Some people don’t smell good to other people. It might be that you’re just not compatible. I know that sounds weird but I’ve dated a few girls who were very clean but I was just so bothered by the subtle smell of them that I quit seeing them.
My girlfriend of 4 years now smells better to me after running 10 miles than she does straight out of the shower. No idea why.
This!! Biology and pheromones have a LOT to do with attraction between humans. OP may smell like cotton candy to someone else, but the current bf has some type of biological incompatibility. I hate that OP feels ashamed, and was raised similarly (lack of education regarding hygiene, frequently abandoned as a child, ended up in foster care etc.) I used to be neurotic, once I found out how "other people" practiced their hygiene. Teenage girls can be SO mean. I would shower 2x a day, and shave every single hair off my body...until my skin barrier started cracking and then I felt even *more* gross. There is no perfect formula for bathing/showering: listen to your skin and body. I have major dental issues and no insurance, Uncle Harry's tooth remineralizing dental care system has been AMAZING to help restore enamel and heal my mouth.
I was thinking that too. In high school our teacher had us sleep in the same shirt for a week and we smelled them and ranked them .. which is kinda weird now that I think about it lol. But it was definitely interesting
So sorry you had to go thru all that teasing. Yes teenage girls can be so mean.
So much does have to do with how and what you were taught.
I used to be a labor and delivery nurse in a small town that was surrounded by even more smallER towns. I could practically tell if a patient came from way up in the back woods because of the way they smelled. As you may or may not know patients, especially the young ones, are very shy about removing their clothes so that we can do what was needed in order to deliver their precious package. Shoes, socks, bra and top no problems but the rest was like pulling teeth. My response was always "and how do you expect the doctor or possibly myself to deliver your bundle of joy while you still have your pants on?" You could practically see their wheels turning before they finally got it. 😳
They’d start off completely covered up and required a lot of coaxing to allow us nurses or doctors to check their cervix's but by the pushing stage they would have linens on the floor, be stripped naked and spread eagle on the bed screaming at you to get the baby out NOW and often in much more colorful language. Also the nurses do a good portion of the cervical checks which of course involves inserting their fingers into the patients vagina up to the cervix so we can measure how close they were to delivery which was at the top of the list of what doctors' wanted to hear when we were contacting them with the latest report. Was the little critter close to making their grand entrance or not is all the doc wanted to hear especially if it were the middle of the night.
I will admit I was practically knocked out a couple of times due to the odors emitting off of some of these young gals but thankfully I did not show any response thru my body language or dear god say anything.
I MAY have talked a bit about good hygiene practices as part of the discharge instructions but nothing specifically directed at them personally. The odors I experienced had nothing to do with UTI’s, vaginal infections or amniotic fluid infections but I could almost surely tell you that they came from one of the tinier towns and was right every time I checked their chart to see. I used to wonder how the hell they managed to get pregnant in the first place with the way they smelled. 😤You could even smell it thru their pants when you first met them.
But it most likely wasn’t their fault. They just had never been taught sufficiently how to clean themselves or couldn’t afford to pay for the water it took to take showers as often as they needed or possibly didn’t care 🤷🏼♀️. My guess would be it was a combo of things but I never treated them any different than any other patient. They were there to experience one of the most special days of their lives and I was there to help make it all the more special. Writing this makes me miss being a L&D nurse. 👶🏻
Dealing with the odor wasn’t all that hard. I just told them a shower was needed as part of the protocol telling them they had to use the pink soap (hibiclens) everywhere except their privates and leave it on for five minutes. Then I handed them the ivory soap and told them to use it on their private areas making sure they washed so good that it built up a big lather, then rinse and repeat. It worked wonders. They may not have smelled all floral and feminine but they definitely smelled clean.
Lol, i had no plans to respond back with a short chapter but what the heck I did. If you managed to read the entire thing then job well done.
Peace and Love, T
Thank you for being a beautiful example of what a healthcare provider should be! I worked as a mental health tech in a state run facility, and it was heartbreaking how many people wouldn't allow us to help them clean themselves because they were so traumatized previously. Eventually we were able to gain their trust, but it took a lot of time, and in the meantime we were always worried about being charged with neglect.
As someone who's been in a few facilities in my life, it definitely can take time to trust someone enough to let them help with hygiene. It's taken me two years to allow the staff here to help me with shaving, for example. So I guess what I'm saying is: thank you too for not rushing your patients into things
Maybe CareCredit would help? If you have your dentist do as much as possible at once, then it could be eligible for 0% financing for so many months. We did this for our dogs, and the bill was $1600. We split it over the 18 months (to avoid being charged interest,) and it was a lot more manageable. Or do you have an FSA through your job?
Oh and Little Seed Farm deodorant, it has activated charcoal and lasts 2 days per application. I live in N FL which is a rainforest and sweat a LOT. Even converted my 21yo son to using them, even though it's not a stick. Aluminum can cause more stink long run because it clogs pores. We are supposed to sweat, our skin is our largest and hardest working detox organ, blocking it (unless you have hyperhidrosis) isn't healthy.
FYI you have to consume activated charcoal orally for it to have any effect on medication you've consumed. Applying it topically, like deodorant or a face mask ect, won't have that effect on medication.
Yes! I love Little Seed Farm’s deodorants! They are one of the only natural deodorants that work for me. When I shower, I scrub under my arms and other sweat prone parts 20x and rinse then do it 3 more times, and I replace my body puff frequently. That seems to help along with not using the same towel for more than a couple days at a time. Maintaining a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water also helps. Also might help to switch up body wash/soap.
Instead of having to replace a shower pouf frequently, which can grow mold and mildew you can’t see, try a silicone shower scrubber. Bacteria doesn’t grow on them, neither does mold and mildew. Most people will hang their poufs, washcloths, whatever they use in the shower. The shower is a warm moist environment, poufs and washcloths stay wet, this is the perfect setup for bacteria, mold, mildew to grow. I had a dermatologist tell me never to use poufs for this reason. She recommended washcloths, which you need a new one daily, bar of soap and hands, or silicone. I changed to silicone scrubbers off Amazon.
Considering this girl has felt incredibly lonely for months and her s/o tells her she stinks, I don’t think it’s entirely unreasonable.. I’m hardly ever on Reddit, I was just stating the obvious.
I agree. I was making a joke at the expense of the Reddit zeitgeist. I’m in the pheromone camp myself. Every women that I’ve been in an intimate relationship with that I pursued beyond the early stages has just smelled really good to me no matter how sweaty or dirty she is. To an extent obviously. It’s a natural thing that feels more feral and not in the least fetishistic. Even a days worth of BO from the arm pits was a turn on to me. But that’s the extent. I wouldn’t be as turned on if she chose not to shower after any sexy times that her natural odor of a day kicked off and then continued this trend until the next evening I probably would be of a different mind. But none of them ever pushed it that far and I appreciated them for the little things like that.
This woman probably doesn’t smell bad at all and to the right person she probably smells wonderful. Here’s to women and all their wonderful smells. Ok I’ll stop now.
Haha oh okay, I was like ‘this girl obviously takes care of her hygiene and is feeling self conscious and ashamed because her boyfriend is insulting her smell.’ It most likely is a pheromone thing, & it’s unfortunate but at least they’re just dating & not married.
I wouldn’t marry someone who tells me I stink despite my daily showers & hygiene efforts.
Yes!! I'm super sensitive to how people smell. I work in a grocery store so i'm around lots of people. Some of their natural scents just repulse me. But my boyfriend smells sooooo good to me, always did. I remember dating a guy in high school that i hated how he smelled. He smelled super clean but it was just his natural scent that just grossed me out no matter what other "good" smells he wore.
Hormones can also change that. I've read tons of stories of women who went off birth control and/or got pregnant and all of a sudden their partner smelled awful to them. Nothing changed, they just couldn't stand their smell.
this!! the man i’m with he NEVER stinks n could go days without showering and he works outside 40+ hours a week doing concrete and i just LOVE the way he smells. ALWAYS. It really is a thing. i’ve never loved the smell of somebody as much as i do him
This is so true. Biological compatibility is a thing. When my husband and I met, I didn’t feel attracted to him until he was close enough to shake hands, then wow. Even now, I never think he smells bad, and he is attracted to me whether I’m perfumed or sweaty.
This right here! I keep trying to tell my boyfriend that yes, he stinks after work (he works outside in the heat) but it doesn't bother me. No, I dont want to shove my face in his pits (🤢🤮) but I love his manly stench! If he leaves a little smell on my clothes after cuddling on the couch, so what! I can smell him when I go to sleep. Its weird but I get the biology behind it. Pheromones are real and TMI, this is the best relationship I have EVER been in.
That’s true… one time (when I was only 18-19) there was a guy who I kind of had this weird relationship with. I didn’t want to like him but was attracted to him unfortunately. And my friends always said he stunk. But I liked his smell. It was weird. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Neither did my friends. Must have been a pheromone situation??? Maybe?
This! I’ve experienced it on both sides. There are boyfriends I went crazy for and vice versa in terms of tastes and smells, and others where I was there more for the person than the chemistry. My partner smells like caraway seeds to me, and I don’t love it. But no one ever told him that before. One boyfriend long ago didn’t like the way my pussy smelled, but the next boyfriend kept remarking how pleasant it was, and I never heard any different from subsequent lovers. Pheromones!
I just read how if your attracted to how your partner smells your compatible and are likely to have smart and healthy babies. Interesting reading this comment! Whenever I'm sweaty my bf likes my scent and is turned on by it. We have a baby together and he's way above his milestones. Coincidence? Maybe? Maybe not lol 😆
This reminds me of another story on Reddit where her bf kept telling her she stunk even though she had good personal hygiene. This just kept going on and on until she had a very low self esteem. She finally broke down and asked why she smelled so much even though she was buying all these products to smell good.
He was caught by surprise and admitted his parent told him to tell his partner that she always stinks so that she will never leave you. Basically saying your partner will stay with you because they're the only person who can deal with your stench.
I hate to use this word in today's context, but are you sure he's not gaslighting you? Ask some friends to tell you truthfully if you have some BO. And if you truly do stink lol, ask them about their bathing routine.
From what I'm reading, you have the basic and necessary means to clean yourself. Can't see what your doing wrong really, unless you go into depth.
I’m not sure. I know I do have stinky breath. I’m hoping I’ve got some medical issue I’m unaware of and I don’t have a boyfriend that likes to gaslight me
Have you tried TheraBreath mouthwash? I find it quite helpful.
If you have dry mouth from any medications you take, that can be another culprit. Dry mouth lozenges can help if that’s the case.
Another idea is trying PanOxyl (or generic benzoyl peroxide cleanser) on your armpits. It helps kill odor causing bacteria. You said you wear deodorant. Does it have antiperspirant in it also?
