7 tips to smell fresh from AM to PM

MANILA, Philippines – There are days when smelling good can be a challenge. 

This is true especially if you’re in the Philippines, where the weather can go from hot and humid to raining and pouring in a span of two hours. If you also regularly use public transportation like jeeps, buses, or the MRT/LRT, then you know how that challenge becomes sheer impossibility.

Erratic weather changes, pollution and plain old body chemistry – all these things contribute to a less-than-pleasant scent. Most of the time, others do not notice it. But it can still be quite uncomfortable. There are some people who arrive in the office at 8:59 AM, looking like they just stepped out of the shower instead of lining up at a van queue. On the other hand, there are some people who just waltz through the restaurant door at 7PM, looking as good as they did before the day started. We want to be more like them!

We asked around for advice and hacks on the art of being mabango (READ: INFOGRAPHIC: The power of common scents). From our research, here are 7 tried-and-tested secrets to smelling good all day long:

You are what you wear

• Wear fresh-smelling, airy clothes. Sweat by itself is not smelly. But when damp skin accumulates bacteria, it can give off a funky odor. So dress to avoid sweat. We also hope that you don’t repeat shirts. If you know that you’ll be running around all day, favor airy, cotton outfits. If you must be dressed, pack your formal shirt or jacket in your bag or change in the car.

• Pay attention to how you laundry your clothes, too. A good step is to rinse your clothes in fabric conditioner, because that way, they stay fresh-smelling for longer and even repel bacteria (depending on the variant you choose).

Make scents last longer

• Layer your scents. Even the most potent eau de toilette is no match for humidity and sweat. A good way to make your favorite scent last longer is to layer it with bath products that carry the same scent family (just do some sniffing and testing to determine this). Shower with body wash, apply lotion, and then spritz away. You’ll be amazed at how long the scent will linger on your skin.

• Use petroleum jelly. If you don’t have the luxury of a 1-hour bath or can’t be bothered with lotion, putting a little film of petroleum jelly on your pulse points works just as well. We got this tip from a tita who really leaves a fragrant trail when she walks by. She also told us to spritz not just on pulse points, but also behind the knees and on the small of our back (she also told us to spritz under our tongue but we’re taking that tip as optional).

Keep odor at bay

• Pack baby wipes or a face towel. Both are definitely handier than a plain old handkerchief in rubbing grime off your face, neck, et al. We also noticed how those small towels washed in fab con even leaves a nice smell on our skin. Just make sure to never use them twice!

• In a pinch, a dollop of hand sanitizer works better than a splash of cologne. Hand sanitizers kill bacteria. Colognes can only mask the smell, and rarely does the effect last long. You can use your hand sanitizer on sweaty parts (except your face) as an emergency deodorant before reapplying cologne or perfume.

• Apply dry deodorant on your soles. Stinky, sweaty, and smelly feet can be embarrassing and a total turn off. While it’s not a permanent solution, some athlete friends said that rubbing a stick deodorant or using a spray version on their soles helped minimize sweating throughout the day (it goes without saying, don’t use the same deodorant you use on your armpits for your feet!). Wearing clean, washed socks and shoes is also a given. That’s your marching order.

Have you got other stay-fresh hacks? Share them with us! – With reports from Ian Cigaral/Rappler.com