White Musk

This is an amazing little elixir right here. I remember this being stocked on the store shelves I would pass as a kid. It was usually packaged in a buy one get one box particularly around the holidays. I never had it but I remember exactly what it smelled like. I am a musk lover and this has to be the prototype to many of the musk-laden scents that I’m currently into. To say that I am obsessed is an understatement. I opted to buy the vintage, smaller bottles from the reviews on here. I guess they reformulated the hell out of this in recent years and subsequently butchered it from what I have read. They are always giving the kiss of death to these classics. Stop it!!!! People are wising up and spreading the word. Anyway, the smaller bottles that remain on EBay seem pretty untarnished and are usually at the same price point that you can buy the current, water downed versions at. Thank you, Frogopolis for that heads up! My first real signature scent was Narciso Rodriguez for her EDP and it was there that I discovered that I love musk. I think most of us are musk lovers by default because it’s such a prominent note. I was tempted to try Clair de Musc but so many people were saying that it was just Jovan White Musk in a really expensive bottle. I got spooked off of trying the Body Shop version of white musk because again, it bit the dust with reformulation and is harder to find in original form. So, I ordered Jovan thinking that if I really hated it I could always pass it along or worst case scenario, just toss it. I wasn’t ready to be blown away. I will briefly reiterate what people have said. I don’t think I have anything new to contribute anyway. Soapy, powdery, creamy, detergent-y. Your freshly washed skin but better. Yes! It is all of that. It calls to mind that part of Mean Girls when Janis remarks that Cady smells like a baby prostitute 🤣😂🤣 I remember watching that as a teenager and wondering if that was an insult. I thought she maybe meant that she smelled sexy. Almost 20 years later, I now understand that she probably meant that she smelled cheap/common. It’s not completely applicable because I don’t think this smells cheap in the slightest. This smells pretty refined to me, actually. Common, I think so but only purely on the premise that it’s thirty years old. More to the point of the Mean Girls quote, I think there’s good combination of sensuality and juvenescence here. It could strike you as reminiscent of the scent of intimacy, a freshly washed body/laundered clothes as well as a newly bathed/powdered baby. It really does have the foundation of all those things while preserving a complex facade of something interesting that you just can’t put your finger on. This lasts on my skin for an impressive amount of time. Even though my bottle is the cologne spray, there must be some oil in the original formulation because it leaves a slightly slick residue on my skin that I think lends to the longevity. I love to layer this with so many fragrances. Not only do I find that it prolongs the wear time but it adds depth to everything it’s paired with. It’s beautiful on its own too. I felt so clean and put together wearing this alone. It’s not cloying or heavy either. Just the perfect amount of projection here. I am a self confessed soapy lover. That has always been what appeals to me but I really could see so many people loving this. It would be complimentary to so many ages and could be worn by either sex. I don’t know if it’s possible to overspray this because it’s so subtle but I could see it being headache inducing if you straight up bathed in it. I have bought backups because already I can see the tides turning on EBay and Mercari where some people are listing exorbitant prices for vintage bottles. If you tried this and like it but found it to be weak, you would probably appreciate an older bottle. Get it soon. Please don’t assume like I initially did that because this is “vintage” that it smells dated or old-fashioned. It doesn’t. White musk done right never goes out of style as is the case with others such as Kiehl’s. I never want to be without this. Edit: if you can track down the cologne concentrate formulation of this in the oval bottle, snatch it up! Longevity & performance are outstanding!

