Let’s be honest. You are a working man, looking to find the best office colognes money can buy. Or, you are not even working in a cubicle environment, surrounded by other people. That’s great too.
Still, you have the same goal. You want to smell good, and no matter is it for you, or to leave a nice impression. Believe it or not, finding the appropriate best fragrance for the office or working outside can be one of the difficult things to get correct.
That’s because, in the end, we are all people, and we all have different tastes in almost everything. So, there are going to be some compromises you’ll have to do.
From the way we talk, we dress, and also which office fragrances we wear. But, don’t take this as a bad thing.
The work environment is an ideal place to find your signature perfume. Which will remind your colleagues of you. Furthermore, I’m proud to say that this Scent Grail’s list will take a different route than other lists of this kind.
In this article you’ll discover the best office colognes in these types of scents:
- 4 modern designer fragrances
- 3 modern & timeless-smelling niche fragrances
- 3 classic fragrances for an older gentleman
What I would like to know is which are the best perfumes that you use for work. Leave a comment in the comment section at the end of this article. Please keep in mind that this list is in no particular order.
Also, don’t forget to check out the following Scent Grails’ lists:
- 20 Best Winter Fragrances For Men
- 30 Best Men’s Fragrances Of All Time
- Top Fall Perfumes For 2020
- The Best Books About Perfume
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TOP SCENT GRAIL’S PICKS AT A GLANCE:
– Best modern designer choice: Montblanc Explorer –> Buy Here
– Best niche choice: Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza –> Buy Here
– Best classic choice: Guerlain Vetiver –> Buy Here
Should You Wear A Fragrance In The Office
Wearing a fragrance in the office can be a tricky thing. Personally, much of my job experience has been office related, and the right answer would be to respect the office rules.
You certainly don’t want to be that “cologne guy” in the office which everyone avoids because of this.
If your office has strict rules regarding the scents and colognes, that could potentially bring you into uncomfortable situations with your superiors(unless you are the boss).
Always respect the working environment rules, and do an estimation on what can you do, and what you can’t.
It is better to wear something neutral or no perfume at all than get into tricky situations, without exception.
How to choose the best office colognes for you
Now, the fun part. Office fragrances don’t have to be dull or boring. They can be equally exciting as spicy, resinous, or sweet fragrances if chosen correctly.
Also, I am a strong ambassador of the fact that both men and women can wear fragrances marketed for both sexes. Fragrances such as Guerlain’ Shalimar or Tom Ford’s Black Orchid are prime proof of that.
Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend those two masterpiece fragrances for the working environment, so let’s get so ground rules straight of what you should and shouldn’t look for in office colognes:
BEST TYPES OF OFFICE FRAGRANCES:
- Fresh, green, citrus, and woody fragrances
- Above-average lasting fragrances
- Moderate sillage
- Something that will get you noticed, but for positive things
AVOID THESE FRAGRANCES IN THE OFFICE ENVIRONMENT:
- Sweet and strong resinous fragrances
- Heavy floral fragrances in fall and winter
- Overbearingly projecting and long-lasting fragrances
- Dark fragrances and generally unusual scent profiles
Although it may seem like there are a ton of rules, in reality, you’ll see that it’s quite simple. Here are the best office colognes your money can buy.
1. Tom Ford Grey Vetiver (Modern Designer)
Why choose Grey Vetiver: If Grey Vetiver was available in every perfume store, it would have been the most popular work-friendly perfume of all time. Is it a fresh and clean vetiver fragrance like no other. Fits almost any situation and season. Bright Grapefruit and clean Vetiver and the most dominant notes.
- Fragrance Type: Citrus Woody
- Perfumer: n/a
- Perfume Concentration: Edp
- Release Date: 2009
- Age group: 25+
- Main Notes: Grapefruit and Vetiver
- Longevity and Projection: 8 – 10 hours with average projection
- Seasons: Any season
- Occasions: Business and Leisure
2. Montblanc Explorer (Modern Designer)
Why choose Montblanc Explorer: Explorer is the best interpretation of the popular Creed Aventus on the market today. A natural-smelling and office-friendly fragrance that will garner you some positive compliments as well. The first stage of the fragrance is peppery and fruity, while the dry down is woody. You can check out my full review here.
