Musc Shamal

Since its announcement, Musc Shamal has been on my radar. The idea of an oriental with both fresh and animalic edges—as well as the showcase of novel aldehyde “Noreenal”— were the source of this excitement. Having finally received my bottle and played around with Musc Shamal, I can comfortably say that the scent delivers in both beauty and finesse. As others have echoed here in the review section, this composition is primary one of common notes—amber and musk. However, perfumer Julie Massé skillfully elevated the fragrance’s core with a beautiful, slightly fruity floral blend that develops nicely along the powdery cedar and aldehydes. These meticulously constructed accords unfold from a moderately projecting opening—where Noreenal’s futuristic citrusy freshness is contrasted with a paradoxically “dirty” musk reminiscent of sand dust—to a base where the translucent simplicity of the amber and florals is showcased. Musc Shamal’s transition from opening to base occurs around the 1.5 to 2-hour mark. During my first wearing, I was caught off guard by the sudden drop from moderate to soft projection that occurred during this transition and thought the scent was about to vanish. Surprisingly however, the base notes continued to project softly until the 10 to 11-hour mark, making for a surprisingly solid longevity. For most of its duration, Musc Shamal melded beautifully with my chemistry and wore like a light second skin. All in all, Musc Shamal is a strangely addicting concoction. It's unisex, signature scent worthy and could be worn year-round. It's a standout in my collection and my favorite release of 2019. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 9/10 Projection: 6.5/10 Originality: 9/10 Overall (not an average): 9.5/10 Batch used for review: 62S500W

That's what the hugs of the person closest to you smell like. Perhaps that's what your mother smelled like when you were a child, who hugged you and gave off this expensive but very cozy care fragrance, without a hint of vintage and retro sound. If you are looking for a beautiful musky fragrance of purity or want to smell luxurious purity, which will not have all those sparkling kirke-like vanilla musks, as well as grandmother's musk in the style of musk cashmere or the aroma of cheap powder and soap in the style of tessori white musk, then you don't have to look anymore, it's in front of you. This is a collective image of expensive care cleanliness and a spa salon. Imagine that you are lying in a bathtub with a lot of Dove foam, rose petals are slowly floating on the surface of the water, an aromatic candle with amber is burning next to it, creating a shimmering atmosphere of comfort and tranquility. You close your eyes and everything around you becomes unimportant, there is only you and this feeling of peace. This fragrance has about the same vibe. The scent works according to the principle of the 25th frame, i.e. it imperceptibly smooths out the emotional environment around, so it is suitable for girls and men with a stressful lifestyle or prone to stress. The perfect perfume for a romantic date or meeting.

I swear this is the lovechild of Musc Ravageur and Oscar by Oscar de la Renta. Oscar was my signature perfume for a good 15 years. I find MS to be alluring, captivating, attention grabbing, flirty, good girl - bad girl (or boy), the type who means business during the day at work, but lets her hair down at night when she is getting down and dirty. I imagine this to be equally alluring on a man in that women would find him irresistible. I only managed around 7 hours of this in terms of longevity so for me, I'd be spraying clothes as well as putting it on my body, and then touching it up during the night to amp it up again. Projection was great for the first 2-3 hours. I feel the cost is cryworthy considering I don't get at least 10-12 hours out of it. It is for that reason I would suggest others try it before throwing copious amounts of money at the retailer.

A sensual wind with a rather harsh opening of rose and jasmine. Musc Shamal is the embodiment of dynamic movement and energy, creating a pulsating combination of heat and the burning sun in the desert. The hypnotic musk-theme is modernized with rose and mixed to a golden liquid with amber and cedar-wood. To me it’s a powdery scent that is a dance between light and dark with so many contrasts, it captures your attention immediately. The freshness of aldehyds gives this mighty musk cloud more substance and balances jasmine and citrus notes. It’s a captivating and enveloping fragrance, suited for all amber lovers and fans of oriental scents. Give it at least half an hour to develop, it needs time to shine with its full potential and lasts all day on my skin!.It reminds me of Myrrhe Impériale from the Armani Privé collection.

