Scent of a Human

mmmmm

If i don't use deodorant i stink within 5 hours...maybe we are supposed to smell like that but i don't like it...i like to be dry and comfortable....

grow up.

Ummmmm

You cycle to work and you don't wear deodorant. Hmmm. Luckily I don't sit next to you.

Yech

There's a reason people use deodorants and perfumes. I know the europeans years ago used to be soap dodgers as well. but thank heavens that's changed. personally I like my lady no to smell of old fried onions and BO. Each to his/her own.

Not actually.

I just don't like it when I smell sweaty. Not all deoderants are floral bombs - quite a few are mild and pleasant, and you have a fairly neutral odour - not toilet spray syndrome,

Deos

I started using a rock crystal deodorant some years ago after normal deos gave me lumps and rashes under my arms. Nver looked back. It's unscented and all-natural. It allows you to perspire but kills the bacteria which cause odours. Very highly recommended.

Scent of a Human

I couldn't imagine life without deo or my beloved perfumes. I also have sandalwood scented paper lining my cupboard shelves and drawers, scented drawer sachet's and scented wardrobe sachet's. I shower bewteen 2 &  4 times a day and get complimented everywhere I go on how nice I smell. I even had a man stop me at JFK to ask what perfume I was wearing, when I told him, he said his wife used it and didn't smell anything as nice as I did. Other people like nice smells too. " Eau"  Naturel - YUK!

Yuck

I respect your opinion and have come across a few like you who share the same opinion. I have never kept contact with any of them. Reason: They stink.

For a lady: oooooh heavenly power. That is gross

column

Great thoughts!

Deo's

Not quite sure why everyone got so very personal about this.

Your opinion is your own. I personally don't like the deo's that make you smell sickly sweet. But I do use the ones that keep you dry etc.

Well done for being who you are. I think that takes courage.

Deoderant

let me gues..you are baffled as to y u are still single too?

a personal choice

In our climate people sweat, and its not a pleasant smell. The truth is people avoid people who smell!

Scent of a Human

Hey - some of us just like to smell nice !! besides people can do what they like with there money - i hope you also eat only what you hunt and kill or gather from the wild, remember like deodorant we dont need fancy food, so if you that crazy start you own survivor, the differnce ? you become a survivor for ever !!

...

Jeez guys..... no wonder women are stuck primping themselves for an hour every day to be more beautiful. With the likes of these south african men around! Not everyone has major body odour issues like you lot must have. Some are able to stay fresh between showers.
I think her point was that we are mindlessly applying chemical upon chemical to our bodies without thought to the longterm effects.
Well said Olivia.

DD

You staying in CT's Southern Suburbs perhaps. Will explain a lot.

Ponger

Thank goodness I don't have to work with you. I might be forced to hang a car air freshner under your desk so you don't kill us all.

Deoderant

Buy some Alum BP at Chemist for approx R6, mix with distilled water (also cheap) and spray on - no smell, no sweat, no aluminium etc, works like da bomb!!!

Eish

OK, of course I was looking for a bit of flak with this topic, but really guys...it's very easy to take cheap shots when you aren't using your real names - and next to your real photo nogal, like me! It's Friday afternoon, chill out. This is actually quite an interesting topic, we can discuss it like de.cent people
And by the way: I have the power to delete anyone who gets too rude and nasty, so watch yourselves...some hanging on by a mere thread... :)

Yuk

Yuk. Yuk. Yuk. Perhaps, you have no issues with your own " aroma"  but THE REST OF US DO. Following your line of argument, why should we wash at all or launder our clothes? YUK.

Deo's

You know - reading some of the comment's here, the blatant nastiness and mean for no real reason - from people who are so very proud of themselves for smelling nice that they think it gives them a right to get personal...... Wow.

Mmmmm

Unfortunately your partner/colleagues/relatives can't tell you the truth because it is a very sensitive matter, you definetely stink.Get life!

Nice ideas

Thanks for the good ideas for alternatives - rock crystals (some are more natural than others though), the alum BP recipe, and sandalwood sachets. I've been using dried lavender in coat pockets in the wardrobe - smells nice and also helps keeps moths at bay (apparently, we'll see). I'll be adding these to my fragrance recipe database.

Smell the roses

I'm sorry, but deodorant is a non-negotiable! I don't want to be near someone who smells bad! It's fine to say we shouldn't use it if you don't perspire a lot, but some people do and it's really not pleasant being near them!

Scent of a Human

Living in the UK I get to smell a lot of natural people on the tubes and buses, especially the aged 40+. Some of gym's I've been to also like the natural smell. Really off-putting. People seem to think here that as the climate is cold, bathing and deo aren't necessary.

Moths??

hhhmm, judging from your column, I feel you probably need the dried lavender to keep away the moths under the arm pits perhaps? Bit of a forest under there im guessing?:)

What nonsense?

If body odour is natural, so is halitosis. Care to explain why you choose to brush your teeth but you don't wear deodorant?

What?

my word people, think before you write such inconsiderate and nasty remarks! you have every right to disagree and convey your feelings on the matter but resorting to insults is churlish and immature. you remind me of schoolgirls!

@Olivia and Storm10

Come to think of it, I'm sure the rock crystal I'm talking about is Alum. It's the size of a normal deo stick, looks like a salt crystal, costs a bit but on average each stick lasts me a year. Very convenient and effective.

