Cosmone is a synthetic macrocyclic musk developed by Givaudan. It smells rich, warm and powdery, with a sensual, slightly ambery quality that recalls the old nitro musks, and it is used to give fragrances a soft, enveloping and long-lasting musky base.

What does Cosmone smell like?

Cosmone is a big, round musk rather than a sheer, laundry-clean one. Its main impression is warm and powdery, with a creamy, almost animalic depth, a subtle ambergris-like nuance and faint fruity and anisic touches. Givaudan positions it as recalling the classic nitro musks, which were prized for their powdery, sweet warmth before safety concerns led to their decline. Compared with lighter macrocycles such as Habanolide, or with the pear-tinged Helvetolide, Cosmone feels heavier, more cosmetic and more sensual.

Where Cosmone comes from

Cosmone is a macrocyclic ketone, structurally related to muscone, the key aroma compound of natural deer musk. It is made by chemical synthesis and does not occur in nature.

• Fragrance family: Musk
• Type: Synthetic
• Made by: Givaudan
• How it's obtained: Chemical synthesis
• Key aroma molecules: (E)-3-methylcyclotetradec-5-en-1-one

Cosmone in perfume history

Cosmone belongs to the modern generation of macrocyclic musks that followed the phasing-out of nitro musks and the scrutiny of polycyclic musks. Macrocycles, which share their ring structure with natural animal musks, were long expensive to produce, but improved synthetic routes made them more practical for wide use. Cosmone was Givaudan's response to perfumers who wanted the powdery richness of vintage musks in a modern molecule.

Cosmone in modern perfumery

Cosmone is used as a fixative and texture-builder in fine fragrance, particularly in musky florals, powdery and cosmetic accords and warm ambery bases. It is effective at low doses, adding volume and radiance. As with other captive or semi-captive musks, it rarely appears on public note lists, so its presence is often invisible to the wearer.

How Cosmone wears and what it pairs with

Cosmone is a base note that lasts for many hours and helps to fix more volatile ingredients. It pairs naturally with iris, violet, rose, heliotrope, vanilla, tonka, sandalwood, ambrette and other musks, and with aldehydes in classic powdery styles.