How to Smell Good After a Shower

Bring fresh scents with you into the shower and they'll follow you when you step out.
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You want to smell fresh as a daisy when you step out of your steamy, relaxing shower. However, a quick rinse under the shower head isn't all it takes to continue smelling good once this ritual is complete. From the products you use to wash yourself, to the essential oils you smooth over your limbs, to the perfume you dab behind your ears once out of the shower -- a medley of nose-pleasing guidelines will help you become clean and sniff-worthy in no time.

Wash your body with a scented body wash that has a fragrance you love and don't mind smelling all day. Apply body wash with your hands for gentle cleansing or get squeaky clean by lightly scrubbing it on with a washcloth or body pouf. Look for fresh scents with simple, clean fragrances -- try fruit scents like grapefruit for a crisp scent or sweeter fragrances like vanilla for a warm effect. If you're a man and you prefer a more sporty scent, there are many on the market, as well as more neutral-smelling scents that will clean you up without layering on any extra perfume. Seek out antibacterial body washes if body odor is a particular issue for you.

Wash your hair with your favorite scented shampoo and conditioner to get a gentle perfumed effect that will follow you once your hair is dry. Smell hair-styling products before buying them. Choose scented hair products that smell good whether they are formulated for use on wet or dry hair, such as pre-styling creams or hair spray. Be sure that all hair products are formulated for your hair type.

Use your hands to rub excess moisture from your skin immediately after showering. Pour a little scented body oil into your palm and smooth the oil over your limbs before towel drying for a combination of moisturized and good-smelling skin. Choose natural scents from essential oils, such as jasmine or lavender, for a gentle yet pleasing aroma. For a more traditionally masculine scent, go with something woody and earthy, such as sandalwood.

Towel dry your body completely with a clean bath towel after stepping out of the shower, making sure you get to every square inch of your body. Unclean towels often transfer unpleasant-smelling bacteria, while standing moisture creates an ideal environment for that odor-causing bacteria to grow.

Apply deodorant to your underarms after drying off to prevent body odor before you break your first sweat. Look for aluminum-free deodorant with an ingredient such as farnesol if you prefer to avoid aluminum -- farnesol helps to combat the bacteria that lead to a smelly body. There are sporty, spicy and woody scents for a more traditionally male scent, as well as natural deodorants with fresh scents like grapefruit, lavender and tea tree if chemically manufactured scents turn up the nose.

Spray or dab a touch of perfume or essential oil behind your ears or onto your wrists as a final step once you're all dried off and ready to get dressed. You can also flip your dry hair over and give your tresses a little spritz of perfume to have a scent that swings with your hair. Men can also choose to apply a very small amount of cologne or aftershave to their hands and then lightly pat their cheeks or the backs of their necks.

  • Avoid rubbing your wrists together after applying perfume -- this can cause the scent to combine with your skin's natural oils, resulting in an unintended and sometimes less than desirable fragrance, explains "O Magazine."
  • Always use a clean towel on your hair to prevent the spread of odor-causing bacteria. Also, be careful with the products you use. For example, if you rinse your hair with vinegar for added shine, it might take on a less-than-desirable odor throughout the day.
  • Be sure that the scents that you use both in and out of the shower are complimentary as you don't want them to clash and cause an olfactory cacophony. For example, you may want to forego a perfume if any oils you have used are particularly powerful.
  • Visit a cosmetics or fragrance store and test out some perfumes before settling on one. It is important to try a perfume before purchasing and wearing it -- the fragrance mixes with your body's natural scent and can either smell amazing or not so fantastic. Ideally, take a sample home and live with the smell for a day or two. You can also spray your wrist and smell your skin an hour later to see if the scent mixes well with your body's chemistry.
  • If you prefer not to wash your hair on a daily basis but find that your tresses don't smell very good when left unwashed, spray hair with a dry shampoo to improve the scent and soak up oil.

Tarah Damask's writing career began in 2003 and includes experience as a fashion writer/editor for Neiman Marcus, short fiction publications in "North Texas Review," a self-published novel, band biographies, charter school curriculum and articles for various websites. Damask holds a Master of Arts in English and creative writing from the University of North Texas.

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