A quick summary for those who need it...

...because they maybe skimmed and skipped through the column a little too rapidly: Here's what I'm NOT saying: Don't wash. Here's what I AM saying: There are good health and enviro arguments against artificial fragrances. Consider cutting back and using safe natural alternatives.

Learn to read

Guys, she said: " I'm not really totally fine with sallying forth into polite society without some scent-armour." 
No where does she say she don't wear anything, she said she's trying to make up her own 'parfume' containing natural ingredients which is healthier for her and the environment. She is probably a PETA supporter also? How can you be against animal cruelty but you use products that damage and hurt animals? Google a bit about the subject, you'll be shocked.

@essess

I will check it out and do some research on the crystal alternative - Thank you!

Well...

You may smell " natural" , but so does garlic breath, a rotting corpse, and poop.

You claim that the lavender keeps moths at bay - I guarantee you your chosen lifestyle will keep EVERYBODY at bay.

Yuk.

continues...

I don't agree with everything she said, but I must give it to her for being creative and dedicated to her course. I personally love my Lacosta, Hugo etc.

Anyway, some of your comments are worst then any smell will ever be.

@Olivia, Storm10, essess &  Olivia Rose-Innes

This is one I use too, works well and doesn't clash with my perfume.

!

wow, you people are nasty... i think most of you drown yourselves in DEO to hide the fact that you're so full of sh*t.

Catch a tube

This article stinks - kidding, but seriously - author sit on a tube in London for a week and your opinion of 'artificial fragrances' will change drmatically.
My deo does give me 24 hour protection - thank goodness, it keeps the flies off my armpits - of which I am most grateful.

@WTF

Dental care goes way beyong cosmetics - it's a health necessity: if you don't brush (and floss) you are likely to get rotten teeth and gum disease, which scientists are increasingly linking to systemic problems like heart disease. I promise you none of these things will happen if you use less deodorant. By the way: halitosis is a health issue too - it may be caused by poor dental hygiene, but it may be a result of a number of medical problems and should be checked out by a doctor.

Scent of a Human

I agree Olivia-people are not getting it-there are plenty of natural alternatives available now which are friendlier to skin and health...They ran a programme here a while ago where they removed all chemicals from a families life for a period of time and used natural products only -including deodrants-one of the children's asthma stopped, and the other childs acne improved drastically. I think it is important to limit the amount of chemicals we put in our bodies-we can still smell nice doing so.

bad girl

no ways thats bad seriuos all women should use deodrant ,cheap or expensive deodrant

Not aiyoba

Wow - Bet you don't have too many friends, otherwise one of them would have told you by now that BO isn't aiyoba.

Re: the Tube

The Tube is not one of my fave places, for heat and crowding and airlessness more than smell. It's not nice being in close proximity to a long unwashed body (smells very different to a recently washed, sweaty body!) but neither is it nice getting blasted by someone's artificial fragrance.

Deo

Erm, guy, so that her teeth won't rot out of her head? Weak, argument.

@marcus

What, and men shouldn't?? Men are the worst stinkers, and I dont just mean smell ha ha. You're a bad boy Marcus

@Mogotsi

Nicely put, thank you. Can you tell me more about the programme - you're welcome to email me.

@ olivia re:Re: the Tube

OK, that explains it. If the pong of BO in the Tube doesn't bother you, it means that you smell just like it and you are so used to it that it doesn't bother you.

Here's news for you, girl: It bothers everybody else!

I'm starting to get the idea that this column was intended to get justification for your unwillingness (laziness?) to be well groomed like any woman should be. Sorry, but you won't get any sympathy from me - it's plain disgusting.

@Ange

fiar enough we all should use deo .Will you feel comfortable hugging someone if you did not put deo .....never natural smell or not.

deodorants

I HAVE !! TO USE DEODORANTS LIBERALLY BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS WATER VERY SCARCE HERE BY US BUT I AM ALSO VERY LAZY TO TAKE A BATH OR SHOWER

...

The scary thing is that you actually look like it. I agree with all those that dont want you anywhere near me. You probably dont brush your teeth either... Bet your kids are scared of you.

B.O.

Generally BO (or rather stinky BO) is the result of poor washing, both of the body &  the clothing. I have some " work clothes"  that I use in the garden &  I have to throw them out every few months because even after washing they start to stink when I start to sweat. That having been said, I have started using the rock crystal-type stick &  it appears to be working. If I don't use that, I use either Innoxa or Woolworths brand as they are approved by Beauty Without Cruelty.

natural smell...

Try sitting next to my brother... I'm sure you'll change your opinion. The saying you are what you eat can also be applied here, if you eat spicy food, it generally makes your armpits smell the same. Not everyone enjoy's smelling like chilli's, thus you apply something to douse the smell...

comment

Well said Olivia. Agree with all you said. I hate being blasted by artificial fragrances. We live in arguably the hottest(humid as well) town in SA &  my family &  I shower daily, wash throughout the day &  very seldom use deodarants &  we dont smell. Good hygiene is the key. By all means use deodorants(natural stuff is beter) coz everyone is different.
Perfumes might be important but i think most people have been taken for a ride. Anyway to each his own

Con-Cosmetics!

I stopped wearing deoderant 15 years ago when a chemist who worked for Colgate-Palmolive told me that chemicals were put into deoderants that promoted the excretion of a sour body odour from sebacious glands in the skin. He said this was done on purpose to make people dependent on the product, and advised that it took about 3 deoderant-free weeks before this smell would disappear.

