# I'm thinking I want to start smelling nicer **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477 "2019-04-13T01:21:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/1 "2019-04-13T01:21:04Z")
I am a 61-year-old who has decided it might be nice to smell nice. I don’t have any particular odor issue, that I’m aware of, but I wouldn’t mind smelling, I dunno, _fresh_. I have never mastered this part of life. Cologne? Some body wash potion? Mint leaves in my pockets? I am looking for subtle-but-pleasant. The last thing I want is a group making gagging faces to each other once I depart the elevator. I’d love to hear some specific suggestions, both product and technique. FWIW, my current routine is shower/shampoo/deodorant/floss/brush teeth. That is the extent of it. Help a brother out? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/2 "2019-04-13T01:31:35Z")
Well, you need to add laundry to the routine. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/3 "2019-04-13T01:36:08Z")
Seriously, I wouldn’t go as far as cologne or body wash, but I would try different soaps to see what smells best on you. That would be subtle enough. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/4 "2019-04-13T01:37:59Z")
Go to a fragrance counter in a upscale store. The counter person will be glad to help you choose a scent. You will come outta there smelling ‘loud’, And don’t buy anything there. You can probably find it cheaper online. I like citrus-y scent on men. \ **Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/5 "2019-04-13T01:39:22Z") I like Royall Lyme. Slapped on my face and body after a shower. It’s not strong, just pleasant. I’m a 44 year old man, btw. > **[Amazon.com: Royall Lyme Aftershave Lotion Cologne for Men, 8 Oz. : Royall...](https://www.amazon.com/Royall-Lyme-Aftershave-Lotion-Cologne/dp/B000C2372Y)** > > Amazon.com: Royall Lyme Aftershave Lotion Cologne for Men, 8 Oz. : Royall Fragrances: Beauty & Personal Care ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/6 "2019-04-13T01:45:17Z")
A complete scrubbing with Irish Spring soap ought to do you in the “subtle” department. Go to the local bookstore and buy the latest issues of GQ, Maxim, Esquire and the like. They usually have advertising that have “scratch & sniff” samples. Every day rub a different one all over you and see if you like it. Then buy the one that hits all the right notes. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/7 "2019-04-13T01:46:30Z")
Shit. Shower. Shave. In that order. The other stuff doesn’t really matter in which order you do it, but the Shit, Shower, Shave is there for a reason. Each step takes care of any incomplete operations of the previous. The only other suggestion is Axe, which I don’t really don’t deal with, but seems to be what the cool kids do these days. I use deodorant every other day or so, clean shirts, undershirts, and shorts every day and clean jeans every couple of days. If I have been getting dirty, new pants every day. If I’m not leaving the house, I might wear the same t-shirt two days in a row, but that’s in a controlled environment. I’ve been doing it this way for the past two decades and it seems to work. The secret is to be clean and wear clean clothes if anyone other that your spouse is going to see you. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/8 "2019-04-13T01:49:58Z")
For the love of god, don’t start sporting Brut. There is no more gag-inducing men’s scent than Brut. Makes my gorge rise to remember it. 😛 Whatever scent you settle on, use a light touch. Make an agreement with a trusted friend to tell you if you start down the path of overuse due to developing an insensitivity to the smell. No. Brut. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/9 "2019-04-13T02:01:44Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > A complete scrubbing with Irish Spring soap ought to do you in the “subtle” department… Oddly enough, that’s my soap. Maybe I’m already fresh. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/10 "2019-04-13T02:31:38Z")
