Stop the stink: tips to keep you smelling fresh all day long

Normally it is the summer months that have you sweating up a storm, but winter can also be a time when things can get a bit whiffy. However, a few simple tricks could have you smelling fresh as a daisy.

Apply at night

If you use antiperspirant — that’s the one that blocks both sweat and odour, deodorant just blocks smell — you might want to try applying it at night. According to some, putting on antiperspirant at night when you’re not sweating will allow your sweat ducts greater chance to absorb the effects. Giving yourself another swipe in the morning (after showering) is good too.

Be completely dry before you apply

A lot of people barely allow themselves to dry before rolling on the deodorant/antiperspirant and throwing on their clothes. Not the best move. If you can spare 15 minutes after showering this will give you the most effective use of your smell blocker. If you’re in a hurry, you might want to whip out the hair dryer and blast your bits for a few seconds to hurry things along.

Be careful what you wash with

It’s not your sweat that’s stinky, it’s the bacteria on your skin. If you are worried about how badly you pong, some antibacterial washes can help improve your odour. There are benzoyl peroxide body washes available if you need extra assistance, but these can have a drying effect on your skin and might bleach your clothes, so be sure to talk with a pharmacist or doctor before you purchase.

20 per cent matters

Those ‘clinical strength protection’ antiperspirants on the shelves at your local supermarket could be the support you are looking for. Because they have a 20 per cent concentration of aluminium you will be getting and extra boost for the day ahead.

The trick with hand sanitiser

If you keep a bottle of hand sanitiser in your handbag or backpack, here’s a little secret: if you happen to forget to put on  your deodorant/antiperspirant before leaving the house you can you a swipe of it under your arms. It’s only a short-term solution until you get your hands on a deodorant though. Oh, and word to the wise — you won’t want to do this if you’ve freshly shaved… It burns!

Don’t be afraid to switch brands

Sometimes a certain brand or scent just stops working. While there’s no real evidence as to the cause of this happening, it could be a change in your body’s chemical make-up or hormones etc. If you feel like what you’re using just isn’t doing the trick anymore, don’t be afraid to try out a new brand or fragrance to see if it helps.

Have you ever struggled with your smell? What did you do to combat the issue?