Now I bluntly boast about being deoderant-free and nobody believes me!

From someone who knows you

Hi Olivia, as someone who works with you I can say with utter certainty that you always smell clean, nice and natural. You go girl.

Deo

Unscented deo = no B.O
Perfumes and colognes are for fragrances!
How people are able to spray themselves with liberal doses of scented deos and perfumes without giving themselves a monster headache for the day I do not know.

I could not go without any deo though, I'd pong!

@ NickEd

Perfume is always supposed to be SUBTLE! Liberal doses are only used by some who have a) too much money to waste, b) a nasty smell to cover-up, c) doesn't know how to use them or d) has no sense of smell. It's the hint of a perfume as one walks passed others that is supposed to intrigue and allure! Big difference!

crystal stick

i use the crystal stick as well - works a charm
and i agree with olivia - think a little further... we are all responsible for everything around us.

@ Olivia

Sure.They ran it on Channel 4(UK) in 2008.The programme was called How toxic are you, where they assisted different families in finding alternatives to all the chemicals we put on our skins(make up/deo), those we breathe in through airfreshners in the home etc. An eye opener.I have searched the Channel 4 website and it is not currently on there.They may rerun it at a later date.Another article-Go Chemical light is also no longer on there unfortunately-not since they have relaunched their site.

@ Olivia

I will certainly keep my eye open for the rerun. I appreciate you may not be able to view it on their site, however they often upload their programmes on You Tube for everyone to view.It certainly made me think twice about how much is going into my body in a chemical form and how much harm it is doing. Natural Products definitely work and I smell just as good.

Offensive Odours

Ms Rose-Innes. There is NOTHING more offensive and than bodily odours allowed to become evident.A well written article, all the same.

Well said Olivia

Please ignore all the cretins comments, they are so nasty.
I completely agree, my daughter and I both developed severe allergies and have discontinued the use of all chemicals in our home and on our bodies. We don't smell bad, we smell great actually and it is also good knowing that we contribute less to the pollution of our planet.All our allergies are gone by the way.

Before everyone screams, hairy,dirty,smelly hippies-we smell great, use organic/natural products, razors and wash often.

Thanks smelly hippies and others, and Lili R:

May I just say you are a walking ode to dainty personal hygiene yourself.

Oli and Lilli

Olivia, good on you for trying to keep those poisons off your skin. And Lili, I wish you sat next to me at work as well  )

Go Olivia!

People with poor nutrition or diets laden with chemicals smell bad. Clean up your diet and you will have no offensive BO.

Olivia, you might like to try using magnesium oil as deo (if you must  ). Available at health shops and some pharmacies. Or make your own by making a saturated solution of Epsom salts in distilled water. Add essential oil, if you like. It will keep you dry and absorb any odours. Unlike harmful chemicals, Mg is vital 4 all life forms and many people are deficient in any case.

Deodorants and Antiperspirants

Please listen to me. You girls are in for breast cancer and all sorts of other conditions with your use of deodorants, antiperspirants, crystals, alum and what not ... because most of them contain aluminium (yes: also alum). Just look at the ingredients, e.g. aluminium chlorohydrate etc etc. So what to do? The best antiperspirant and smell killer is MILK OF MAGNESIA. Just buy a little bottle and fill it into a cleaned-out deodorant roll-on bottle and roll it on! You can also google it.

Perfumes and deodorants

Great article. Win14 - you are so right about the whole breast cancer issue!! There are however natural products on the market, so no need to try and mix it yourself. Try " Nature's Gate"  products - certified organic and eco-friendly. No funny stuff, just essential oils etc. It is difficult to find, though.

Nonscents

Ordinary bicarb, used like talc, works like a charm. Worth a try?

What bugs me is all the advertising hype around house 'fresheners' - right down to ones that automatically squirt stuff into the air you breathe every xx seconds. They've even made an INSECTICIDE that does that now... good grief!

How about flavoured lip-ice? Who wants someone's artificial cherry concoction permanently under their nose all the time?

And don't get me started on this antiseptic and antibacterial craziness...

Scent of a Human

I haven't got the time or patience to read all the comments, but the article is rubbish..................Most humans perspire under arm when carrying out something involving physical use of the body, and I see nothing wrong with such persons using a deodorant, not necessarily perfumed, to overcome the unpleasant smell of perspiration.

Scent of a human

Your body scent should be natural. luckily I do not smell when I sweat(note I am driving for 3/4 hours a day so not in a nice aircon office) I have even tested this by not using deodorant for 2/3 days. Yea it doesn't sound great but I had more people (mainly women) asking me what deodorant I was using during this time, something that doesn't really happen when I wear deodorant... makes you think you should rather let other smell thereal you.

Oh Pleeze!

I smell an agenda, including homeopathy and other" natural"  forms of charlatanry. Thankfully most civilized individuals do not expect me to put up with the smell of decaying armpits. I am not making a plug for wearing cheap perfumes. But good personal hygiene supplemented by an antiperspirant has obviously not been precipitating earlier deaths in the civilized world.

kill the smells

apart from Milk of Magnesia, you could also try & mdash -
vodka &  salt !!! Seriously.
They are ideal 14-hour neutralisers.

