Body odor is never pleasant. After a long day at work or after few hours of outing, you are bound to smell. It can be embarrassing at times and can become a real personality dampener. People might try to avoid you and it might also affect your self-esteem and confidence. If you always find yourself checking for the sweat stains or the smell, it is time to consider what you might be doing wrong or what you might not be doing. It is a sensitive issue that needs to addressed openly. Here are 10 ways to keep a check on your body odor and smell fresh all day.
1. Bathe
Stick by the golden rule of showering daily and keeping yourself squeaky clean. Throughout the day bacteria and dirt accumulate on our skin and cause bad odor. Even if you stay at home all day you shouldn’t excuse yourself and not take a bath. Bathing daily gets rid of all sweat, grime and bacteria on your skin. Our sweat is naturally odorless, but when microscopic bacteria that live on our skin mix with sweat, they multiply quickly and raise quite a stink. Thoroughly clean the sweat prone areas and dry yourself properly to avoid any dampness.
2. Shave your underarms
Shaving your underarms won’t make you sweat any less, but it may help you to avoid bad smelling pits. Hair is porous and hence it absorbs odor that is caused by sweating. Excessive hair creates a swampy area which may result in bacterial growth, which is likely to make you smell bad. And also, too much hair traps the moisture and slows down the evaporation process. To avoid all the fuss, simply grab your razor and shave it off. It will make you feel fresh and reduce the bacteria, thus lessening the smell. For further care, wash your underarms after any physical activity and change your clothes.
3. Apply antiperspirants and deodorants.
The two products are meant for different purposes; the basic difference between antiperspirants and deodorants is that the former keeps you from sweating while the latter cuts down on what makes you stink when you do sweat. Antiperspirants work by clogging, closing, or blocking the sweat releasing pores with powerful astringents such as aluminium salts. They keep the armpits dry and comfortable and save you from sweating profusely. And deodorants cover the smell caused by bacteria and doesn’t interfere with the natural cooling process and hence make a better choice over antiperspirants.
4. Wear breathable fabrics.
Excessive sweating causes us to smell bad as it mixes up with the bacteria on your skin. When the temperature is soaring, it melts us down and we are left drenched in sweat, which isn’t a pleasant sight. Though sweating is good for health as it releases the toxins through our skin, but at the same time, it leaves us with awkward sweat patches which can be embarrassing, sometimes. To avoid such scenarios, choose light clothes made of natural fabrics to help your skin breathe. A garment that traps your perspiration is what makes you sweat more, further leading to discomfort and irritation. Choose fabrics like cotton, lightweight linen and light wool. They have moisture-absorbing properties and let the air flow through, keeping you from sweating like a sinner in church.
5. Use antibacterial soap.
Since the underlying cause of body odor is bacteria, the best way is to get rid of those nasty pests. Using a good antibacterial soap can help you get rid of any body odor and make you feel fresh. We tend to wash ourselves quickly and head out of the shower, but antibacterial soaps are required to stay for at least two minutes to work. It might not work if you wash off the soap as quickly as you applied. The best way is to use a loofah with it to scrub away all the bacteria and dead skin cells which will make you squeaky clean and will keep bad body odor at bay.
6. Baking soda.
To get instantly rid of body odor, baking soda can come in handy. It can absorb all the moisture from the skin and take away the smell as well. Baking soda can kill the odor-causing bacteria and prevent excessive sweating and odor. Since it is alkaline in nature, it will lower down the pH level of sweating parts to counteract the acids in sweat. So this baking soda not only reduces perspiration but also clears body odor effectively. Simply take a little of baking soda into your hands while taking shower and apply it onto underarms and scrub it for few minutes and then wash it off normally to clear the baking soda and the body odor.
7. Prevent foul smelling feet.
After a long day at work or after working out for an hour or two, our feet get sweaty, leaving them smelling deadly and stinky feet are no fun. Sometimes we tend to neglect our feet in our skincare regime. And if you can smell your feet without bending over, then you have got a problem. Our feet need extra care to ensure that they don’t smell. Washing your feet thoroughly after removing your shoes is necessary. You can apply normal deodorant or antiperspirant to your feet to keep them smelling fresh. to avoid the build-up of sweat and dirt, you may choose to wear canvas shoes or sandals in summers, as they let your feet breathe. Washing your socks and keeping your shoes clean is also important if you want smelly feet. If you can’t find time to wash your shoe, you can keep them fresh by sprinkling some baking soda in your shoes and letting it sit overnight and shake off the extra powder in the morning to absorb all the moisture and smell.
8. Tea tree oil.
If washing your smelly areas is not enough to get rid of the smell, you can give tea tree oil a try. Tea tree is a natural antibacterial herb and is a natural antiseptic. An antiseptic can kill the bacteria present on skin that is the root cause of body odor. Along with killing the bacteria, it has a sweet smell, which can act as a natural deodorant. However, it may cause irritation if you have sensitive skin. To use tea tree oil, mix two drops of the oil in 2 tablespoons of water and apply it to your underarms or any other smelly areas.
9. Consume odor friendly food.
Sometimes, the food we consume may be contributing to the excessive sweating. Fiber-loaded food helps you detoxify the body by maintaining proper digestion. Consuming salad which comprises of raw vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, spinach, peppers, can naturally cleanse your insides. Adding citrus fruits to your meals can also detoxify your body by flushing out the toxins that may be causing body odor. However, steer clear from having much cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli as the sulfur that is present in them can cause body odor.
10. Apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar can be used to combat body odor and keep the stink under control. It is a natural bacteria-killing agent and eliminates body odor by maintaining the pH level of your skin, keeping you fresh all day. You can dab areas like your underarms and feet with apple cider vinegar, that are prone to smelling bad.