I'm afraid I cannot quantify what this fragrance smells like. I can only say what it evokes. To me, it is clean and powdery and a bit floral (but not in a potpourri way). However, it has a certain kind of animal sensuality to it when applied to skin. Now the backstory (if you are interested). Back in high school (in the early 90's), my then girlfriend and I thought it would be fun to buy fragrances for each other. So, I went to the mall and found a fragrance kiosk. I knew nothing about fragrances at the time and had no sense of what was upscale or downscale. I had one mission-- find the fragrance I would like to smell on my girl. After sampling several, I found Jovan White Musk for Women. I loved it. The only way I could think of it at the time was that it smelled like a woman's skin if that aroma were elevated to a perfume. It wasn't too much of any one thing. It was clean but not too clean. It was powdery but not too powdery. There were floral elements but it was not exactly floral. It was sensual but not too much so. To me at the time, it was just the sensation of kissing a beautiful woman's neck made into a perfume. Then, I looked at the price tag and saw that it was the least expensive bottle I sampled-- by a long way. I almost didn't buy it because I thought my girlfriend might think I just got her something cheap. But, I couldn't deny that I liked it the best. This was the fragrance I wanted to smell when I held her. She did wear it for every date after I gave it to her, and the fragrance imprinted on my memory, probably forever. It's been a long time since 1994, but to this day, on the very rare (and I mean VERY rare) chance that I catch a whiff of Jovan White Musk in the air or see a cheap bottle of it sitting at a kiosk to sample, it instantly transports me to warm evenings on a couch with a Mazzy Star album playing-- and my heart beating a little faster than normal.

2 years after I got my first bottle, I'm finally reviewing this gem. I just bought my third bottle on Christmas Eve (didn't really fancy wearing my sultry sexies like Black Orchid and Shalimar around my uncles, you know...) and... oh my goodness. First, this is very well blended. I mean, I look at the notes and I guess I can focus and pick them out when I sniff my wrist but honestly, the blending is so thorough in this fragrance that all I detect is beautiful, soft, slightly sweet cleanliness. And I have the nose of a bloodhound! The scent itself is wonderful; it's like your-skin-but-better. If you had a shower with a nice, familiar bar soap, and then lathered yourself down with some good lotion (the kind your mom used) and then threw on some loungewear... you would smell like this. Clean and cuddly. The simplicity is the genius here. No, it's not the most complicated, nor the most interesting, but this baby right here is just so enjoyable! Who says every wear has to be an exercise in perfumery? I mean, we all love throwing words like ambroxan, agarwood and ambergris around - and that's just the a's haha - but amid all that froufrou pretentiousness, I may have forgotten how nice it is to just smell... nice. I ran out of Clair de Musc and sampled this 2 years ago. I never repurchased Clair de Musc, and I don't wish I did. I love this so much more. And it's, what, $15 tops? What a time to be alive!

Clean Skin Only Better. How can anyone with a nose and a sense of smell find this fragrance offensive. Jovan White Musk (the women's version) is the most beautiful, inoffensive, unobtrusive fragrance I've ever smelled. If modesty had a scent it would smell like Jovan White Musk. When I was in high school, I had a couple of female friends who wore this and I always thought they smelled so good. At first spray you get a blast of alcohol and you may think that it's not good, but if you give it a minute or two the scent will blossom into this beautiful, soapy, freshly showered floral skin scent. The smell is noticeable, but it will never overpower or overwhelm the senses. You can wear it alone or even use it to layer with other fragrances you like. I don't believe in describing fragrances as masculine or feminine because smells don't have a gender. But I can say that as a guy I have no problem wearing this and will continue to do so as long as Jovan continues to make it. And the scent stays with you. There may come a time when you can no longer smell it on yourself, but other people can. It somehow merges with your body chemistry and becomes one with you. Jovan White Musk is inexpensive and proof that you don't have to spend a ton of money to smell nice. Therefore this little affordable gem will always be a part of my fragrance collection. VIVA JOVAN WHITE MUSK!!

I knew this would be my signature scent when: (1) it sparks good memories every time I smell it, (2) it lasts so long on fabrics, (3) leaves a hell of a trail despite not over spraying, (4) it smells sweet honeysuckle, fresh (not sharp, screeching) white musk on me, and (5) layers beautifully with the rest of my fragrances! I would love this to be my "end of the world" scent. LOL. TBS White Musk smells decent but leans more masculine on me. I tried a lot of their White Musk flankers but I didn't find anything that would agree with my body chemistry. One shopping trip to the mall, I found this Jovan stall with huge "Sale" signboard. I decided to try their White Musk for Women as I find it sweeter than their regular Musk and the TBS White Musk. Since then I never looked back! I always make sure my back up has a back up. The thought of running out of this scares me! Haha! I receive so many compliments wearing this. I have experienced some head turning moments with this one. Some even stopped a conversation just to talk about how good I smell. Some people even copied me and started wearing this but the scent never registered the same way as it is to me. It never smelled musty, old woman-y, cheap baby powder-y on me. I guess I'm lucky to have this affordable perfume work excellently with my body chemistry. Edit: Typos!

