How to Smell Good All the Time
Hop in the shower., Use deodorant., Try body powder., Wear clothes that smell good., Have great-smelling feet., Freshen your breath.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Hop in the shower.
If you want to smell your best, it starts with getting clean.
How often you should bathe depends on your personal body chemistry, your daily activities and the weather.
Many people bathe once a day, but if you play a sport or live in a hot region you might want to jump in the tub more than once.
If your skin is really dry, every other day might be enough.
But no matter what, make sure you bathe often enough that your body odor doesn't become noticeable to other people.
In the shower, wash your skin with soap and warm water to make sure you rinse away the dirt, sweat and bacteria that causes body odor.
When in doubt, go ahead and rinse off! Trying to mask body odor with deodorant or perfume doesn't really work.
If you don't want to wash your hair every day (many say it leads to dry and damaged hair), use dry shampoo to freshen your hair on days you don't wash.
It's composed of powders that absorb the oil that makes your hair look greasy. -
Step 2: Use deodorant.
Two percent of people have a gene that prevents their armpits from producing body odor.They're the lucky ones, right? The rest of us rely on deodorant to keep body odor at bay throughout the day.
Put some on after you shower, and reapply as necessary throughout the day.
Consider choosing a deodorant/antiperspirant combination if you tend to get a little sweaty.
Deodorants come in solid sticks, gel sticks, or sprays.
You also buy natural rock deodorant, or even make your own using baking soda and coconut oil.
Experiment with the deodorant that feels the most comfortable and keeps you smelling the best.
If you plant to wear perfume or cologne, it's not necessary to use a highly-scented deodorant.
You don't want to wear too many different scents at once. , Sprinkling on a little body powder after your bath or shower is a great way to stay fresh.
Just dry off completely, then put some under your arms, on your feet, and anywhere else you'd like.
The powder helps to keep your skin dry and cool during the day, so it comes in handy on hot, humid days.
You can buy body powder formulated for adults or just pick up some baby powder
- it works just as well.
You might want to get an unscented version, though, since baby powder has a distinctive smell.
Don't want to buy body powder? Make it! All you need is cornstarch.
If you want to scent your body powder, soak a cotton ball in your favorite perfume or essential oil.
Put the cotton ball in a jar and cover it with cornstarch.
Apply the body powder using a fluffy makeup applicator., Wearing the same clothes several days in a row can affect the way you smell, so make sure you keep up on your laundry! Choose to use a scented detergent or an unscented one
- it doesn't matter, as long as your clothes are clean.
You might want to carry a few backup items to change into if you're going to be out all day.
Some people like to keep a fresh pair of underwear, tights, socks or an undershirt on hand for emergencies.
If you work in a place with a strong smell or you're around smoke a lot, you might have to take extra care to keep your clothes smelling great.
Laundering them more frequently and using a strong-smelling detergent and fabric softener should do the trick.
Get your winter coat and other unwashable items dry cleaned every few months to keep them from getting smelly.
Speaking of clothes, check out your bags, backpacks, hats and other accessories, too.
Wash these items every once in a while, especially if you use them every day. , If you're worried about how your feet smell, take extra care to scrub your feet in the shower, dry them completely, and sprinkle them with body or foot powder before you put on your socks and shoes.
Carry an extra pair of socks to change into later in the day.
Make sure your shoes are in good shape, too
- old shoes can be a source of bad smells.
Have a separate pair of shoes you use when you work out, rather than wearing your running shoes to school or work.
Carry a small bottle of foot powder with you so you can use it when you need to during the day.
When possible, wear socks with your shoes.
Going without socks tends to make your feet sweat more, leading to bad odors. , Practicing good dental hygiene is the main way to keep your breath smelling fresh.
Be sure to brush and floss every day, and see the dentist regularly to take care of issues like plaque buildup so you don't end up with chronic bad breath.
In addition to basic hygiene, you can keep your breath smelling good all day long by doing the following:
Drink lots of water.
This is especially important during and just after meals.
It rinses away the food particles and cleanses your mouth.
Use mouthwash
- but not the kind with alcohol.
Alcohol in mouthwash can dry out your mouth, leading to conditions that cause bad breath.
Choose a breath-freshening wash that doesn't have alcohol and rinse your mouth out whenever you're in need of a quick fix.
Avoid garlic, onions and super spicy foods on days when you're really concerned about having fresh breath.
It's hard to mask the smell of strong-scented foods with mouthwash, and the odor can persist even after brushing or using mouthwash.
Carry breath mints you can pop last minute when you want your breath to smell sweet. -
Step 3: Try body powder.