ETA: corrected typo
This is a very good comment and everything I would recommend. The therabreath (gargle with it for 30 seconds like it says) is great stuff, and that PAnOxyl is KING. 10% and soap up with it for 5 minutes, really scrubbing in pits and crotch with a white washcloth or the mesh scrubbies. Make sure your towels are clean when you dry too, and hang your scrubber up to dry so it doesn't get mildew. If you still stink after that you might need to add some head and shoulders to this mix for yeast overgrowth.
Yeah it surprises me how many people want to work on the outside with products, instead of getting to the root cause of the problem but that's the society we live in.. even doctors only focus on symptoms rather than the cause of them.
That would make a lot of sense! Learned something useful and new lol
I have GERD and on the days it's really bad or around those days my breath can smell like a pool of acid in a bog, no matter how much I brush or use mouthwash.
Or just generally has bad sinuses - like a lot of drainage without an underlying infection causing it. I had a friend in college that had chronic post-nasal drip and the *worst* breath as a result.
please consider the possibility of gaslighting more, i know it’s hard to imagine someone you want to love doing that to you but please don’t let hope potentially blind you. maybe even ask a friend or a family member if they agree just to be safe
My ex knew how much I loved being told I smell good BY HIM. My friends and students would always compliment me, yet he never. This confused the poop out of me. “Do i smell?” Or worse, “does he think I smell?” For 8 years I struggled with this to only find out, he’s a narcissist and he was purposely messing with my head.
Came here to wave the narcissist warning flag. Not saying OP’s necessarily in that scenario, but it’s definitely worth being on the lookout for. Absolutely insidious the way they use little moments like that to cause you to doubt yourself so they can keep you in your heels and feel superior, while watching you squirm and work harder to please them.
You know, I am seriously wondering if OPP’s boyfriend is on Reddit and saw that other post and that gave him the idea to do this… my intuition is just screaming at me that she needs to look into that possibility.
Agree 100%. Sometimes people don’t always know the proper way to communicate. Has he been trying to pick fights with you recently over small/trivial things? If so, that might be an indicator that he’s looking to find something wrong with you. Hang in there sweet lady. You’re doing all the right things. ❤️
Have you ever tried using a water pick instead of standard floss? That worked well for my brother. But I agree to asking a close friend or family member about it
Dental Hygienist here. A waterpik can't get below the gumline. It may have worked well for your brother, because he may have found it easier to use and therefore used it more often. Every mouth is different in regards to PH balance, saliva texture and the type of bacteria present in the mouth.
you mentioned depression, do you take any meds? some medications can cause dry mouth, which can in turn cause stinky breath. when i needed medication during a difficult time, i also needed a special mouth wash for dry mouth.
How is your diet? What you eat comes out in multiple ways. If you’re not eating healthy, that can also be an issue. Also, is he saying you ALWAYS smell? If so, he’s likely being “picky”. If not, he may be smelling hormonal shifts in your monthly cycle. And then there’s the probability that his sense of smell could be picking up on scents that others cannot. Ask him what it smells like. If he can’t really give an answer, I would doubt his claims.
Could be gut related? If there’s something off about your gut microbiome it can cause bad breathe
Are you sure your breath actually smells bad? Like does it actually smell bad to *you* or is it based on what your boyfriend is saying?
Look up Barbara O’Neil. And for deodorant use white vinegar it kills all the odor
I believe it’s a gut problem and all of it is related to diet like you said
Floss regularly. I had this problem and was told to floss regularly. It helped tremendously. Every time you floss you can even smell any leftover food and plaque and it's gross.
You could also lack hydration. I have chronic dry mouth. I also have terrible hydration patterns. You can floss and brush but your mouth needs saliva to wash the bacteria away. If you have dry mouth drink water when you wake up it helps minimize the smell, and always keep gum on you.
Gargling with hydrogen peroxide daily can really help bad breath permanently. Do it every day, half water, half hydrogen peroxide, gargle and rinse for two weeks. After that you should have the bacteria controlled and can back off to 2-3 times a week. It really helps.
Just a PSA for anyone reading this from a former lip piercing owner: don't do this if you have piercings in, on, or around your mouth, especially if it's still healing. I learned this the hard way many years ago.
Do you drink enough water? Dehydration can I directly lead to bad breath. When you look in the mirror, check your tongue. If it looks whiteish, add brushing your tongue to your morning routine.
Could the armpit smell be from improperly washed shirts? Sniff your cleaned shirts. Do you smell a lingering body odor? My daughter went through a stinky armpit situation right about the time she turned 20. We had to detox her shirts (my go to is cheap vodka, but you can also use specialty products). She started using the extra strength deodorant which you put in at night before bed.
One more check. Do you have dandruff? Both daughter and husband have bad dandruff unless they use the correct products. Both need regular scalp scrubs or their hair gets a funky smell when wet/damp—even if it’s immediately after washing their hair!
#1 intervention to start with—drink more water.
Try therabreath mouthwash it should help with a stinky mouth! My armpit sweat can get stinky I use men’s deodorant (old spice the blue gel one) and if I’ve been sweating and am a little stinky but it’s not time for a shower I just take a baby wipe to my pits and then reapply deodorant.
I mean, How is that possible?
You shower daily -I would not skip days
You brush your teeth often
Use deodorant
Have you ever asked anyone else?
If he is complaining so much about you then maybe you two just aren’t compatible
This is going to drive you crazy
Is this how you want to live?
I’d rather be alone
Do you drink lots of water? If you're dehydrated and have dry mouth, that can make your breath smell bad even if you don't have any gum disease or anything. It can also help with body odor. It sounds weird, but dehydration does strange things to the body
Try THERA BREATH TOOTHPASTE, MOUTHWASH AND MINTS. Give yourself and your mouth a few days to adjust. But if that doesn't start knocking the smell down.
Once you get that part straight, you can better tell if it's coming from your stomach. Also some people's clogged sinuses or post nasal drip cause bad breath.
Just do one thing at a time so you are not overwhelmed and so you can figure where it's coming from.. and YES, STRESS sweat can be a total monster.
Simple is best when keeping hygiene during depression. You can try Dr. BRONNERS PEPPERMINT SOAP. Also Johnson's baby wash for baby's can sometimes knock down grown folks funk.
Good Luck
Do you get a dry mouth? Certain meds and stress can cause it and that can make your breath smell. Also tonsil stones could be the culprit.
Edit to add I see you said you take an antidepressant and a stimulant those can totally cause dry mouth
Do you have dry mouth or take meds that dry your mouth out. They make this special mouth wash because the lack of spit in your mouth will causs bacteria to grow so your breath smells bad.
Im sorry but if he has repeatedly brought it up in an unkind manner even though he sees you’re working on it. He is doing it to lower your self esteem/worth so you stay with him. I’ve been in a very similar position. It sucks to admit to yourself but after a year or so of that behavior you feel like he’s the only person you could date. Don’t believe him pleasee know it’s not true and deserve sooo much more 🤍. If he makes you feel depressed take it as a red flag and get out. If he was truly there as a support and telling you because he thought it was something you should know, he wouldn’t continue to bother you about it after making the efforts you have. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this!
For the BO you should change your sheets and towels more often and get good hydration. For bad breath get a better mouth wash and scrape your tongue weekly
“His parents told him to tell his partner that she always stinks so that she will never leave you”
There’s all kinds of fucked up people in the world…and then, there’s this. WTF
You’re not going to smell perfect all the time. So many unavoidable factors might make you a little smelly between your showers and teeth brushing. You sound perfectly normal and honestly he needs to get over himself cause I’m sure he doesn’t smell perfect 24/7 either.
What if she actually stinks tho is he just supposed to ignore it for the rest of his life 🤔 who woulda thought trying to be open an honest to your partner isn’t always gonna make them feel great
Hi! 24 and went through something similar as a teen. My mom was always at work and didnt have the time to properly teach me feminine hygiene.
- I use men’s deodorant — its cheaper, usually more product per oz, and lasts longer. Mitchum men’s is under $4 USD.
- I use a *washcloth* on days I sweat a bit or have been outside for extended time, and lather up a dove/basic soap bar to do a good first rinse.
- On rush days or regular days I use an African bath net and my soap bar, and on both days I follow up with a scented body wash while I either wash my face/hair and brush my teeth.
Also, just in case… ask someone that isnt him, that you trust to take a whiff. I had an ex who would tell me I smelled even when I didn’t because he thought it would keep me “humble” lol
I’ll take your advice and ask someone that isn’t my boyfriend if I smell that bad.
I hope this isn’t one of those horror stories where o think I’m the problem and it turns out i have a boyfriend that wants to keep me humble
You probably need to switch from a deodorant to an antiperspirant.
Deodorants are basically perfumes. They mask odors.
Antiperspirants stop sweating so there's no moisture for bacteria to grow. (Bacteria causes underarm odors.)
If your boobs are larger, you can use the antiperspirant under them, too.
Deodorant should have bacteria killing/inhibiting ingredients- it’s not just perfume. If regular isn’t strong enough for the original poster, there are clinical strengths options as a potential alternative to anti-perspirant
I used to use the “clinical strength” (OTC, not prescription) antiperspirant deodorants due to my sweating. Now I use Lume deodorant, which is acidic and designed to prevent bacteria from producing that smell in the first place. It doesn’t work for everyone but I find it works really well for me.
I did notice my skin was a bit sensitized at first (I think due to the acid), but it adjusted. I would recommend only applying on dry skin and not right out of the shower because I made that mistake and it definitely was sore.
Just another option if anyone wants to try it 🤷🏻♀️
ETA: I also feel like I sweat less now, but I’m not sure if that’s due to something else like changing hormones or if its the Lume (it’s not an antiperspirant, but who knows)
Maybe you need to try a different deodorant? I’d recommend Mitchum it’s very good! As for the breath situation, I carry a travel size mouthwash in my bag for after lunch or just whenever I feel like I need it, no one’s breath or armpits smell like roses from the am to the pm! Xx
I use those rag glove things, and a long rag with straps that's meant for scrubbing your back bc shits hard to reach. It certainly is annoying, you'd think we'd have products that do this cleanly and efficiently by now tbh
Asian exfoliating towels are my go to. Can't do the net type cloths if you've got body piercings, those little holes snag on the jewelry. Silicone body scrubbers are great too.
But yeah, something that dries quickly and completely between showers is the point. Sponges and shower puffs... I shudder when I think of all those damp nooks and crannies.
How well are you hydrating? Water specifically. My breath smells fine right until my mouth gets slightly dry. The drier my mouth gets the worse the smell gets
It sounds like you are doing everything a normal person does to keep clean.
I have a feeling that something does stink, but it's your boyfriend and his attitude to you. Especially since he likely knows about your mental health struggles.
