It’s generally fine in moderation, but UK offices are enclosed, shared spaces where opinions on oud are genuinely mixed, so the safest approach is a light application of oud as a skin scent rather than bringing bakhoor smoke into the building.

Why oud specifically needs a lighter touch at work

Oud is a distinctive, powerful note that some colleagues will love and others will find unfamiliar or overwhelming, especially in air-conditioned offices with limited ventilation. A single spray or a small dab of oil-based oud worn to the skin, applied well before arriving, tends to read as a pleasant background note rather than announcing itself across a meeting room. Burning bakhoor itself is a different matter — that’s really a home or occasion ritual, not something to bring into a shared workplace.

  • Choose a blended, lighter oud composition rather than a very intense pure oud oil for office days
  • Apply hours before work so the initial strength has settled
  • Save bakhoor burning for home, not the office

It’s also worth remembering that meeting rooms and lifts concentrate scent far more than open-plan spaces, so what feels subtle at your desk can feel much stronger to someone who steps into a lift with you shortly after.

Our complete guide to oud explains the different strengths and styles available, and our complete guide to perfume covers office-appropriate application more broadly. Bakhoor is best kept for evenings at home.