Some scents can be polarizing, for any number of reasons. First, the fragrance might just be bad or cheap — sorry to break it to you. Secondly, though, is that your scent may be sending the wrong signals to your colleagues, or it may not match your personality, nor your role in the office.
Below are 8 scents we love that suit the workplace quite nicely. Some are more forward than others, perhaps best worn by the guy in charge or the take-charge guy. Others rely on subtly and complexion to turn heads and garner more meeting invites. Choose wisely (though you’re already doing so by picking one from this list).
Ormonde Jayne Ormonde Elixir
This strong woody scent has a subtle spice, which gives it a complexity and curiousness to stand out from the competition. Wear it to work if you want your colleagues or employees to both fear and respect you, and if you want something that lasts from button-up to sun-down. You won’t need to reapply Ormonde Jayne’s oud-cedar-coriander fragrance throughout the day.
Escentric Molecules Molecule 01
On first test, you may not smell anything with Escentric Molecules’ cult-favorite “scent”. That’s because the single ingredient is something called Iso E Super, a synthetic molecule that is also inside most fragrances. As a standalone, however, it works with your skin’s chemistry to project something special — a customized, fresh, pheromone-fueled kind of radiance. You’ll get compliments, trust; you just can’t pick up the prowess on first sniff alone. Give it time to work its magic on your skin.
Louis Vuitton Sun Song
This is the perfect complement to spring and summer, or the perfect antidote to late fall and winter. Sun Song combines orange blossom, lemon and musk to create a magnetic, bright orbit around you, but in a way that respects professional decorum. It suits vibrant and social personalities best of all, or may procure those qualities in quieter individuals.
Calvin Klein Eternity for Men
CK’s 2019 upgrade on Eternity for Men is one of its best yet: the deep-green potion juxtaposes cypress, sage, and suede with lavender, geranium and apple. It’s an uplifting and sharply nuanced scent, but also a great “play it safe” option that appeals to pretty much everyone who encounters it. A terrific (and affordable) signature scent, too.
Perris Monte Carlo Arancia di Sicilia
Like fresh-squeezed juice, Arancia di Sicilia refreshes on contact, thanks to crisp notes of mandarin, orange blossom and bitter orange. Better yet, it’s like that moment you peel into an orange, and see the brief spritz and dissipation of oils into the air. It’s a balance of sweet, bitter and tart, and will make you exactly 0 enemies in the workplace, thanks to its optimistic powers.
Coqui Coqui Tabaco
Let your colleagues take the smoke break, only to return smelling like a 1950s motel room. You, on the other hand, spritz yourself in the warmth, richness, and allure of Coqui Coqui Tabaco, smelling only like the good stuff — and not the puffy, polarizing byproduct. “Rich simplicity” is the core of Coqui Coqui, and it’s also your new reputation at the office.
Claus Porto Aqua Geranium
This scent transports you to the verdant gardens of Lisbon, with notes of geranium, moss, bergamot and vetiver. It’s one of the subtler picks from the list, if you don’t want to project perfume all day. Instead, it’s a well-rounded woody, fresh, and crisp fragrance that perfectly reflects all of Claus Porto’s exceptional bath, body, and shave assortment.
Giorgio Armani Armani Code
Armani Code has serious gravity, thanks to the combination of leather, tonka, tobacco and star anise. To spare it from a come-hither territory (and to make it work friendly), the perfumers added bergamot, lemon and olive-tree blossom. Don’t get us wrong, it’s still got a come-hither-ness to it, but one that pairs handsomely with your button-up and blazer—with or without a tie.
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