You might not smell it, but everyone else in the room does. You stink, and it is time to do something about it.
Fortunately, the way you smell isn’t something you are born with. You have complete control over the aromas you emit, which means a few lifestyle changes should have you smelling your best in no time. Here are a handful of reasons your smell could be less than appealing, as well as some suggestions to help you develop a more pleasing aroma.
You Don’t Eat Well
Bar-none, this is the most likely reason you have an odd funk. What you eat impacts literally every aspect of you, from how to feel to how you look ― and importantly, how you smell. Spices, garlic, and onions might taste good on your food, but those smells linger; your skin can emit those recognizable odors for as much as two whole days after your meal. Red meat tends to transform into bold stank, and alcohol seems to seep out of pores in the form of a sickly sweet stench.
Nutritionists agree that for the mildest, healthiest body odor, your diet should consist of fresh produce and lean protein. Though you can relax with a cocktail once or twice a week, you should avoid regularly downing a six-pack. You will probably notice changes to your funk immediately, but results will get even better over time.
You Smoke Cigarettes
Tobacco causes all sorts of problems, from yellow teeth to straight-up lung cancer. Still, the aspect of cigarettes that non-smokers and smokers alike hate most of all is the smell. Cigarette smoke infiltrates nearly every material it touches, including hair and clothing, and it is nearly impossible to wash away. Worse still, smokers have perpetually bad breath, so standing near them is always a no-go.
If there were ever a time to quit smoking, it’s now. Quitters have some of the best resources in history, from medications to cessation tools like gum and patches. Even better, you can replace cigarettes with smokeless e-cigs — if you still wish to smoke in some form — which come in all sorts of appealing flavors that definitely won’t cause other people to hold their noses in your presence and won’t stick to your clothes as much.
You Don’t Do Laundry
I’m going to cut you some slack and assume that you are taking care of basic hygiene, like taking daily showers and brushing your teeth twice a day. However, even if your body is clean, your clothes can emit an off-putting funk. Laundry day isn’t a twice-a-year affair; you should be washing your clothes once a week or, at worst, once a month. The average laundry detergents should be more than sufficient at stripping the stank from your clothes, but if your body odor is especially intense, you might want to look into specialty laundry soaps.
Perhaps more important than your laundry schedule is your daily wardrobe. Every day, you must wear fresh clothing. Twice is the absolute maximum number of times any article of clothing can be worn before it is ready for a wash. In your dresser, your clothing should be carefully separated so work clothes never come in contact with workout clothes, which might have lingering odors even after a tumble in the washing machine.
You Don’t Clean Your House
It might turn out that you aren’t the problem at all ― it’s your house. If you live in a pig sty, you are probably going to start smelling like a pig. This weekend, you should clear up your schedule so you can perform a full spring cleaning on your dirty home. Kitchens and bathrooms are the most common culprits of stank, but your malodor could also arise from unclean sheets or couch upholstery. Once your home is smelling fresh, you can be totally certain that any new stinks are coming straight from you.
You Don’t Apply Scent Correctly
Perfume and cologne aren’t actually spray-and-go-type products. To maximize their appealing scents, you must apply them in particular ways. Fragrances are delicate and behave in peculiar ways compared to most beauty products, so the next time you need to spritz, consider the following tips:
- Apply fragrance to chakra points. It has nothing to do with balance or healing; rather, these points of the body ―namely, the ankles, behind the knees, the pubic region, the chest, and behind the ears ― are generally hotter, which means they will activate the scent better. Plus, spreading small amounts of fragrance around the body will help it last.
- Layer various smells. Perfume and cologne aren’t the only fragrances you can get. Nowadays, you can purchase lotions, soaps, oils, and even nail polishes with appealing scents. For a complex and attractive smell, you should try layering similar products at once.
- Reapply regularly. Mild and light fragrances, like those based on floral or citrus notes, tend to dissipate quickly. Experts suggest choosing heavier scents, like sandalwood, vanilla, or oud, or reapplying between one and three times every day.