Synthetic musks (SMs), as a group of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), have been widely detected in the environment at ng L⁻¹ ~ μg L⁻¹ levels and require our serious attention regarding their presence, toxicity and treatment technologies. In this study, ferrate (Fe₂O₄²⁻, Fe(VI)) was employed to treat two typical SMs, galaxolide (HHCB) and tonalide (AHTN), in water solutions. The treatment efficiencies of trace level HHCB and AHTN compounds (16 μg L⁻¹ each) in individual and mixed solutions by Fe(VI) (0–45 mg L⁻¹ as Fe) at pH 5.5–8.5 were assessed, and oxidation products of both compounds were also investigated by means of solid phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPE-GC–MS). Results demonstrated that Fe(VI) was more suitable to remove HHCB than AHTN from test solutions. Specifically, when solution pH was 6.5 and Fe(VI) dose was 15–18 mg L⁻¹ as Fe, the removal efficiencies of HHCB and AHTN in individual test solutions were up to 60% and 40%, respectively. Comparatively, much higher Fe(VI) doses were required (up to 38 mg L⁻¹ as Fe) in order to achieve considerable removal efficiencies of both compounds in mixed test solutions. Solution pH played an important role and neutral conditions would benefit the removal of both compounds. In addition, several oxidation products (OPs) of both HHCB and AHTN were identified, and degradation pathways were then tentatively proposed. Finally, engineering aspects of Fe(VI) technology in full-scale water treatment applications were also discussed.