Atelier is a highly sought-after Parisian brand that has developed a house style that emphasizes sharp and aromatic citrus fragrances.
By the standards of the cologne industry, where perfumers can have decades or even more than a century of history, Atelier Cologne is a new kid on the block. The company, which was founded in 2009, has consistently innovated throughout its history. Most notably, the brand has introduced “Absolute Colognes,” which feature the typical scents of colognes but use much more concentrated fragrances than you’ll usually find.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the top five best Atelier colognes for men—including several Absolute Colognes that will absolutely knock your socks off with their extremely concentrated fragrances.
I don’t see any reason not to get right into it.
Key Takeaways
After testing out just about every men’s and unisex Atelier cologne that’s ever been released, I’m quite excited to share my list of the five best Atelier colognes with you. Overall, I went with the Atelier Cologne Clementine California Absolue Spray 3.4 Oz as the best Atelier cologne for men.
There were a few reasons for that decision, including the fact that this is a modern classic fragrance that Atelier used to introduce and popularize their line of Absolute Colognes. It’s also a finely balanced cologne, playing fruity top and middle notes like clementine, juniper berry, and basil against strong base notes.
I’ve also recommended the Atelier Cologne Eau de Parfum, Oud Saphir, 6.7 Ounce as an option with a very different profile (i.e., much heavier on the wood and leather notes) that can work as winter cologne, as well as the Atelier Cologne Grand Neroli Cologne, 6.7 Ounce as a great everyday option.
Our Top Picks
Why it’s great: Atelier Cologne Clementine California Absolue Spray is the top entry on our list of the best Atelier colognes for a number of reasons. First off, the highly concentrated fragrances in this absolute cologne are strong enough to hold their own all day long. And that goes for the fruity top notes like clementine and juniper berry as well as the base notes like Haitian Vetiver and sandalwood.
Who is this for? This is an excellent cologne for just about anyone to wear. It’s especially worth purchasing if you’re looking for a summer cologne.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This is a unisex cologne, so many men might find notes like juniper berry and star anise to be a little bit too feminine for them to consider wearing. However, I’d just point out that the fruity notes are well balanced by the base notes of Haitian Vetiver and sandalwood.
Top Notes: Clementine, Mandarin Orange, and Juniper Berry | Middle Notes: Basil, Star Anise, and Pepper | Base Notes: Cypress, Haitian Vetiver, and Sandalwood | Type: Absolute Cologne
Why it’s great: I really love the combination of wood and tobacco fragrances that you get in the Atelier Cologne Oolang Infini Cologne Absolue Spray 1 oz. They provide an excellent platform for the really unexpected and notable top and middle notes of Tea, Jasmine, and Tunisian Neroli. I’d recommend this Atelier cologne for those still-long days at the end of summer when the evenings are just starting to cool off a little bit.
Who is this for? Although Atelier isn’t ever going to make it onto a list of the best cheap colognes, this 1-ounce version of their Oolang Infini is a great deal and can last you quite a while if you save it for special occasions.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This is a unique scent, which can be a great thing, but it also means that there are definitely men out there who won’t vibe with it.
Top Notes: Bergamot and Tunisian Neroli | Middle Notes: Tea, Jasmine, and Leather | Base Notes: Guaiac Wood, Haitian Vetiver, and Tobacco Blossom | Type: Absolute Cologne
Why it’s great: Although this cologne is the only one on the list that I would really consider to be a true winter cologne, it’s a really great winter cologne. The brand describes their Oud Saphir eau de parfum as an “oriental wood” fragrance, which just about does my job for me because it’s so on the nose. I should point out that the Atelier Cologne Oud Saphir is an Eau de Parfum, not an absolute cologne like the other products we’ve gone over.
Who is this for? There are a couple of different target audiences for this product. If you’re someone who loves Atelier cologne and has always wanted one that you can wear in the winter, then this is a great product for you. But it’s also great for those of us who aren’t satisfied with anything but the absolute best.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This is actually a particularly expensive product even by the standards of Atelier, but if you don’t mind the hit to your budget, it’s an exceptional product.
Top Notes: Pink Pepper, Ambrette (Musk Mallow), and Bergamot | Middle Notes: Suede, Birch, and Jasmine | Base Notes: Agarwood (Oud), Birch, and Vanilla | Type: Eau de Parfum
Why it’s great: The Atelier Cologne, Pomelo Paradis, 6.7 Ounce is another one of Atelier’s colognes that fits into the classic profile that the brand has established. It’s a unisex scent that’s incredibly citrus-forward, with pink grapefruit, Calabrian mandarin, and orange blossom featuring prominently in the top and middle notes.
Who is this for? This is a great cologne, and it’s an easy one to get your hands on since you can just use your Prime Account and get it really quickly.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: It’s perhaps too expected to be incredibly citrus-forward for an Atelier cologne, but I really like the fragrance despite that.
Top Notes: Pink Grapefruit, Calabrian Mandarin, and Black Currant | Middle Notes: Orange Blossom, Mint, and Bulgarian Rose | Base Notes: Vetiver, Amber, and Iris | Type: Eau de Parfum
Why it’s great: Atelier Cologne Grand Neroli Cologne, 6.7 Ounce is the last entry on our list of the best Atelier colognes, but it definitely brings something unique to the table. It certainly does feature a lot of citrus, but the inclusion of oak moss and musk brings a really pleasing earthiness to the table that you don’t usually find in an Atelier product. It’s definitely still a summer cologne, but it’s definitely one of the more masculine options.