There is a definite older man smell. Not saying you’re old:). I kinda like the old guy smell. I may be unique it that, not sure. Please, please, I’m begging you, don’t buy Axe. That is some bad bug spray scent, right there. I do believe it can be a dual purpose spray. Even old spice smells better. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/11 "2019-04-13T02:52:33Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > …The secret is to be clean and wear clean clothes if anyone **other that your spouse** is going to see you. You may have a spouse who likes clean. Your spouse is probably going to get closer to you than anyone else you might meet during the day. For OP: Anecdotal, my husband uses some kind of clear but lavender-scented soap that makes him smell yummy. I have to be pretty close. He started using it because of dry skin, but it also smells good, nice and fresh. Clinique has a scent called “Happy for Men” which my son likes, although he really hates the name. And he refuses to buy it for himself. Smells good, much less obvious than his previous scent. He also uses some nice-smelling body wash, which, I just checked, turns out to be Dove Men Care Extra Fresh. Also, no Axe unless you are an oppositional-defiant teenager. (In which case you can’t be talked out of Axe until you come to your senses in a couple of years.) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/12 "2019-04-13T03:22:41Z")
There’s absolutely nothing that smells worse than teen boys who have played a b-ball game. Went to the showers and come out with Axe on. Nauseating. We have to endure that smell in the Concession stand, after the games. No ventilation. It’s awful. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/13 "2019-04-13T13:25:31Z")
Assuming the rest of your hygiene is already taken care of, and you are interested in exploring the world of fragrances, Beckdawrek has a great idea about letting the people at a fragrance counter at a decent department store show you some options in scents. Sephora has a touch screen device in their stores that will guide you to potential scents you might find interesting. Plus, you can usually spritz a sample of most of their products on a swatch, and see if it’s something you might want to sample on yourself. Fragrances, especially expensive ones, can change scents as they dry. The effect can be startling. For fragrance reviews and a database of scents, I like [fragrantica.com](http://fragrantica.com). ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/14 "2019-04-13T13:41:31Z")
I am strongly against using anything that retains a noticeable scent. There’s a lot of us out there that are sensitive to scents and what many people put on is just gawdawful. Take what you might consider to be a “normal” level of scent and cut it back by a factor of 10 at least. And rinse it all off before getting into the pool. This crap just floats on the surface and hangs around long after you’re out. Of course that is nose level for us lap swimmers. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/15 "2019-04-13T13:50:56Z")
[4711 is a good place to start.](http://www.4711.com/index.php/en/original-eau-de-cologne-129.html) It has a clean scent that isn’t overwhelming. I’ve never met anybody who dislikes it. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/16 "2019-04-13T14:03:52Z")
Get a soap that only uses natural scents. I use method soap for that reason. It does not smell artificial or like a chemical. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/17 "2019-04-13T14:35:35Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I like Royall Lyme. Slapped on my face and body after a shower. It’s not strong, just pleasant. I’m a 44 year old man, btw. > > [https://www.amazon.com/Royall-Lyme-Aftershave-Lotion-Cologne/dp/B000C2372Y](https://www.amazon.com/Royall-Lyme-Aftershave-Lotion-Cologne/dp/B000C2372Y) Hah! I currently just shower once or twice a day, but when I’ve used a cologne it has been either Royalle Lyme or [Royall Spyce](https://www.amazon.com/Royall-Fragrances-Aftershave-Lotion-Cologne/dp/B000C1W564/ref=pd_bxgy_194_2/143-4260775-5755454?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000C1W564&pd_rd_r=d1bebe0c-5df5-11e9-953e-dd131782f63a&pd_rd_w=mANXU&pd_rd_wg=4YeT9&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=378QJXCG0Q3P22G1ZKQJ&psc=1&refRID=378QJXCG0Q3P22G1ZKQJ). I first tried these products in Jamaica and have always loved them. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/18 "2019-04-13T15:17:57Z")
Can you go wrong with a touch of bay rum? Honestly, it’s my impression and experience that as long as you have good solid hygiene, women seem to prefer your natural scent. It’s a tricky thing since everyone’s body chemistry is a bit unique and interacts with cosmetics differently ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/19 "2019-04-13T15:25:09Z")
Personally, I use unscented soap, laundry detergent and so forth, but if I had to wear some sort of scent, I’d go for [Bay rum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_rum), which is the stuff they put on me after I get a haircut. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477/20 "2019-04-13T15:31:21Z")
Yes, and I learned the first time a barber did that to not let them just put however much on. I like it but… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-i-want-to-start-smelling-nicer/832477.md?page=2)