Musk | 12 by Kayali

Musk 12 is another perfume that was included in the Kayali sample set that I bought by Huda Beauty. This is one which was released back in 2018. I wasn’t too sure if I was going to really like another musky perfume, but I wanted to test it out and review it anyway. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Musk 12 Smell Like?

Notes include: lotus, jasmine, musks, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Musk 12 from Sephora

My Full Review

The opening here is interesting. You get a burst of fresh floral notes, led by the lotus, with a bit of that watery cleanliness sitting underneath the main aroma. But, you will also get hints of vanilla, plus a powdery grouping of the musk notes.

It’s very soft and clean. Becomes more of a blend of white floral notes. The jasmine doesn’t really stand out much on its own, but I get its influence on the entirety of the scent.

The lotus will settle down a lot and just be a part of that more generic floral blend. The stars here are the musk and vanilla. Powdery and slightly sweet with a decent amount of sandalwood appearing for a time.

Musk isn’t a very complicated perfume on its own. It’s one of the stronger candidates from Kayali for layering though.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Musk 12 is pretty moderate as a fragrance, even during the initial sprays. It’s not going to project super far nor leave much of a scent trail. Well, maybe that first hour, you’ll have some of that going on.

After, it will be much more of an intimate fragrance and is going to stick to that 1-3 foot range from the skin.

The longevity is also pretty mid-range, the lower end of that spectrum. On me, it will stick around for maybe 5 hours total. That last hour or so, is very light, but it is actually still there. You may just need to press your nose closer to detect it.

Seasonally, this perfume is wearable year round. The versatility is probably its greatest strength, as it isn’t too heavy for the heat, but also has an aroma that does well when it’s kind of cold out.

It can cover a lot of bases on its own. If you want a low key daily wear, Musk 12 can probably fit the bill. Light, smells nice, and isn’t going to beg for attention. Plus, you have the optionality of successfully pairing it with a host of perfumes.

Overall Impressions of Musk 12

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I do. This is one of the Kayali scents that I wasn’t too sure that I would enjoy, but it is actually one of the better options from the line.

Again, a simple scent that will probably get a lot of use as one to layer with other perfumes, but it actually holds up well enough on its own.

I like the softness, the powdery aspects, vanilla, and how clean Musk 12 feels without being heavy or off-putting. It’s got a great balance and is absolutely one of their better releases.

The performance isn’t all that great, so just be aware of that before you commit to a full bottle. On smell alone, I think that it is nice and pleasant. A perfume that should get plenty of use in one’s rotation.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.