I stink! What to do?

[StinkyWinkyMe]

I'm 44 and I've never had problems with body odour but now I really notice if I forget my deodorant (I reckon the heat wave isn't helping 😂) but I also just...smell a bit worse? I have heard this might be related to perimenopause, but what to do about it?

My routine is: shower in the morning before work, pat myself dry, apply body lotion with SPF, and deodorant. But by the time I get to work I'm a bit sweaty. My armpits are a bit more ripe than I would expect but it's this sort of sweaty smell that is bothersome to me. Is there anything to be done about this? I'm a bit sensitive to perfumes and have quite sensitive skin so I'm not keen on loads of scented lotions, perfumes, etc. But I'm also feeling quite self-conscious about my new odour :(

Thank you all for the replies, any suggestions for a stinky back? It seemed yesterday that it was really emanating from my back. Not a BO smell but just...sweat...?

Persimmon soap bars. I use them everyday. Designed for "old people smell". Ordinary soaps just don't cut it.

I smelt like a horse during peri

Shower morning and evening with good soap
Use Mitcham or Sure 72 hour morning and evening
Natural fibres only
If really bad wear a top for commuting then Johnsons full body wipes then new deodorant and top
Dont forget deodorant and dont plaster yourself in stinky sprays, if you smell you need to wash and change

Chlorophyll - stops Ur sweat from smelling treat Ur body from the inside
Witch hazel get a pad wipe Ur armpits crack /creases after u shower
Hibiscrub is v good

Same happened to me. Before trying a convoluted regime just upgrade to Mitchum deodorant. All sorted.

This sounds lovely, I’m going to get some! 🙏

No pong odorant is brilliant! It’s a cream you apply to your pits and it changes the ph so the smelly bacteria doesn’t breed.

https://www.nopong.com.au/?npl-ref=440e6FUD

@StinkyWinkyMe

you don’t need a body lotion with SPF. If you were gonna be sunbathing, yes, but going to work, no (unless you work outdoors of course). You just need SPF for your face daily. The SPF body lotion will make you feel all clammy

@StinkyWinkyMe

but sweat doesn’t smell? What kind of smell is it from your back?

Similar age/stage of life - I can highly recommend AKT deodorant. Keeps me dry, fresh and no body odour all day. I get it on subscription now. (Ive no affiliations/connections to this company, just a happy customer).

Use the sensitive dettol laundry sanitizer in every clothes wash. Make sure you’re drying your clothes properly. Try driclor under your arms. I think it’s sold in Boots. I sweat a lot, always have and even in my 40s don’t honk if I wash clothes and shower properly. Persimmon soap on pits and groin. I also wear antiperspirant at night so the sweat/smell doesn’t build up.

Agree with pp about persimmon soap. I had the same issue and tried it and was amazed to find it worked straight away. There was a thread about the issue on here last year: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/menopause/5405844-does-anyone-else-smell-funny

Sorry I can't comment on back...

But I suddenly started to smell in my early 40s and for underarms I use Fussy....the completely unfragranced one.

Other swear by Mitchum but it didn't work for me.

And agree with pps a proper soap like Dettol (sounds like it won't be suitable for you but for benefit of others reading).

She may well need it. The UV is high, and I need SPF for going outside on my 10 min breaks and lunch and also driving to work

Definitely soap for under arms. I use a roll on antiperspirant, generally Mitchum, spray makes my armpits itch like crazy, another menopause joy 😂

Lush do something similar. It’s honestly a godsend in this heat! You can apply it anywhere too, office, car, public transport.

Could your diet also be contributing? You might want to make some changes there too

febreze fabric spray is a great freshener for clothes. Though sweaty t shirts after one day I don’t use it on. They’re straight in the wash.

Are you sure it’s not your clothes OP? Do you wash at low temp and do they ever get a hot wash or hot tumble dry? As if not then a smell can build up… they don’t smell when newly washed and dried but once you put them on and warm up then the smell comes out. Dilute vinegar and bicarb soak is good for revitalising sweaty or musty clothes.

Mitcham didnt work for me either, I find the Dove Care mens one - the 72 hour one- rollon (its in a grey bottle) works, and am forever indebted to whoever on Mumsnet recommended it!

I want one of those long handle brushes for my back. May help you too.

This could well and truly be perimenopause! Changes in hormones. Same as being pregnant. Sometimes it’s just finding the right deodorant, you may need to spend a bit more money on a good brand! But sometimes soaking in things like salt baths, detol baths or oat baths can help! Just try everything until you find what works. Also your smell might be stronger being perimenopausal so you might just be able to smell more than usual!! X

Tumble drying is great at getting the smell out of clothes. Obviously not suitable for all clothes though.

Shower gel isnt the same as soap. I see loads of people recommending particular soaps - in my opinion any old school unscented vegetable soap bar washes you better than stuff in a squeeze bottle. I mention that as OP doesnt like scents.

you can’t always do your laundry at 30 or 40. Maybe sometimes, but at least some of the time you need to do a 60 wash on tops, socks, pants.

Give your laundry a good sniff when it's wet out of the machine. That will tell you if the issue is the clothes. IME you can smell clothing pong when it's wet but not necessarily when it's dry.