How to Smell Good All the Time

Co-authored by Tami Claytor and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: August 9, 2024 Approved

Whether you're hugging a friend or snuggling closer to your crush on the couch, you shouldn't have to worry about how you smell. Luckily, it’s not hard to improve your smell and ensure that you stay fresh throughout the day. From showering techniques to applying perfume and even choosing your meals, we’ll show you how to smell good all the time—from the moment you start your day to the moment you settle down to sleep!

Things You Should Know

Shower at least 2-3 times per week and wash areas with sweat glands like your armpits, feet, and groin.
Moisturize with scented lotions, use antiperspirant to block odors, and spray cologne or perfume on your pulse points and torso.
Wear light, breathable fabrics that soak up odor-causing sweat and apply shoe spray to block unpleasant foot smells.

1

Wash the sweatiest parts of your body.

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Body parts with more sweat glands are also prone to odor. When sweat mixes with the bacteria that naturally lives on your skin, body odor develops. Take regular showers and scrub body parts with a lot of sweat glands, including your armpits, groin, and feet. ^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source} Use soap or body wash and warm water to remove all the dirt and sweat that causes odors.
- There’s no single ideal frequency for showers, so long as you take them at least 2 or 3 times a week. Some people shower every day, while others opt for every other day, depending on their body’s needs and lifestyle.

2

Clean your hair and scalp in the shower.

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Shampoo removes dirt and oil from your scalp, leaving it smelling fresh. While you’re in the shower, wash your scalp to ensure your hair smells nice and stays oil-free for longer. ^{[2]
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Research source} Work the shampoo into your scalp, massaging it thoroughly before you begin to lather the rest of your hair. Rinse it out afterward to enjoy a clean head for the next couple of days.
- 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.

3

Moisturize skin with scented lotion.

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Apply the lotion right after you leave the shower to extend its effects. Pat off excess water from the shower first. Then, rub scented lotion into your skin. You can pair the scented lotion with a complimentary perfume or cologne or use the lotion by itself if you prefer not to layer too many scents. Scented lotion lasts the longest when you apply it to moist skin.
- Be sure you aren't accidentally wearing too many scents. Your deodorant, hairspray, and lip balm might all be scented. Try to choose primarily unscented products and stick to one or two main scents between the lotion and perfume.

4

Use antiperspirant deodorant to block odors.

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Apply deodorant to your armpits after you get out of the shower. Since armpits have so many sweat glands, they develop an odor much faster than the rest of your body (as you’ve probably discovered!) A fresh coat of antiperspirant deodorant can both mask bad smells and prevent sweat. If you do a physical activity that makes you sweat anyway, you can always reapply it as needed. ^{[3]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- Consider using a combination of deodorant and antiperspirant, especially if you tend to sweat a lot from your armpits.
- 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.
- You can use an unscented deodorant if you plan to use perfumes and scented lotions since you don’t want to introduce too many scents at once.
- Reader Poll: We asked 1248 wikiHow readers how they’re most likely to take care of their appearance, and only 9% of them said wearing deodorant that smells nice. [Take Poll] While this might not change your physical appearance, remember that wearing deodorant is a key part to practicing personal hygiene.

5

Use a long-lasting perfume or cologne.

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Spray the scent on your pulse points and torso for all-day coverage. Start by dabbing a little perfume on your wrists, neck, and behind your ears. Then, spray a small amount perfume or cologne on your torso and behind your knees. It’s important to hit pulse points because they give off heat, which makes the perfume’s fragrance that much stronger! ^{[4]
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Research source}
- Don’t shake your perfume bottle, allowing air to saturate it and decrease its intensity.
- Store your perfume in a cool, dark place. Light and heat cause the perfume to break down, reducing its quality and intensity.
- Citrus scents dissipate faster than others. Choose a more concentrated perfume with a heavy base scent that’ll last you all day.
- Don't wear too much perfume. It can be overpowering and irritating, and some people around you may be allergic.

6

Apply perfume to your hairbrush.

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Perfume is harmful when sprayed directly on your scalp, so a hairbrush can distribute the scent without affecting your hair or roots. Spray your favorite perfume onto the hairbrush and run the brush through your hair, allowing the smell to gently take hold. ^{[5]
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Research source}

7

Drink plenty of water during the day.

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When you get dehydrated, bad smells get stronger—especially in your mouth if you’ve had something strong like coffee or garlic. Hydrating your body with water will banish the bad breath and weaken any unpleasant odors. Aim to drink 8 glasses of water a day in order to maintain a healthy body. ^{[6]
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Research source}

8

Eat plenty of fruits and veggies.