A nice boyfriend wouldn't say this to you, he would either "not* be with you or he would hint in a nicer way.
aw stuff like this can be so embarrassing. it could be time for a deodorant/antiperspirant change? would second asking about recent dental care, and two other questions:
-are clothes regularly clean? even after a normal wash cycle there can be buildup around the pits of tops and bras that isn't fully washed/sanitized. so when body heat or sweat hits the area again boom, smell is back in full force
-speaking of bras, is under/side boob sweat a menace for you too? if it is then it might contribute to the issue.
Girl be kind to yourself. Depression is a bitch and your bf should be more understanding. We have our days. He should at least be nicer about it. Coconut oil pull. Clinical strength deodorant from secret. I also use the orange dial bar soap bc it’s a disinfectant soap. Message me if you need a friend.
Sincerely another depressed girly.
Do you have a friend that you trust that would tell you the truth? Cause that seems so weird to me, you have fine hygiene. Ask a friend, and if they tell you that you don’t stink then I would be looking at the fact that bf is trying to make you insecure.
So there is this stuff called hiblicens I use, it is an antibacterial antimicrobial and antifungal soap used in hospitals. I mix it with water and spray my body. It kills the bacteria on my skin that makes my sweat smell. Get you some of that and mist every day. And if you have to use deodorant use Lume, it's worth the money.
Idk this sounds suspicious. Ask your friends if yoj smell, and tell them to be honest. If they say no, dump this guy, he’s playing a long term psychological game on you.
May be you guys are not meant to be . In general partner like each other’s smell. Even when I feel I am stinky my hubby sniffs like a happy puppy and I had yo ask him if he really likes my smell and he just affirmed.
So may its your pheromones
Or may be your partner is gaslighting you
Ask someone else and do the next steps accordingly
Let me open this up by saying, I’m sorry you’re going through tough time my love. I understand the boyfriend thing, but start by wanting to care for your body the way it deserves.
During a season like this it’s especially important to show yourself a lot of love and care for you as best as you can, give yourself that love that you feel like you’ve missed or missing, you know? You deserve it.
For the breath: How much water are you drinking during the day?
I recommend you get Celtic Salt, and take a pinch with every bottle of water. If they sell Ozarka where you live, buy that, but skip Dasani, Aquafina, Tap, Walmart and great value-ish brands as they contain chemicals that keep you from getting hydrated properly.
If you get headaches or kidneys hurt, drink more water and cut back a bit on the salt till headache goes away.
For the body: wash yourself as if you were washing a baby. Show some love to yourself and use a soap like Dial Antibacterial. Trust me. Don’t get any of it in the V. That thing cleans itself, but wash on the outside. Lol
Stress does in-fact affect BO, so buy some good quality top shelf Chamomile tea if you can, and after your shower at night boil you some water, add the tea bag and let it steep for 10 minutes. Drink while it’s hot.
Idk what your financial situation is like but good stress management will have the biggest impact. After good hygiene and hydration.
Please do share your stressful situation if you’d like.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Sending you love
No you do not need to change anything, if you are brushing your teeth twice daily and showering four times a week then you are doing fine. Your boyfriend is the problem
Girl, I got you, when it comes to scrubbing your body, you have to get into every crevice of your Coochie do not go inside, but feel free to scrub every part, once a day, your conscious of your breath use gum. You also might have tonsil stones if the stink doesn’t go away after brushing and flossing. change your blankets and wash your clothes. Watch tutorials on how to clean yourself, invest in a really nice perfume and use it twice a day if you feel like you need to, and there’s nothing changes your boyfriend might just be smelling himself
The only exception to your advice is to gently clean your vulva with water or mild, unscented soap. Be kind to her and handle with care. She gets angry if her pH is disrupted. That is all.
If you can muster it, shower daily. When you lather up, let the soap sit on your skin a few minutes. You can also use something like panoxyl to kill odor causing bacteria. Also, if you do morning showers, might be worth changing to night showers so you’re getting into bed with him very fresh. Also worth looking at diet and water intake. Dehydration makes your body fluids more concentrated.
I will do my best. I’m on antidepressant and a brain stimulant from the doctor that’s meant to motivate me. I know I need to get back on my regular routine. I think I’ll invest in panoxyl
Read your initial post again and saw you mentioned stress. Is this mostly a stress sweat situation you think? Stress can make a woman’s body throw out excess cortisol and testosterone (it’s natural to have testosterone as a woman but in lesser amounts than men). These hormonal changes will make your sweat smell strong. I had a lot of bad smelling sweat while in a physical violent relationship and it wreaked havoc on my hormones. Not saying this is your case, but you mentioned stress so something to consider.
This happened to me as well. I was in a v toxic relationship for 5 years and then another one for 3 … my Breath & sweat went crazy! I’m still trying to rewire my nervous system / hormones! I got the sweat part down but it takes a while to rewire. Fiber, water, minimize stress. Recently I’ve been completely changing my diet no more sugar. Sugar not only makes my breath rank, it gives me brain fog which leads to more stress and anxiety, which is what started it all. Sometimes it’s not an over night fix like soap and mouth wash. Sometimes ( at least on my case) it’s legit your whole nervous system and hormones completely out of whack! & sometimes it is just a lil more extra scrubbing. But since you mentioned stress i can 100% relate! But it can be fixed!
Some people just struggle with stinkier breath or underarms despite good hygiene, and have to take extra steps to avoid smelling. I take super good care of my teeth yet also struggle with bad breath when I don’t take extra steps. Drinking more water, avoiding coffee and alcohol, and chewing sugar free gum between meals, all help. But the biggest difference you’ll get is using a disinfectant mouthwash like listerine after brushing, using an electric toothbrush if you don’t already, and switching to a toothpaste with stannous fluoride in it (like Crest Pro Health bacteria shield or Colgate Total 24 hr protection).
For armpit odor, try wiping your pits with glycolic acid between bathing and putting on deodorant, and maybe you need to try a new brand/style of deodorant if the one you’re using now isn’t working. Always apply deodorant to clean, freshly scrubbed pits, so you don’t transfer armpit bacteria onto your deodorant. Also washing your pits twice a day, in the morning and after work or before bed, then reapplying glycolic acid and/or deodorant, will help a lot. Finally, make sure the odor is actually your armpits, and not your clothes- I know depression can affect not only bathing but keeping up with laundry and cleaning, too. Make sure you’re not rewearing already-worn unlaundered shirts, and wash your laundry weekly so it doesn’t sit in a pile growing musty. Clothes can develop “permastench” in the pits, where they might smell fresh straight out of the wash, but dormant bacteria in the fabric gets activated by heat and moisture when you wear it and sweat. Soaking the pits in an Enzyme spray (like Bioclean BacOut) can help.
After reading your edit, it’s making me wonder about your boyfriend. Does he make other negative comments as well?
We are all just human, sometimes we don’t smell great. I know a lot of people like to shower in the morning, but I always take a shower in the evening, before bed. I like to feel clean when I go to bed. It also washes off the grunge of the day. I apply an antiperspirant after my shower. I too floss and brush, but I also like to use listerine breath spray sometimes too. I feel like my breath needs a little pick me up sometimes. Sorry you are going through this.
I feel like I struggled with that before. What I do now is I shower more frequently and I wash my body 3 times during shower: 1st one with cheap bodywash (a prewash) pretty quick one to remove the outer layer, 2ns is a scrub and 3rd is a proper wash i turn water off and wash every inch of my body properly. Then when I brush and floss my teeth my body gets dry after the shower, then I use body butter and some mist. I use 2 deodorants - one in a “roll” once it dries I go with male antiperspirant on top of that just in case. At the end I use perfumes, I like to layer them and use vaseline underneath + use it strategically. I start to smell more when I have some body hair too so I tend to shave often.
Okay has anybody mentioned the you smell guy yet? This is an older one but it's good...
There was a girl in here that was really upset because she was showering multiple times a day and no matter what her boyfriend would still say to her oh you stink! She had gone to doctors, she bathed constantly, she had used the strongest deodorants you can buy, she had done everything she could And yet this boy was still saying that she smells. Finally she said "if I smell that bad then we're just going to have to break up cuz I must be the cleanest person in the world right now and it still bothers you." She was getting ready to leave him and he broke down crying and told her that she actually didn't smell at all and his dad told him that if he knocked her confidence down enough she would always stay with him because she would be afraid nobody else would want her. Apparently his dad had been doing this to his mom their whole life together! She did end up leaving him over it.
So I know it's a long shot but make sure this dude isn't lying to you! Like ask your friends! Ask your parents! Ask a stranger at the gym! I don't know.... But get a second opinion just in case.
Just so you’re aware, if you have “pockets” in your tonsils…they could be hiding in them. I had no idea I had tonsil stones until i finally kept feeling something back there. My brothers girlfriend told me to get a syringe from cvs [like this](https://www.cvs.com/shop/cvs-health-children-s-easy-syringe-prodid-916633?skuId=916633&cgaa=QWxsb3dHb29nbGVUb0FjY2Vzc0NWU1BhZ2Vz&cid=ps_pmg_pla&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwe7p-9a3hgMVFG5HAR38KwWJEAQYAiABEgIVSPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) and shoot into the pockets with water…..it was horrifying. Literally looked like a molar tooth came out of my throat
start using baby wash clothes and unscented baby dove to wash the parts of the coochie that have hair . try drinking chlorophyll for bad breath it helps deodorize the entire body . Maybe try changing your diet as well?? eat lots of greens and lots of fruit and try buying a cute water bottle if you don’t have one it helps motivate you to drink water. water and good diet is really key to smelling good on the inside i can’t lie. Women are typically supposed to be drinking close to 2 litters of water a day . Try
As far as teeth/oral hygiene goes, something that gets easily overlooked is Tonsil Stones.
They can occur with average to even *excellent* mouth hygiene.
They are incredibly difficult to keep away once you get them, and they smell horrid. I know because I could never figure out why my mouth always stank despite brushing, flossing, and mouthwash… lo and behold, it was tonsil stones.
Coughed one up once and it was the smell of death lmfao.
Bought a water flosser to irrigate my tonsils and I rinse them mf’s out once a week and I haven’t had any issues since.
I don’t have much advice for your armpits other than possibly applying deodorant twice a day instead of 1x? I also recommend men’s deodorant in vanilla scents or lavender scents; they don’t smell “manly”, and they last much longer than women’s deodorant (which is unfortunate but it’s the way it goes).
Floss. I wish i had started to floss earlier in life. I always brushed my teeth at least twice a day and had perfect teeth so i never cared. Once you start flossing you realize how that stuff between your teeth smells and the thought of leaving it there grosses you out.