Musc Shamal is an incredibly addicting and enjoyable take on clean, soapy musks which I really enjoy. It opens with a thick, soapy cloud of aldehydes with a touch of citrus to aid that fresh kick, before the musk presents itself. Most likely ambrette has been used here for that musky accord, it’s sweet and clean yet does have a subtle hint of bitterness to it which is lovely. Soft rose and Jasmine add to the cleanliness of the scent, while vanilla and cedar enhance the powdery, sweet facets. This is a strange one to me - my mind keeps switching between whether I love it or not, but I think I do. It’s a great addition to any aldehyde lover’s collection, and is a brilliant interpretation of ambrette. This is one of my go to’s when I want something clean, simple and sophisticated without getting bored.

I absolutely love it. For me it is perfect as a signature scent as i was looking for a warm, clean, sophisticated fragrance that i can adjust the intensity of with the amount of sprays, it doesn't become sharp, just warmer and a little bit spicier, very creamy fragrance. It smells so good in the winter time, and it remindes me of sitting under a warm cashmere blanket, drinking a cup of warm eggnog in a very fancy hotel lounge. It has a very luxurious feel to it. It is a warm fragrance but still clean and not to heavy, as you probably can understand i struggle a little bit to describe it, i just love it so much and hope it doesn’t get discontinued any time soon😅 does anybody know if it is limited edition??

To me, this is the sexiest fragrance in my collection, and one I would repurchase over and over again. Most people on here are describing it as cozy and soft, but on my skin it behaves differently. It has a baby powder smell but in the sexiest way. It’s creamy and ambery warm on my skin, but airy and crisp with the aldehydes. Surprised incense is not listed as a note. Longevity is stellar, as is the sillage and scent bubble, not beast mode and defs not a clubbing scent imo. Nighttime more than a daytime fragrance, it’s got a bad boy vibe. Perfect for dates! Consistent compliments. Unisex. I picture Rudolph Valentino smelling like this.

I love this scent. It’s calming and comforting. It smells of a matronly , comforting and kind woman embracing her baby. I get this lotion-like smell, almost powdery, but mainly lotion that smells some kind of sweet yet fresh powder scented lotion. The aldehydes and citrus peak out in a soft way that isn’t harsh, just adds a level of elegance and soft soapiness from the florals . It’s a very comforting scent to me, that I associate with a beautiful happy mother . It lasts forever on clothes and about 8 hours on skin, very good projection too

I tried this in store a couple of times. I was puzzled by not making what this scent reminded me of. And then it clicked - it is Dove handwash/soap, the original one!!! So if you like this signature Dove scent - comfortable Clean musk, that is like a cosy blanket - then go for it and try it on your skin. I really like such soapy scents, I will probably buy a decant of this one. Very good longevity.

What a beautiful fragrance this is. It’s very comforting to wear. Extremely smooth and refined... I couldn’t fault it. This is turning out to be one of my favourite musk fragrance. And I have a lot in my collection! The longevity is excellent, sillage seems noticeable too. You can adjust the number of sprays for something more intimidate to bold. I enjoy the creaminess a lot.

What a beautiful fragrance this is. It’s very comforting to wear. Extremely smooth and refined... I couldn’t fault it. This is turning out to be one of my favourite musk fragrance. And I have a lot in my collection! The longevity is excellent, sillage seems noticeable too. You can adjust the number of sprays for something more intimidate to bold. I enjoy the creaminess a lot.

This perfume.... I LOVE THIS. This can be one of my favorite scents. I really like musky scents that smells like clothing softener. Makes me feel so clean and just got out of the shower then put on some powder. It is not fresh i think it is heavy but it just smells like heaven to me. Fabric softener, baby powder and clean sheets.... 🤍 I will definitely but this one again.

Dubai. A beautiful young woman is walking by the sea. As she passes you by you are overtaken by an intoxicating scent that mixes exquisitely with her skin, and matches the time and place perfectly. It is not until she is gone that you realize it was her perfume. She is wearing Musc Shamal.

I dont know why no one sees the animalic side of this perfume...it is something i really adore, playing between fresh and animalic notes. I see it as unisex, the flowers are not overdly done and can be worn by men as well. Excellent perfume!!!

