The Body Shop White Musk Libertine

The Body Shop White Musk Libertine

On the 30th anniversary of White Musk, The Body Shop launches White Musk Libertine, a new floral musk masterpiece and an exciting evolution of the iconic original.

The international best-selling White Musk range was first launched in 1981 to critical acclaim. A sensational world first and a landmark for the fragrance industry, White Musk was the first cruelty-free musk fragrance to arrive on the market. The range quickly captured the imagination of the public and celebrities alike, selling an astonishing 2.5 White Musk fragrances per minute.

White Musk Libertine is set to surpass the success of the White Musk fragrance with a new generation scent.

Inspired by modern libertines and their multifaceted personalities; adventurous and sensual in nature with an equal mystery to boast, a libertine is enthused with positive attitude. Blessed with effortless charm and uncompromising control, she is unforgettable and will captivate and inspire any audience.

White Musk Libertine's fragrance triangle makes it different to any other by containing 65% of distinct rare musks. Musks, which exist at its top, heart and base, react differently with the contrasting ingredients, to unveil a multifaceted ever evolving fragrance.

Sweet Turkish delight and Chantilly cream notes open with an audacious tease of playfulness, while the Orchid bursts with femininity. Musk intensifies at the base, rounding up to inner strength and solidity for a mysterious veil of confidence and sensuality.

The Body Shop worked with the worlds largest privately owned and Nobel Prize winning fragrance house Firmenich and its leading perfumer Dr. Vincent Schäller in developing White Musk Libertine.

Top Note: grapefruit, blossom , turkish delight and musk
Middle Note: turkish delight, sherry baby orchid, tiare flower and musk
Base Note: chantilly cream, ambery woods and musk

1. White Musk Libertine Eau de Parfum 30ml
A bold new twist on musk, this sensual Eau de Parfum features a heady blend of cruelty-free musks at its top, heart and base, with sweet notes of Turkish delight, baby orchid and Chantilly cream. Contains Community Fair Trade alcohol from sugarcane organically grown in Ecuador. Spritz onto neck and pulse points.
RRP $43.95

2. White Musk Libertine Body Lotion 200ml
A luxurious body lotion with the sensual scent of White Musk Libertine. Massage all over body after bathing or showering, and use with other products in the White Musk Libertine range to build the fragrance. Contains Community Fair Trade shea butter and Community Fair Trade Brazil Nut Oil.
RRP $29.95

3. White Musk Libertine Body Spritz 100ml
A light, all-over body spritz with the sensual scent of White Musk Libertine: a blend of cruelty-free musks with sweet notes of Turkish delight, baby orchid and Chantilly cream. Spritz all over the body after bathing or showering. Top up throughout the day.
RRP $26.95

4. White Musk Libertine Body Wash 200ml
Perfect for the shower or bath, you can enjoy cleansing with all the sweetness and femininity of the White Musk Libertine fragrance. This Body Wash includes Musk Mallow extract and organic Community Trade honey from Africa to moisturise and condition your skin.
RRP $23.95

5+6. White Musk Libertine Eau de Toilette 30ml
Unleash your inner free spirit with this Eau de Toilette. Ideal for everyday use, this light EDT bursts with a sensual floral-musk scent and contains cruelty-free musk and Community Fair Trade alcohol from Ecuador.
RRP $29.95; 60ml RRP $42.95

Did You Know?
White Musk Libertine contains Community Fair Trade organic alcohol made from organic sugar cane from Ecuador. The Body Shop dedicated two years to setting up its relationship with the alcohol supplier, CADO, based in the remote Cotopaxi province of the country. Trade with The Body Shop promotes organic farming here, helping to protect the natural biodiversity of 200 hectares of farmland and offering stability to the community and directly benefitting over 100 families.

Interview with Dr. Vincent Schaller

Dr. Vincent Schaller, Firmenichi Perfumer and Creator of White Musk Libertine.
The Body Shop is pleased to announce Dr. Vincent Schäller as the creator of White Musk Libertine. This unique fragrance was achieved through passion, dedication, heart and the beliefs of a true libertine.

Dr. Vincent Schäller rejected the family pharmacy business to pursue his dream of fine perfumery. After gaining a doctorate in chemistry, he was bold enough to knock on the doors of Firmenich, the world's leading perfumery.

A leader in the field, years of experience at Firmenich has given Dr. Vincent Schäller the opportunity to develop fragrances for some of the world's grandest luxury fashion houses including Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior and Kenzo.

