AldehydesOpens with
VioletHeart
Ambrette (Musk Mallow)Dries down to
Mathieu NardinThe nose · 44 fragrances · also made Smoking Hot (2023)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
By Kilian · Sold as feminine
Musk Butterfly
A walk through a greenhouse where the air is filled with the scent of roses and geraniums, just as dusk begins to cast long shadows.
Full bottle: Luxury tier, typically $250+. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
Musk ButterflyLuxury · $250+
46%Similar accords, often for lessElisabethan Rose - Vintage · Penhaligon'sPremium tier, $100–250 · shares 4 of its 8 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
HeartThe Soul
BaseFoundation
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 2021 by By Kilian and crafted by perfumer Mathieu Nardin, Musk Butterfly is a floral aldehyde fragrance that dances between crisp freshness and deep musk. The composition opens with aldehydes and litchi, creating an initial burst of brightness. This gives way to the heart notes of Damask rose and Turkish rose, supported by geranium and violet, which add layers of floral complexity. The base of ambrette (musk mallow), sandalwood, and agarwood (oud) ensures a warm, enveloping finish that lingers without overpowering.
Two sprays are sufficient — the aldehydic top notes provide an immediate burst of freshness, while the musky base develops gradually. This fragrance reads better close to skin rather than from a distance, so apply it where you want the warmth and depth to be felt intimately.
Fig. 01 — Musk Butterfly, By Kilian
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
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Mathieu Nardin
Grasse roots, modern handsBorn and raised in Grasse to a family of perfumers, Mathieu Nardin developed his appreciation for raw materials picking jasmine and rose in his grandparents' fields.
Designer By Kilian
More from the house · founded 2007 · Ireland
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $250+ price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalMusk ButterflyBy Kilian · Luxury · $250+Penhaligon's · 1984Elisabethan Rose - VintageShares 4 of its 8 notes$100–250★ 3.82 (438)39%Match
Penhaligon's · 1976ViolettaShares Geranium, Violet and Sandalwood$100–250★ 3.99 (561)41%Match
Valentino · 2006V EteShares 5 of its 14 notes$100–250★ 3.72 (253)39%Match
Al Haramain Perfumes · 2021SamaShares Geranium, Violet and Sandalwoodunder $40★ 3.63 (19)
With By Kilian Single Malt
Adds fruity, sweet and vanilla; shares two accords.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
A polarising scent: loved by 31%, disliked or hated by 29%.