How to Smell Good for Boys

Last Updated: November 30, 2022 References

Although sweating and body odor are normal and everyone has to deal with them, girls often reach puberty earlier than boys and have to deal with these challenges sooner in life. Since research has shown that smell plays an important role in romantic attraction, this article offers advice on how to smell good for boys. Practicing good personal hygiene, finding and applying products that help you smell good, and trying smell-good beauty hacks will help relieve any worries about how you smell.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Practicing Good Personal Hygiene

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Don’t be embarrassed. Worrying about how you smell, especially to the opposite sex is a natural concern, and not something you should feel embarrassed about.
2
Shower or bathe regularly. Showering or bathing daily is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make sure you smell good. Focus on cleansing the areas that are most likely to produce odor such as the armpits, groin, and feet.
- Bathing right before you go out to meet a boy or where you might meet a boy will ensure you smell your best.
- If you exercise, sweat profusely, or do work outside, bathing after these activities will reduce body odor and keep you smelling great.
- Showering or bathing too frequently can actually irritate your skin, so if you find yourself showering more than twice a day, you might want to reconsider your bathing habits.^{[1]
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3
Shampoo your hair. Although shampooing your hair too often can damage it, establishing a regular hair-washing routine will remove excess oils and dirt from the hair, which can lead to bad odors. It’s time to reach for the shampoo bottle when you notice your hair seems oily or smelly, or your scalp is itching and flaking.^{[2]
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- If you exercise a lot, live in a humid place, have an oily scalp, or have fine hair, experts recommend shampooing daily. This will help ensure you smell good for boys.
- People with thick hair, curly hair, or who don’t have oily hair can usually wait longer between shampooing.
- If you are worried that your hair or scalp smells but you don’t want to risk damaging your hair, try just using water or a leave in conditioner instead of shampooing. You can also test out products such as powders and dry shampoos, which will help you go longer between washings since they reduce oils and the bad smells that might repel boys.
- If you are not sure how often you should wash your hair, ask a professional stylist or dermatologist.
4
Brush your teeth. To maintain dental health and prevent bad breath, which boys might find unattractive, brush your teeth at least twice a day. ^{[3]
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- Flossing your teeth everyday will also help keep your mouth and breath smelling great.
- Brush after a meal to remove food particles and get rid of germs that cause bad breath.
- If you practice good dental hygiene, but still feel like you have a problem with bad breath, talk with a doctor or dentist. You might have a medical condition that is causing this problem.
5
Apply an antiperspirant or deodorant. Antiperspirants help prevent sweating while deodorants mask odor, so applying these products every day will help you smell great for boys.To maximize the effectiveness of these products, use them twice per day—in the morning and at night.^{[5]
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- Many antiperspirants also contain deodorants, so these products are often more effective at preventing body odor than simply using deodorants.^{[6]
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- If regular strength products don’t seem to work for you, try a stronger, clinical strength antiperspirant or deodorant. Doctors can also prescribe even stronger products.
- Keep antiperspirant or deodorant with you at school or work so that you can reapply it as needed.
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Shave underarms to reduce odor. Hair can trap bacteria and odors, so shaving areas such as your armpits should help you reduce and manage body odor.^{[7]
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Switch your shoes. Although it is natural, foot odor is unattractive and can make you feel less confident around boys. Avoid wearing the same pair of shoes each day so they have time to air out.^{[8]
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- To cut down on unpleasant odors and freshen shoes and feet, you can also sprinkle foot powder in your shoes or apply these products directly to your feet.
8
Keep your clothes clean. Bathing regularly and going through the steps above won’t be effective if you put on dirty, smelly clothes. Wash your clothes regularly to keep them smelling fresh.^{[9]
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- To get rid of bad smells on your clothes and boost the effectiveness of your detergent, consider adding white vinegar, lemon juice, borax, or baking soda during the wash cycle.^{[10]
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9
Ask for help. If your attempts to practice good hygiene don’t seem to be working and you have concerns about how you smell, talk with a medical professional about your situation. They will be able to diagnose and treat any medical conditions that might be causing the problem.
- They may even be able to prescribe certain products or medications that are more effective than over-the-counter ones.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Finding and Applying Products that Make You Smell Good