I have never smelled anything like it, the only thing it slightly reminds me of is chanel egoiste for men, which i also enjoy to wear. It has that same warm but light feeling.

Ahh the fresh clean smell of aldehydes and musk. Love this one, nice woodsy base, not really any rose. Just clean, almost peppery fresh.

First day wearing this, i got 3 compliments and the last after 8 hours of the application.

If you want to smell luxuriously clean, get this. Unisex with great performance.

Musc Shamal is very similar to Lattafa's Opulent Oud, with a much more exorbitant price tag of course. But for those who are after an inexpensive clone please try Paris Corner's Musc D' Prive. It is about $17 and essentially the same scent (I can barely tell the difference). The fragrance notes are exactly the same as the higher priced original. What also matters is performance, and I can assure you Paris Corner's Musc D' Prive lasts at least 12 to 15 hours. I always easily pick up rose notes in fragrances and for me Musc Shamal and Musc D' Prive have plenty of rose, which is more of a dusty or powdery kind. There is musk and amber complimenting that powdery rose. It leans more feminine. I chose the clone Musc D' Prive by Paris Corner for my mom, and she wore it today. One spray - just one - and the entire upper level of my home was engulfed by the scent. Incredible projection. She says it might be safer spraying it at the back of her neck next time because the strength of this perfume is nuclear.

3rd time testing and then it clicked for me; this is great and also pretty unique. What's unique about it is blending and balance achieved. First, I don't think it smells floral at all, or powdery. It's just a medium bodied musk with a little perceived sweetness. Feels like this could be used as a base, but on it's own it's awesome. The musk is not animalic so it's fairly easy to wear. This is a masterclass in blending because I couldn't pick anything out blindly with any certainty. Drydown reveals some musky like makeup a bit (iris?) but that's only detectable in close. Too much jasmine will kill a perfume for me, but it's also blended so well I didn't know it was there. Lasts a long time on my perfume drinking skin. The beauty is in its simplicity, so many might not appreciate it, but I do and I'd love to get it if I can find a deal. Scent 8.3/10 Performance 7.5/10

It’s such a beautiful fragrance with aldehydes and freshness at the top, then powdery rose and a little something spicy, then it’s warm and cozy, with a hefty dose of musky notes. And yet... I just can’t love it completely on my skin. There’s something that bothers me in Musc Shamal... Perhaps it’s that something spicy? Or the heavy dose of musks (though I love musks in general)? Or perhaps it’s just that all the notes together do not play nicely together on my skin...Sometimes, it happens. It’s leaning firmly masculine on me but there’s no denying this is a beautiful scent. I’m going to part with it but I definitely recommend this fragrance if you love musks, aldehydes and oriental spices with powdery warmth...

This is a musc that envelopes you due to the aldehydes. It is a really strong fragrance so it's easy to overspray. The beauty is the powdery cleanness, like johnsons baby powder with delightful warmth. I feel clean and vibrant, the fragrance is unisex and yet leans a little more feminine to my husband's nose and mine, but who cares. I do agree there is a vintage quality to this and I enjoy smelling it on other people as well as wearing it. A cool and cold weather fragrance for me. One spray and I am good to go, it lasts all day.

Gorgeous beyond words. This has quickly become my favorite amongst the prive line. The contrast between the sparkling aldehydes and sweet amber provide a truly unique and captivating experience. Performance is great also, although it sits fairly close to the skin. Definitely a unisex fragrance, but I can see the women especially appreciating this release.

Sampled this in store and invested in a FB right away. Think of creamy oudy rose. Reminds me of the scents in the perfume bazaars of marrakech. For me, the drydown is the best phase. The musc sparkles through! Perfect! I can’t believe i am saying this but i like this even more than Cuir Noir from the same house.

Dusty, powdery aldehydic musk with a nice amber-animalic drydown. Reminds me of Le Labo's Musc 25, its very similar in a dusty animalic way, also both have a vintage structure and feel to them. This is my favorite type of perfumery, and Armani Prive nailed it once again.

