Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Grooming

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

5 men’s colognes that go from work to the gym (and back again)

The 5 best colognes that suit both your workday and your workout

Claudia Savin
By
A man in a suit holding a bottle of cologne
Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock

As summer approaches and your activity level rises to match the balmy temperatures, your thoughts may turn to smelling fresh. Your favorite spicy tobacco and vanilla fragrance you wore all winter suddenly seems too heavy and just plain wrong for summer, especially for outdoor athletic activities and the gym. Your fragrance must be as versatile, fresh, and dynamic as you are. It must smell sophisticated enough for the workplace while maintaining a clean, vigorous scent profile, even in the stuffiest locales. Here are five men’s colognes that can handle your needs without a sweat.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Bon Parfumeur 801 – Sea Spray, Cedar, Grapefruit

Citrus notes have a great place in the history of fresh fragrances, and it’s no surprise why. There’s nothing brighter, cleaner, or sunnier than a juicy burst of tart grapefruit, especially when it’s accompanied here by salty sea notes and dry, sweet cedar. Rosemary, pink pepper, lemon, Italian Mandarin, white musk, and cypress combine to make 801 a natural choice for a midday pick-me-up. It may even pick you up and throw you into the ocean, but you’d come out laughing.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Fine’ry Jungle Santal

Though the inspiration for this fragrance is a lush tropical jungle, it maintains a clean and surprisingly dry, airy feel with woody elements of papyrus, spicy Indian cardamom, and subtle black oolong tea. Fine’ry, a Target exclusive, is a paraben-, phthalate-, and cruelty-free brand focused on making clean fragrances accessible and easy. Jungle Santal clocks in at under $35, making multiple spritzes no cause to sweat. The thick, emerald-green bottle and solid cap are durable enough to go into a well-stocked gym bag, and it also comes in an even more portable body spray version.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Maison Martin Margiela Replica Bubble Bath

After working out, you probably need nothing more than a good scrub. With its notes of soap, lavender, bergamot, coconut, rose, and patchouli, Replica Bubble Bath is that fragrance you didn’t think you cared about until you realized you couldn’t get enough of it. A multi-faceted scent accented by tropical notes from the coconut and bracing barber shop freshness from the lavender and patchouli; it’s the perfect finish to your post-workout shower. The travel-sized spray is probably the best men’s gym cologne, but there are many occasions when one wants to smell deliciously clean.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Duke Cannon Supply Co. Huron

If you’re a traditionalist and like your post-run spritz to make you know you’re alive, look no further. Cooling aquatic notes, dry and green vetiver, and spiced sandalwood make this cologne a refreshing and long-lasting choice for the best gym fragrance while remaining light enough for the office. More unexpected than Old Spice and more grown-up than Axe, Duke Cannon Supply Co. Proper Cologne checks every box and keeps everyone guessing, all while keeping the bill under $30.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Dior Eau Sauvage Eau de Toilette

We know what you’re thinking. Dior Eau Sauvage does not sound like a cologne someone would wear to take the dog to the beach or hike. You thought wrong. This fresh and herbal classic is like the perfect pair of jeans — it goes everywhere. Lemon, rosemary, petit grain, basil, water jasmine, and vetiver are the ultimate combination for this cult-favorite cologne. Discreet and refined, yet sunny, Eau Sauvage goes effortlessly from work to play, and it will never overpower in close quarters. Even the bottle looks refreshing.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Claudia Savin
Claudia Savin
Contributor
Claudia is a fragrance enthusiast based in the Pacific Northwest. She has a passion for exploring unexpected and overlooked…
Your guide to natural fragrances for men
A foolproof guide to naturally derived fragrances and body products for men
Man spraying on cologne

A few years back, you probably gravitated toward fragrances that appealed to you in the moment and were easiest for you to get your hands on, whether that was a fresh-smelling department store fav or a woody body spray. For laid-back hippies or tree-hugging outdoor types, patchouli oil would have been the old standby. And for those borrowing from Dad’s medicine cabinet right before a hot date, you might have gone with anything from Old Spice body spray to Acqua di Gio.
The old way of choosing a personal fragrance
Adulthood usually brings refinement and adjustments to our style choices, but when it comes to fragrance, we can get stuck in the same patterns of adolescence. White-collar types reach for the latest Chanel, Gucci, or Yves Saint Laurent, while indie types with vinyl collections focus on cedar-whiskey beard balm and hiking enthusiasts stick to a pepperminty handmade soap for a fragrant boost.

Unfortunately, a carelessly chosen fragrance is the quickest way to make your unique personal style appear as a flat and predictable cartoon. But, when chosen with intention — not according to type, but based on your authentic taste— fragrance can astonish, subvert assumptions, and deeply influence the way people perceive you.
“As with all things with style, fragrance communicates who you are as a person, a sense of humility and authenticity. Akin to how you carry yourself, it has so much to do with the impression a person makes, maybe even more so than their clothing.” — Alison Carroll, co-founder of Wonder Valley
However, these benefits, considerable though they may be, all take a backseat to how you feel about wearing your scent. The real benefit of a personal fragrance is what it does for you, and make no mistake, it can do a lot. Given the powerful role that olfaction plays within our brain centers, masterfully activating mood, memory, and even libido, a mindfully chosen fragrance can transform a regular day into one of intrigue, adventure, and endless possibility.

Read more
The 5 best hair sprays for men: Keep hair in tiptop shape
The definitive guide to the best hair spray for men, based on your unique locks
Man using hair spray

Hair sprays may be associated with ladies, but did you know that they can also be a man’s best friend? Seriously. Hair sprays are the most underrated styling product as they can tame frizz for long hairstyles and add texture to short hair — all while giving an effortlessly distinctive styled finish to your favorite 'do.

As the perfect tool to jumpstart your hair care routine, we created a list of the best hair spray for men in 2023, with our selections delivering a cement-like hold to give your locks the glow-up they deserve.

Read more
The 5 best body powders for men to help you avoid embarrassing odors
These fantastic body powders will keep you cool and comfortable

Summertime can bring with it sweltering temperatures, and with it comes murky pits, odorous feet — or, worst of all, swamp crotch. Even if it's the middle of the winter, those can be issues for men who workout on a consistent basis or simply sweat more than the average guy. The bacteria and fungus that accumulate in your sweat-ridden crevices can yield an unpleasant odor that leaves you feeling unclean and even more so, uncomfortable. Of course, you can wick a bar of deodorant under your arms and be good to go, but what can you do about the other sweaty (and more delicate) parts of your body?

Enter body powder, also known as talcum powder (although several formulas on the market now are talc-free). Body powder absorbs moisture, reduces odor, and eliminates chafing so you never have to worry about the pains of upper leg chafing.

Read more