@Pieter Swart

Please explain how you made the extraordinary jump from anything I have said here to homeopathy! Also please define what you mean by " other forms of 'natural' charlatanry' - too vague for me to respond. As for " precipitating of earlier deaths"  - it's not at all obvious what the cause may or may not be for higher rates of many cancers, birth defects, and other health problems. We just don't know yet. For precisely that reason we need to be cautious about suspect products. Why take the risk?

Breast cancer concerns

The evidence linking underarm deodorant/antiperspirant and breast cancer remains inconclusive i.e. we can't say at this stage if there's a definite causative link. Nonetheless, several studies into this have produced some concerning results and until we know more it would seem a sensible precaution to avoid applying known toxins directly onto sweat glands adjacent to breast tissue.

Smelling like Roses

What better product for a company to make than one that must be used everyday - and what better way to sell it than by social stigma. I'm slowly cutting out all 'funnies'. In the UK this market is growing fast: Organic Surge, UNE, Faith in Nature, Ecover, Method. Spirit vinegar for cleaning, bicarb and water paste for underarms. Esse is an SA one that comes to mind. I don't parabens at all because they've been found in breast lumps.

Disagree

Breast cancer originates from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Are you suggesting there is some connection between the sweat glands in the axilla and the milk ducts and lobules in the breast tissue? Rather than painting the use of antiperspirants as a health issue, it is in combination with good personal hygiene perhaps more accurately an issue of pro-social choice.

Blinkered Vision

Great work, Olivia. What a small-minded, conservative bunch of readers there are on this site.
UNE, btw, is made by Bourjois, an ordinarily mainstream brand - def not in the hairy-legged, lentil-eating league, for those who have an aversion to such things and are preparing to tell the rest of us about it.

Scent of a woman!

Perfume on a lady just makes her so much more delectable!
Btw, since its cosmetic &  full of chemicals...stop using make-up, doing your nails, wearing jewellery, getting hair treatment &  high heels while u try &  be more 'natural'...after all these are cosmetic/fake anyway. Think before u try to be extraordinary.

Try for yourself

At varsity, a digs mate and his girlfriend went a week without using any scented products in order to test a theory that natural pheremones (which are the only true aphrodisiacs) are masked by deodorant and scented soaps etc. Long story short - they said their sex drive and mutual attraction after the week was up, were flippin outrageous! Seems mother Nature knows what we have forgotten. And no - they didn't stink - natural body oils cleansed their pores of dirt, odours etc.

Nice vs Yuk

What is the first thing people do when you come across a bunch of flowers / walk past a coffee shop / enter a bakery....
THAT SMELLS NICE....
What is the first thing people do when entering an elevator / amongst a group of people, friends, and someone farted....
YOU FLEE.....
Not being rude, just practical.

YUCK

DISGUSTING!

Im glad i dont sit next to you at work.

Interesting

I take it by your picture you are against make-up and skincare too?

Well done

You can see how many people are brain washed by advertising. The problem is with deo it stops the natural breathing process of the skin so people do stink if they don't use it for a day as their body is trying to detox. After a while the body will go back to a normal smell but you have to give it time and WASH... ps deo doesn't hide stinky body odour.

DD

Unpractical advice - don't ever come near me after you've been in the sun for more than an hour...

Shaving the underams makes more of a difference

Ensuring the pubic and underarm hair is shaved will reduce the bulk of the smell. Couple that with regular showers and deoderants wont even be necessary. I still use underarm just to make sure though. But I'm not too fussed if i've forgotten.

COMENTS

I red the article when it just came out with just about 3 comments. It is obvious that some people can't read and don't comprehend what it is that she want to convey.
They can remain ignorant and uninformed or they can re-red the article. IT IS OBVIOUS SOMEBODY ELSE IS DOING YOUR THINKING FOR YOU. eg. soap operas -. tv.ads - .movies- the list is endless.- you will always follow what someone else do. You will never be able to be yourself. wake up to smell the roses- it might be all soon gone.

Natural is best. Odour = dirty toxins in blood!

Thanks for your honesty. I have changed to a high fibre diet and since then I use deodorant once a month. Previously I would smell terribly. Now the high fibre ensure that the body odour is low (I have a bowel movement for each meal) &  skin clear. Rather use 1/8 tsp bicarb + 1/2 tsp water per armpit. Check out www.cosmeticsdatabase.com to see how friendly your deodorant/cosmetics are. And look at www.spotlessliving.info for natural alternatives. Read on www.drmercola.com on deodorant &  fibre.

smell

No wonder you look like that

Thank you colin and others...

I think it's a pretty cute photo too!

Girls vs Guys

I'm probably a terrible feminist for even thinking this, but I'll say it anyway... There is no sexier scent than a CLEAN man who has just had a workout. My fiance is not allowed to shower after gym because that's my favourite time to ravish him! Smelly women? Hmmm. No, not so sexy. Glad that Olivia has found a natural alternative to toxic deodorant.

By the way, Olivia isn't saying she uses nothing, she is saying she isn't paying a fortune to use potentially toxic chemicals. Learn to read, you idiots. Oh, and some spelling lessons would be great, too.

@Moby re hair and odour

I don't know if shaving body hair will make much difference unfortunately - hair actually wicks moisture away from the skin, which helps keep it dry and therefore less likely to encourage bacteria.