Kinda like the Dove smell with a rose undertone. The dry down musk scent is nice too but isn’t it too expensive a perfume to produce this soapy result? A beautiful soapy smell but soap smell nonetheless. Not really worth the full price in my opinion.

Stunning smell, As described, musk and powder are the two most prominent notes. Although I wished the performance would be stronger for the price, however, the scent is 10/10 for me. One of the best musk fragrances in the market. Pure class.

Soft musk, good for any gender and any age. I have musc noble guerlain for my signature scent but its nothing similar with that. This one is way more tender and genderless, and less complex.

Musc Shamal is a mirage of warmth, but not in a good way. A warmth in the way of heat trapped in fabric, clinging, relentless, the oppressive glow of a desert at dusk where the air is thick and scented with something sweet, something heavy, something that refuses to fade. This isn't a clean, aldehydic citrus-tinged white musk but rather a cloud plush and powdery, but overripe—less a sensual whisper on skin, more a dense haze suspended in the air, smothering rather than embracing. There is rose, or rather, the memory of rose blurred by a soapy sheen, its petals stripped of freshness, pressed into something cosmetic and perfumed. This is not a bloom in the wild, nor a bouquet in water—it is distilled, powdered, locked into a bottle on a vanity that has sat untouched for too long. The sweetness is not innocent; it is warmed, thickened, stretched like molten sugar that never quite cools, glistening but never solid, a fragrance that clings to skin as if it cannot bear to let go. Woods hum beneath it all, solar and glowy, reflecting the heat back onto itself in a never-ending cycle of warmth and weight. There is no air between the notes, only a thick, gleaming musk that turns and folds over itself, a haze with no escape. Like silk drenched in the sun, shimmering but suffocating.

I certainly get the musky, amber notes when this is first applied. I like that it has some strength immediately and that I don't have to wait an hour to get the gist of this fragrance. As it dries down, the powder comes out. As a powder hater, that not my favorite. I get almost zero vanilla, which is a plus for me, but might be disappointing to other people. The projection on this is beautiful, probably because the musk and other base notes did not come to play. The final scent on me is a musky amber, which I like, but it doesn't rock my world. I think that if this is what you are looking for, getting a sample or decant is worth it. However, I would caution folks that you do have to like powder to some extent to thoroughly enjoy this one. If it maintained the strong amber note and less powder that it had in the beginning, I might need a bottle of this. Alas, it's not to be.

First spray - very fleeting soapy vibes, and then rapidly it's essentially a syrupy sweet, sticky musk. The sweetness isn't STRONG or "loud" per se, but it is very pervasive. I'll have to pass - it's too sweet. Beyond sweet, it's also giving incredibly sticky vibes. I prefer cleaner, whiter musks, and this one isn't. Projection is strong but the performance was surprisingly poor to me.

Just got a sample and this is my new obsession / addiction frag... I am struggling not to impulse buy as this love at first sight seems like a too extreme reaction. However if you are a musk and amber lover, go try it, you’ll be mesmerized. I never thought that the combination of musc & amber would smell so good ! 😊

Also according to the Armani sales associate, Shamal is the name of a desert wind that blows in summer in the afternoon and causes sand storms... Shamal means North in Arabic as Shamal is a wind that comes from North...

I hoped to love Musc Shamal by Giorgio Armani, but the magic eluded me. Despite my appreciation for musky scents, it failed to charm. Someone mentioned it had a vibe similar to Narciso Rodriguez Musc Intense, a fragrance I absolutely love, so I clung to the hope of a familiar experience. Even with the notes being different, I expected, if not an exact match, then at least for this fragrance to earn its spot on my favorite shelf. But nope, no powder, musk, flowers, or warmth - just a strong sharp smell, maybe it's ambroxan (although ambroxan is not stated in the notes! ) or some innovative synthetic molecule that's a bit overwhelming. I had a very similar experience with Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume, and that's where this molecule is plentiful. It's something similar here too. I even smell a sour sweat. Applied on my skin and blotter strips, it remained a disappointment, opening abruptly with a synthetic sharpness. It's disheartening that others find warmth and flowers while I only encounter is a synthetic, edgy something :( Based on the notes, this fragrance should be right up my alley. However, the expected muskiness, powderiness, aldehydes, amber, and vanilla—none of that comes through for me. Note to myself: don't blind buy anything! Update: On my husband's warm skin, it sits much better! He even remarked that it smells like a luxurious spa. However, the note of ambroxan still puts me off (can't help it, I sense ambroxan, though I initially thought it was cedar). So, if you're not sensitive to ambroxan, this fragrance is excellent! If you're not a fan of Molecules and Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume, it's advisable to test it before purchasing.