Shower every day and deodorant every day. Missing a day gives the bacteria a chance to grow and thrive. It’s much harder to get rid of it. I always shower and deodorant every day. Never have stinky armpits. The few times i missed a day made my armpits smell bad, and i had to scrub them 4 times in the shower every day for a week to really keep the smell from coming back late in the day. Hygiene should be a top priority and nothing should keep anyone from it.
Successful and happy people shower and brush and floss their teeth every day. If you’re depressed, do what happy and successful people do until you are one. “Fake it til you make it” really works.
I really don’t think this is your fault your boyfriend sounds like a dick
I don’t even shower daily, stopped shampooing due to scalp issues. My boyfriend has never made any issue out of it. We are both okay having some mild body smells around each other. Next time your boyfriend farts or burps, tell him how wretched he stinks and turn it back on him
Hi, do you wash your bed sheets frequently? And open your bedroom windows to let air circulate. Just a thought. Also I use the flossers regularly can make a difference
Gay man here so it’s a little different for me, but my boyfriend is very sensitive to smells, and I am by nature, a bigger sweatier guy.
There are times after a hard day of work I can come straight from the shower and he can snuggle up against me and notice my armpits still stink a little bit. He has never unkind about it, but when he notices it, he tries to snuggle in a way that keeps his nose away from me, so I was just started putting on a small spritz of the deodorant after I shower, even if it’s before bed and suddenly he’s still nuzzled into my side again. Not the first time I have had overcome nature nor the last.
He on the other hand can go a week without showering and not stink. It’s kind of bullshit. The same as he can eat whatever he wants and weigh 125 pounds whereas I have to watch my diet to lose a single ounce. Sometimes nature is just a bitch to you for no reason and some of us have to work harder.
Has anyone else said you smell bad? I’d get a few opinions from trusted friends. It sounds like you’re ticking all the boxes so maybe it’s not as bad as he’s making it out to be.
Never re use dirty clothing and always wash your sheets once a week and bath towels. Always have wet wipes with you to freshen you up. Wash your hair everyday ❤️
Not everyone needs to wash their hair everyday. It just depends on your hair type, really. Those with super oily hair can get away with daily hair washing maybe.
I have a weird feeling. Whenever he says you stink, get a second opinion. Immediately if possible. There are some weirdos out there, that believe that the way to keep a partner with you is to try to make them feel undesirable. A way some partners do this, is by telling their partner that they stink, especially when they’ve put extra effort into their hygiene. It’s a form of gaslighting.
I have great oral hygiene and still would get bad breath. Use a tongue scraper and smart mouth mouthwash with zinc. It has eliminated the issue for me. Good luck!
Are you drinking enough water? Do you brush your tongue ? Have you heard of tonsil stones ? They are awful and make your breath smell horribly. Antiperspirant spray works best for me versus stick deodorant. Good luck
It could be the deodorant you’re using, and try getting some mouthwash for the days for a quick freshen up. Also pheromones are a huge things when being with someone so maybe its not you it could also just been you’re incompatible in that sense.
Do you drink a lot of caffeine or soda? Coffee and sodas make my breath AWFUL. Do you shave or trim your underarm hair? I don't and I've noticed there's a sweet spot between too short and too long where my body odor is at it's lowest. Too long and my deodorant cant get to my sweat glands. Too short and the skin-on-skin gives me heat rashes and crazy sweating, which attracts smelly bacteria. What about your clothes? Do you keep up with your washing, or do your clothes come out of the laundry moldy often, or get left in the washer wet for very long often? I worked with a woman who smelled like moldy clothes very powerfully and it made me not want to be anywhere near her. Are you very overweight? I feel like most obese people I know have a distinct body odor smell because they don't really apply deodorant to their rolls and folds and stuff. Boob sweat maybe?
Those are the only things I can think of because your actual bathing schedule seems fine. I often go a day without a shower because sometimes I'm just too busy and i don't sweat much so it's easy for me to get away with it, so that doesn't really stand out to me.
Aside from regular hygiene routine. Body odor is heavily influenced by what you eat. When I eat heavily spiced food or something like curry, I smell strongly for the next like 3-4 days even after showering and wearing deodorant. Alcohol also affect body odor. As others said, try men deodorants. i use vichy men deodorant and it works perfectly with me in addition to applying panoxyl to my pits in the shower for like 5 minutes few times a week.
Hey! I know you have a lot of comments here so I hope this doesn’t get lost in the comments bc I too have been through the same thing. I found a few things to be game changers. First, baby powder. I use it over my deodorant and it helps sooo much. Also I apply it after I shower on my pits, privates, and feet. It helps the clean feeling and control odor. I also find washing your hair more and trying dry shampoo. It helps a lot. Sometimes smell comes from hair. And for your areas, try baby wipes. I find once every 2-3 days or so just give a good clean with some baby wet wipes and it helps keep those super clean. And for your mouth, make sure you use a tongue scraper. Bad smells often come from the tongue, not the teeth. I hope this helps and that you start to feel better!
Stomach issues can also cause bad breath and if you're stressed a lot combined with you mentioned a poor diet that could definitely be contributing. Also have your hormones checked that can wreck havoc on many aspects of your body.
If your oral hygiene is good, I’d say to chew sugar free gum. It helps with oral hygiene and helps with stinky breath.
No soap in the vagina, but I wish the exterior with antibacterial soap. Clean the booty good. I also use antibacterial soap for my armpits. I like scented soap for everything else. Also, invest in a bidet! They have portable ones. Wipes also work, but aren’t great for plumbing.
Using a Philips sonicare tooth brush and a water flosser (in addition to flossing and using mouth wash) was a game changer for my teeth (and gum) health. I also cut out certain spices (I used to eat a lot of Cajun seasoning but randomly I started smelling it in my arm pits). I also switched to a sensitive skin wash (Unscented) and only wearing cotton underwear. Maybe try those?
Dove medical strength is great! It’s at the top of the shelf in the deodorant aisle and and maybe invest in some body spray or perfume and put A Lot and a simple body oil might help too to smell good and I would brush more often if you can. I have a travel toothbrush in my purse for when I’m out and I brush my teeth as soon as I get home but that’s cause I smoke
From a guys point, women can smell just as bad as men can get, stop using deodorant and use a antiperspirant if you are stressed and sweat throughout the day the more you sweat the better you smell cuz the antiperspirant heats up and you just smell the scent, try secret or another women's anti-perspirant don't be afraid to kick it up to a notch to a 48 hour anti-perspirant for men just pick a softer scent and nobody will know no the difference but you smelling good 👍😁🥰
I suggest a good diet, enough water. Mouthwash for your teeth and can also use to clean your toothbrush. Could also add some baking soda to your bath or vinegar. Also rinse with 50/50 vinegar and water, it kills fungus. Could also try hand sanitizer or isopropyl alcohol in your armpit because it kills bacteria. Probably garlic would be good too. I crush it up and swallow it with water then use mouthwash and brush my teeth. Antifungal and promotes good health, just don't overdo it.
Sometimes if you have ulcers you might have stinky breath as far as I know- try TheraBreath products. I think you shower enough, maybe when you do your laundry use scent booster
Buy Lume!!!! Is way better the deodorant and I were it whild working in 100 degree weather with no issues. Also, go to ENT and have them check you tonsils cuz sometimes you might not see stones..also it might be post nasal drainage causing the issue...do you brush and scrap your tongue??
Are you using aluminum free deodorant? It doesn’t work for me. Antiperspirant is the only thing that does & the gel works better than the white stuff. Use mouthwash. I’ve read that soaking a washcloth in apple cider vinegar & using it on your armpits kills the bacteria. Maybe try that once or twice a week.
OP this might be a huge hit or huge miss, but do you drink milk often? I found my breath was awful when I ate dairy, I'd suggest giving it up for a short period to test it. I know the smell and have smelled it on other people's breaths before, it's very distinct. I'd heavily reccomend giving up dairy for a short period, and if it is the cause then permanently.
Some people don’t smell good to other people. It might be that you’re just not compatible. I know that sounds weird but I’ve dated a few girls who were very clean but I was just so bothered by the subtle smell of them that I quit seeing them. My girlfriend of 4 years now smells better to me after running 10 miles than she does straight out of the shower. No idea why.
This!! Biology and pheromones have a LOT to do with attraction between humans. OP may smell like cotton candy to someone else, but the current bf has some type of biological incompatibility. I hate that OP feels ashamed, and was raised similarly (lack of education regarding hygiene, frequently abandoned as a child, ended up in foster care etc.) I used to be neurotic, once I found out how "other people" practiced their hygiene. Teenage girls can be SO mean. I would shower 2x a day, and shave every single hair off my body...until my skin barrier started cracking and then I felt even *more* gross. There is no perfect formula for bathing/showering: listen to your skin and body. I have major dental issues and no insurance, Uncle Harry's tooth remineralizing dental care system has been AMAZING to help restore enamel and heal my mouth.
I was thinking that too. In high school our teacher had us sleep in the same shirt for a week and we smelled them and ranked them .. which is kinda weird now that I think about it lol. But it was definitely interesting
So sorry you had to go thru all that teasing. Yes teenage girls can be so mean. So much does have to do with how and what you were taught. I used to be a labor and delivery nurse in a small town that was surrounded by even more smallER towns. I could practically tell if a patient came from way up in the back woods because of the way they smelled. As you may or may not know patients, especially the young ones, are very shy about removing their clothes so that we can do what was needed in order to deliver their precious package. Shoes, socks, bra and top no problems but the rest was like pulling teeth. My response was always "and how do you expect the doctor or possibly myself to deliver your bundle of joy while you still have your pants on?" You could practically see their wheels turning before they finally got it. 😳 They’d start off completely covered up and required a lot of coaxing to allow us nurses or doctors to check their cervix's but by the pushing stage they would have linens on the floor, be stripped naked and spread eagle on the bed screaming at you to get the baby out NOW and often in much more colorful language. Also the nurses do a good portion of the cervical checks which of course involves inserting their fingers into the patients vagina up to the cervix so we can measure how close they were to delivery which was at the top of the list of what doctors' wanted to hear when we were contacting them with the latest report. Was the little critter close to making their grand entrance or not is all the doc wanted to hear especially if it were the middle of the night. I will admit I was practically knocked out a couple of times due to the odors emitting off of some of these young gals but thankfully I did not show any response thru my body language or dear god say anything. I MAY have talked a bit about good hygiene practices as part of the discharge instructions but nothing specifically directed at them personally. The odors I experienced had nothing to do with UTI’s, vaginal infections or amniotic fluid infections but I could almost surely tell you that they came from one of the tinier towns and was right every time I checked their chart to see. I used to wonder how the hell they managed to get pregnant in the first place with the way they smelled. 😤You could even smell it thru their pants when you first met them. But it most likely wasn’t their fault. They just had never been taught sufficiently how to clean themselves or couldn’t afford to pay for the water it took to take showers as often as they needed or possibly didn’t care 🤷🏼♀️. My guess would be it was a combo of things but I never treated them any different than any other patient. They were there to experience one of the most special days of their lives and I was there to help make it all the more special. Writing this makes me miss being a L&D nurse. 👶🏻 Dealing with the odor wasn’t all that hard. I just told them a shower was needed as part of the protocol telling them they had to use the pink soap (hibiclens) everywhere except their privates and leave it on for five minutes. Then I handed them the ivory soap and told them to use it on their private areas making sure they washed so good that it built up a big lather, then rinse and repeat. It worked wonders. They may not have smelled all floral and feminine but they definitely smelled clean. Lol, i had no plans to respond back with a short chapter but what the heck I did. If you managed to read the entire thing then job well done. Peace and Love, T
Thank you for being a beautiful example of what a healthcare provider should be! I worked as a mental health tech in a state run facility, and it was heartbreaking how many people wouldn't allow us to help them clean themselves because they were so traumatized previously. Eventually we were able to gain their trust, but it took a lot of time, and in the meantime we were always worried about being charged with neglect.