I love this! Before it dries down it's really quite powdery - a little too much for someone who gets headaches easily - but it settles into beautiful sweet milky musk with *exactly* the right amount of powder; ever so slightly old fashioned in a Sunday-school way and perfectly ~pleasant~ and inoffensive. Actually not even inoffensive because after trying it on during my lunch break, I had two patrons tell me I smelled wonderful and asked what I was wearing! And this morning after putting on the cardigan I'd been wearing when I tested it I thought "omfg what smells so good???" and scrambled around at my desk trying to find whatever perfume tester bottle might be lying around that I could smell, only to realise - it's me that smells great! I think that in comparison to The Body Shop White Musk, it might not be quite as good but I slightly prefer it - TBSWM is more sophisticated (or whatever) in a woody/muted way but Jovan white musk has much more of a delicious vanilla/milky vibe that I think is just a nice. Plus, frankly - strength to strength, in New Zealand at least, this is quite a bit cheaper than Body Shop perfumes! I'm definitely going to purchase this, and although the bottle is really quite hideous I think I'll buy a vintage atomizer to transfer it into to complete the sweet and innocent vibe <3

Edit: Finally, I tried the 59 ml cologne spray version and the 59 mI edt version, too. I'm absolutely sure there's no difference between the fragrances themselves, and not remarkable muuch between the intensity either. So, if only the cologne spray is available for you, don't bither to hunt for the edt. However, I didn't come across with the oil, if I will, i'll definetely try that as well. On th eother hand, as time passes by, my honest love for this little gem is only greater. It's very safe for me, beauutiful on it's own, divine when layered with other perfumes, so it's a real must have in my colection now. I ordered both this perfume and Musk Jovan, and this is by far the best amongst the two for me. I own the 96 ml Cologne Spray version and sprayed quite a lot, first, it was almost heavy this way, a little bit tropical but after half an hour it faded into a beautiful, soft, clean skinscent that I was looking for for a long time. After 8 hours I can still smell it around me as I move, but it's not strong, not overpowering and much more clean and feminine in my opinion than original Musk Jovan is. It's definetely a LOVE for me and I'm planning to order the 59 ml EDT version to try, too.

I thought maybe this was what my mom wore in the 80s/90s, so when I saw an older bottle (white cap and wavy glass flacon) at Rite Aid, I sprang for it even though it was $15 (more than the average drugstore price for the newer bottle, but that old bottle called to me!) My heart trembled when I sprayed it on. Definitely my mom. (Until she discovered CK1 for the new millenium! I remember at the time thinking she was awfully late to the CK1 show, but it was only out for like 5 years before she smelled it. Time flies!) Ok here's my review. Baby powder, yes. Light amber, yes. Gentle florals, yes. I think it's less soapy smelling (aldehydes) than regular Jovan Musk, Coty Wild Musk, or Matchabelli Skin Musk. Coty Musk (for men) is similar but actually LESS musky than Jovan White Musk. But they share a similar sweetness without being sugary (probably the amber.) Body Fantasies smells more like laundry detergent than any musk I've tried. It's cheap-smelling compared to the others I mentioned. I haven't smelled any Khiel's or TBS to compare. I can see myself adopting this as a bedtime fragrance. Definitely wearable for work, or when I want a scent but not sure what to grab.