:-(

Hippy

Why we're surprised

You don't like cars, you don't like make-up, you don't like meat, you don't like deo. In not liking them, you're passing judgement on us. You don't like our lifestyles and choices. You do seem to like coming across as a sanctimonious pain. Keep it up, it’ s why nobody took any hippies seriously after 1969

The scent of a woman/man

Bravo Olivia! The fact is that most people who cleanse themselves daily should not have bad body odour. Even if they go to work by bicycle. If they do, they should consult their doctor or dietician. One issue about body odour you ommitted is the sexual aspect: we are mammals and males and females secretes certain scents during intimiteness which arouse us. That is a fact. Who wants to make love to a bunch of roses or khakibos!

@Illiterate Comments

Is it really so hard to actually read an article in its entity before writing your rubbish? Body odour is certainly a big social issue and so personal hygiene is a modern necessity but that can easily be limited to regular washing and not dousing yourself in artificial, chemical scents. Too many people believe a quick spray of deo to disguise their sweaty smell is actually an alternative to regular bathing/showering... probably most of you here.

natuaral

I have read an article about a " lady of the night"  who dabs some of her intimate body fluids behind her ear when meeting a prospective client .. apparantly business is good .. Look if you smell or sweat to much do something about it, otherwise just keep yourself clean and spritz on some purfume if you feel like it

Nice vs Yuk

What brand of shampoo do you use to wash your hair with....??

Interesting

Nice article. At first I wasn't sure what you were on about here, other than suggested we all smell but after actually reading the article I am left with lots of food for thought. I love beautiful smells and do obsess a bit with sweat etc but I am open to alternatives to the harmful to our planet stuff. As a designer I always think in terms of environment but deos and their packaging were definitely a massive blind spot. Body Shop's Natural Spritz is a good alternative.

@Frank

Glad to see you've been reading my articles! In which case you'll have probably seen these comments from me before too:
1. The environmental movement became mainstream years ago. It's somewhat out of touch to think these are fringe 'hippy' issues that don't affect everyone.
2. Arguing a point, or having an opinion, is not quite the same as passing judgment. Also you'll notice I use the first person plural a lot, because we (which means me too) can all improve our lifestyles.

@ Brad

I'm glad someone else noticed that some of these people read very selectively. Also can't help but agree with your comment about smells being a result of poor hygiene. If you shower at least once a day and don't wear the same clothes more than once, there's no reason for you to be smelly. Too many people think excessive use of deodorants and perfumes will mask bad odours. Well, they don't. Those of you who say you're smelly if you don't use deodorant, try having a bath or shower. Don't forget the soap!

Apologies

I would just like to say sorry for the awful post above, clearly I need a proof reader... anyway... thanks for opening my eyes to the packaging etc... and I also never thought about where these smells are refined from... would be interesting to find out.

@clint

No need to apologise - I appreciated your comment and it is definitely not among the 'awful' contenders here! Thanks for the Body Shop suggestion, will check it out.

Interesting

I think this was a very interesting article - we use far too many chemicals these days without giving a thought as to where they come from. And we're getting sicker in general as a result. It seems we're all just too lazy to look for alternative solutions so I think its great what you're doing and will keep a watch on your recipe progress!

New Deodorant

Wow ... some really interesting recipes for replacing deodorant.
I definitely want to try that, sounds promising :)

Scent of a Human

Eish. Nee, sies, Sister! They should tag you so that we normal people can stay upwind from you. Good giref!

Chemicals Suck

I cut a slice of lemon each morning and rub the flesh and rind under my arms. The lemon juice neutralizes the bacteria that causes the BO and a lemon scent. I neither offend myself nor my colleagues and neither do I pollute my body with dodgy chemicals. I've used it for a couple of years now. I'm delighted.

I think Olivia is not suggesting that we all smell like a Paris Metro, just not like Pars Hilton.

Use safe alternatives, including vinegar, lemon juice, salt and Bicarb of (Baking) Soda.

Chemicals Suck still

And I reckon that some responders are quite insecure and definitely uncultured.

Ignore them Olivia.

It must be their barbed wire deodorant.

Thought-provoking, thanks Olivia.

I recently learned about the danger of aluminium in deodorants so I've started reading ingredients lists. Unfortunately my favourite brand and format, Mitchum Gel - which is highly effective, is one that contains aluminium.

So now I try to limit my use of it to times when I'm going to be spending a long day in meetings wearing a jacket, or doing something like a hike.

Smells and intimacy.

The pheromone aspect is interesting too. Nothing worse than snuggling up with a freshly showered partner who has a fake smell under their arms.

One detour your article could have taken is into the " feminine hygiene"  products of the 70s and 80s. Remember how adverts back then tried to teach us that we needed to use deo on our vaginal areas?

How quaint that seems now. I've never had a lover who doesn't love the smell of my vagina. Sounds a bit crude, but that's the truth.

I said goodbye to BO...

...When I stopped using deodorant - and soap, except for washing my hands. These products kill off the protective bacteria that hold the odour-causing bacteria in check, causing the latter to proliferate. My bladder infections vanished as well: Just wash with clean water regularly, and never, ever use soap or deodorant in the vaginal area.