-
Step 4: Wear clothes that smell good.
-
Step 5: Have great-smelling feet.
-
Step 6: Freshen your breath.
Detailed Guide
If you want to smell your best, it starts with getting clean.
How often you should bathe depends on your personal body chemistry, your daily activities and the weather.
Many people bathe once a day, but if you play a sport or live in a hot region you might want to jump in the tub more than once.
If your skin is really dry, every other day might be enough.
But no matter what, make sure you bathe often enough that your body odor doesn't become noticeable to other people.
In the shower, wash your skin with soap and warm water to make sure you rinse away the dirt, sweat and bacteria that causes body odor.
When in doubt, go ahead and rinse off! Trying to mask body odor with deodorant or perfume doesn't really work.
If you don't want to wash your hair every day (many say it leads to dry and damaged hair), use dry shampoo to freshen your hair on days you don't wash.
It's composed of powders that absorb the oil that makes your hair look greasy.
Two percent of people have a gene that prevents their armpits from producing body odor.They're the lucky ones, right? The rest of us rely on deodorant to keep body odor at bay throughout the day.
Put some on after you shower, and reapply as necessary throughout the day.
Consider choosing a deodorant/antiperspirant combination if you tend to get a little sweaty.
Deodorants come in solid sticks, gel sticks, or sprays.
You also buy natural rock deodorant, or even make your own using baking soda and coconut oil.
Experiment with the deodorant that feels the most comfortable and keeps you smelling the best.
If you plant to wear perfume or cologne, it's not necessary to use a highly-scented deodorant.
You don't want to wear too many different scents at once. , Sprinkling on a little body powder after your bath or shower is a great way to stay fresh.
Just dry off completely, then put some under your arms, on your feet, and anywhere else you'd like.
The powder helps to keep your skin dry and cool during the day, so it comes in handy on hot, humid days.
You can buy body powder formulated for adults or just pick up some baby powder
- it works just as well.
You might want to get an unscented version, though, since baby powder has a distinctive smell.
Don't want to buy body powder? Make it! All you need is cornstarch.
If you want to scent your body powder, soak a cotton ball in your favorite perfume or essential oil.
Put the cotton ball in a jar and cover it with cornstarch.
Apply the body powder using a fluffy makeup applicator., Wearing the same clothes several days in a row can affect the way you smell, so make sure you keep up on your laundry! Choose to use a scented detergent or an unscented one
- it doesn't matter, as long as your clothes are clean.
You might want to carry a few backup items to change into if you're going to be out all day.
Some people like to keep a fresh pair of underwear, tights, socks or an undershirt on hand for emergencies.
If you work in a place with a strong smell or you're around smoke a lot, you might have to take extra care to keep your clothes smelling great.
Laundering them more frequently and using a strong-smelling detergent and fabric softener should do the trick.
Get your winter coat and other unwashable items dry cleaned every few months to keep them from getting smelly.
Speaking of clothes, check out your bags, backpacks, hats and other accessories, too.
Wash these items every once in a while, especially if you use them every day. , If you're worried about how your feet smell, take extra care to scrub your feet in the shower, dry them completely, and sprinkle them with body or foot powder before you put on your socks and shoes.
Carry an extra pair of socks to change into later in the day.
Make sure your shoes are in good shape, too
- old shoes can be a source of bad smells.
Have a separate pair of shoes you use when you work out, rather than wearing your running shoes to school or work.
Carry a small bottle of foot powder with you so you can use it when you need to during the day.
When possible, wear socks with your shoes.
Going without socks tends to make your feet sweat more, leading to bad odors. , Practicing good dental hygiene is the main way to keep your breath smelling fresh.
Be sure to brush and floss every day, and see the dentist regularly to take care of issues like plaque buildup so you don't end up with chronic bad breath.
In addition to basic hygiene, you can keep your breath smelling good all day long by doing the following:
Drink lots of water.
This is especially important during and just after meals.
It rinses away the food particles and cleanses your mouth.
Use mouthwash
- but not the kind with alcohol.
Alcohol in mouthwash can dry out your mouth, leading to conditions that cause bad breath.
Choose a breath-freshening wash that doesn't have alcohol and rinse your mouth out whenever you're in need of a quick fix.
Avoid garlic, onions and super spicy foods on days when you're really concerned about having fresh breath.
It's hard to mask the smell of strong-scented foods with mouthwash, and the odor can persist even after brushing or using mouthwash.
Carry breath mints you can pop last minute when you want your breath to smell sweet.
About the Author
Jean Ramos
Brings years of experience writing about lifestyle and related subjects.
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