My Friday Pilates classes are marked by Byredo’s Bal D’Afrique. Hot yoga, on the other hand, is undoubtedly Diptyque because who doesn’t want to smell like a water lily during downward dog? My strength-training days are so Phlur-coded. Yes, I have a Rolodex of fragrances to wear during my workouts, and I’m not sorry about it!
True fragranceheads will understand—working up a sweat just isn’t the same without a signature scent to set the vibe. Consider it the beauty lover’s version of luxury activewear: Just as a stylish wrap top or stretchy headband can accent your athletic endeavors (and look just as cool outside of a workout class), an elevated gym scent can top off your workout aesthetic. Is it necessary? Of course not—neither is a stunning Celine Kettlebell, FWIW. But is it impossibly chic? Absolutely. Start scrolling to discover your own.
What is a gym scent?
Simple! Gym scents are merely fragrances you wear while working out. Some may consider the extra spritz a bit, well, extra, but I find it uplifting. (Although I am a beauty editor, so I may be biased here.) Paris-based master perfumer Isaac Sinclair agrees: “There’s no reason scent can’t be a part of your exercise experience like it is part of any other thing you do in your day,” he tells me. After all, plenty of people slather on hair masks before heading to the gym, and let’s not forget about the “gym lips” trend coined by makeup artist Kelli Anne Sewell back in 2022. (The idea? A liner-balm combo that’s so low-effort you could wear it to the gym.) “[It’s] probably not for everyone, but for those that are into it, scent can be mobilizing, energizing, and create more of a ritual around the whole experience,” Sinclair adds.
According to Sinclair, gym scents can even serve as psychological triggers to enhance your workouts. See, scent is intimately tied to memory and emotion, which means a certain whiff (be it bergamot, grapefruit, or what have you) can signal to your brain that it’s time to get up and move—similar to how a vanilla- or caramel-infused aroma might conjure cozy feelings. “[Fragrance can help] mentally prepare you for your workout, potentially enhancing motivation through scent association,” he notes.
And besides, who doesn’t love smelling incredible at all times? Receiving a “You smell so good” compliment is always nice, but at the gym? That feels like defying the odds and earning an extra gold star. By no means do I encourage wearing a fragrance for its compliment power alone, but, hey, it’s a pretty good perk.
What fragrance notes are popular for the gym?
Smoky, seductive, gourmand situations have their time and place (time being after 9 p.m. and place being a dimly lit bar, perhaps), but for the gym, Sinclair advises keeping things fresh and light. “Crisp citrus notes, like lemon, bergamot, and grapefruit tend to work well, as do light herbal elements like mint or green tea. These refreshing notes can complement rather than compete with the exercise experience,” he shares.
Quick chemistry lesson: Heat amplifies an aroma—hence why you apply perfume on your pulse points, where your blood vessels are more prominent and thus emit more warmth. Too much heat, however, can cause the fragrance to become even more concentrated. “So notes that are already intense at room temperature can become overwhelming during exercise,” Sinclair adds. Your sweat also has a slightly different pH than your skin, so you might notice a beloved fragrance blooming unusually once your blood starts pumping. For these reasons, bright, airy elixirs will be your best bet.
“I think the ‘just got out of the shower’ vibes work best,” agrees Darryl Do, senior perfumer at Delbia Do Fragrances. Think light florals, citrus notes, and white musks. Not only do these notes smell fresh and clean, but they also tend to have a more delicate dry-down. That said, lighter concentrations of fragrance—such as eau de toilettes—are best to spritz pre-exercise as opposed to more intense parfums or extraits. “Body mists are perfect for this purpose as they have a lower concentration of fragrance oil in the solution,” Do adds.
How to Choose a Gym Scent
To me, a stellar gym scent is A) fresh and light, B) not too overpowering for other gym-goers, and C) has enough longevity to last the rest of the day, assuming you’re out and about post-gym. It’s a delicate dance, but a handful of perfumes tick every single box (you’ll find them below!). Here’s the thing, though: Not everyone’s skin interacts with fragrance the same way, so if there’s a syrupy-sweet perfume you love to wear to the gym, please go right ahead!
That said, Sinclair agrees that most people will want to steer clear of anything super sweet and heavy. “If I was to give advice, it would be to avoid animalic notes and heavy ambers or florals that have an animalic lean (i.e., dark florals),” he says. “Gourmand or oud certainly don’t shout ‘gym’ to me, and it’s definitely not the moment for the elevator effect fragrances. If we’re grouping scent families, I would recommend green, citrus, and aquatic scents.”