I'm not sure what more could be said about Jovan White Musk. I've loved it for so long and it was always my transitional summer-into-fall scent, probably because I remember going to my nephew's fall football games and wore this a lot back in those days. That is forever ingrained in my fall memory banks! Presently I am so glad I had this to wear during our warmer summer days. I work/design at home and perfume is always worn primarily for myself and my husband. I love the soapiness and yet lightly spicy musk in JWM. It's understated beauty never ceases to amaze me and I will always have this in my collection. Simple elegance. Edit: Even though I've worn this fragrance for many years, I keep discovering different aspects of this as it weaves in and out of my perfumed days. The other day I was "sniffing around" in my perfumes and popped the lid off my JWM and got a very "in the background" smell of spices. I suppose our brains all process smells differently like different computer software almost. Anyway, I had this thought that "as long as I can smell that spiciness in JWM everything is okay." I hope I never stop smelling that wonderful comforting aspect!

This is a squeaky clean, ultra simple white musk scent, and I love it. I personally can't pick up many of the listed floral notes, it really is just soft musk on me from start to end (about 2-3 hours in). It is not heavy at all, and it is perfectly reminiscent of a fresh white pillowcase or (the thing I spray it on) a newly-donned shirt. It's unisex. It's very affordable, and it really is lovely in my opinion. Musks can easily get scratchy, heavy or go too far in one direction (and end up smelling strange and unfamiliar). Here, this scent is well-balanced and pleasant. I think it's great for hot weather when more complex fragrances are too much or are at risk of falling apart - it smells clean, professional and like crisp bedclothes. I have quite a few complex florals, other musks and resinous fragrances but I think it's healthy to go for something ultra-simple now and again, to give yourself a break.

Perhaps it sounds weird that someone should buy backup bottles of a very cheap everyday fragrance, but I love White Musk so much and always worry that it will be discontinued at some point (it is already hard to find in my country), so there... Although I have a substantial collection of various fragrant 'beasts', this simple cheapie is one of my top-10 fragrances of all time. I love all sorts of musky scents (well, except for Kouros), but I especially enjoy this type of sweetish, powdery, super-clean musk. My husband also adores it. Projection and longevity are very solid for an EDT. Another thing, I have a huge honeysuckle bush in my garden, which is in full bloom right now as I type these words, and White Musk is a rare fragrance that contains a realistic reproduction of that enchanting scent. Take my advice and stock up on this little gem while it's still available.

Well, oh wow. When this scent was launched, I was only 11 years old. I have seen it since then, and never gave it any interest. Fast-forward to today... I’m at a Christmas theme park for children on NH, speaking to an older woman running the cash register and I keep getting these soft wafts of feminine, softly floral, woody perfection. So I ask her what she is wearing and it’s THIS! She tells me that she discovered it after smelling it on another random woman. Interesting tid-bit here, she doesn’t interpret the scent as woody, but only as soft florals. I purchased it on a quick stop on our way home. It smells the same on me as it did on her. To my nose, this is 100% linear... and I am delighted it is! There is not a season, time of day, or even that this would not be appropriate for. In echoing a previous reviewer here, every collection should have this.

Sweet, creamy bar soap, backed by delicate florals. It's a gentle, comfortable scent. The texture is more of a creamy lather than a powder. It's warm in a soft, ambient way, the way a clean, tidy, sunlit bedroom is warm. The way warm spring sunlight on a freshly-laundered white down duvet is warm. It's definitely similar to The Body Shop's White Musk, but there are differences. If you like your skin scents slightly cool and earthy then The Body Shop's version will serve you better. If you prefer them to be more like sweet, lather-y soap, then Jovan's version is the way to go. I don't really have the nose for skin scents like this; I tend to stop smelling them within minutes unless I'm actively smelling my wrist. But it's such a lovely, comfortable scent that if I could actually catch passive whiffs of it all day, I'm sure it would be one of my favorites.

