How to smell good and not lose friends, even in monsoon

BO + perfume = immediately no

“India is a tropical country”. One moment you’re basking baking in the sun’s warmth fury, and the next, you’re sprinting for cover from an unexpected explosion of rain and thunder. And if there’s one universal truth that we can all agree on in these moments — aside from the fact that chai is an all-season drink — is that battling the resulting body odour from sweat and dampness becomes a Sisyphean task when all you want to do is smell good.

Your clothes cling to you, the air feels like a wet blanket and, by noon, you’re questioning all your life choices. We’ve all been there. It’s not a pleasant smell.

To rescue you from this mid-season olfactory nightmare, we looked at all the tips and tricks to stay fresh and fragrant so you can smell good, no matter what the weather gods throw your way.

How to smell good, no matter the season or sweat level

The foundation: personal hygiene

1. Scrub-a-dub-dub

Imagine dead skin cells as little pockets that trap sweat and oil, attracting bacteria like flies to food. You remove the pockets by exfoliating, making it harder for bacteria to find a comfortable place to hang out and multiply.

Daily showering (twice if needed) should be a non-negotiable. Regular exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells. It reduces the amount of sweat and oil trapped on the skin, creates a less hospitable environment for bacteria, and potentially reduces the intensity of body odour. If you have damaged or sensitive skin, consult a professional instead of doing your own experiments.

2. Try and stay dry

After showering, pat yourself dry with a clean towel, paying particular attention to areas prone to moisture buildup (like armpits or between skin folds) . This gentle approach removes excess moisture without disrupting your skin’s natural microbiome or damaging the skin barrier.

A small microfiber towel (this one is perfect) is a trusty companion in your handbag this season to absorb excess sweat (ensure it’s washed regularly), especially if you’re a face sweater. Reduce the number of products you’re using on your face, opting for light, multitasking ones that could reduce the amount you sweat.

3. Befriend benzoyl peroxide

If you’ve dealt with acne as a teen or adult, you may be familiar with benzoyl peroxide face washes. These kill acne-causing bacteria and gently loosen dead skin cells that clog pores. This double action helps prevent breakouts and is a cleanser for your underarms.

“Body odour is the result of your sweat mixing with the existing bacteria on your skin. So benzoyl peroxide won’t stop you from sweating, but it’ll reduce the bacteria load under your arms, or wherever you apply it, therefore reducing the odor,” Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Mississippi, USA, tells SELF.

Wash yourself with benzoyl peroxide twice a week. However, be careful around your intimate areas, as it may cause uncomfortable itches or rashes down under.

Say ‘no’ to stinky business: body odour control

1. Deodorant vs antiperspirant vs exfoliant

Three key players emerge in the battle against underarm odour: deodorant, antiperspirant and underarm exfoliant.

Deodorant: This contains fragrance to mask unpleasant smells and often includes antibacterial agents. These agents target the bacteria on your skin that break down sweat and cause body odour. By reducing the bacterial population, deodorant helps you smell good all day.

Antiperspirant: The go-to for sweaty season, antiperspirants use aluminium salts to temporarily plug the sweat glands in your underarms, reducing the amount of sweat that reaches the skin’s surface. Less sweat means less material for odour-causing bacteria to work with.

Underarm exfoliants: Exfoliating underarm roll-ons remove dead skin cells that can accumulate and contribute to odour. Dr Marisa K Garshick, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, recommends glycolic acid, “By exfoliating dead skin cells and lowering the skin’s pH, glycolic acid helps prevent body odour by preventing buildup and reducing bacteria.”

Gentler exfoliants like lactic acid and mandelic acid are also effective and kinder to the skin. Consult a professional to determine how often to exfoliate your underarms, but generally, once or twice a week should suffice.

2. Do a diet check

We’re sorry, but you may need to temporarily break up with garlic bread. Strong-smelling foods like onions, garlic and spicy dishes can affect body odour in two ways. First, they contain sulphur compounds that aren’t fully broken down during digestion. These compounds enter the bloodstream and are released through sweat. While sweat is odourless, bacteria on your skin break down these compounds, creating a distinct and often unpleasant smell.

Second, spicy foods can increase sweating by triggering the body’s temperature regulation system. More sweat means more material for bacteria to break down, potentially intensifying body odour. The impact of these foods on body odour can vary depending on individual factors, such as gut bacteria and sweat composition.

Pick your poison wisely: perfume choices

1. Keep things light and fresh

As the monsoon brings humidity, it’s time to ditch the heady winter fragrances and embrace lighter scents that won’t get weighed down by the damp air. Swap those deeper ouds and musks for something crisp and refreshing. Perfumery experts recommend notes like citrus, green tea, aquatic accords or even light florals. As Harmeet Singh, Vice President of marketing, product and digital at The Body Shop (Asia South), tells HT Lifestyle, these lighter options can evoke a sense of airiness and last longer in hot weather.

2. Master the art of layering

Pick your scent profile. Start with a scented body wash and make this your base layer of fragrance. Follow up with a complementary scented body lotion to lock in moisture and enhance the scent. Consistency is key, so you’ll want to stick to a single fragrance family for body washes and moisturisers; florals, for instance.

Top it off with a perfume or body mist. Remember to spray it on your pulse points (wrists, neck, behind ears) for long-lasting fragrance. To stay fresh throughout the day, carry a travel-sized mist or deodorant for mid-day touch-ups. A quick spritz can save you from a potential odour emergency.

To simplify things, look at brands like Nykaa, Sol de Janeiro, and Bath and Body Works, which carry products ranging from body wash to hand cream and hair mists under the same scent family.

3. Bye bye damp smell: clothing care

Choose breathable fabrics like cotton and linen, and avoid synthetic materials that trap sweat. Ensure your clothes are completely dry before storing them and, if possible, air-dry them in the sun to kill bacteria and achieve a fresh, sun-kissed scent. Use moisture absorbers in your wardrobe and drawers, place activated charcoal to absorb musty smells, and scent tablets to diffuse aroma into your clothes.