From there, pay attention to the notes you may subconsciously associate with a positive gym experience. Does violet make you feel on top of the world? Are you energized by the thought of neroli? I realize these are not questions you might ask yourself regularly, which is totally fair (again—beauty editor bias!), but just think about the light, fresh fragrances you’d feel particularly excited to spritz on before a workout—and proceed with that starting lineup.
Of course, the only way to truly discover your go-to gym scent is to give it a wear test. “Test your scents when you work out to make sure there is no chemical reaction that may leave a sour note from [the] pH of your skin,” advises Do. And when you do apply, you might want to go against typical perfume etiquette and stray from common pulse points. “Applying fragrance to [areas] that aren’t likely to get extremely sweaty during your workout can help maintain a more consistent scent experience,” shares Sinclair.
Find my personal favorites below, and tell me: What’s your go-to gym scent? Perhaps we can swap notes.
Shop My Favorite Gym Scents
Byredo
Bal D’afrique Eau de Parfum
Key notes: African marigold, bergamot, buchu, cyclamen, violet, cedarwood, Vetiver
As I mentioned, my Pilates classes are incomplete without a spritz of this Byredo cult favorite. It smells clean and fresh but has a musky, floral finish thanks to cedarwood and violet. It’s just plain gorgeous.
Les Eaux Primordiales
Couleur Primaire Eau De Parfum
Key notes: Aldehydes, pear, jasmine, peony, rose, musks, ambroxan
This French perfume (which recently launched stateside) smells like soft, cotton bedsheets air-drying in the countryside. I mean, swoon! I’ve been spritzing it on before my workouts lately, and I can vouch that it stays super light and airy.
Chloé
Atelier Des Fleurs Cedrus Eau De Parfum
Key notes: Cardamom, bergamot, pink peppercorn, rose, vetiver, sandalwood, cedarwood
I’m genuinely obsessed with Chloé’s Cedrus scent. (I also have the hand cream by my bedside and the bar soap in my bathroom.) It’s perfectly woody, floral, and fresh, and the eau de parfum somehow lasts all day long without smelling too overpowering.
Abel
Laundry Day Eau De Parfum
Key notes: Cut grass, aldehydes, lime, passionfruit, vetiver
As you can probably guess, this 100% natural fragrance smells like fresh laundry. Created by Sinclair himself, the fresh green elixir is a very popular choice to wear during exercise. “It’s got a very uplifting, energizing opening accord and dries down crisp on skin,” he shares. I used to wear the brand’s Golden Neroli scent before my morning hot yoga classes (it’s super bright and invigorating), but have since switched to Laundry Day and can’t get enough.
Jo Malone London
English Pear & Freesia Cologne
Key notes: King William pear, freesia, patchouli
Juicy and floral, this is the fragrance I wear when I need some mood-boosting energy. As one Sephora reviewer put it, “This one feels fresh and light, like a crisp morning outside.” It’s also super lightweight, so you can practically bathe in it without overpowering your senses, and you can layer on another fragrance after your workout (the brand recommends Wood Sage & Sea Salt) without clashing notes.
Diptyque
Lilyphéa Eau De Parfum
Key notes: Cardamom, violet leaves, vanilla
This Diptyque perfume just makes you feel ethereal, like a water nymph. I clearly have a thing for violet notes in my gym scents; the delicate yet vibrant scent just smells so uplifting.
PHLUR
Father Figure Eau De Parfum
Key notes: Fig, jasmine dew, sandalwood
Okay, Father Figure is definitely an everyday staple for me, especially during the warmer months, but the juicy, lush blend also makes such a gorgeous gym scent. If I have a jam-packed schedule post-workout and know I won’t be able to fully freshen up, this is the perfume I’ll wear. It lasts forever and smells clean.
Dedcool
Xtra Milk Fragrance
Key notes: Bergamot, white musk, amber
If you’re new on the gym scent journey, I highly recommend starting with Xtra Milk. It’s a skin scent, which means it interacts with your skin’s pH for a completely unique dry-down. It’s warm and bright yet super familiar. You could even forget you’re wearing fragrance at all—until a fellow gym-goer comments on how good you smell.
CYKLAR
Modern Patchouli – Perfume Oil
Key notes: Coconut water, pistachio, mimosa, vanilla absolute, patchouli
I know Sinclair and Do advised against highly-concentrated perfume oils and extraits, but I’d argue that this Cyklar potion is the exception. Earthy and warm with a hint of sweetness from coconut and pistachio, it’s easily one of the most sophisticated patchouli perfumes I’ve ever smelled. I like to apply it on my wrists before Pilates (and toss it in my bag for later touch-ups), especially if I know the class won’t be too sweaty.
