The Best Office-Friendly Fragrances for a Clean, Professional Scent

So you’ve got your date night fragrance all sorted. You’ve prepared a summer scent for the sunshine, but can you still smell professional after a hot, stuffy commute? A prospective date will likely love a more sensual scent, but we can’t guarantee your boss will feel the same way, and it’s definitely worth thinking about grabbing a fragrance that’s both work appropriate and helps you stand out from the crowd.

We’re always conscious of wearing a nice fragrance around those you want to impress, but smelling clean and fresh in front of clients, colleagues, and your boss shouldn’t be sniffed at. You want a sophisticated aroma that offers little drama and stays on the professional side of alluring, which is a difficult balance to pull off. There’s no reason you should stress, though, as our fragrance experts have pulled together the six ultimate office-friendly fragrances that are guaranteed to get an approving nod from your boss.

Best Professional Fragrance Overall

Chanel Pour Monsieur EDP, 75ml, HK$850

• Fragrance Family: Fresh-chypre
• Concentration: Eau de toilette
• Motivation: Gentlemanly and timeless

The only men’s fragrance created while Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel was still alive, Pour Monsieur is the very epitome of elegant, timeless masculinity. Composed by master perfumer Henri Robert in 1955, it is for all intents and purposes the male equivalent of Chanel No. 5; effortlessly chic, discreet, and sophisticated. The fresh-chypre fragrance combines a British sense of refinement and aristocratic charm with a spicy heart and a woody dry down.

Opening with a burst of citrus-fresh Sicilian lemon wrapped in petitgrain and Tunisian neroli, it develops with hints of cardamom, ginger, coriander, and basil, before settling on a bed of oakmoss, vetiver and cedar. Whenever anybody asks me which fragrance I would recommend they buy for a relative, I always suggest Pour Monsieur, because I genuinely believe it is impossible to dislike it. Remarkable, understated, and without pretence, it has been a permanent fixture in my fragrance wardrobe for as long as I can remember.

Best Confidence-Boosting Fragrance

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver EDP, 50ml, HK$1,365

• Fragrance Family: Woody/aromatic
• Concentration: Eau de parfum
• Motivation: Confident and sophisticated

Designed to conjure the essence of Tom Ford’s menswear philosophy, Grey Vetiver overdoses on clean-cut, masculine elegance. A stealth scent—which is the olfactory equivalent of the classic blue blazer, the cap-toed shoe, or that beautiful watch—it has been crafted around the most authentic vetiver note available. Created by perfumer Harry Fremont, who moved the vetiver ingredient from the background (its traditional placement in men’s fragrances) to a signature spot (from top note through to long-lasting dry-down), it is also very modern. I love its cool, dry, and richly-woody facets—it’s a traditional man’s scent and is unapologetic about it.

Obtained by a revolutionary extraction technique (used here for the first time in perfumery), the ultra pure essence of vetiver used is of a far greater quantity than is traditional in a scent; leaving all of the other ingredients—orange flower, grapefruit, aromatic sage, orris root, nutmeg, pimento oakmoss, and a wash of golden, amber woods—to play important, but supporting positions. The fluted art deco-inspired frosted-glass bottle is also worthy of note; it invisibly slips into your jacket pocket (because it is flat) if you are planning after-work drinks and is a great way to elevate any tired-looking desk.

Best Clean-Smelling Fragrance

Jo Malone Basil & Neroli Cologne, 100ml, HK$1,405

• Fragrance Family: Green/floral
• Concentration: Eau de cologne
• Motivation: Clean, crisp and elegant

A more contemporary reinterpretation of the OG Jo Malone London cologne, Lime Basil & Mandarin, this charismatic scent brings a heightened level of sophistication without being overbearing. Created by renowned perfumer Anne Flipo, it is the kind of fragrance that has great presence but won’t hijack or upstage an important business meeting.

Quintessentially British, I think it also has a slightly flirty and playful edge; a versatile scent that will have your back whether chained to the desk, lunching with clients or after-work entertaining. Fresh and herbaceous, the fragrance begins its journey with a top note of warm and peppery basil, before a deep dive into the green and floral facets of neroli, made from the hand-picked blossoms of the bitter orange tree.

Its base of white musk, which has a very clean quality, helps enhance the trail of the scent, tinged with a wink of vetiver. Outstanding in its simplicity, it will never let you down; in my opinion, a future classic in the making.

Best Minimalist Fragrance

Acqua di Parma Colonia EDC, 100ml, HKD$723.50

• Fragrance Family: Citrus/aromatic/woody
• Concentration: Eau de cologne
• Motivation: Stealthy

The original Colonia eau de cologne set a precedent when it launched in 1916 as the ultimate fresh, clean and gentlemanly scent. Timeless, sophisticated and the very essence of Italian style and grace, not only has it stood the time by seducing a faithful but demanding clientele (Cary Grant was a big fan), it has also formed the basis for many of ADP’s other crowd-pleasing creations. Subtly changing throughout the day, it opens with the brand’s signature blend of golden citrus fruits: radiant lemon, Calabrian bergamot, and orange.

Balance is then achieved through an aromatic heart of Bulgarian rose, verbena, clary sage, rosemary and English lavender; its base is deeply rooted with Mysore sandalwood, Javan vetiver, oakmoss, patchouli, and cedar. I’ve tested and lived with many fragrances over the years, and honestly believe it’s impossible not to fall for the captivating elegance of this iconic, classy cologne.

Best Sophisticated Fragrance

Brioni Suave EDP, 100ml, HKD$1,100

• Fragrance Family: Woody/amber
• Concentration: Eau de parfum
• Motivation: Refined

As its name would suggest, Suave celebrates Brioni’s blend of nonchalant Roman elegance and peerless Italian know-how; tailoring legends since 1945. Aimed at the stealthy guy who surrounds himself with mid-century furniture and fine art, it is an extension of the Brioni man’s sartorial wardrobe and elegant lifestyle; a scent tailored with top-tier ingredients that evokes the serene embrace of home.

This is the sort of fragrance you can literally wear day in and day out—the ultimate signature of masculine sophistication with the volume turned down. Opening with citrus and spices, like streams of sunlight, zesty tangerine, pink peppercorn, and cardamom, brings soft and delicate warmth. A rich leathery heart with earthy vetiver, then gives way to a base of creamy sandalwood intertwined with salted amber that calms and soothes. Created by a crack team of no less than three collaborating perfumers: Michel Almairac (who composed the other 4 Brioni fragrances), Jérôme Epinette and Romain Almairac.

How we test the best office-friendly fragrances

The British GQ editors smell great and we don’t mind admitting. They all got exceptional personal taste, but they also all get to test out top-end fragrances regularly, so they’ve got something to recommend to you, the reader. They’re uniquely qualified to suggest the ultimate list of office-friendly fragrances because they spend so much time discussing our scents in our offices. Chief tester here is Adrian Clark, a long-time fragrance industry veteran. Not only has he worn each scent we’ve shared below personally, but he’s also tested them across decades of commutes, travel trips and boring meetings to assess the quality and longevity. After all that testing, he’s landed on the following six, which are his absolute favourites. Trust him implicitly.

First published on gq.com