Humidity Won't Stand a Chance Against These 6 Ways to Smell Better
Real talk: it's not always easy to smell good all the time. Sexy fragrances aside, there are many biological factors that contribute to you naturally smelling less than your best. Rather than resigning yourself to a life full of discreet pit sniffs or overdoing it on the perfume, we've found six easy ways to enhance your musk. Smell ya later, BO.
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"If you're feeling sweaty, light, aquatic, and airy scents will give you a sense of freshness," said Rachel ten Brink, fragrance expert and founder of Scentbird. "Those can make you smell a lot better, especially if you layer with an antiperspirant."
If you've ever spritzed on perfume before you leave for work in the morning only to wonder where your scent has gone by lunch, then you might be a prime candidate for fragrance oils. Since roll-ons like the Nest White Sandlewood ($16) are applied directly to your skin, the scent lingers longer. As a bonus, oils often smell a little lighter and more natural so you don't feel like a walking perfume bottle.
"For some people, eating habits can worsen body odors," said Katherine Zeratsky, a dietitian at the Mayo Clinic. "The worst culprits are aromatic foods such as onions, garlics, spices, and curry." If you've got a stank that just won't quit, try cutting these foods out of your dinner rotation.
Turns out, body odor and flaky skin might be related. According to ten Brink, "Very dry skin literally sucks in any fragrance you apply and then it won't dissipate in the air." Treat it with a hefty moisturizer to make your body respond better to the perfume.
Bad news to anyone who enjoys a good happy hour deal: "Consuming fermented drinks can affect the production of bacteria in your mouth," Zeratsky said. "For that reason, alcohol is thought to worsen BO."
Acrylic materials such as rayon and polyester can lock in heat, sweat, and yes, odor. Cotton, linen, and wool fabrics tend to be breezier than those options, so you run less of a risk of smelling.
