Jovan Musk For Men: Has It Stood The Test Of Time?

Finding the right cologne is a daunting task, and lots of people believe that buying cologne sucks.

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Thankfully, we’re here to make that task suck a little less—especially if you already have your eye on Jovan Musk. In today’s Jovan Musk review, we’re going to take an in-depth look at this widely recognized scent.

Is it outdated? Is it too strong? Is it worth buying?

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Who Makes it?

Jovan Musk for men comes from Jovan. This company got its start in 1968, and the founders chose its name because it “sounded French.”

The cologne has been around almost as long as Jovan has—since 1973, to be exact. Murray Moscona created the first iteration, the Jovan Musk oil, an aftershave/oil that gained traction and became one of the best-selling drugstore picks. Jovan Musk became ubiquitous in the seventies, and lots of people’s fathers and grandfathers used it religiously.

Jovan did something right because its fragrance has stood the test of time. Nowadays, it’s available as the Jovan Musk cologne.

Scent Notes

Now let’s talk about the Musk cologne’s scent notes, which can be described as the quintessential “manly” aroma. It has that woody floral musk fragrance that comes to mind when we think about men’s scents. The fragrance vocabulary in this cologne include the following top notes:

Pepper
Lime
Carnation
Amalfi lemon

Jovan also introduced some heavier-hitting middle notes:

Lavender
Amber
Mint
Spices

Finally, the base notes are musk and woodsy notes with a little civet that delivers a pleasant, fresh smelling scent.

Packaging and Presentation

When it comes to packaging and presentation, you get what you expect from a drugstore perfume: simplicity.

This signature cologne comes in an understated orange spray bottle. It’s nothing fancy or over-the-top, so if you’re looking for a perfume that works as a functional art piece, you should look elsewhere. The orange color and simple design of the bottle is attractive, though rather underwhelming. However, given its price, you would hardly expect a lavish bottle.

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Personal Impressions

Here’s where the review gets interesting. The musk that gives this cologne its name is impossible to miss—but it’s quite divisive. People either love Jovan Musk, or they hate it with a passion.

Those that love it hail this cologne as having the perfect amount of musk, and there also seems to be a nostalgia factor. Because Jovan Musk has been around for decades, both men and women remember it as the perfume that their fathers wore, and it brings them back to those days.

For others, however, this blast from the past is reason to snub it. Plenty of reviewers think that this cologne is both cheap and common, as well as dated. Others find that the scent is too overpowering and somewhat soapy, and they feel that it should have stayed in the seventies.

For us, how much you like this cologne will depend mainly on how much you enjoy musk.

It’s worth keeping in mind that this scent is nothing that will compete against designer colognes, but it was never meant to. Its longevity does tell us that it holds up against other scents in its price range. And despite claims of being dated, the fact that so many people still buy it shows that the cologne still translates well to present times.

Performance

If musk is your thing, for cologne on the more affordable end, Jovan Musk performs well. You get moderate sillage, excellent projection, and between six to eight hours of longevity. Just don’t expect maturation, nuances, or any evolution as you wear it.

Because this old-school scent is a strong one, many men recommend being careful about how much you apply. It’s easy to put on too much and have it be overpowering—so much so that no one wants to be close to you.

While everyone’s body chemistry is different (and you may have to experiment to find what works for you), applying somewhere between two to four sprays is an excellent place to start.

Who Would Like it?

By now, it’s clear that Jovan Musk is a divisive scent, despite having a broad customer base. So who do we think would like it?

For one, Jovan Musk is ideal for men who aren’t fussy about cologne. If you like musk and you like smelling “manly,” but you don’t want to spend a fortune on cologne, you may want to try this one. Additionally, if you’re someone who likes a classic and distinct smell, Jovan Musk could work for you.

Not sure about what this cologne might say about you? Jovan has other options you can try. For example, Jovan Black Musk is another popular fragrance with a similar musky scent, but it has more floral notes.

Or you might want to try Jovan White Musk, an aromatic green fragrance that’s more reminiscent of a beach vacation.

Where Should You Wear it?

The excellent thing about Jovan Musk is its versatility; you can wear it pretty much anywhere. Lots of men use it as their daily scent, and it’s well suited to casual wear. You could also wear it on a date with no problem.

Just as important as knowing where to wear cologne is knowing when to wear it, as seasonality is a concern. It’s vital to see if you have seasonal scents in your collection and consider this factor when purchasing new fragrances.

In the case of Jovan Musk, its heavier notes are better suited to cooler weather and climates. In the summer, you’ll probably want something lighter and fresher, especially if you’re going on vacation.