Help - I stink!

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NC for this, please be kind. Going to be as detailed as I can.

I’ve noticed a couple times recently that I stink. In my line of work, I need to wear business dress. There are some days when I need to stay on and end up working 13, 14, 15 hour days. Myself and colleagues will be driving back to the office and after these long days I can smell myself.

It’s never my armpits, it’s always coming from my pants region and my feet. I worry that my colleagues can smell me.

I have a thorough shower every day, using bar soap, but I do notice that after about 7-8 hours said areas start to smell.

I wear cotton underwear however I then need to either wear suit trousers or a dress with tights. My preferred outfits are a dress with tights.

Getting changed throughout the day is not an option, I can only bring a small work bag (full of work documents etc) when I go out, so there isn’t lots of room for lots of panty liners, wipes etc.

I know there will be a suggestion that it could be hormonal however I smell nice and fresh for up to about 7 hours, would I not smell much quicker if it was hormonal?

I have a good diet and play football and run when I can so do some good exercise. I have done an at home test for BV and it is negative.

The smell isn’t ingrained in my clothes/underwear/tights as these are all washed at a good temperature after every use and replaced regularly. My shoes are also replaced regularly and I have lots of different pairs to choose from.

So I can be a little like this, especially on long days in workwear.
Firstly - wear unscented liners. If you can't put another in your bag, wear one to work for half the day, then dispose of it - feels like you've had a nice change of underwear even if you haven't.
For feet, try and have a few different pairs of shoes you can swap between. Shoes tend to start smelling if they haven't fully dried out. So wear one pair one day, and wear another the next day to allow the first pair to dry out. Also invisible pop socks if you can.

Business attire, long days, running round, hands & knees, small bag, car back to the office with colleagues...

Are you an Apprentice candidate OP?

Echoing others for feet, are your shoes leather? I've discovered over the years that for a long day on my feet I can only wear leather or something breathable (converse). Synthetic 'leathers' are a nightmare of stink.

@QueSyrahSyrah that Apprentice comment made me snort! I do envisage the poor OP dashing around like those candidates, all glammed up! 😂

Can you take a work bag that has all documents in and then another smaller bag for personal stuff
so maybe a briefcase - ok very 80s 😂 for work stuff and then your own personal handbag .

suspender tights are what you want
basically tights with a hole at the top for em easy access 😂😂

and yes to the bb gel do the 7 day course of it you can get it in boots for about £7

probiotics

Definitely leather shoes and never wear the same pair 2 days running.

Other than that, I'd do nothing. I think it is normal to be a bit whiffy by the end of a busy day and all these interventions aren't really necessary, it's an extension of the need for constant perfection that seems to be everywhere these days and is just exhausting.

Could you give it a squirt of this when you go to the ladies?

www.boots.com/femfresh-deodorant-spray-125ml-10041138

There is dress appropriate for the tasks I might need to do however, I can already be at one location and be called to another with no notice of returning to the office for supplies!

I’ve definitely got room for party liners so will pack them in my bag, thanks.

My shoes are all synthetic so time to get leather shoes.

I’m not an apprentice candidate unfortunately. Although that did give me a chuckle

Definitely change to leather shoes and rotate which ones you wear.

You can buy spray for your shoes to deodorise them, you can get it in a small handbag size can to top up throughout the day. Definitely leather, not synthetic. I agree with others that tights will be adding to the problem here.

I would use a squirty water bottle and rinse after going to the loo.

I just cut the 'cotton' crotch out of my tights! Unsightly, but I am the only one who sees them. You have to be careful to cut within the seams of the crotch or else you'll start a snag. Also, washing with an antibacterial soap (feet, and where your legs meet your body - never the actual vulva!) could help.

Put one on in the morning and remove it after 4-5 hours -- that way you don't have to carry anything.

Yes to party liners. What about changing the soap to one of the balanced shower gels?

I'm placing my bet that you’re a police officer/crime scene manager 😉

I'll possibly get shot down for this but Femfresh deodorant would make a huge difference to you. I've found it'll keep me fresh for a long, hot work day even in the middle of summer and you only need to use a couple short sprays.

Using thin liners and changing them a couple times a day will also help a lot and stop the smell permeating your clothes so much. They take up pretty much no room, you could put a couple in your wallet/pocket/bag.

I put Holland & Barrett Tea Tree lotion on my feet after I’ve showered. It’s mildly antibacterial, it keeps my feet from getting any smell when I’ve been running around on them all day.

I tested negative for BV but used the Boots 7 day course of cream pessaries anyway. I’d been smelling horrible for a few months and thought it was just menopause-related and had low hopes for the BV cream, but it has completely got rid of the smell.
The Boots one is quite cheap and easy to use. Might be worth giving it a go to see if it helps.

I’d be really cautious about using any perfumed products (femfresh, perfumed liners etc) as they could cause a reaction. You can get unperfumed liners.

Feet...use boric acid, you can get it on eBay, it's a powder. You'll need to put a few teaspoonfuls of it in socks and wear them overnight for about a week. That's all, it's life changing, your feet wont ever smell again. Don't understand the science but it was a miracle cure for me

Are you showering twice a day properly? You said it's not your underarms as such which is a bit odd after a very long day.

If your feet are smelling it's either tour shoes that need slinging or tour feet are not getting washed twice a day OP.

Maybe you have thrush? I would try femfresh too wash too. I would change your bar of soap too as it doesn't seem to be working.

Femfresh powder lightly sprinkled onto knickers or pantyliner. Works brilliantly.

You could take a small sandwich bag with a few baby wipes in your bag and sort of cleanse your feet and fanny after 7hrs or so. Then apply a bit of talc free scented body powder. Vagisil make a few scents.

Use athletes foot powder on your feet and also make sure you have no hard skin, and short toenails.

Thanks everyone. Feels like I’m getting a good old lesson in personal hygiene at the ripe old age of 34, how mortifying!

I appreciate your kindness. Pantyliner helped today for sure. I still need to buy leather shoes and will look in to other options for feet.

Definitely no smell under my arms, I swear by Dove stick cream deodorant.

I rarely shower twice a day, always just once in the morning