@Ceegee

I did consider taking the " feminine hygiene"  detour, but didn't want everyone getting sidetracked on that!
Have a look at the old Lysol douche ad here: -|-//www.health24.com/tools/galleria/default.asp?gid=7
It's a great example to illustrate that behaviour we think of as 'normal' could possibly be unecessary, absurd, or even medically dangerous.

milk of magnesia

After years of unsuccessfully attempting to quell my own odor issues with among other things doctor-prescribed antiperspirants, I final started wiping on milk of magnesia every day after my shower. It's the most successful solution for me so far. And when I want to add a little scent, a touch of essential oil, lavender water, rosemary water or lemon thyme water adds some fun. Thank you for starting this interesting topic, and good on you for ignoring the rude.

me again...

My antiquated schooling, the army, varsity and an adult life around martial artists has taught that when you start smelling yourself, you've been offensive to others for a while before. People do not smell good to each other and for a very good reason, they're unclean. We must face gut wrenching invasions of our space for 'the sake of the environment' and others being lazy and righteous? I don't think so.

Sent of a youman

Look I applaud you taking a stand against peer pressure and all, but we live in Africa. It gets hot. People sweat and sweat equals unpleasant smells. Using a basic deodorant means that others don't have to be exposed to it. It's basic manners I think.

Scent of a Human

The only reason humans suffer from BO is because of all the **** we eat. The more natural our diet the less we stink. If we only eat fresh fruit and vegetables there would be no reason to wear deo. The intensity of a persons BO is directly related to the amount of junk they consume. Fact!!

Artificial Perfume is POISON

To all you nasty 'pleasant' smelling people - toxic perfume will at least disrupt your hormones, leading to breast cancer / ovarian cysts / prostate cancer. But maybe you are blinded to these facts despite having the knowledge, by nature herself, as a way of natural selection. The world has too many nasty people anyway.

I have stopped using perfume about a year ago, use
Castor oil with a dash of Rosewood Essential Oil (anti-bacterial) as a deodorant, and I even make my own soap.

Actually

Odour has everything to do with hygiene from a human perception point of view. We typically identify " off"  food by smells e.g. sour milk, rotten eggs. Garbage is foul smelling. Organics which are starting to rot are associated with certain smells. In the same sense, people who aren't hygienic are associated with certain smells.

Like it or not, this is the way society is. So if you are perceived to be unhygienic because of smell, then in everyone else's eyes you are.

Stupid article by the way.

The smell of sweat &  scent together is nauseating.

Being in an enclosed space with many people with body odour would, in my opinion, be made worse by the additional smell of deos.

The actual problem is the lack of basic body washing, not the lack of masking scents. If one has unlimited access to warm water there is no excuse for stinking.

I also agree that what people consume affects how they smell. Meat eaters, especially heavy consumers of dead animals, smell bad sooner.

Thanks for the link, Olivia - those old adverts are interesting.

If the shoe fits

Olivia you look like a dog. You smell like a dog. If you gonna post a pic on the net, make an effort to look decent. If you gonna sit next to people at work, make an effort to smell nice. Newsflash... Not everythings about you.

Stink!!!

I did not even finish reading her write-up. This person has obviously not lived in hot, humid counties.
[*offensive content removed*]
Deo, or something along that line is a must, espesially in hot, humid countries.

Wow, what a sad case!

Good luck with your single life. Let me guess, you are also a vegan and member of the Green tree huggers association and a lesbo!
This is such stupid atricale, i had to check the date to make sure it is not 1st of April.

Wow

How disheartening to realise how few people can read and comprehend an article. And what an incredibly shallow and mean-spirited bunch generally. Nice article as usual Olivia, but wasted on the masses it would appear

no smell

My husband has never worn anti perspirant or deodorant and honestly, he never smells sweaty. It helps that he showers every day. I on the other hand just like the smell of the perfume and I need it - especially before exercising.

Individual odours, diet and body odour

There are differences in how (clean) people smell, but a really noticeable smell is rare. Some physiological problems affect body odour e.g. trimethylaminuria, a rare genetic disorder causing a bad/fishy body odour.
There's little hard evidence linking diet and odour (one study did show that women prefer how non-meat-eating men smell!), but many natural health practitioners support the idea and point to meat, fatty or spicy foods, preservatives, alcohol & caffeine as smelly suspects.

Nice ideas

Thanks Olivia. I've changed my body lotion to a paraben-free one made with natural ingredients and I also alternate my shampoo with a concoction (usually fresh rosemary, basil, rooibos tea, salt and some honey) which doesn't strip my hair. I'll try out some of these ideas and save the deo for heavy exercise days!

Scent of a Human

To prove to yourself that diet has everything to do with unpleasant BO, eat only what we were designed to eat, fruit, veg and nuts for a week. BO will disappear.

We sweat to keep our bodys cool and to rid them of toxins. It is therefore important to keep our armpits unclogged by deodorants, especially anti-perspirants.

Botox

This may open an entirely new can of worms seeing as how you are steering clear of toxins, but as one with hyperhydrosis, I couldn't leave the house without drowning in deo. I tried all kinds of alternative and mainstream remedies for perspiration - the aluminium chloride touched on above resulted in an armpit full of cysts and blocked sweat ducts. Ouch! I now botox the area every four months and have no need for deo or anti-perspirant. Dry, scent-free and hugely effective.

deodorant

I am shocked at the incredible stupidity shown in the comments. A person that baths twice a day, is going to smell of the soap that they have used, even if it is a glycerine based product. There is very few natural soaps around as using animal fat to make soap is too expensive. I agree with the author, there are many ways to remain fresh and smelling gorgeous without applying copious amounts of animal oils, musk and other related substances to smell good. A woman direct from the sea is sooo sexy

AT LAST

I agree 100% with the author. Natural smells are great and using natural products even better. Might also help someone like me stop the endless cycle of sneezing I have to endure when someone walks past me stinking like a walking perfume factory. Now THAT is YUCK !

