What makes the muskrat discontinue his musk?

July 16, 2023 10:08 AM

Looks like Kiehl's has discontinued the Orignal Musk Oil. What can I replace it with?

Contacting customer service only gets me the runaround… Yes, it is listed as out of stock on their website but it looks like Kiehl's has addressed this in the Twitter link above.

I have worn this scent for about 20 years. I enjoyed the oil and not the spray. The oil lasts a long time, it has great top notes but also dries down into a funky little musk. I put some on yesterday and I can still smell it today.

I've heard all kinds of suggestions for replacements:

Jovan
Jovan Musk for Men
Jovan White Musk for Men
Body Shop White Musk for Men
C.O. Bigelow Musk Oil
Coty Wild Musk for Men

I've heard of costly options like Serge Lutens Kublai Khan, Narcisco Rodriguez For Her, and Marlou's Carnicure (formerly L'Animal Sauvage).

I don't have a perfect handle on what the Original Musk Oil from Kiehl's smells like, so I can't then tell someone on a website somewhere what I'm looking for. Plus, there seem to be lots of suggestions. I also live in a small town where the best options for buying perfume are Ulta or Sephora about 45 minutes away. If you have not been to either, the selection is really limited to very current and trendy scents.

I'm stuck in a situation where I'm willing to spend money on the right scent; however, I don't have unlimited funds to try 15 different things. I'm even willing to mix scents if that's the case. But I'd like it to smell pretty close to Kiehl's and to last a long time.

Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

posted by oflinkey to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (3 answers total)

If you want to test potential replacements, you can order samples from companies that specialize in decants, like The Perfumed Court or Surrender to Chance instead of having to invest in full bottles.

You may also find recommendations for a replacement on the forums at Fragrantica. I guarantee that the fragrance fans over there can help you find something comparable, if they haven’t solved the problem already. Good luck, finding a replacement for a beloved favorite can be frustrating!
posted by corey flood at 10:42 AM on July 16, 2023 [4 favorites]

I found a thread on Basenotes that had a few suggestions:

“To me…Paco Rabanne Pour Homme is similar to Kiehls Original Musk.”

“Kiehl's sits midway between Jovan Musk and Monsieur Musk (Houbigant), in terms of overall vibe. Not saying it's better or worse, just that it's midway between the more-floral Houbigant and spicier Jovan.”

“I recall Bruno Acampora's Musc oil to be reasonably similar.”

Good luck. I hate it when long-available good products get discontinued for no discernible reason.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 6:01 PM on July 16, 2023

Try a few of the fragrance oils at Nemat Perfumes, specifically Musk Amber, White Musk, and Egyptian Musk. Samples are $2.50. If nothing suits right off the bat, mixing/layering might help. Nemat's oils are long-wearing and inexpensive.
posted by Iris Gambol at 7:14 PM on July 16, 2023