How to smell good!

[Moochuck]

As I wfh and do the school run, my daily care is a shower with simple soap, deodorant and some old perfume that I want to use up. I dont really look after myself unless im out out.

Today I was at the bus stop and caught a waft of lovely smell from someone and got me thinking how good they must feel. So I just wondered what others do, do you take time to layer perfumes etc daily. Any recs for shower gels etc.

My friends washing clothes smell so good as well as her. It’s the yellow comfort I think

A decent perfume, not too heavy but nice for daytime

Oh god I could do a whole long post on this
my friend said even my presents or cards always smell good

starts with your house, aired well, clean, wash stuff that holds on to cooking smells like scarves, blankets etc
I use soap under arms but then shower gel, body scrubs, lotions etc plus perfume
next summer sun is a decent cheap one, smells like bronze goddess and they do hand soap and shower gel etc

I don’t overspray, key is knowing what’s appropriate and how strong the scent is. A skin scent I might do 6 sprays but only 1 spray of a strong scent

I layer scents that work together and get told I smell nice a lot of the time. I use scented moisturiser/ a light body mist and some perfume. Clean clothes help too.

Comfort blue skirt fabric conditioner and fairy non bio always smell amazing. I don’t think shower gel makes much of a difference. A decent perfume is important. I’m not too keen on scented moisturiser in addition as that can smell too sweet/overpowering.

Make you sure hang washing up as soon as the wash is finished and don’t rewear stale clothes.

I love that “clean girl” smell that wafts as someone passes. It’s definitely fabric conditioner working well with a perfume, along with all fresh coat/bag/scarf.

It’s so elusive though, as I think it’s something you get used to and don’t actually smell that much yourself when it’s you. Is that right @fivebyfivefaith ?

I fell in love with Pears Inc fragrance from Juliette Has a Gun as it’s a very clean, fresh smell, but as soon as I splashed out on a big bottle, I literally can’t smell it any more. I’m still using it daily in the hopes that everyone else can!

I also struggle with fabric softeners as I find the scents too complex. My nose will seek out any trace of coconut or overly fake vanilla, which Comfort seem to love, but it makes me nauseous.

Honestly I can't stand it when I can smell someone's perfume/fabric conditioner. I find it intrusive on my personal space. I think perfume should only be for people who are close enough. Your hygiene routine sounds perfect.

I’ve always given a couple of sprays of perfume to my hair as well as on my skin and that makes the fragrance last throughout the day so you can smell it and others near to you can.

I think you don’t notice what you’ve always smelled - like when you come back from holiday and you smell your house but you don’t day to day?
I only smell when something is different so if my washing smells musty etc

the most comments I get are that I smell clean or people ask what soap/shower gel

edited to add - try the comfort molly mae pure, it’s a really soft scent

Natural fibres. (Synthetics hold on to every odour.)

Well aired clothes.

Skin exfoliation and good soap.

Efficient anti-perspirant.

Hair perfume, and layering body cream and perfume in the same or complimentary fragrances.

However, I can do all that and still find myself rushing to a meeting and arriving in a hot sweaty mess …

I partly wfh, but no matter if I am having a wfh day or not, I will always use some perfume, every day.

At home I will use the more subtle close scents, so something like Elizabeth Arden green tea or white tea, Clarins or along those lines.

On a going out day, I will wear something that is a little bit longer lasting.

If I skip that part, I just don't feel right, as if something is missing. I don't use scented soaps or shower gels (eczema) so I don't have a soapy smell to rely on.

I do like the smell of body lotion on others, good old Dove or Nivea on skin always just smells clean to me.

I'm interested to know this too OP! So hanging around for the ideas 🙂 I find that any soap or shower gel scent doesn't last on my skin. I have a couple of the perfumes listed above by other posters and agree that the Green Tea and SJP Lovely perfumes smell lovely and clean.

Completely agree. Scent preferences are so personal, what you like might be awful to someone else.

I hate walking into the fug of someones heavy perfume like an aura all around them .
Just do as you do as I'm sure the people around you find you lovely and fragrant as you are .

I was put off being friends with someone who absolutely stank of poison perfume. It gave me a headache. I do like the smell of clean clothes and a small amount of light perfume though. Talk of layering perfume with hair perfume, body lotion etc sounds way ott.

Wash and dry clean your coats regularly too

I'm the same. I had to move seats on the train recently because the woman beside me had such strong perfume that I started to feel very sick. She was beautifully groomed and the scent wasn't unpleasant, just too dominant.

DH has started to use dupe aftershaves. he is so proud of them, but they are also way too overpowering. I had to stick my nose out of the car window like a dog the other day because the smell was bringing on an asthma attack.

I find the smell of fabric conditioner cloying. I bought a top off Vinted that must have been soaked in it. I couldn't wash out the damn smell so I resold it.
What kind of smells do you like?

I use drops of various essential oils in a carrier oil, like almond and liberally apply it everywhere after my shower. My favourites are sandalwood, oud, persimmon, frankincense and patchouli. I often get told I smell nice, when people get up close.
I use Zoflora in the final rinse in the washing machine.

Surely that can't be good for you to have disinfectant on your clothes?

I always wear perfume but tend to wear ones that aren't too strong or wear off pretty fast like JM.

I apparently smell nice. It’s Jo Malone Myrhh and Tonka, Hermes ‘elixir’ or Clinique aromatics.
my house has sea salt and wood sage diffusers that don’t smell strong but do ‘smell’ a bit.
i open windows every morning, use the extraction fan if cooking. Dry clothes on an airer in a room that doesn’t have cooking smells.
I recently caved and bought Purdy and Figg (so my kitchen and bathrooms smell good, I also drizzle it over the kitchen bin)
We clean household fabrics (cushion covers / throws / towels / bedding) often. Wear clean clothes. Shower frequently.
Clean and aired will always smell fresher and better than ‘day old hair / shower and second day clothes’.

If I put it on my clothes neat, it probably wouldn't be, but it is a tiny amount in lots of water in the final rinse, TeaRoseTallulah.