The 9 Best Colognes for the Workplace

Searching for a scent that’s as clean and elevated as a white polo? Look no further than the king of polo shirts itself: Lacoste. The brand’s L.12.12 Blanc EDT is as fresh as fragrance gets, with juicy grapefruit, rosemary, and cardamom at the top; a soft, floral heart; and a smooth base of cedar, suede, vetiver, and leather. It’s professional, polished, and perfect for the office.

One of our all-time favorite Chanel scents, the Bleu de Chanel EDT is a great choice for a reliable, everyday cologne. It’s one of the most popular men’s fragrances in the world, so you might not be the only one at work wearing it, and you’ll be in good company. It balances the freshness of grapefruit, mint, pink pepper, and ginger with the masculine woodiness of sandalwood, patchouli, incense, and vetiver.

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Remember Gap Dream from the ’90s? Well, it’s back and better than ever. As soon as Gap relaunched its beloved fragrance line, I got my hands on a bottle of Gap Dream, which was recently taken by a coworker of mine who literally uses it to make his office smell good. And I can’t blame him, because the combination of juicy citrus, fresh florals, and botanical musks really is wonderful—and at just $52 a bottle, I might as well get another one.

Clean, fresh fragrances are all well and good, and we genuinely love the first three on this list. But now, let’s move into something more woody and a little bit spicy. Mind Games released its new Knight’s Tour extrait just last month, and it’s already become one of my new favorites. It’s a refined, sophisticated scent built around key notes of lavender and saffron with some nice spice up top and smooth woods at the base.

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L’Homme Prada is a classic—and an essential if you like earthy fragrances. It exudes the kind of luxury you expect from a Prada product while still staying grounded with the natural scents of neroli, geranium, and patchouli. It’s a modern take on the classic fougère and adds amber and woods for that extra smooth, rich earthiness.

Maybe you see scent as something private that you only want in your personal space—something just for you, not for your coworker at the next desk over. In that case, Commodity Fragrances has “personal” versions of each of its scents, meaning they don’t radiate out but stay close to the skin. One of my favorites is the Paper personal fragrance: a simple, subtle blend of musks, woods, and amber.

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Bright, citrusy scents are also a good choice for the workplace, since they’re generally fresh, light, and inoffensive. One of my all-time favorite citrus fragrances is Bulgari’s Eau Parfumée Thé Impérial EDP, which we even included in this year’s Grooming Awards. It relies on just three notes: black tea, citrus, and musk, which create a delightfully refreshing blend that’s perfect for the spring or summer but also works year-round.

Now, colognes that are too spicy might be a little out there for the workplace, but a bit of spice blended with citrus, fresh herbal notes, and smooth woods? That’s a recipe for success. Dolce & Gabbana’s The One For Men EDT is a prime example of just the right amount of spice. It’s a masculine mix of basil, lavender, and sage with citrus, woods, and amber, and it’s truly perfect for any occasion.

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While we usually don’t advise smoky scents in the workplace (you don’t want to smell like you’re on your smoke break all day long), Lumira’s Cuban Tobacco might be the exception. It’s a good choice if you love warm, smoky scents but want one that won’t be too overpowering. It has those dark notes of tobacco and mahogany at the base, which are tempered by fresh top notes of juicy tangerine, spicy cardamom, and a heart of clean florals.

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