Armani Prive #2 – “Look to my coming on the first light of the fifth day. At Dawn, look to the East” The quote above comes from the Lord of the Rings movies. I used that particular quote because considering my recent testings, sampling Musc Shamal is an experience that i can compare to the moment when Gandalf arrived at the Battle of Helms Deep to save our heroes from their doom. His angelic appearance on a white horse, on top of the hill, with the light behind him is a bit like Musc Shamal presented itself to me in the context of my recent experiences in perfumery. That is because lately i’ve been going through a phase with challenging perfumes by adding The Lover’s Tale and Peau de Bete to my collection aswell as testing perfumes such as Cuoium, Boccanera, Sadonasso, Muscs Koublai Khan, Bapteme du Feu and Bal a Versailles, to name a few. All of these killers showcase a strong, often animalic profile so in comparition, Musc Shamal comes as a real palette cleanser and a light delicate musk amongst the dirty and bold ones which bombarded me lately. Being also clearly a musk based perfume, this time its a gentle, clean white musk. The opening feels heavenly and i mean that literally, not figuratively. It really feels angelic in a fluffy musky way on my skin, reminiscent of the wings of a celestial being. The musk is powdery, bright and natural, with aldehydes and a touch of soapyness giving it a cooling effect. Despite the aldehydes, there’s absolutely nothing vintage or outdated about the perfume, on the contrary. There’s also a floral sweetness that joins the musk and the aldehydes. These three elements pretty much make up the entirety of the perfume. Interestingly, the sweetness reminds me somewhat of Baccarat Rouge, but a much grown up version. Both have Jasmine so that might be the common point. They are different fragrances yet i feel like there’s a subtle common thread running through both. If Baccarat Rouge is a wild and careless young woman who likes to party, have fun and engage in short-lived relationships, Musc Shamal is the same woman after she calmed down and matured as the years have passed. She reached a point where only the mention of her past lifestyle makes her feel guilt and shame. The composition leans towards feminine in my opinion, altho if a man likes and wears Baccarat Rouge then he will have no issues with Musc Shamal eighter. Is it worth the Armani Prive price tag? That depends because if a smooth and high quality, clean white musk and modern aldehydic estetic is what you are looking for, Musc Shamal delivers and its hard to beat. However, if you want a versatile and all-around mass appealing perfume thats a fishing net for compliments then it might not provide enough excitement to warrant its high price tag. Something like Delina or actually Baccarat Rouge would be a better bang for your buck in this regard. It all boils down to intentionality, hence why Musc Shamal and all of the Armani Prive line can be classified as niche perfumes for particular tastes in my opinion.

Musc Shamal by Giorgio Armani is like a desert breeze captured in a bottle—airy, expansive, yet intimately warm. It blends aldehydes and elemi oil at the top with a heart of Turkish rose and jasmine, settling into a base of musks, vanilla, and ambery woods that brings a powdery, sensual depth. The most beautiful musk frgrance at the moment. Longevity is impressive, usually lasting over 8 hours, with moderate to strong projection that creates an enveloping but never overwhelming presence. It’s a sophisticated, unisex amber floral perfect for cooler weather or evenings when you want a scent that feels both light and intensely luxurious.

First impression: this is pure luxury. It's as if someone rolled all the expensive, luxurious things I've experienced in my life and turned them into a fragrance. It smells of baby toiletries and I suspect there is musk, jasmine and rose in it. However, I don't want to think of it as separate notes because it doesn't matter. It would spoil the experience. This is perfect as is, the way it was envisioned by the perfumer. I purchased a package of three samples and this is clearly the winner (the others were Gris Dior and Lancome Santal Kardamon).

