Battling B.O.
It’s that time of year again - time for barbecues, bikinis, baseball and body odour! B.O. is embarrassing, and difficult to battle when the humidity makes the GTA feel like one giant steam room. Here are some suggestions from Redbook for keeping dry and alluring in the summer heat:
Smelly pits: Underarm products containing both a deodorant and an antiperspirant help mask the odor while stopping wetness, but most of us apply them at the wrong time. For optimum dryness, roll on a sweat stopper at bedtime, when your skin’s dry and the product has more time to penetrate your pores. Then reapply in the morning, if you like, when you’ve sufficiently dried your armpits after showering.
Stinky feet: Wash and dry your feet thoroughly when you shower. Wear shoes made from natural materials — like leather or canvas - that allow feet to breathe. If your feet still get damp, sprinkle on a foot powder or stick an absorbent insole in your shoes. That same antiperspirant you’re applying to your underarms every night will also keep your feet dry.
Beastly breath: Use a scraper or brush on your tongue every time you brush your teeth (at least twice a day or after every meal) to get rid of bacteria. Daily flossing and twice-annual dentist visits are equally important. Low concentrations of carbamide peroxide, a tooth-bleaching agent, can destroy odor-generating bacteria and sulfur compounds for up to a year.
Hopefully you’ll stay dry this weekend! Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is STINKYFEET. It’s valid until July 1st.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I think another way to prevent b.o. is to raise the air conditioning up a little bit. Yeah, we’ll spend more money on our energy bill and it might feel a little cool inside, but it’s better than smelling someone’s b.o., isn’t it?
But if you’re outdoors, I guess a personal fan could help keep odours away.
Carly’s Note: I do like those personal fans. I used to take one to the gym. It kept me cool and allowed me to keep the b.o. of others at bay. It eventually broke. I guess it was overworked.
June 27th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
In my daily routine of getting out to my mail route and back every day, I have to grab a cab. Something about sitting in a car for 10-12 hours does something to some of these drivers, but I don’t think they even know they have a distinkt aroma about them. I wish I could just hand them a helpful page like this to help them out, but I know that would make me a target to avoid if I did reccomend a better hygene habit to them.
Carly’s Note: Yeah, I think that’s the situation with people who wear too much perfume, too. They become immune to it, so they don’t even know it. With perfume, they keep adding until they can smell it again themselves which is overkill for the rest of us.
June 27th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I heard you and Jeff on the radio and that you have to work on Monday.
Well as least there won’t be too much traffic.
I would vote you as employee of the month.
Carly’s Note: I’ll gladly take that nomination because the employee of the month gets an extra vacation day.
June 27th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
What? Mask my musky, manly scent? Impede those pheromones that are essential to attracting a mate? Surely you jest?
Hmm… though it would explain why my friends all suddenly vanish in the summer time….
And what’s this about a semi-annual visit to the Dentist? Pshaw! My teeth are a healthy shade of orange, and I don’t need any quack to tell me I need $10,000 worth of work. So there!
My feet? Yeah, they kind of reek. I need some odour eaters.
Have a good weekend.
Cheers!
-S.B.
Carly’s Note: Your self-awareness is refreshing - unlike your scent.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Hi Carly
So you have to work for Jeff today. We get to hear your sweet voice all afternoon so the listeners are the winners.
I’m glad I live in the country and don’t have to endure the smells of the city in summer.
I just have to endure the smells of manure spread on the fields…clears your sinus.
And the smell of skunk after new road kill.
It’s great.
Have a nice day and a great Canada Day Carly.
Gary
Carly’s Note: Thanks, Gary! We do live in a great country. As for the smell of manure or skunk or anything unpleasant, if you’re exposed to it often enough, I think you become immune to it.
June 30th, 2008 at 6:01 am
Hi Carly,
Many years ago I used to work with a guy who would wear the same clothes everyday to save money(he had his mortgage paid off and a condo in Florida by the time he was 30!) but sometimes he smelled.
One day i smelled his B.O. and stayed as far as possible. Someone in the office must have complained and ordered him to put on some deodorant because he later in the day he didn’t smell anymore.
At another place i worked i had this lady boss who was from Europe and didn’t use deodorant either. On top of all this she was very mean. Smelly and mean is a very bad combination Carly!
Finally one time a number of years ago my wife and i were at her sister’s place when my wife sniffed the air and asked “who’s feet stink?” I sheepishly admitted that it was me. With a family to support i was starting to buy vinyl shoes instead of leather to save money for the kids but my feet would sweat like crazy. We decided that to maintain air purity i had to start buying leather shoes again!
I also discovered over the years that garlic and onions were to be avoided before ANY business or social meetings. With me it would be the breath but with my wife it would seep through her pores. What a combination, eh?
Have a great hiccup long weekend Carly.
Carly’s Note: Lots of great advice in there! Thanks for the pearls of wisdom.
July 15th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Hey Carly:
You were right, the Apple Butter ribs were better than the Honey Garlic. Didn’t pig out though.
Carly’s Note: The Apple Butter were delicious, although I have to admit, all the flavours were pretty good and very tender. The cooking method really makes a difference. I just don’t have the patience at home. I’ll do a rack in the slow cooker every now and then, but they don’t taste like that!