Aibu to ask how people manage to smell nice?

[Lostatseason5]

I'm a bit overweight and a bit sweaty :( I have been suffering from depression and although I was managing to drag my ass to work every day I wasn't always showering. :( My new year's resolution was to shower every day. I've been doing this but I still feel unfresh by afternoon, I have colleagues that smell AMAZING! I am too embarrassed to ask them how! Aibu to ask for those of you who are always smelling great your "secret" I now shower each morning wear deodorant but I don't wear perfume as I feel I put too much on, but I'd happily wear one of anyone can recommend a fresh one not overpowering - this will probably sound horrendous that grown adult is asking for help with this but depression can be really debilitating and .trying very hard so of you could be kind I would be grateful thank you (i'm.nearly crying writing this!)

Also, I find for shaving Gillette sensitive gel (with aloe vera) is the best. It doesn't cause irritation, which you don't want and best to do in evening and afterwards I use Dove the plain one just the first time after shave.

Give your washing machine a deep clean regularly.
Make sure you dry clothes in a clean environment - no cooking smells.
Light a nice smelling candle for a bit before drying clothes.

Roll on, spray on top. Sugar or salt body scrubs and as I have psoriatic I cut down baths and showers so skin doesn’t dry but it helps with body Oder.

@Lostatseason5 just wanted to say please don’t get overwhelmed trying to digest all these suggestions. When I was finding it difficult I found it best to make little lists for myself in a notebook - ‘weekend: change bedding, flip mattress, wash bedding and towels, have a bath and exfoliate/moisturise, etc’ - it felt great to tick things off and I also found it was much less tiring or taxing to just do each task separately rather than sitting there thinking about the millions of things that needed doing.

Do you have a tumble drier? I find any time the DC's clothes get washed somewhere there is a tumble drier, the smell really lingers on them for ages.

Yes to the list ....one thing at a time x

Loads of (similar) advice here OP so I won't repeat it. I will say though that perfume smells different on everyone so do try before you buy. Jo Malone does NOT last so don't waste your money unless you want to be re-applying 20 times a day. Though if you can afford to thats grand.

One I like for everyday is Sarah Jessica Parkers Lovely. Inexpensive fresh and the bottle fits into my bag nicely! For a really long-lasting body lotion I love the original Jimmy Choo. Marc Jacobs Daisy edp with the white flower lid smells great on me. All perfume gets spritzed in front of me and then I sort of waft through it, so my clothes give off the scent too.

Someone up thread recommended charcoal insoles, i have these in all my shoes tbey are great.

Another PP recommended an intimate wash/wipes. No don't. Your intimate bits are self-cleaning so if you're showering regularly and wearing cotton pants you'll be fine down below.

Just a reminder that if you're using a natural deodorant its not anti-perspirant so you'll likely still have sweat patches.

Well done on keeping up your resolution. I've been where you are and still sometimes get days when I drag myself out of bed and say "yesterday's clothes will do" rather than try to find the mental energy to pick something else out to wear. For that reason I'm currently sorting out my wardrobe to give myself less stuff but more wearable "outfits" kinda like what Gok Wan might do if he came to my house! (I have far too much stuff cos I shop when I'm depressed) .

Cotton clothing can be hard to find so I sometimes buy synthetic fabrics but with kaftan-type sleeves, with a little cotton vest underneath.

@Lostatseason5 There is lots of great advice, take 5 things and try them over the week.
You'll be less overwhelmed it will help you create a routine.
Give your washing machine a quick sponge wash inside with antibacterial spray, then boil bedding today. Iron one set on clothing and your on your way.

Sorry I haven't read the full thread so it's likely a lot of these have already been said. I really like the Sanex Zero shower gels, they aren't scented but I am quite a sweaty person and it's the only one which seems to get me through to the end of the day without me smelling again! I use a moisturiser all over as well, it might be a bit much to start with, but either Garnier or a body shop butter feel really nice and leave a subtle fragrance. I then use Mitchum in the summer and a dove spray in the winter; the red apple or the pear are lovely and do the job, even when I have been to the gym I still smell fresh just before I shower. I like the body shop sprays as well, the smell is quite subtle so it doesn't matter if you use a bit much, but it stays on for a good few hours. I don't wash my hair everyday as it becomes unmanagable, so I use cocolab dry shampoo in between washes, it smells lovely and I feel fresher.

I know that's why the a lot, but hopefully even one of the tips helps. For me it's all about how I feel rather than others, and these leave me feeling confident and fresh. Be kind to yourself though, and try not to put too much pressure on.

I can relate OP, although I'm not overweight, I sweat excessively, including in my sleep, and my room and sheets are NOT warm. It is a mystery to me. I do shave but my armpits are usually gross by the end of the day and first thing in the morning :(

Smelling good is important to me.
Humans are animals, and animals stink, so covering up the human smell is very high on my list of priorities.

Daily shower with a plain bar of soap. Dove won't do it; Imperial Leather is great.
Antiperspirant. I rate Mitchum, YMMV.
Scented body lotion.
CLEAN towels. Musty-smelling, overused towels won't help.
Fresh clothes (natural fabrics), washed in powder and fabric conditioner.
I find that shaving reduces smell.
Perfume. Every day. Applied in the morning, reapplied in the afternoon.
Fresh bedding.
Clean hair.

I always go to the ladies at work before the end of my lunch break and freshen up. Lots of women do I think, there’s always at least one other lady in there doing the same.

Brush hair, touch up make-up, reapply perfume, wash hands and put on lovely hand cream. It’s a nice routine as it gives me some headspace and makes me feel refreshed and ready for the afternoon.