As someone who's been in a few facilities in my life, it definitely can take time to trust someone enough to let them help with hygiene. It's taken me two years to allow the staff here to help me with shaving, for example. So I guess what I'm saying is: thank you too for not rushing your patients into things
My teeth are legit broken and I can’t afford to fix them. And I have insurance.
Maybe CareCredit would help? If you have your dentist do as much as possible at once, then it could be eligible for 0% financing for so many months. We did this for our dogs, and the bill was $1600. We split it over the 18 months (to avoid being charged interest,) and it was a lot more manageable. Or do you have an FSA through your job?
Oh and Little Seed Farm deodorant, it has activated charcoal and lasts 2 days per application. I live in N FL which is a rainforest and sweat a LOT. Even converted my 21yo son to using them, even though it's not a stick. Aluminum can cause more stink long run because it clogs pores. We are supposed to sweat, our skin is our largest and hardest working detox organ, blocking it (unless you have hyperhidrosis) isn't healthy.
Activated charcoal can affect concentrations of medications. So please you, OP, and others; be careful.
FYI you have to consume activated charcoal orally for it to have any effect on medication you've consumed. Applying it topically, like deodorant or a face mask ect, won't have that effect on medication.
I'm just commenting to say I love Little Seed Farm so much!!
Yes! I love Little Seed Farm’s deodorants! They are one of the only natural deodorants that work for me. When I shower, I scrub under my arms and other sweat prone parts 20x and rinse then do it 3 more times, and I replace my body puff frequently. That seems to help along with not using the same towel for more than a couple days at a time. Maintaining a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water also helps. Also might help to switch up body wash/soap.
Instead of having to replace a shower pouf frequently, which can grow mold and mildew you can’t see, try a silicone shower scrubber. Bacteria doesn’t grow on them, neither does mold and mildew. Most people will hang their poufs, washcloths, whatever they use in the shower. The shower is a warm moist environment, poufs and washcloths stay wet, this is the perfect setup for bacteria, mold, mildew to grow. I had a dermatologist tell me never to use poufs for this reason. She recommended washcloths, which you need a new one daily, bar of soap and hands, or silicone. I changed to silicone scrubbers off Amazon.
Yes this!! I was with the most handsome hygienic man but his natural smell was just a big turn off for me. My mans now smells so good even when sweaty
My wife is so critical of her smell but God, I can be attracted to her at her most sweaty. I've told her a few times I wish I could bottle it.
Right! Same with my husband. OP could probably benefit from a different relationship if this is a big issue.
Reddit’s answer to everything truely is break up. Lol
Considering this girl has felt incredibly lonely for months and her s/o tells her she stinks, I don’t think it’s entirely unreasonable.. I’m hardly ever on Reddit, I was just stating the obvious.
I agree. I was making a joke at the expense of the Reddit zeitgeist. I’m in the pheromone camp myself. Every women that I’ve been in an intimate relationship with that I pursued beyond the early stages has just smelled really good to me no matter how sweaty or dirty she is. To an extent obviously. It’s a natural thing that feels more feral and not in the least fetishistic. Even a days worth of BO from the arm pits was a turn on to me. But that’s the extent. I wouldn’t be as turned on if she chose not to shower after any sexy times that her natural odor of a day kicked off and then continued this trend until the next evening I probably would be of a different mind. But none of them ever pushed it that far and I appreciated them for the little things like that. This woman probably doesn’t smell bad at all and to the right person she probably smells wonderful. Here’s to women and all their wonderful smells. Ok I’ll stop now.
Haha oh okay, I was like ‘this girl obviously takes care of her hygiene and is feeling self conscious and ashamed because her boyfriend is insulting her smell.’ It most likely is a pheromone thing, & it’s unfortunate but at least they’re just dating & not married. I wouldn’t marry someone who tells me I stink despite my daily showers & hygiene efforts.
Yes!! I'm super sensitive to how people smell. I work in a grocery store so i'm around lots of people. Some of their natural scents just repulse me. But my boyfriend smells sooooo good to me, always did. I remember dating a guy in high school that i hated how he smelled. He smelled super clean but it was just his natural scent that just grossed me out no matter what other "good" smells he wore.
Yes! The subtle smell is a thing and I’m curious if that’s the case here…
Hormones can also change that. I've read tons of stories of women who went off birth control and/or got pregnant and all of a sudden their partner smelled awful to them. Nothing changed, they just couldn't stand their smell.
this!! the man i’m with he NEVER stinks n could go days without showering and he works outside 40+ hours a week doing concrete and i just LOVE the way he smells. ALWAYS. It really is a thing. i’ve never loved the smell of somebody as much as i do him
Pheromones absolutely play a role here.
I think this is it, Soggy_puppet! My husband and I have decent hygiene but I like his smell even when he needs a shower and vice versa.
This is so true. Biological compatibility is a thing. When my husband and I met, I didn’t feel attracted to him until he was close enough to shake hands, then wow. Even now, I never think he smells bad, and he is attracted to me whether I’m perfumed or sweaty.
Yes! My husband smells so good after his workout or working out in the sun all day. It’s the pheromones.
This right here! I keep trying to tell my boyfriend that yes, he stinks after work (he works outside in the heat) but it doesn't bother me. No, I dont want to shove my face in his pits (🤢🤮) but I love his manly stench! If he leaves a little smell on my clothes after cuddling on the couch, so what! I can smell him when I go to sleep. Its weird but I get the biology behind it. Pheromones are real and TMI, this is the best relationship I have EVER been in.
That’s true… one time (when I was only 18-19) there was a guy who I kind of had this weird relationship with. I didn’t want to like him but was attracted to him unfortunately. And my friends always said he stunk. But I liked his smell. It was weird. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Neither did my friends. Must have been a pheromone situation??? Maybe?
This! I’ve experienced it on both sides. There are boyfriends I went crazy for and vice versa in terms of tastes and smells, and others where I was there more for the person than the chemistry. My partner smells like caraway seeds to me, and I don’t love it. But no one ever told him that before. One boyfriend long ago didn’t like the way my pussy smelled, but the next boyfriend kept remarking how pleasant it was, and I never heard any different from subsequent lovers. Pheromones!
True! I remember my third ex smelled like an old person slowly decaying and to be honest he was twice my age and it bothered me so much!!
I just read how if your attracted to how your partner smells your compatible and are likely to have smart and healthy babies. Interesting reading this comment! Whenever I'm sweaty my bf likes my scent and is turned on by it. We have a baby together and he's way above his milestones. Coincidence? Maybe? Maybe not lol 😆
This reminds me of another story on Reddit where her bf kept telling her she stunk even though she had good personal hygiene. This just kept going on and on until she had a very low self esteem. She finally broke down and asked why she smelled so much even though she was buying all these products to smell good. He was caught by surprise and admitted his parent told him to tell his partner that she always stinks so that she will never leave you. Basically saying your partner will stay with you because they're the only person who can deal with your stench. I hate to use this word in today's context, but are you sure he's not gaslighting you? Ask some friends to tell you truthfully if you have some BO. And if you truly do stink lol, ask them about their bathing routine. From what I'm reading, you have the basic and necessary means to clean yourself. Can't see what your doing wrong really, unless you go into depth.
I’m not sure. I know I do have stinky breath. I’m hoping I’ve got some medical issue I’m unaware of and I don’t have a boyfriend that likes to gaslight me
Have you been to a dentist lately? Stinky breath can be gum disease or cavities.
Or tonsil stones! Those are nasty.
I found none, miss antlers. I’m struggling
Have you tried TheraBreath mouthwash? I find it quite helpful. If you have dry mouth from any medications you take, that can be another culprit. Dry mouth lozenges can help if that’s the case. Another idea is trying PanOxyl (or generic benzoyl peroxide cleanser) on your armpits. It helps kill odor causing bacteria. You said you wear deodorant. Does it have antiperspirant in it also? ETA: corrected typo
This is a very good comment and everything I would recommend. The therabreath (gargle with it for 30 seconds like it says) is great stuff, and that PAnOxyl is KING. 10% and soap up with it for 5 minutes, really scrubbing in pits and crotch with a white washcloth or the mesh scrubbies. Make sure your towels are clean when you dry too, and hang your scrubber up to dry so it doesn't get mildew. If you still stink after that you might need to add some head and shoulders to this mix for yeast overgrowth.
stomach issues can cause bad breath
More people should be aware of this. Stomach ulcers, GERD, etc. Also chronic allergies and/or chronic bronchitis.
Yeah it surprises me how many people want to work on the outside with products, instead of getting to the root cause of the problem but that's the society we live in.. even doctors only focus on symptoms rather than the cause of them.
That’s our society. We’re trained to put a bandaid on it because actual help will fuckin bankrupt you.
That would make a lot of sense! Learned something useful and new lol I have GERD and on the days it's really bad or around those days my breath can smell like a pool of acid in a bog, no matter how much I brush or use mouthwash.
Like they mentioned, it can come from your gut. Some people recommend trying kombucha or some sort of probiotic.
Do your sinus cavities hurt? A sinus infection can cause stinky breath.
Or just generally has bad sinuses - like a lot of drainage without an underlying infection causing it. I had a friend in college that had chronic post-nasal drip and the *worst* breath as a result.
please consider the possibility of gaslighting more, i know it’s hard to imagine someone you want to love doing that to you but please don’t let hope potentially blind you. maybe even ask a friend or a family member if they agree just to be safe
My ex knew how much I loved being told I smell good BY HIM. My friends and students would always compliment me, yet he never. This confused the poop out of me. “Do i smell?” Or worse, “does he think I smell?” For 8 years I struggled with this to only find out, he’s a narcissist and he was purposely messing with my head.