Who is this for? This is a great cologne for people who like citrus-forward colognes but also want to wear masculine fragrances like musk.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This is another rather pricey Atelier cologne, but it’s a unique concept that smells strongly without being overwhelming. That’s the kind of quality you have to pay for.
Top Notes: Neroli, Petitgrain, Amalfi Lemon, and Bergamot | Middle Notes: Oak Moss, Galbanum, and Birch Leaf | Base Notes: Musk, Madagascar Vanilla, and White Amber | Type: Cologne Absolute
Buying Considerations for The Best Atelier Colognes
Smell
If you’re trying to find the Atelier cologne for you, then you’re probably already aware of the brand’s singular focus on fresh and citrusy scents. As a result, when you’re looking into buying an Atelier cologne for men, it’s more about the subtleties that lie within the general category of “citrusy” than whether or not you’re going to get a citrusy cologne. But trust me when I say that there’s a ton of differentiation within that category.
The type of scent that you get from the Atelier Cologne Clementine California Absolue Spray 3.4 Oz, for example, is completely different from the Atelier Cologne Oolang Infini Cologne Absolue Spray, 1 oz, even though they could both be described as citrusy. My best advice is to take a close look at the top, middle, and base notes in order to find the best Atelier cologne for you.
Season
It should be common knowledge that you need to adjust what fragrances you’re wearing with the seasons, but I do often encounter people who haven’t yet got the message. Spring and summer are for fresh and light scents, whereas you’ll be much better off wearing musky and smoky scents in the fall and winter.
As a cologne brand, Atelier is known mostly for its citrus-forward fragrances that generally work best in the warmer months. However, it’s worth mentioning that the Atelier Cologne Blanche Immortelle Absolue Spray does have enough musky scents like sandalwood in the base layer to be worn in the fall—just in case that’s exactly what you’re looking for on this list.
Longevity
When it comes to Atelier cologne, you’re not really going to have to worry about your cologne fading quickly, no matter which of their products you go with. They’re quite simply that good as a brand.
However, there is a difference between the eaux de cologne that Atelier produces (like the Atelier Cologne, Pomelo Paradis, 6.7 Ounce) and the absolute colognes they make (like Atelier Cologne Clementine California Absolue Spray 3.4 Oz). The latter have a much higher fragrance concentration than a traditional eau de cologne, and, as a result, they will last a lot longer after application.
If you’re looking for a fragrance that you can put on in the morning and not need to renew until after dinner, then you should definitely pick up an Absolute Cologne Spray.
How We Chose
Cologne is one of the most difficult types of products to write about because you can’t really evaluate the quality of a cologne just by looking at it or reading about it. When you’re thinking about buying a pair of jeans or a shirt, you can look at it and touch it in order to get a sense of whether it’s a quality product or not. The same doesn’t go for colognes.
That’s why we’re serious about evaluating colognes in an open and honest manner and recommending only the ones that really do live up to the hype. In addition, we also consider the same following four factors that guide all of our product recommendations here at FashionBeans:
Company reputation: It’s always important to us that any brand that we recommend has a long track record of producing quality products. Luckily, Atelier is a great brand with a great reputation.
Customer reviews: We also pay a lot of attention to what real people are saying about a product that we’re considering for this list, checking forums like Reddit and Fragentica.
Price: I don’t like overpaying for mediocre products, and I’m sure that you don’t, either. That’s why we always ensure that any product we recommend has enough value to justify its price tag.
Transparency: Finally, we always ensure that any company that we recommend is open and forthright about important details, like where they get their ingredients from and what the limitations of their return policy are.
Why Trust Us?
Collectively speaking, the editorial team here at FashionBeans has decades of experience with evaluating and writing about colognes. As a result, you can be completely confident in the advice and recommendations that we make (and you can check out our articles on the best Vanilla, Tobacco, and Beach Colognes if you want a bit more confirmation of that).
In addition, we use a rigorous process to put together these lists in order to make sure that we take the best possible advantage of everyone’s experience and knowledge. First, everyone makes their own personal shortlist of their favorite products that fit into a given category, and then we have a general meeting to debate the merits of our picks and settle on the final version of an article. It isn’t always easy, but it does always lead to great quality recommendations.
Final Verdict
At the end of the day, we had to go with the Atelier Cologne Clementine California Absolue Spray 3.4 Oz as the overall best Atelier cologne for men. Although it was launched only in 2016, I think it’s already achieved the status of a modern classic that’s instantly recognizable among people in the know. It’s not really a cologne that you can go wrong buying, and I can guarantee that it’ll quickly become one of your favorite summer scents.
FAQ
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Although it doesn’t have the huge profile of some fragrance mega-companies, I wouldn’t really say that Atelier Cologne is a niche brand. A number of years ago, before the brand was bought by L’Oreal, there was much more of an argument to make that Atelier was a niche brand.
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Yes, Atelier Cologne is still available. Although their retail footprint is smaller in the United States than it used to be, you can still purchase their colognes online. They’re available on both Amazon and on Atelier’s website so all you need to do is make a simple online order to get your hands on your favorite Atelier cologne.
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