Pointless

This article is POINTLESS. Who cares if you like to wear nice smelling stuff or not? It's like saying: Nescafe sells me nice coffee - nobody NEEDS nice coffee, but yes, Nescafe is getting RICH because we like and buy it! It's like that with so many things - totally unnecessary, but we still buy them, and yes, SOMEBODY is getting rich because of it. Pointless article. Aren't there more pressing or interesting issues to 'columnise' in this day in age?

Latest test results just in

I am pleased to report I've just got back from a fairly strenuous Table Mountain workout wearing my latest natural non-toxic homemade deodorant recipe, and I smell simply FABULOUS.
Well I think so. 3rd parties say that they can't notice I really smell of anything at all much, spoilsports.

@Lals

What's not pressing or interesting about how our modern lifestyle choices can make us sick and fuel the global environmental crisis?

@Tamara

Severe hyperhidrosis is way beyond what most of us have to deal with, and my sympathies. If other remedies were ineffective and your quality of life badly affected then certainly botox might be appropriate in your case.

Scent of a Human

Dolce &  Gabbana - enough said!

Scent of a Human

Well spoken! Don't think you'll have too much impact on a world largely subjugated by commercialism but a lot of good sense in what you say.

Part 1: Deodorance

Thankfully most responders above seem to agree that a daily soap and water routine is the proper way to achieve deodorance. Some others here seem to enjoy " natural body odor"  so much that they probably skip a day or 2 for good effect.

Part 2: Keeping Dry

Most individuals do not take pleasure in having wet armpits in most social situations - thus the widespread use of antiperspirants. Some individuals suffer from severe sweating requiring a stronger antiperspirant and perhaps a surgical sympathectomy.

Part 3: Perfume

Never to be used to mask body odor (soap and water please) and best used in an understated way. Liberally splashing on a cheap perfume is almost as bad as body odor secondary to poor personal hygiene. Most individuals find that a faint whiff of good perfume can actually compliment their natural body odor. Good perfumes are a mixture of natural substances...

Part 4: Perspective

The issue of using antiperspirants or not does not seem to be a major environmental or social issue facing the world today. At this point there is no hard scientific evidence to suggest that the use of antiperspirants constitutes a health risk.

Part 5: Be nice

Some individuals have allergies to perfumes - they should not have to pay the price for your indulgence.

Phewww

Keep your vodka for drinking. As long as your do your research, you are safe. The products I use DO NOT test against animals, and the coffee I drink is far more dangerous to my health.

Backwards

That's like washing without soap or brushing youir teeth with ash. Wake up. I'm glad I dont wave to share a life with you. Phew!!!

I smell a rat

And now we now why Rose is single with VERY few friends!

sniff

I would rather smell like an Axe than have other people smell my secretions

Scent of a woman

How much longer will we live if we cut out all the " bad for your health"  items?

Insults

What a bunch of self-righteous people, insulting the author and saying nasty things about the way she looks. You may think you smell nice and look fantastic, but your personalities could do with some deodorant...at the end of the day it is WHO you are not WHAT you are. I’ d rather spend a day with decent people who smell a little, than a bunch of pompous pricks that smell nice and think they are the bee’ s knees. Before you hurl insults at me too, I currently use deodorant, but will pursue some of the alternatives mentioned. It is all about making informed decisions.

Make-up

Looks like you could do with a bit of make-up there as well...

Lask of Deodorant

In SA's summer heat, deodorant is a MUST to avoid! I dont know where you got the idea about deodorant &  cleanliness. As far as I'm concerned, deodorant is to be used to prevent a person from stinking up the place, especially after a cycle!!! I'm so grateful that I dont know you otherwise I'll be stuck with my nose buried in my armpits to avoid your au naturale smell...

RE: Sies

Ag sies man. You may believe in less aggresive methods of smelling " good"  however, the person you sit next to later that day nose might not fully agree with you. Con or no con, I would rather be conned then smell dirty/akward/mif or whatever else.

Body shop?

Are all their products natural? I love their Vanilla EDT spray, but is this necessarily organic? Also, how true is the story about L'Oreal still testing their products on animals (&  that they've taken over the body shop)? (sorry for going off topic)

.

Hey Olivia, you're not alone. I hear Lenny Kravits also prefers to go au naturale. He hasn't even used soap in decades, let alone deodorant, etc. And the girlies can't get enough of him.

Maybe you should just learn to play the guitar.

Re Body Shop, Celebs

I'm not sure about the Body Shop, though I suspect there are plenty of commercially conventional ingredients (i.e. low-level toxins and suspects) in their products. I will do some research into it.

Apparently Julia Roberts doesn't go in for deodorant either.... Maybe I could get her to endorse one of my homemade products??

To deo or not to deo?