My SOTD is Musc Shamal Armani Prive'. This beautiful unisex perfume has a texture like the fluffiest cloud ever. Reminds me of a very smooth scent of a white bar of soap (Aldehydes note) yet it has enough amount of floral notes(rose & Jasmin) and Amber & Cedar to keeps it interesting and spicy. Vanilla is what makes this musk bomb very smooth. It was love at the first sniff, I totally fell for the smoothness of this perfume, Guilty of over-spraying it, Projection is minimal and polite, staying power is about 4-6 hours on my skin.

Just bought this beautiful perfume for a very good price (a tester). This starts off as a soapy fresh burst of aldehydes (think Dove original soap) and then it mellows out into a soft, slightly powdery, flowery bouquet, sweetened by a vanillic undertone of amber and soft clean musk. This just smells like squeaky clean luxury. Projection is pretty strong for the first three hours, then it just melts into your skin and you're left with a sheer layer of woodsy muskiness. Great scent!

Hmm this has confused me, and I think in a good way! I wasn’t expecting to like this one (or even try it) but it is very interesting, and quite addictive. It is, like others have said, a warm musk. It starts a little powdery on me to start with, then I get some ambery sweetness, but always undercut with a clean musk. I can definitely see this being a love in future. Then again, I do love amber, but rarely find one as airy or wearable. I’ll have to sample this one again!

This really transforms a lot in the first 10 minutes. At first I wasn’t so sure about it, it came off a bit masculine also. After a few minutes I got a lot of the rose and a lot of powder/dustiness which I wasn’t too fond of. But as it started to dry down the aldehydes really began to steal the show. If you love aldehydes and clean/soapy scents like Byredo Blanche then you’d love this also. Just give it like 10 minutes after spraying before you judge.

I love this perfume, it's soapy but in a luxurius classy way, powdery but not excessively (i'm a powdery scents boy), i don't get too many flowers though which is not a problem really. I do get a nutty strong vibe in the dry-down when my body warms up, it may be the amber but to me it smells strongly of hazelnuts. Globally i truly love it. I hesitated a lot before getting it but now that it's on my shelf i'm sure i made the right choice.

I tried a 2 ml of this juice on several times. Lovely and high quality musk vanilla amber, easily unisex. However, the performance -ON MY SKIN- is below avarage unfortunately. I got barely 3-4 hours (hopefully an intense version comes next). To be honest, I don't know what Shamal (desert, I suppose) is doing here!? Smooth and easy wearing perfume.

The suns heat and the wind's cooling breeze. Sounds like BS but I actually get where they are coming from. That means the perfumer met the brief and 5 stars for excellence! I see what they were aiming for. A truly magical musk. Not heavy, not light, but soft and extraordinary. A keeper in my collection forever.

Armani Prive "Musc Shamal" smells like a body mist that you would spritz on after spending time in a swimming pool and want to smell fresh, musky, floral(jasmine), powdery, and sexy, during the day, besides the pool. It's addicting, high quality, and is pefect for summer days. Rating 8/10

Absolutely love this! super aldehydic, clean, slightly soapy in the most perfect way! if you want to smell clean, super fresh .. this is for you! i don’t know how people get dusty! it’s not dusty on me at all! it’s gorgeous! i don’t get a lot of rose, mainly aldehydes, citrus and musk!

You can literally find this kind of musk for under $50 on any site that sells middle eastern fragrances. I've smelled this a million times. Think of a typical middle eastern musk and you have Musc Shamal

I was at the armani counter earlier and the S.A suggested me to try it. I hated the opening at first, don’t know why. But as it dries down.. WOW!!! It’s soooo lovely. Definitely a powerhouse frag

Starts off very powdery and then becomes incredibly synthetic, soapy and clean. If clean/ soapy with a screechy shaprness is your thing, you'll like this. It was way too soapy for my taste.

BEAUTY IS IT'S NAME,I GET 8 HOURS EASY,I DON'T GET THIS SOAPY THING THEY ARE TAKING ABOUT,I DO GET SOME FLORAL ASPECTS.THE DRYDOWN IS LOVELY,IT'S A 10 FOR ME. MUSC SHAMAL