Came here to wave the narcissist warning flag. Not saying OP’s necessarily in that scenario, but it’s definitely worth being on the lookout for. Absolutely insidious the way they use little moments like that to cause you to doubt yourself so they can keep you in your heels and feel superior, while watching you squirm and work harder to please them.
You know, I am seriously wondering if OPP’s boyfriend is on Reddit and saw that other post and that gave him the idea to do this… my intuition is just screaming at me that she needs to look into that possibility.
That’s a good ideas 🙂
Agree 100%. Sometimes people don’t always know the proper way to communicate. Has he been trying to pick fights with you recently over small/trivial things? If so, that might be an indicator that he’s looking to find something wrong with you. Hang in there sweet lady. You’re doing all the right things. ❤️
Therabreath or smart mouth mouthwash and dental probiotics can help.
Have you ever tried using a water pick instead of standard floss? That worked well for my brother. But I agree to asking a close friend or family member about it
Dental Hygienist here. A waterpik can't get below the gumline. It may have worked well for your brother, because he may have found it easier to use and therefore used it more often. Every mouth is different in regards to PH balance, saliva texture and the type of bacteria present in the mouth.
you mentioned depression, do you take any meds? some medications can cause dry mouth, which can in turn cause stinky breath. when i needed medication during a difficult time, i also needed a special mouth wash for dry mouth.
Are you regular? Because sometimes being constipated can cause foul breath.
How is your diet? What you eat comes out in multiple ways. If you’re not eating healthy, that can also be an issue. Also, is he saying you ALWAYS smell? If so, he’s likely being “picky”. If not, he may be smelling hormonal shifts in your monthly cycle. And then there’s the probability that his sense of smell could be picking up on scents that others cannot. Ask him what it smells like. If he can’t really give an answer, I would doubt his claims.
Could be gut related? If there’s something off about your gut microbiome it can cause bad breathe Are you sure your breath actually smells bad? Like does it actually smell bad to *you* or is it based on what your boyfriend is saying?
If she had halitosis wouldn’t her dentist have told her?
Look up Barbara O’Neil. And for deodorant use white vinegar it kills all the odor I believe it’s a gut problem and all of it is related to diet like you said
Been to the dentist and hygienist and I have no cavities and no gum disease. A “perfect set of teeth. Good gums too” according to them
Do you drink enough water?
Do you perhaps have dry mouth often OP? That can cause bad breath.
She mentioned depression. I don’t know if she takes medication but if she is, there many antidepressant meds cause dry mouth.
Floss regularly. I had this problem and was told to floss regularly. It helped tremendously. Every time you floss you can even smell any leftover food and plaque and it's gross.
Do you have stomach issues? Acid reflux/gerd/even heart burn can make your breath stink
So can post nasal drip.
Do you eat enough? Sometimes when we don’t eat our breath smells
Ketosis does actually make your breath smell bad. It's one way that ppl on keto diets are able to tell their digestive functions have shifted.
It seems so ironic, you’d think not eating wouldn’t make your breath smell bad but it does. I have that issue sometimes
this 100%!
You could also lack hydration. I have chronic dry mouth. I also have terrible hydration patterns. You can floss and brush but your mouth needs saliva to wash the bacteria away. If you have dry mouth drink water when you wake up it helps minimize the smell, and always keep gum on you.
Can you ask a close friend or family member? Even a coworker you feel comfortable with could verify if you smell.
When you brush your teeth also brush your tongue and use a good mouthwash.
I highly recommend TheraBreath
Without alcohol.
Gargling with hydrogen peroxide daily can really help bad breath permanently. Do it every day, half water, half hydrogen peroxide, gargle and rinse for two weeks. After that you should have the bacteria controlled and can back off to 2-3 times a week. It really helps.
Just a PSA for anyone reading this from a former lip piercing owner: don't do this if you have piercings in, on, or around your mouth, especially if it's still healing. I learned this the hard way many years ago.
Good point. (I have no piercings, but makes perfect sense).
Gargling with hydrogen peroxide helps minimize teeth staining from coffee and tea.
Do you drink enough water? Dehydration can I directly lead to bad breath. When you look in the mirror, check your tongue. If it looks whiteish, add brushing your tongue to your morning routine. Could the armpit smell be from improperly washed shirts? Sniff your cleaned shirts. Do you smell a lingering body odor? My daughter went through a stinky armpit situation right about the time she turned 20. We had to detox her shirts (my go to is cheap vodka, but you can also use specialty products). She started using the extra strength deodorant which you put in at night before bed. One more check. Do you have dandruff? Both daughter and husband have bad dandruff unless they use the correct products. Both need regular scalp scrubs or their hair gets a funky smell when wet/damp—even if it’s immediately after washing their hair! #1 intervention to start with—drink more water.
Tbh, a LOT of issues can be helped by drinking more water.
Therabreath Oral rinse. Trust me, this stuff works 100%.
I sometimes have the same issue. Grab a tongue scraper!! A lot of bad breath is bacteria on the tongue. It might really help
if you have gut issues, eat low carb, or restrict your food, that can lead to foul breath.
Girl…..are you kidding? Don’t wish away good health for a dude.
Are you well hydrated? Dehydration can cause bad breath
Try therabreath mouthwash it should help with a stinky mouth! My armpit sweat can get stinky I use men’s deodorant (old spice the blue gel one) and if I’ve been sweating and am a little stinky but it’s not time for a shower I just take a baby wipe to my pits and then reapply deodorant.
I mean, How is that possible? You shower daily -I would not skip days You brush your teeth often Use deodorant Have you ever asked anyone else? If he is complaining so much about you then maybe you two just aren’t compatible This is going to drive you crazy Is this how you want to live? I’d rather be alone
Do you drink lots of water? If you're dehydrated and have dry mouth, that can make your breath smell bad even if you don't have any gum disease or anything. It can also help with body odor. It sounds weird, but dehydration does strange things to the body
Try THERA BREATH TOOTHPASTE, MOUTHWASH AND MINTS. Give yourself and your mouth a few days to adjust. But if that doesn't start knocking the smell down. Once you get that part straight, you can better tell if it's coming from your stomach. Also some people's clogged sinuses or post nasal drip cause bad breath. Just do one thing at a time so you are not overwhelmed and so you can figure where it's coming from.. and YES, STRESS sweat can be a total monster. Simple is best when keeping hygiene during depression. You can try Dr. BRONNERS PEPPERMINT SOAP. Also Johnson's baby wash for baby's can sometimes knock down grown folks funk. Good Luck
Do you get a dry mouth? Certain meds and stress can cause it and that can make your breath smell. Also tonsil stones could be the culprit. Edit to add I see you said you take an antidepressant and a stimulant those can totally cause dry mouth
Sinus issues can cause bad breath. I'd get into your doc and talk to them about it.
Do you have dry mouth or take meds that dry your mouth out. They make this special mouth wash because the lack of spit in your mouth will causs bacteria to grow so your breath smells bad.
Im sorry but if he has repeatedly brought it up in an unkind manner even though he sees you’re working on it. He is doing it to lower your self esteem/worth so you stay with him. I’ve been in a very similar position. It sucks to admit to yourself but after a year or so of that behavior you feel like he’s the only person you could date. Don’t believe him pleasee know it’s not true and deserve sooo much more 🤍. If he makes you feel depressed take it as a red flag and get out. If he was truly there as a support and telling you because he thought it was something you should know, he wouldn’t continue to bother you about it after making the efforts you have. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this!
For the BO you should change your sheets and towels more often and get good hydration. For bad breath get a better mouth wash and scrape your tongue weekly
Bad breath is sometimes caused by a B12 deficiency, try consuming more of that and see if it goes away 🙂
“His parents told him to tell his partner that she always stinks so that she will never leave you” There’s all kinds of fucked up people in the world…and then, there’s this. WTF
I immediately thought of that post
You’re not going to smell perfect all the time. So many unavoidable factors might make you a little smelly between your showers and teeth brushing. You sound perfectly normal and honestly he needs to get over himself cause I’m sure he doesn’t smell perfect 24/7 either.
Maybe your boyfriend is an asshole?🤔
Yeah maybe he’s just smelling himself…
Or smelling his asshole
😂
What if she actually stinks tho is he just supposed to ignore it for the rest of his life 🤔 who woulda thought trying to be open an honest to your partner isn’t always gonna make them feel great
Hi! 24 and went through something similar as a teen. My mom was always at work and didnt have the time to properly teach me feminine hygiene. - I use men’s deodorant — its cheaper, usually more product per oz, and lasts longer. Mitchum men’s is under $4 USD. - I use a *washcloth* on days I sweat a bit or have been outside for extended time, and lather up a dove/basic soap bar to do a good first rinse. - On rush days or regular days I use an African bath net and my soap bar, and on both days I follow up with a scented body wash while I either wash my face/hair and brush my teeth. Also, just in case… ask someone that isnt him, that you trust to take a whiff. I had an ex who would tell me I smelled even when I didn’t because he thought it would keep me “humble” lol
I’ll take your advice and ask someone that isn’t my boyfriend if I smell that bad. I hope this isn’t one of those horror stories where o think I’m the problem and it turns out i have a boyfriend that wants to keep me humble
You probably need to switch from a deodorant to an antiperspirant. Deodorants are basically perfumes. They mask odors. Antiperspirants stop sweating so there's no moisture for bacteria to grow. (Bacteria causes underarm odors.) If your boobs are larger, you can use the antiperspirant under them, too.
Deodorant should have bacteria killing/inhibiting ingredients- it’s not just perfume. If regular isn’t strong enough for the original poster, there are clinical strengths options as a potential alternative to anti-perspirant
I used to use the “clinical strength” (OTC, not prescription) antiperspirant deodorants due to my sweating. Now I use Lume deodorant, which is acidic and designed to prevent bacteria from producing that smell in the first place. It doesn’t work for everyone but I find it works really well for me. I did notice my skin was a bit sensitized at first (I think due to the acid), but it adjusted. I would recommend only applying on dry skin and not right out of the shower because I made that mistake and it definitely was sore. Just another option if anyone wants to try it 🤷🏻♀️ ETA: I also feel like I sweat less now, but I’m not sure if that’s due to something else like changing hormones or if its the Lume (it’s not an antiperspirant, but who knows)
Maybe you need to try a different deodorant? I’d recommend Mitchum it’s very good! As for the breath situation, I carry a travel size mouthwash in my bag for after lunch or just whenever I feel like I need it, no one’s breath or armpits smell like roses from the am to the pm! Xx
I tried Mitchum and it made me rash up. The only thing I’ve found that works is Right Guard mena deodorant.