Well, at the end of the day it's about individual choice imo. My only misgivings over the idea of people not wearing deo is that one typically cannot smell oneself because you become accustomed to your own smell so by the time you notice you smell, chances are others were aware of it long before you - and that's just rude. however, since one of your colleagues confirmed that your home remedies seem to work and you smell fresh then good for - do what works for you

@the peeps who wouldnt want to sit next to Olivia

To all the people who wouldn't want to sit next to Olivia hear me out... I actually do sit next Olivia and she doesn't stink at all... so shut up and stop insulting people you don't know...

@Nel re Body Shop etc

I'm reading the ingredient list on my tub of Strawberry Body Butter (which dates from before I become a kitchen fragrance alchemist, OK?). If that's anything to go by, Body Shop uses all kinds of chemicals, as well as the vague generic, 'fragrance'. Log on to the excellent Skin Deep database www.cosmeticsdatabase.com for safety ratings of hundreds of commercial products. Body Shop Vanilla EDT gets a 5 hazard rating (not great). Some of their other products score as pretty safe though.

You tell 'em Kyle!

I think you smell delightful too.

PLEASE wear deodorant

To all of you who don't use deodorant &  reckon you don't smell? Trust me - you DO! Like a smoker who doesn't realises they stink... I used to live with a flat mate who claimed that deodorants " didn't work"  &  so never wore any. Well - let me tell you - she stank 2 high heaven! It was repulsive - not 2 mention the wet patches! We all avoided her like the plague. There is no need in this day &  age 2 go around smelling like something out of the 16th century! &  why shld we all have 2 put up with it!

People, a little sense

I think that somewhere between totally sterile and stinking to high heaven, there are all sorts of grades in between.

Is it possible for everyone to stop focussing on their foul flatmates and try to take in what the writer's talking about? It's just information - none of us is too old to learn.

Food for thought

Maybe I have serious issues or are very closed-minded or whatever, but I have had to sit next to stinky people for extended periods on airplanes, in the office, at conferences, and it is extremely unpleasant. Maybe it's because of that I am fanatical about not smelling. I shower 2-3 times a day, and deoderize regularly. If you have never sat next to a stinky person, the stinky person is probably you. Being civilised means going against you natural 'human' instincts.

perfume my love

I've skimmed through the (insanely mean) comments and no-one seems to be standing up for perfume. I really don't get wearing it to cover or replace human smells  no, surely, SURELY it's portable art? Am I alone here? Good, judicious, subtly applied perfume is a whole-day treat, an expression of personality. Why do so many people take one or two bad perfume encounters and bash the whole thing? I will NEVER be without mine, even if I should forsake deo! It makes my day so much more interesting.

oh and on perfume safety

Did you know that perfumers are no longer allowed to use even a tiny percentage of how much, let's say, lemon oil you'd get on your hands by squeezing a lemon? Isn't that 'chemical awareness' gone absolutely haywire? I simply cannot, cannot believe that my two spritzes of perfume a day are having a statistically relevant impact on the environment or my health, no WAY.

Senses

I lost my sense of smell (and taste) completely 12 years ago. I would dearly love to smell something, anything! But one smell I do not miss is sweat.

@Hester Carstens

That's a nice point you make re 'portable art'. I don't think your perfume is likely to cause you harm either - it's the combined exposure of all the chemicals we use that's troubling, and cutting back where we can is a sensible precaution. If perfume is key to your quality of life, sure, carry on using it! There are plenty of other ways to cut back/use alternatives. Perfumerers have removed toxins from several perfume formulas, but they've still got a way to go.

@Olivia

Yeah, toxins like lemon oil etc! If you're interested, have a look at any big perfume blog to see the horror in the perfume community about IFRA's ridiculous new 'safety' laws. They do really boggle the mind  lemon, rose, jasmine - scary toxins?!? All the great perfumes of the last 100 years are now neutered and changed, sometimes beyond recognition. To my mind this is the nanny state/world in horrible action. The natural perfumes you're making? Would be banned by IFRA. For real.

Interesting read

I dont use deo either because I dont need it, but I cant help myself when it comes to red door perfume, it reminds me of my mother, when I miss her, I moved out on my own 2 years ago, but I spray it onto my clothes not onto my skin... I hope that soon I will have a little bit of the confidence you have Olivia...

deo

Your friends might not be willing to tell you that you pong, but if you don't give your pits a bit of a roll or spray, after a few hours you will smell. You might quite like the smell of sweaty armpit, but most of us don't. No, we don't use deoderant for hygiene purposes, we bath or shower, brush and floss, wash our hair, and because when it is hot our armpits sweat and I assure you do smell horrendous, we disguise the smell with deoderant. Glad I don't know you and your pong.

Yum.

Based on your picture I presume you don't like a basic skin care routine or Make up very much either. Good Stuff. Keep it up. At least you'll have your beloved trees to fall asleep next to in the evenings. Hope they keep you warm.

Good for you...

Well done - there is only one thing worse than a BO and that is the sickly sweet smell of the litres of choking perfume some women seem to bath in.

I sit right next to her

I'm one of Olivia's colleagues and I have the privilege to sit right next to her. I only discovered this column now and was very surprised to read her thoughts, why? Because she always smells nice and clean. NO PROBLEM! Personally, I love to pamper myself with lovely scents, but I also don't like it when people " fumigate"  themselves with perfume. Olivia has given me lots of food for thought, I have never thought about the chemicals...Thanks for an informative read!

Thank you Birgit!

What a bouquet of sweet colleagues I have.... :)