1
Learn about the smells that boys find attractive. Fragrances and perfumes are personal choices and you should pick one that you like, but researchers have found that males are often attracted to a few specific scents, so you might consider a perfume that contains these notes:^{[11]
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- Vanilla.
- Orange.
- Lavender.
- Green apples.
- Don’t be afraid to ask a member of the opposite sex what smells good to him. This is probably the most effective way to ensure you smell good to someone else.
2
Apply the perfume correctly. Applying too much or too little perfume or fragrance can be off-putting to boys. Keep these guidelines in mind to make sure you are applying perfume correctly:^{[13]
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- For a more even application that isn’t overwhelming, spray once into the air above you and then walk through the mist.^{[14]
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- To keep fragrances from dissipating, apply to a few pulse points and areas that give off heat. These include behind the ears, on the wrists, on the collarbone, inside the elbows, and behind the knees.^{[15]
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- You can also lightly spray your hairbrush with perfume before brushing your hair.
- A quick way to tell if you’ve applied too much perfume to an area is to wait a few seconds after applying and then touch a tissue to the area. If the tissue sticks, it’s a good indicator you over-applied the product.^{[16]
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- If you accidentally put on too much perfume or body spray, rub a cotton ball soaked with rubbing alcohol to the spot.^{[17]
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3
Try scented lotion. When you want to smell good for boys, scented lotions can have more staying power than perfumes and are usually less expensive. These products also often have moisturizing skin benefits that perfumes don’t offer.
- Be careful when using scented lotions and perfumes because they might be too strong or cloying when mixed.
4
Use great-smelling bath products. Scented bath products are also an easy and inexpensive way to improve the way you smell to boys since they are often more affordable than perfumes.
- If you are planning to use a strong-smelling perfume or lotion, a lighter smelling body wash or shower gel might be a better choice so these scents are not overwhelming.
5
Think about the combined scent of your products. When you use multiple scented products, it’s important to consider what the combined smell might be like. You want to choose products that go together and compliment each other rather than creating an off-putting combination that might be too strong and end up repelling boys.
- Choose products in the same family so they go better together. For example, if you use a citrus-based perfume, choose a citrus-based shower gel or lotion.
- Products with vanilla, amber, and coconut tend to layer better and go well with more products.
- For an objective opinion, ask your friends or family how these products smell together when you are wearing them.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Trying Smell-Great Beauty Hacks

1
Prepare a smell-good kit. When you’re on the go and want to make sure you smell good for boys, it can be helpful to have a few products on hand that you can use if you’re away from your regular stash. Consider carrying these items with you in your purse, bag, car, or gym locker.^{[18]
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- Wet wipes or baby wipes to freshen up.
- Powder to absorb sweat and prevent bad odors.
- Antiperspirant and deodorant so you can reapply as needed.
- Lotion or perfume when the product you put on in the morning dissipated.
- A spare toothbrush, toothpaste, or mouthwash to freshen your breath.
2
Use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water to reduce body odor. If there are certain areas such as your feet or under your arms that you think smell, mix 1 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide (3%) with 1 cup (8 ounces) of water. Then, wipe this solution on the affected areas.^{[19]
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3
Apply witch hazel. Witch hazel lowers the skin’s pH level, which makes it difficult for the bacteria that cause bad odors to survive. When you want to make sure you smell good for boys, try applying a cotton ball soaked with witch hazel to the areas of your skin that seem smelly such as the underarms or your feet.
- Carry a spray bottle of witch hazel with you so you can apply whenever you feel the need.
4
Avoid foods that can cause body odor. Certain types of foods can result in more pungent body odors that boys may find less than appealing, so try changing your diet to see if it makes a difference in how you smell. Garlic, curry, onions, fatty foods, and oils have been shown to cause a stronger body odor.^{[20]
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- It’s a good idea to consult with a doctor or dietician before you make significant changes to your diet.
5
Chew gum to prevent bad breath. When your mouth is dry, bad breath can occur, and chewing gum helps increase saliva production and flow.^{[21]
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- For dental health, choose a sugarless gum with xylitol.
6
Select and wear clothes made from natural fibers. Clothes made from natural fibers such as cotton and wool are more breathable, which means that they help odors dissipate instead of trapping them like synthetic fabrics. They also help keep you cooler and fresh-smelling.
- It’s much harder to get odors out of synthetic fabrics, even with repeated washing.
- Wash your clothes as soon as you can, especially after working out.
7
Store perfumed sachets in your clothes drawers and closets. To keep both yourself and your clothes smelling great even when they’re stored in drawers or closets, store them with perfume sachets.^{[22]
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Warnings

Avoid using too many scented products because the combined scent they produce may not be appealing.

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Many people have allergies and skin sensitivities, so if products you use cause any skin irritation you should stop using them right away.

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