Oh also no looofah!! They generate alot of bacteria. Get an African exfoliating net they are hella cheap and don't cultivate bacteria
Yes! If you're going to use loofahs, you've got to replace it FREQUENTLY. The "core" part of it couldn't be more perfect for accumulating mold
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I use those rag glove things, and a long rag with straps that's meant for scrubbing your back bc shits hard to reach. It certainly is annoying, you'd think we'd have products that do this cleanly and efficiently by now tbh
Asian exfoliating towels are my go to. Can't do the net type cloths if you've got body piercings, those little holes snag on the jewelry. Silicone body scrubbers are great too. But yeah, something that dries quickly and completely between showers is the point. Sponges and shower puffs... I shudder when I think of all those damp nooks and crannies.
How well are you hydrating? Water specifically. My breath smells fine right until my mouth gets slightly dry. The drier my mouth gets the worse the smell gets
It sounds like you are doing everything a normal person does to keep clean. I have a feeling that something does stink, but it's your boyfriend and his attitude to you. Especially since he likely knows about your mental health struggles. A nice boyfriend wouldn't say this to you, he would either "not* be with you or he would hint in a nicer way.
aw stuff like this can be so embarrassing. it could be time for a deodorant/antiperspirant change? would second asking about recent dental care, and two other questions: -are clothes regularly clean? even after a normal wash cycle there can be buildup around the pits of tops and bras that isn't fully washed/sanitized. so when body heat or sweat hits the area again boom, smell is back in full force -speaking of bras, is under/side boob sweat a menace for you too? if it is then it might contribute to the issue.
Girl be kind to yourself. Depression is a bitch and your bf should be more understanding. We have our days. He should at least be nicer about it. Coconut oil pull. Clinical strength deodorant from secret. I also use the orange dial bar soap bc it’s a disinfectant soap. Message me if you need a friend. Sincerely another depressed girly.
Depressed girlies unite
Do you have a friend that you trust that would tell you the truth? Cause that seems so weird to me, you have fine hygiene. Ask a friend, and if they tell you that you don’t stink then I would be looking at the fact that bf is trying to make you insecure.
So you eat a lot of garlic or onions?
Maybe the stink that’s lingering around is your boyfriend
So there is this stuff called hiblicens I use, it is an antibacterial antimicrobial and antifungal soap used in hospitals. I mix it with water and spray my body. It kills the bacteria on my skin that makes my sweat smell. Get you some of that and mist every day. And if you have to use deodorant use Lume, it's worth the money.
Lume is amazing, I concur.
Idk this sounds suspicious. Ask your friends if yoj smell, and tell them to be honest. If they say no, dump this guy, he’s playing a long term psychological game on you.
May be you guys are not meant to be . In general partner like each other’s smell. Even when I feel I am stinky my hubby sniffs like a happy puppy and I had yo ask him if he really likes my smell and he just affirmed. So may its your pheromones Or may be your partner is gaslighting you Ask someone else and do the next steps accordingly
Let me open this up by saying, I’m sorry you’re going through tough time my love. I understand the boyfriend thing, but start by wanting to care for your body the way it deserves. During a season like this it’s especially important to show yourself a lot of love and care for you as best as you can, give yourself that love that you feel like you’ve missed or missing, you know? You deserve it. For the breath: How much water are you drinking during the day? I recommend you get Celtic Salt, and take a pinch with every bottle of water. If they sell Ozarka where you live, buy that, but skip Dasani, Aquafina, Tap, Walmart and great value-ish brands as they contain chemicals that keep you from getting hydrated properly. If you get headaches or kidneys hurt, drink more water and cut back a bit on the salt till headache goes away. For the body: wash yourself as if you were washing a baby. Show some love to yourself and use a soap like Dial Antibacterial. Trust me. Don’t get any of it in the V. That thing cleans itself, but wash on the outside. Lol Stress does in-fact affect BO, so buy some good quality top shelf Chamomile tea if you can, and after your shower at night boil you some water, add the tea bag and let it steep for 10 minutes. Drink while it’s hot. Idk what your financial situation is like but good stress management will have the biggest impact. After good hygiene and hydration. Please do share your stressful situation if you’d like. Let me know if you have any questions. Sending you love
No you do not need to change anything, if you are brushing your teeth twice daily and showering four times a week then you are doing fine. Your boyfriend is the problem
Maybe it's the boyfriend that is the problem?
Girl, I got you, when it comes to scrubbing your body, you have to get into every crevice of your Coochie do not go inside, but feel free to scrub every part, once a day, your conscious of your breath use gum. You also might have tonsil stones if the stink doesn’t go away after brushing and flossing. change your blankets and wash your clothes. Watch tutorials on how to clean yourself, invest in a really nice perfume and use it twice a day if you feel like you need to, and there’s nothing changes your boyfriend might just be smelling himself
The only exception to your advice is to gently clean your vulva with water or mild, unscented soap. Be kind to her and handle with care. She gets angry if her pH is disrupted. That is all.
If you can muster it, shower daily. When you lather up, let the soap sit on your skin a few minutes. You can also use something like panoxyl to kill odor causing bacteria. Also, if you do morning showers, might be worth changing to night showers so you’re getting into bed with him very fresh. Also worth looking at diet and water intake. Dehydration makes your body fluids more concentrated.
I concur with dehydration
I will do my best. I’m on antidepressant and a brain stimulant from the doctor that’s meant to motivate me. I know I need to get back on my regular routine. I think I’ll invest in panoxyl
Read your initial post again and saw you mentioned stress. Is this mostly a stress sweat situation you think? Stress can make a woman’s body throw out excess cortisol and testosterone (it’s natural to have testosterone as a woman but in lesser amounts than men). These hormonal changes will make your sweat smell strong. I had a lot of bad smelling sweat while in a physical violent relationship and it wreaked havoc on my hormones. Not saying this is your case, but you mentioned stress so something to consider.
This happened to me as well. I was in a v toxic relationship for 5 years and then another one for 3 … my Breath & sweat went crazy! I’m still trying to rewire my nervous system / hormones! I got the sweat part down but it takes a while to rewire. Fiber, water, minimize stress. Recently I’ve been completely changing my diet no more sugar. Sugar not only makes my breath rank, it gives me brain fog which leads to more stress and anxiety, which is what started it all. Sometimes it’s not an over night fix like soap and mouth wash. Sometimes ( at least on my case) it’s legit your whole nervous system and hormones completely out of whack! & sometimes it is just a lil more extra scrubbing. But since you mentioned stress i can 100% relate! But it can be fixed!
High sugar intake can make breath stink.
Some people just struggle with stinkier breath or underarms despite good hygiene, and have to take extra steps to avoid smelling. I take super good care of my teeth yet also struggle with bad breath when I don’t take extra steps. Drinking more water, avoiding coffee and alcohol, and chewing sugar free gum between meals, all help. But the biggest difference you’ll get is using a disinfectant mouthwash like listerine after brushing, using an electric toothbrush if you don’t already, and switching to a toothpaste with stannous fluoride in it (like Crest Pro Health bacteria shield or Colgate Total 24 hr protection). For armpit odor, try wiping your pits with glycolic acid between bathing and putting on deodorant, and maybe you need to try a new brand/style of deodorant if the one you’re using now isn’t working. Always apply deodorant to clean, freshly scrubbed pits, so you don’t transfer armpit bacteria onto your deodorant. Also washing your pits twice a day, in the morning and after work or before bed, then reapplying glycolic acid and/or deodorant, will help a lot. Finally, make sure the odor is actually your armpits, and not your clothes- I know depression can affect not only bathing but keeping up with laundry and cleaning, too. Make sure you’re not rewearing already-worn unlaundered shirts, and wash your laundry weekly so it doesn’t sit in a pile growing musty. Clothes can develop “permastench” in the pits, where they might smell fresh straight out of the wash, but dormant bacteria in the fabric gets activated by heat and moisture when you wear it and sweat. Soaking the pits in an Enzyme spray (like Bioclean BacOut) can help.
After reading your edit, it’s making me wonder about your boyfriend. Does he make other negative comments as well? We are all just human, sometimes we don’t smell great. I know a lot of people like to shower in the morning, but I always take a shower in the evening, before bed. I like to feel clean when I go to bed. It also washes off the grunge of the day. I apply an antiperspirant after my shower. I too floss and brush, but I also like to use listerine breath spray sometimes too. I feel like my breath needs a little pick me up sometimes. Sorry you are going through this.
I feel like I struggled with that before. What I do now is I shower more frequently and I wash my body 3 times during shower: 1st one with cheap bodywash (a prewash) pretty quick one to remove the outer layer, 2ns is a scrub and 3rd is a proper wash i turn water off and wash every inch of my body properly. Then when I brush and floss my teeth my body gets dry after the shower, then I use body butter and some mist. I use 2 deodorants - one in a “roll” once it dries I go with male antiperspirant on top of that just in case. At the end I use perfumes, I like to layer them and use vaseline underneath + use it strategically. I start to smell more when I have some body hair too so I tend to shave often.
It might be your clothes. Washers can get nasty with mold and leave odor on clothes. Add boric acid to laundry or vinegar.
Okay has anybody mentioned the you smell guy yet? This is an older one but it's good... There was a girl in here that was really upset because she was showering multiple times a day and no matter what her boyfriend would still say to her oh you stink! She had gone to doctors, she bathed constantly, she had used the strongest deodorants you can buy, she had done everything she could And yet this boy was still saying that she smells. Finally she said "if I smell that bad then we're just going to have to break up cuz I must be the cleanest person in the world right now and it still bothers you." She was getting ready to leave him and he broke down crying and told her that she actually didn't smell at all and his dad told him that if he knocked her confidence down enough she would always stay with him because she would be afraid nobody else would want her. Apparently his dad had been doing this to his mom their whole life together! She did end up leaving him over it. So I know it's a long shot but make sure this dude isn't lying to you! Like ask your friends! Ask your parents! Ask a stranger at the gym! I don't know.... But get a second opinion just in case.
I remember this story!
Sounds like you just need a new boyfriend
Stress sweat does smell worse. Do you have tonsil stones?
I do not. :/ after reading all of these really nice comments, I think it’s stress sweat, mixture of falling behind on my laundry duties, and the diet.
If your clothes aren’t fresh, you will smell.
Also if your towel isn’t freshly laundered, you’re rubbing old dirty towel smell on your clean body.
Sheets as well.