- Fragrance Type: Fruity Aromatic
- Perfumer: Jórdi Fernandez, Antoine Maisondieu and Olivier Pescheux
- Perfume Concentration: Edp
- Release Date: 2019
- Age group: 18+
- Main Notes: Bergamot, Pink Pepper, and Ambroxan
- Longevity and Projection: 20 – 24 hours of longevity with average sillage
- Seasons: Any season
- Occasions: Any occasion
3. Prada Amber Pour Homme (Modern Designer)
Why choose Prada Amber: If you are into clean and somewhat soapy scents, then Prada Amber is a fragrance for you. Forget the notes. It smells like the most expensive soap in the world. This is the best office scent from Prada up to this date.
- Fragrance Type: Oriental Musky
- Perfumer: Daniela Andrier
- Perfume Concentration: Edt
- Release Date: 2006
- Age group: 25+
- Main Notes: Musk, Neroli, Myrrh
- Longevity and Projection: 8 hours with an average projection
- Seasons: Spring, Summer, and Fall
- Occasions: Business and Leisure
4. Dior Homme Cologne (Modern Designer)
Why choose Dior Homme Cologne: DHC is one of those hidden best office colognes that rarely gets into these types of lists. That’s why this freshly squeezed tart lemonade is your finest secret weapon. It is the most refreshing Dior fragrance out there.
- Fragrance Type: Citrus Musky
- Perfumer: Francois Demachy
- Perfume Concentration: Edc
- Release Date: 2013
- Age group: 18+
- Main Notes: Grapefruit and Musk
- Longevity and Projection: 6 hours with average projection
- Seasons: Spring, Summer, and Fall
- Occasions: Any occasion
5. Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza (Niche)
Why choose Colonia Essenza: With the simple black and white Art Deco design, Colonia Essenza takes a look back into ADP’s rich history, and announces the fragrance which is out of this world. Italian bergamot paired with realistic neroli makes the wearing unbelievably good. As far as uplifting neroli scents go, Colonia Essenza is the champion. Gentlemanly and luxurious at the same time. Check out my full review here.
- Fragrance Type: Citrus Floral
- Perfumer: Michel Almairac
- Perfume Concentration: Edc
- Release Date: 2010
- Age group: 25+
- Main Notes: Bergamot, Neroli, and Musk
- Longevity and Projection: 6 – 8 hours of longevity with moderate sillage
- Seasons: Spring and Summer
- Occasions: Business and Leisure
6. Creed Green Irish Tweed (Niche)
Why choose Green Irish Tweed: Creed is synonymous with its high-quality “safe” fragrances. I have purposefully avoided the usual suspect since they also have other great offerings like this. The fragrance is smoothly blended and is a historical icon of perfumery. Both opening and much of the drydown smell freshly green and will remind you of vast and open Irish landscapes.
- Fragrance Type: Floral Woody
- Perfumer: Pierre Bourdon
- Perfume Concentration: Edp
- Release Date: 1985
- Age group: 30+
- Main Notes: Lemon Verbena, Violet, and Ambergris
- Longevity and Projection: 8 – 10 hours with average projection
- Seasons: Any season
- Occasions: Business and Leisure
7. Amouage Reflection Man (Niche)
Why choose Reflection Man: Reflection Man is a smooth and fresh fragrance that is often compared to the famous JPG Le Male. Main notes include jasmine and neroli with peppery Sandalwood in the background. If you want just one office fragrance to use the whole year round, go for Reflection.
- Fragrance Type: Floral Woody
- Perfumer: Lucas Sieuzac
- Perfume Concentration: Edp
- Release Date: 2007
- Age group: 25+
- Main Notes: Neroli, Jasmine, and Sandalwood
- Longevity and Projection: 8 – 10 hours with good projection
- Seasons: Any season
- Occasions: Business and Leisure
8. Yves Saint Laurent Kouros (Classic Choice)
Why choose Kouros: Inspired by Greek mythology and ancient Gods, Kouros is a fragrance that celebrates everlasting masculinity and adventurous spirit. Unforgettable musky aroma trail sets apart this masterpiece from any other perfume. Kouros is a fantastic choice for anyone who wishes to experience a well-done creation from the powerhouse ’80s era.
