If you want to smell nice, start by figuring out what makes you smell bad. Don’t try to cover the smell with products that don’t address the root problem. Here’s a quick guide on how to smell nice as a man. It covers the most common problem areas such as sweat, feet, and mouth.
What Causes Bad Body Odour In Men?
First step is finding out what’s making you smell less than pleasant.
For most men, it’s just general body odour from their skin. All of us have a certain smell, but it can be particularly bad for some people.
Men are more likely to have bad body odour because they have more hair. Apocrine glands, found wherever you have hair, are responsible for producing sweaty smell.
But it’s not the sweat that smells. Rather, it’s the interaction between the sweat and bacteria on your skin that causes a foul odour.
A lot of factors like your diet, environment, health condition, and medication can affect the kind of smell this interaction produces.
For example, health conditions like diabetes and cancer can have a change in body odour as one of their symptoms.
In some men, it’s simply genetics that causes bad body odour.
Some causes of bad body odour are easier to pinpoint and control. For example, poor hygiene or wearing clothes that trap sweat.
Smells from specific parts of the body are easier to diagnose and resolve. For instance, it’s fairly easy to deal with smelly feet or smelly armpits and there are plenty of products you can use.
The same is true if the smell is coming from your mouth.
How To Reduce Body Odour?
If you are giving off bad body odour from most of your skin, figure out what’s causing it.
In some cases, this can be easy to pinpoint such as poor hygiene or wearing moisture-trapping clothes.
In other cases, especially those involving a sudden change in body odour, you’ll need to see a doctor for diagnosis.
A sudden change in body odour can be a sign of an illness like cancer, infection, or diabetes.
Here are some tips for reducing body odour.
- Take a shower daily. Even if you feel clean, your skin has collected sweat, dirt, oils, and dead skin cells, all of which can make you smell bad. Take a shower at least once a day.
- Try using antibacterial soap. Regular soap is good enough for most men. But if you have particularly bad body odour that doesn’t go away even after a shower, use antibacterial soap to get rid of the smell-causing bacteria.
- Wear clean and breathable clothes. Always put on a fresh set of clothes after a shower. And make sure they are breathable and can wick away sweat. This includes your underwear. If sweat cannot get away from your skin, you are more likely to smell.
- Check your diet. Some foods and drinks like onions, spicy foods, alcohol and caffeinated drinks make you sweat more, which in turn increases body odour. Some foods like red meat, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, and sugary foods can also cause bad body odour. Eat less of these foods or avoid them.
- Reduce your stress levels. Stress makes your apocrine glands sweat more, which causes you to smell more.
How To Stop Your Armpits From Smelling?
If the body odour is coming from your armpits, that’s a bit easier to deal with.
Maintain good hygiene (shower daily, clean clothes etc.) and use a good quality antiperspirant. Don’t just apply a deodorant.
A deodorant can help cover the smell, but an antiperspirant fights against both the smell and sweat.
If your armpits get really sweaty and smelly, look for a clinical strength antiperspirant.
Shaving your armpits can also help with body odour by reducing how much you sweat.
Another tip is to wear breathable and moisture wicking clothes. This reduces how much sweat is on your skin, especially on a hot day.
How To Stop Your Feet From Smelling?
Smelly feet are also relatively easy to deal with because you already know where the smell is coming from and what might be causing it.
For most men, a build up of sweat on their feet is the cause of foot odour. To deal with it, you need to find a way to keep your feet clean and dry. Here are some tips.
- Clean your feet well when you shower. Wash between your toes and remove grime under the toenails. Once or twice a week, use a pumice stone or a foot file to exfoliate your skin.
- Always wear clean socks. If you sweat a lot on your feet, carry an extra pair of clean socks and change into them in the middle of the day.
- Wear socks that absorb sweat. Polyester, nylon, and wool socks are the best for sweaty feet. They absorb sweat and let it evaporate away quickly. Avoid cotton socks. They absorb sweat, but hold onto it, which can make your feet smelly.
- Wear well-fitting and breathable shoes. Tight fitting shoes can make your feet hot and prevent sweat from evaporating. Shoes with mesh or a breathable material can also help keep your feet smelling fresh.
- Clean your shoes often to get rid of smell-causing bacteria. Make sure you clean the inside well.
- Try products made for smelly feet like antifungal foot sprays, deodorant in-soles, and foot powder. Most of these are easily available over the counter.
How To Keep The Groin Area Smelling Nice?
The groin area is another common source of bad odour in men.
In most cases, it’s caused by poor hygiene. Take a shower daily or twice a day, making sure you thoroughly clean around that area.
Shower immediately after anything that makes you sweat and smelly like a workout, a hike, or sex.
Wearing breathable and moisture-wicking underwear can also help. Synthetic fabrics like polyester are the best for this. It absorbs moisture and lets it evaporate.
If you have to go natural, look for merino wool underwear, though it’s pricey.
If your groin area has suddenly started smelling bad for no obvious reason, it could be a sign of an infection. You may need to see a doctor.
If the sweating around the groin area is excessive, use antiperspirant. Just avoid using it on any sensitive parts.
Other Tips to Smell Nice As A Man
- Get a perfume. An Eau de Toilette or Eau de Parfum will keep you smelling nice for hours.
- Use a fragrant fabric softener when doing laundry. It’ll leave your clothes smelling really nice. You can also spray them with fabric freshener like Febreze after they’ve already been washed.
- Use skin products like moisturiser or lotion with a gentle but pleasant scent.
- Maintain good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice a day and avoid sugary foods. If you already have tooth decay or a gum problem, have a dentist check it out. They can cause a bad smell from your mouth.