Firmenich itself is the largest privately owned fragrance house in the world. Owning some of the most complex and rare musks, the perfumery uses this to good effect and can boast over 1,500 patented fragrances as well as a Nobel Prize for chemistry and musk research in 1939.

Question: How did you begin your career as a perfumer?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: My family had a pharmacy business, so an interest in chemistry was instilled in me from a young age. After gaining a doctorate in chemistry an opportunity to work for Firmenich, a Noble Prize winning company, and for some of the most renowned luxury brands in the world was too good to turn down. I love the work I do and the sense of pride that comes with it.


Question: What is your favourite thing about being a perfumer?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: The fragrances themselves are one of the most satisfying elements of the work I do. So much heart and hard work goes into the development of each fragrance. The quality of the end result and knowing that people from all around the world are enjoying them gives me a very rewarding feeling.


Question: Where do you draw your inspirations from for fragrances?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: Inspirations and ideas can be drawn from anywhere and at anytime, like with some of the ingredients in The Body Shop White Musk Libertine for example. I was taking a look around the Chateau de Chantilly (Chantilly castle) when I saw a plaque on a wall which had the recipe of Chantilly cream. This was the original recipe from over two centuries ago and was a favourite of Marie Antoinette. The recipe was more complex than I'd thought and included more than just cream, vanilla and sugar. I thought this was interesting, so I took a picture of the recipe and took it back to my lab to try to recreate it for a fragrance. Chantilly Cream now appears as a base note in White Musk Libertine.


Question: What does being a libertine mean to you?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: Libertine is about the freedom of expression. It means feeling confident and empowered enough to live a life that you want and in the manner you like. Everyone can be a libertine! It's not restricted to any type of person, personality or age - that is one of the great things about the libertine concept.


Question: Who would you say are/were inspirational libertines?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: Anita Roddick is someone who was a true inspiration to me and many others. Her libertine traits helped her to see the world differently and bring to the fore, issues that needed to be addressed.


Question: What is the inspiration behind The Body Shop White Musk Libertine?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: We wanted to celebrate what it means to be a libertine and the essence of femininity. White Musk Libertine is about evolution and not revolution, so we also took inspiration from the original White Musk: which was a defining scent of its generation, a leading world first and accessible to all women.


Question: How long did it take to create The Body Shop White Musk Libertine?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: The whole process from the briefing to sourcing the right ingredients and creating the final fragrance took over a year. The process was timed so the launch coincides with the 30th anniversary of White Musk.


Question: How did you go about finding three different notes that would work and complement each other so well?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: The brief and the concept of libertine really helped in making this process easier. We knew we needed to find a unique and original ingredient mix as well as finding scents that would bring out the key libertine personality traits: confident, feminine, sensual and playful. Turkish Delight is a spicy scent and along with the sweet aroma of Chantilly Cream give the fragrance its playful personality. The Sherry Baby Orchid and Tiare Flower add a floral touch to the fragrance to give The Body Shop White Musk Libertine its femininity. All are tied together with musk at each level to make for a longer lasting fragrance. The Body Shop White Musk Libertine actually contains the most musk than any fragrance with 65% musk. The original White Musk only consisted of 50%. The Body Shop White Musk Libertine is designed to envelope throughout the wear to give a more enjoyable and addictive fragrance experience. This makes The Body Shop White Musk Libertine more complex than any other fragrance including some of the world's leading brand names.


Question: What is so unique about The Body Shop White Musk Libertine ingredients?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: This is the first time that Turkish Delight and Sherry Baby Orchid have been used in a fragrance, individually and as a combination. The Sherry Baby Orchid is the only orchid to have an aroma, which is why orchids haven't been used in fragrances before. The orchid is seen as a modern flower, so was a perfect fit for The Body Shop White Musk Libertine.


Question: What does The Body Shop White Musk Libertine have in common with the original White Musk?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: Both the original White Musk and The Body Shop's new White Musk Libertine contain three different musks, which created a highly sophisticated and complex scent in both fragrances.


Question: The Body Shop White Musk Libertine uses ingredients sourced from The Body Shop Community Fair Trade programme. What do you think of this initiative?

Dr. Vincent Schaller: I think the initiative is great. It's important as humans for us to respect each other and give back where possible. Also, the resultant ingredients that come out of these communities are high quality whilst being more sustainable. Firmenich as a company share similar values to The Body Shop. The company was the first to pioneer the development of synthetic musks. This musk technology has helped to change the fragrance industry in combating the practice of animal cruelty.