- Fragrance Type: Aromatic Musk
- Perfumer: Pierre Bourdon
- Perfume Concentration: Edt
- Release Date: 1981
- Age group: 30+
- Main Notes: Musk, Leather, and Honey
- Longevity and Projection: 8 – 10 hours with average projection
- Seasons: Any season
- Occasions: Business and Leisure
9. Caron Pour Un Homme (Classic Choice)
Why choose Pour Un Homme: Officially the first fragrance on the market exclusively for men. The fragrance opens with a therapeutic note of lavender paired with aromatic rosemary. As the fragrance develops, the weaver is greeted with an upscale vanilla note and a touch of musk which smells like clean sheets.
- Fragrance Type: Aromatic Musky
- Perfumer: Ernest Daltroff
- Perfume Concentration: Edt
- Release Date: 1934
- Age group: 30+
- Main Notes: Lavender, Amber, and Vanilla
- Longevity and Projection: 6 – 8 hours with an average projection
- Seasons: Any season
- Occasions: Business and Leisure
10. Guerlain Vetiver (Classic Choice)
Why choose Vetiver: Natural, gentlemanly, and classy. Vetiver is Guerlain’s classic which is still a fragrance choice of millions. Beautiful perfume, and one of those which many have tried to copy during the better half of the last century, but no one has succeeded. If you like moderate fragrances with the main notes of tobacco and vetiver, don’t sleep on this one.
- Fragrance Type: Citrus Woody
- Perfumer: Jean-Paul Guerlain
- Perfume Concentration: Edt
- Release Date: 1961
- Age group: 30+
- Main Notes: Bergamot, Vetiver, and Tobacco
- Longevity and Projection: 6 – 8 hours with an average projection
- Seasons: Any season
- Occasions: Business and Leisure
How To Apply Perfume
By purchasing your favorite office fragrance, you are one step closer to making a great impression.
All that is left now is to apply your new perfume properly. Well, the thing is, the office environment requires even more caution than casual occasions.
That’s why I’m going to teach you an easy way how to apply your perfume when you don’t want to be noticed for the wrong things.
- Go for two to four sprays max – we tend to overspray our perfumes and that is a fact. So, cut the sprays to half of your usual number when going to work.
- Spray under the shirt – if your office cologne is performing too much, a nice way to mute the sillage is to put a spray or two under the shirt. This way, the fragrance will be more intimate and you’ll still be able to smell it.
- Scent Grail’s EXPERT TIP: “Rubbing your wrists” myth busted – don’t believe what you have read so far about this “urban myth”. Nothing will happen to your perfume if you gently tap your wrists a few times after you have applied your perfume. Ask any educated perfume sales assistant or the person who works in the perfume industry, and they’ll confirm this.
- Scent Grail’s EXPERT TIP: Spray behind your ears – by spraying behind your ears, you are not just applying your perfume to the best possible pulse point, but you are also placing your perfume to the place where our skin is at the thinnest point. At this special place, your perfume will not jump off your skin, and yet, it will project just enough so that you are your colleagues will notice you.
- Avoid spraying on clothes and using creams/lotions to enhance perfume performance – in any other situation, these would be the top-recommended tips to do. But, I recommend minimizing the usage of these perfume performance enhancers.
Conclusion
There you have it. Now, that you have discovered the best office colognes I recommend checking out some of the other perfumes you can use in other situations like Musc Ravageur or Zaharoff Signature.
Or maybe you would like to know what is the real difference between designer and niche fragrances. Either way, you can always count that you can find them on these fragrance discounter websites.
Last, but not least, let’s have a conversation in the comment section below, and tell me what office fragrances you use for work.
Until next time, smell great and be safe!
Best, Marin!
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Your number one resource for Holy Grail Signature Scents.
– Marin Kristic