You've had a lot of good advice on this thread OP, so I'll just compliment you on turning things around this year

Also, diet. Mega important. What you eat definitely affects your scent. Excess weight will affect it too.

I'm 66 and overweight. I lost 2 stone after an op and found I had a lot of loose skin, which made things worse. So when I get out of the shower I use talc ( not to everyone's taste I know) I then put on body butter in the same scent, and my perfume also matches. It's a rose scented one from Penhaligon but not really strong, so it's just a light scent. In my bag I keep feminine wipes and pant liners so I can refresh when I'm out. Don't forget to wash clothes regularly so they don't become stale. I've got a refresh cycle on my washing machine I can use after one wearing.
Lastly, I ask my dd to tell me if she smells anything unpleasant 😉

I get told I smell nice. I shower every day, put deodorant (Dove) on in the morning and carry a bottle with me at all times in case I feel yuck. I also wear the same perfume every day. I put that on every morning but only top up if I'm going out that evening or need to wash or shower during the day randomly like today when I got soaked to my fanny having a riding lesson in torrential sideways rain.

I love using solid or roll on perfumes (I also use solid deodorant). I have a super-nice solid one from Penhaligons (Bluebell) but that was not cheap. I also have a lovely roll on one from Oliver Bonas (Freesia and Pear) and some that are sort of aromatherapy roll ons, in lovely herby-citrusy scents. I think you avoid the over-perfumy-ness this way and the actual scents aren't like perfume scents either, just fresh and natural.

I've been there with depression, Sometimes not showering for several days in a row.
When I finally get it together enough to get clean, I found I couldn't get the stale musty odour gone despite a thorough scrub in the shower.

Recently I found a tip (via pinterest) than cutting a lemon in half and rubbing a lemon half under your armpit (giving it a bit of a squeeze so that the juice sticks to your skin) then leaving it 5 minutes before a shower really gets rid of any lingering smells.
I also rate dettol bar soap for getting you feeling and smelling really clean.

A gorgeous perfume which I would definitely recommend is Dylan Blue by Versace.It almost smells like an expensive hairdressers iykwim,its clean and gorgeous smelling.

Things that help me are:
Bar soap not shower gel
Shower every morning
Secret deodorant which I buy in bulk from the US, also available on eBay/ Amazon
Use white vinegar in the washer, sometimes I soak the armpits of my work uniforms in it as a pre wash soak. It kills any bacteria living in the fibres. This especially useful on synthetics and things that get washed at 30.
At lunchtime do teeth and reapply deodorant.
Go to the dentist, periodontal disease smells rank. Not saying you have it but obviously worth a check up!

Some great tips here, OP. If you fancy a nice new perfume, there’s a thread in Style and Beauty which some of us post on every day. We know a lot about fragrance, and we are all-inclusive from scents that cost pennies to scents that cost a week’s wages. Pop over - the thread’s always called The Lovely Friendly Perfumistas something-something, and we are always very happy to have new posters join us.

Few things....

Shower in the morning.... roll on and deodorant (I’m very slim but need both). Pop on some lovely smelling body lotion too. I use the soap and glory ones - very sweet but makes you smell amazing. After that, a spritz of perfume. You could try a hair perfume if you’re worried about it reacting with your skin/being too much.

I have a very stressful job so drink a lot of water and make sure I’m always checking to see if I’m smelly. As the above poster mentioned - wash your hands with a nice smelling soap. The Aldi Jo Malone dupe of lime, basil and mandarin is amazing. If I don’t need to wash my hands I often just rub the tiniest amount between my hands and it smells amazing.

You actually probably don’t smell but it’s always good to have an awareness of it!

Nice smelling shower gel, reapply deodorant throughout the day whenever you feel the need to, and use a good body spray, I use Victoria secret love spell and always get comments on how good I smell at work.

Also, do sweating, there’s this roll on that you can buy at boots or also get similar on prescription, it minimises sweating or stops it completely for days where you apply it, working in such a hot environment this has been life saving for me, the one from boots is called driclor.

Showering everyday is key.

Then - how often do you was your hair? How often do you wash your clothes? And how quickly are they dried?

That could be part of it. Underwear must always be clean on, and tops and tshirts also. Indeed I also wash a dress after I e worn it for a day. I don’t use a tumble dryer - air drying in a warm house is enough but make sure that there’s plenty of circulation. I tend to put wet clothes on coat hangers and let them dry by hanging in a door architrave. Great way to minimise ironing too!

I uses a Male anti-perspirant like Rightguard. I find it’s much more effective and less nasty-scented than women’s. I also spray perfume under my arms and on my chest.

Hi OP,

Sorry to hear you're struggling ❤️

I don't know if this will help but I have a bath, use dove creamy body wash and femfresh wash for down there.

I moisturise with a nice smelling moisturiser or body oil after shaving.

I use Mitchum deodorant as I notice it lasts all day, I love the light pink one, smells like baby powder.

I also use a little femfresh talc down there and carry some femfresh wipes with me in my handbag to have a freshen up mid day at work after weeing.

Alien is my go to perfume, I buy the the parfum and not the toilette as a little goes a long way and everyone comments on it but I'd suggest picking up some testers and seeing what you like. Body Shop also does some nice affordable perfumes, I love the Indian Jasmine one.

Make sure you use clean knickers every day and maybe use some dry shampoo to freshen hair in between washes. I personally only wash my hair 3 times a week otherwise it goes flat and greasy so dry shampoo is a life saver for me.

Hope this helps a little xx