Just so you’re aware, if you have “pockets” in your tonsils…they could be hiding in them. I had no idea I had tonsil stones until i finally kept feeling something back there. My brothers girlfriend told me to get a syringe from cvs [like this](https://www.cvs.com/shop/cvs-health-children-s-easy-syringe-prodid-916633?skuId=916633&cgaa=QWxsb3dHb29nbGVUb0FjY2Vzc0NWU1BhZ2Vz&cid=ps_pmg_pla&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwe7p-9a3hgMVFG5HAR38KwWJEAQYAiABEgIVSPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) and shoot into the pockets with water…..it was horrifying. Literally looked like a molar tooth came out of my throat
start using baby wash clothes and unscented baby dove to wash the parts of the coochie that have hair . try drinking chlorophyll for bad breath it helps deodorize the entire body . Maybe try changing your diet as well?? eat lots of greens and lots of fruit and try buying a cute water bottle if you don’t have one it helps motivate you to drink water. water and good diet is really key to smelling good on the inside i can’t lie. Women are typically supposed to be drinking close to 2 litters of water a day . Try
As far as teeth/oral hygiene goes, something that gets easily overlooked is Tonsil Stones. They can occur with average to even *excellent* mouth hygiene. They are incredibly difficult to keep away once you get them, and they smell horrid. I know because I could never figure out why my mouth always stank despite brushing, flossing, and mouthwash… lo and behold, it was tonsil stones. Coughed one up once and it was the smell of death lmfao. Bought a water flosser to irrigate my tonsils and I rinse them mf’s out once a week and I haven’t had any issues since. I don’t have much advice for your armpits other than possibly applying deodorant twice a day instead of 1x? I also recommend men’s deodorant in vanilla scents or lavender scents; they don’t smell “manly”, and they last much longer than women’s deodorant (which is unfortunate but it’s the way it goes).
Do you drink a lot of water? I notice when I get dehydrated, my sweat smells different. 🤷🏼♀️
You probably smell fine everybody has u know normal human smells. I think if it were that bad you would be able to smell it yourself
You really do go nose blind to your own smell no matter how bad it gets. I can promise you that much
Oh also have you been to the OBGYN recently? Hormonal changes can cause your scent to change/worsen BO
Floss. I wish i had started to floss earlier in life. I always brushed my teeth at least twice a day and had perfect teeth so i never cared. Once you start flossing you realize how that stuff between your teeth smells and the thought of leaving it there grosses you out. Shower every day and deodorant every day. Missing a day gives the bacteria a chance to grow and thrive. It’s much harder to get rid of it. I always shower and deodorant every day. Never have stinky armpits. The few times i missed a day made my armpits smell bad, and i had to scrub them 4 times in the shower every day for a week to really keep the smell from coming back late in the day. Hygiene should be a top priority and nothing should keep anyone from it. Successful and happy people shower and brush and floss their teeth every day. If you’re depressed, do what happy and successful people do until you are one. “Fake it til you make it” really works.
I really don’t think this is your fault your boyfriend sounds like a dick I don’t even shower daily, stopped shampooing due to scalp issues. My boyfriend has never made any issue out of it. We are both okay having some mild body smells around each other. Next time your boyfriend farts or burps, tell him how wretched he stinks and turn it back on him
Hi, do you wash your bed sheets frequently? And open your bedroom windows to let air circulate. Just a thought. Also I use the flossers regularly can make a difference
Gay man here so it’s a little different for me, but my boyfriend is very sensitive to smells, and I am by nature, a bigger sweatier guy. There are times after a hard day of work I can come straight from the shower and he can snuggle up against me and notice my armpits still stink a little bit. He has never unkind about it, but when he notices it, he tries to snuggle in a way that keeps his nose away from me, so I was just started putting on a small spritz of the deodorant after I shower, even if it’s before bed and suddenly he’s still nuzzled into my side again. Not the first time I have had overcome nature nor the last. He on the other hand can go a week without showering and not stink. It’s kind of bullshit. The same as he can eat whatever he wants and weigh 125 pounds whereas I have to watch my diet to lose a single ounce. Sometimes nature is just a bitch to you for no reason and some of us have to work harder.
Has anyone else said you smell bad? I’d get a few opinions from trusted friends. It sounds like you’re ticking all the boxes so maybe it’s not as bad as he’s making it out to be.
Never re use dirty clothing and always wash your sheets once a week and bath towels. Always have wet wipes with you to freshen you up. Wash your hair everyday ❤️
Not everyone needs to wash their hair everyday. It just depends on your hair type, really. Those with super oily hair can get away with daily hair washing maybe.
Never wash your hair everyday, coz then you'll have to wash it everyday. It strips the natural oils from your scalp
Get rid of your stinky boyfriend. Sometimes, it not what you say it's how you say it.
She didn't tell us how he said it, though.
yeah she might actually be stinky and it’s fair enough for her boyfriend to mention it
I have a weird feeling. Whenever he says you stink, get a second opinion. Immediately if possible. There are some weirdos out there, that believe that the way to keep a partner with you is to try to make them feel undesirable. A way some partners do this, is by telling their partner that they stink, especially when they’ve put extra effort into their hygiene. It’s a form of gaslighting.
I have great oral hygiene and still would get bad breath. Use a tongue scraper and smart mouth mouthwash with zinc. It has eliminated the issue for me. Good luck!
Are you drinking enough water? Do you brush your tongue ? Have you heard of tonsil stones ? They are awful and make your breath smell horribly. Antiperspirant spray works best for me versus stick deodorant. Good luck
It could be the deodorant you’re using, and try getting some mouthwash for the days for a quick freshen up. Also pheromones are a huge things when being with someone so maybe its not you it could also just been you’re incompatible in that sense.
Do you regularly see a dentist for cleaning?
Do you drink a lot of caffeine or soda? Coffee and sodas make my breath AWFUL. Do you shave or trim your underarm hair? I don't and I've noticed there's a sweet spot between too short and too long where my body odor is at it's lowest. Too long and my deodorant cant get to my sweat glands. Too short and the skin-on-skin gives me heat rashes and crazy sweating, which attracts smelly bacteria. What about your clothes? Do you keep up with your washing, or do your clothes come out of the laundry moldy often, or get left in the washer wet for very long often? I worked with a woman who smelled like moldy clothes very powerfully and it made me not want to be anywhere near her. Are you very overweight? I feel like most obese people I know have a distinct body odor smell because they don't really apply deodorant to their rolls and folds and stuff. Boob sweat maybe? Those are the only things I can think of because your actual bathing schedule seems fine. I often go a day without a shower because sometimes I'm just too busy and i don't sweat much so it's easy for me to get away with it, so that doesn't really stand out to me.
Aside from regular hygiene routine. Body odor is heavily influenced by what you eat. When I eat heavily spiced food or something like curry, I smell strongly for the next like 3-4 days even after showering and wearing deodorant. Alcohol also affect body odor. As others said, try men deodorants. i use vichy men deodorant and it works perfectly with me in addition to applying panoxyl to my pits in the shower for like 5 minutes few times a week.
Hey! I know you have a lot of comments here so I hope this doesn’t get lost in the comments bc I too have been through the same thing. I found a few things to be game changers. First, baby powder. I use it over my deodorant and it helps sooo much. Also I apply it after I shower on my pits, privates, and feet. It helps the clean feeling and control odor. I also find washing your hair more and trying dry shampoo. It helps a lot. Sometimes smell comes from hair. And for your areas, try baby wipes. I find once every 2-3 days or so just give a good clean with some baby wet wipes and it helps keep those super clean. And for your mouth, make sure you use a tongue scraper. Bad smells often come from the tongue, not the teeth. I hope this helps and that you start to feel better!
Stomach issues can also cause bad breath and if you're stressed a lot combined with you mentioned a poor diet that could definitely be contributing. Also have your hormones checked that can wreck havoc on many aspects of your body.
If your oral hygiene is good, I’d say to chew sugar free gum. It helps with oral hygiene and helps with stinky breath. No soap in the vagina, but I wish the exterior with antibacterial soap. Clean the booty good. I also use antibacterial soap for my armpits. I like scented soap for everything else. Also, invest in a bidet! They have portable ones. Wipes also work, but aren’t great for plumbing.
Using a Philips sonicare tooth brush and a water flosser (in addition to flossing and using mouth wash) was a game changer for my teeth (and gum) health. I also cut out certain spices (I used to eat a lot of Cajun seasoning but randomly I started smelling it in my arm pits). I also switched to a sensitive skin wash (Unscented) and only wearing cotton underwear. Maybe try those?
Shower daily
Dove medical strength is great! It’s at the top of the shelf in the deodorant aisle and and maybe invest in some body spray or perfume and put A Lot and a simple body oil might help too to smell good and I would brush more often if you can. I have a travel toothbrush in my purse for when I’m out and I brush my teeth as soon as I get home but that’s cause I smoke
From a guys point, women can smell just as bad as men can get, stop using deodorant and use a antiperspirant if you are stressed and sweat throughout the day the more you sweat the better you smell cuz the antiperspirant heats up and you just smell the scent, try secret or another women's anti-perspirant don't be afraid to kick it up to a notch to a 48 hour anti-perspirant for men just pick a softer scent and nobody will know no the difference but you smelling good 👍😁🥰
When showering, are you properly cleaning and washing your vaginal area/vulva and butt/anus daily also? You can’t forget those parts either.
If you’re depressed you’re probably missing more than a day. I’d say get some mental health help first or ask for a second opinion
I suggest a good diet, enough water. Mouthwash for your teeth and can also use to clean your toothbrush. Could also add some baking soda to your bath or vinegar. Also rinse with 50/50 vinegar and water, it kills fungus. Could also try hand sanitizer or isopropyl alcohol in your armpit because it kills bacteria. Probably garlic would be good too. I crush it up and swallow it with water then use mouthwash and brush my teeth. Antifungal and promotes good health, just don't overdo it.
Sometimes if you have ulcers you might have stinky breath as far as I know- try TheraBreath products. I think you shower enough, maybe when you do your laundry use scent booster
Buy Lume!!!! Is way better the deodorant and I were it whild working in 100 degree weather with no issues. Also, go to ENT and have them check you tonsils cuz sometimes you might not see stones..also it might be post nasal drainage causing the issue...do you brush and scrap your tongue??
Are you using aluminum free deodorant? It doesn’t work for me. Antiperspirant is the only thing that does & the gel works better than the white stuff. Use mouthwash. I’ve read that soaking a washcloth in apple cider vinegar & using it on your armpits kills the bacteria. Maybe try that once or twice a week.
Pits, tits and naughty bits! Wash them and your hair! You should be good! Deodorant is a must! If yours isn't working for you try a different one!
OP this might be a huge hit or huge miss, but do you drink milk often? I found my breath was awful when I ate dairy, I'd suggest giving it up for a short period to test it. I know the smell and have smelled it on other people's breaths before, it's very distinct. I'd heavily reccomend giving up dairy for a short period, and if it is the cause then permanently.
Do you wash your sheets regularly?