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Fruits and vegetables contain protein that helps your body smell fresh. Be careful of foods like garlic, onions, and spice; their strong smell affects your breath, lingers in your system, and changes the way your body smells. Although they're healthy, avoid them on days you’re concerned about odor. Stick to fruit and water-heavy veggies, which will cleanse your system and help you smell good. ^{[7]
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Research source}
- Eating a lot of broccoli, nuts, and legumes can also cause you to become gassy and affect your smell.
- If you know you’ll be eating strong-smelling food that day, brush your teeth after eating and (if possible) rinse with mouthwash for good measure.

9

Brush your teeth after every meal.

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Brushing removes food particles from teeth and keep your breath fresh. Practicing good dental hygiene is always important; at the very least, brush and floss twice a day. Rinsing with mouthwash also kills bacteria that can make your breath smell bad. ^{[8]
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Research source} However, you can also brush between meals to get rid of any food odor on your breath.
- Choose a breath-freshening mouthwash that doesn't have alcohol and rinse your mouth out whenever you need a quick fix. Alcohol in mouthwash can dry out your mouth, leading to conditions that cause bad breath.
- Carry breath mints that you can pop last minute when you want your breath to smell sweet.
- See the dentist regularly to take care of issues like plaque buildup, so you don't end up with chronic bad breath.

10

Wear light, breathable fabrics.

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When you’re likely to sweat more frequently during the summer months, avoid polyester clothing and synthetic undergarments, as these won’t absorb sweat—and where sweat lingers, it creates a bad odor. Stick to clothes that won’t trap the heat and sweat against your skin; cotton, linen, bamboo, and wool are all good choices. ^{[9]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}

11

Apply shoe spray.

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Use shoe spray to block odors, especially when you don’t have socks. Feet naturally start giving off a smell when they’re enclosed in the tight space of your shoe, but shoe spray is a perfume specifically designed to make your feet smell good no matter what. Alternatively, you could sprinkle talc-free foot powder onto your feet before putting on socks and shoes to prevent sweat altogether. ^{[10]
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Cleveland Clinic
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- When possible, wear socks with your shoes. Going without socks makes your feet sweat more, leading to bad odors. Carry an extra pair of socks to change into later in the day, just in case.
- Have a separate pair of shoes you use when you work out, rather than wearing your running shoes to school or work.

12

Wash your clothes with baking soda and essential oils.

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Baking soda removes odor, while oils improve your clothes' scent. Run your clothes through a washing machine—you can use either scented or unscented laundry detergent . After adding detergent, pour in a scoop of baking soda and 10 to 20 drops of essential oil . ^{[11]
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Research source} Baking soda softens the water, making the detergent more effective at removing bacteria and enhancing the essential oils.
- Make sure you wash most of your clothes after each use. Only wear jeans, pajamas, and outer clothes multiple times before washing (assuming they don’t get dirty).
- Check out your bags, backpacks, hats, and other accessories. Wash these items every once in a while, especially if you use them every day.
- You might want to carry a few backup items to change into if you're out all day. Some people like to keep a fresh pair of underwear, tights, socks, or an undershirt on hand for emergencies.

13

Scent sheets and pillows with herbal spray.

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When your home smells fresh, you will too. Pick an herbal fabric spray that you enjoy and apply it to your pillows, sheets, and blankets each time you make your bed. Then, each time you go to sleep, you’ll be encased in a pleasant herbal scent that’ll linger when you wake up and start your day.
- Alternatively, you could mix a few drops of essential oil with water and spray your sheets with that.
- Keep the rest of your space clean, too. Put all your dirty clothes in a closed hamper, and hang up or fold your clean clothes for storage instead of letting them stay in a pile.

14

Place scented sachets in your clothing drawers.

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Simply place the sachets in the corners of your drawers or hang them in your closets. They'll lightly scent your clothes and keep them from smelling stale. You can buy sweet-smelling sachets or make your own sachets by filling small cloth bags with dried lavender or other herbs you like.

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Warnings

Don't use anything that you are allergic to or makes you itchy. Be careful and look at the ingredients closely before using any product.

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Avoid overusing or applying too much perfume or cologne. Some people are sensitive or allergic to strong scents, and you may inadvertently make them sick.

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How to Smell Good All the Time

Things You Should Know

Steps

Wash the sweatiest parts of your body.

Clean your hair and scalp in the shower.

Moisturize skin with scented lotion.

Use antiperspirant deodorant to block odors.

Use a long-lasting perfume or cologne.

Apply perfume to your hairbrush.

Drink plenty of water during the day.

Eat plenty of fruits and veggies.

Brush your teeth after every meal.

Wear light, breathable fabrics.

Apply shoe spray.

Wash your clothes with baking soda and essential oils.

Scent sheets and pillows with herbal spray.

Place scented sachets in your clothing drawers.

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