Years ago I used to wear The Body Shop’s White Musk but ended up losing my bottle and never thought to purchase a new one thinking I would get to it eventually to the point of completely forgetting about the fragrance all together. Fast forward to 2025 and I realized I miss the smell of white musk, but little did I know that The Body Shop’s reformulated their white musk, and they’re not even open in the U.S. anymore. I saw that Jovan White Musk was being suggested as a perfect dupe and a classic you can’t go wrong with. It’s so funny that I would always see it in drugstores, but never thought to try it, even though I love white musk. I decided to buy a bottle and just received it today and it’s exactly what I was looking for! Such a beautiful skin scent and now this will be a staple in my collection

This has become a staple in my collection. It smells so delicate, clean, and soapy. Definitely musky. It smells like clean skin in the best way possible, like you just showered, wrapped yourself in clean towels, climbed into fresh sheets, and the scent of soap is still lingering on your skin. I've been told by people who smelled it on my wrist that it smells like "you just showered" or "you just washed your hands with a creamy white soap." It's so cheap that I can't believe it. I'll repurchase this forever, for sure. I just love, love, love it. Also, the comments that always associate clean scents with "grandma" vibes are so weird to me... I'll take any "grandma scent" over the overly gourmand fragrances people seem to enjoy nowadays that always make me feel like pucking when i smell them.

I don't care how many exotic or niche fragrances I acquire or how infrequently I may wear it, I will ALWAYS have a bottle of Jovan White Musk somewhere and if they ever discontinue it I will cry. Some things don't need to be complicated. White Musk is clean, fresh, and not "too" anything-- "too" musky, "too" sweet, "too" floral. It makes me feel like spring breezes and soft, lightweight cashmere sweaters and walks by the beach and the scent of impending rain. There's something watery about it even thought it has no marine accords. It's what "clean" smells like if you don't add any soapy aldehydes. So natural and comforting. And for a cologne, it stays for a miraculously long time. Sometimes simple is good. White Musk is an instant mood-uplifter.

Warning- I am totally new to this site and don't really have the vocabulary or the nose to talk intelligently about fragrances. But I have to review this- I have been on a QUEST to find a white musk that hits the same spot as The Body Shop's original "White Musk". Man, I loved that smell. But they changed the formula, and while the very first sniff is great, it is quickly followed by what to me is an overpowering "old lady perfume" smell... baby powder? I'm not sure what they smell is, but I hate it. Finally I found this site and according to many votes Jovan's White Musk is similar to my old love. I was finally able to find it (Walmart for the win- can't beat a super cheap, easily accessible perfume) and it hits just the right notes for me.

I just remembered this the other day - I had Jovan Musk but I always found it just a bit too dry for my liking - and ordered a bottle. It's a bit sweeter, a bit softer and a bit more fruity; to be honest I get peach or apricot more than honeysuckle or ylang, but there's definitely very appealing soft sweetness there along with the powdery musk..I can totally see this a cheapie I would reach for on an everyday basis, a bit like Elizabeth Arden's True Love. Also as a room spray to lift my mood. Not something complex or complicated, just something to make you feel clean and a bit demure - if anyone says it's a 'granny-scent', well, grannies wore the first perfumes so nothing wrong with smelling like a granny! I like it a lot regardless.

I just bought this for the first time! I bought it in CVS. This really surprised me! I've overlooked it all these years. But now I'm so happy I gave this a try. I sprayed this on yesterday afternoon and could still smell it on me this morning!! So that is so very impressive! Yes, it's reminiscent of Night Magic by Avon or those 80s style musks. I'm loving that though. It's in your head that you need the latest and greatest. Sure the thrill of the new can outweigh the tried and true. But wow! Let me say this is beautiful. It is perfect. Soft, slightly sweet, but a bit deep and if it were a person; understanding, loving, kind, loyal, not screechy, catty, fake. Silly I know. But I guess perfumes do have a personality too ha ha.

I think this scent has sneakily become my signature. It unfortunately does not last long at all, but it’s just so bright and clean and versatile that I can’t help but reach for it when I don’t have a scent in mind at the beginning of the day. It’s also extremely cheap ($10-$20 USD) so I really do not mind overspraying either. In fact, I think this is one of the most versatile scents I’ve ever smelled - I could see people of a variety of ages and in a variety of scenarios wearing this. I was also surprised to see that this one comes all the way back from 1990, as I’m definitely more apt to reach for something that was developed within the last ten years or so (what can I say, I’m in my early twenties).