical concerns, civetone is now mostly synthetically produced, although some small perfumers still source the natural ingredient. The synthetic version is derived from precursor chemicals found in palm oil.

Civetone is a popular ingredient in both men's and women's fragrances, and its versatility means it can be found in many perfumes. Some examples of fragrances that contain civetone include:

• Fueguia 1833 Don Giovanni
• Areej Le Doré Civet Bomb
• Yves Saint Laurent Kouros
• Serge Lutens Muscs Koublai Khan
• Parfums Dusita Oudh Infini
• Serge Lutens La Religieuse
• The Greek Perfumer Mastic Onirique
• SP Parfums Sven Pritzkoleit Civette Intense
• Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Debauchery
• Nueva Zarya (The New Dawn) Русские (Russian)
• Jacques Bogart Furyo
• Lonkoom Parfum In Heart
• Amouage Gold pour Femme
• Calvin Klein Obsession
• Cartier Le Must de Cartier
• Chanel Coco Chanel No. 5
• Dior La Collection Couturier Parfumeur Leather Oud
• Guerlain Shalimar
• Yves Saint Laurent Y

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