People sniffing around me!

[gone_girl]

OK, that's awkward. I shower every night and I use deodorant and all that jazz. I don't wear perfume. Clothes always freshly laundered. But I still feel self conscious about smelling bad to others.

 

Last week there was this person standing behind me at the train station and it sounded as if he was sniffing me! And this weekend there was someone who did the same at the bank queue. He ended up starting conversation with me,so in this case he may not have been appaled.

 

But that makes me very self conscious because I think I have a naturally strong body scent. I've dated people who loved the way I smelled without perfume, but I do think it's a matter of taste and people may get offended.

 

I remember years ago a friend brought his girlfriend for the holidays, and I was revolted by the way she naturally smelled. He, on the other hand, always thought she smelled really nice (I never shared my opinion with him -- didn't want to hurt his feelings!).

 

In a similar note, I feel comforted with the smell of my family members, but I do feel like they stink a bit. Well, there was this one lady who had entered my brother's room and thought it smelled amazing. I was thinking, WTF, it always smells slightly bad to me.

 

So, yeah, I'm feeling quite awkward about offending others.

 

I think that people can be curious both about pleasant and unpleasant smells. Do people sniff around other people when the smell is unpleasant? I tend to hold my breath, but maybe not everyone's the same.

[vanhalenfan]

I am somewhat sensitive to people's "scents". Most people don't have strong scents, but some do. My college best friend, I remember, always had a strong scent that wasn't very pleasing to me at all, but some others noticed and said she always smelled good. She showered everyday. I'm not sure why some people have strong smells...I guess it is an evolutionary/pheromone kind of thing...

[carhill]

Diet can affect our natural body odor. For example when I use a lot of garlic in my cooking I can smell it on me for a few days even if freshly showered.

 

Absent that, drugs, disease or environmental factors which can affect odor, sometimes we are histo-compatible with some people and not with others, especially in the realm of our sexual/mating preference.

[Poutrew]

What you are reacting to are the pheromones people exude. You are not sexually aroused by other women, so the pheromones they give off stink to you - but to a man they represent the perfume of the Gods. Same for the girl who smelled the 'amazing' odor in your brother's room. Now, since you are genetically related to your brother his odor was just rancid stink to you. You must be giving off some strong pheromone scents that other find very pleasant... there is not much you can do about it, however. It may be related to your menstrual cycle, so all you can do is shower regularly... and grit your teeth until things improve.

[amaysngrace]

My old dog smells so bad and I positively love him! He has a horrible smelll and sometimes when I'm sleeping he'll climb up and I'll know it's him from his hot smelly breath. Even in my sleep.

[anduina]

People don't usually sniff bad smells. They retreat from them and often breathe through their mouths.

[Mr. Lucky]

I think that people can be curious both about pleasant and unpleasant smells. Do people sniff around other people when the smell is unpleasant? I tend to hold my breath, but maybe not everyone's the same.

 

Given the number of allergies people seem to have these days to everything from perfumes to nuts to gluten and all things in between, I'm wondering how you attribute someone's sniff to your odor? Half the people I run into have some kind nasal issue...

 

Mr. Lucky

[whichwayisup]

I agree, if you smelled bad then they wouldn't be talking to you or sniffing you over and over again. They'd move away and not even look at you, let alone talk to you.

[Detailed2011]

I wouldn't worry about it. You can tell by the body language if you really had body odor.

[bathtub-row]

This seems odd to me. I almost never notice how people smell unless they’re wearing perfume or cologne or are unusually unclean. I once had a guy stop me in the store to tell me I smelled great. I was wearing a perfume that I just totally loved and men loved it, too. It was this clean, light scent. Sadly, the manufacturer stop making it.

 

A bf was kissing my arm once and said I tasted good. I thought that was cute. But I’ve never had anyone comment on my scent in one way or another. Maybe it is your natural scent, or maybe lingering smells from your shampoo or conditioner.

[Noproblem]

I am curious, what's wrong with perfume, most of them smell really nice. Perfume really adds up to person charms and attractiveness.

 

So if you are conscious about how you smell, why don't you wear perfume and cover it up, that is, of course, assuming you even have any odor, maybe it's something that happened when you were young, someone said something and it stuck to your head! Maybe you don't have any odor!

[whichwayisup]

This seems odd to me. I almost never notice how people smell unless they’re wearing perfume or cologne or are unusually unclean. I once had a guy stop me in the store to tell me I smelled great. I was wearing a perfume that I just totally loved and men loved it, too. It was this clean, light scent. Sadly, the manufacturer stop making it.

 

A bf was kissing my arm once and said I tasted good. I thought that was cute. But I’ve never had anyone comment on my scent in one way or another. Maybe it is your natural scent, or maybe lingering smells from your shampoo or conditioner.

 

Check online! There are tons of great perfume stores that have vintage ones that can be shipped to you!

[todreaminblue]

I am extremely sensitive to scents. I tend to drown myself in perfume so i can live with myself...i make my own signature scent and my handbag contains at any one time at least ten different perfumes for mood enhancement.....people always comment that i smell good..i like fruity foody scents.....i think it helps when people smell like cookies chocolate or apple pie with a cinnamon vanillan sugar crust....they tell you to bake those things to sell houses.....because food has a comforting scent.....i try to make people feel at home....like i am a house....:0)

 

people when they hang with me end up smelling like me especially babies....my family can tell when someone has been with me ...because they say...you smell like mum...when i did child care....a mother once told me i know my kids hug you because they smell exactly like you.....

 

making someone comfortable...involves smell......and emotional compassion...breath is important......if you want people to stand by you.....and enjoy the experience enough for you to be memorable and thought of....fondly...ok i give my secrets away...smilin....but i am really quite conscious of my footprints i leave behind in my physical wake........including the way my footprints have a scent....when i leave a room ...i want people to remember i was there..for the air to be light.....and beautiful...and maybe that will be comforting....to whoever they are...........deb

[Adiron]

Maybe it's not your body odor they're sniffing at.

[gone_girl]

I don't remember anyone saying that I have body odor, but I'm still worried that my body scent may be strong -- and when it comes to perfume I always worry that if my clean body smells unpleasant indeed, the perfume on top would be gag inducing. And I'm a bit sensitive to most perfumes. I really like arabian perfume oils though.

 

Now that you mentioned it, it could be conditioner smell. I do use lots of it. Hopefully it's that.

[Fair]

OK, that's awkward. I shower every night and I use deodorant and all that jazz. I don't wear perfume. Clothes always freshly laundered. But I still feel self conscious about smelling bad to others.

 

Last week there was this person standing behind me at the train station and it sounded as if he was sniffing me! And this weekend there was someone who did the same at the bank queue. He ended up starting conversation with me,so in this case he may not have been appaled.

 

But that makes me very self conscious because I think I have a naturally strong body scent. I've dated people who loved the way I smelled without perfume, but I do think it's a matter of taste and people may get offended.

 

I remember years ago a friend brought his girlfriend for the holidays, and I was revolted by the way she naturally smelled. He, on the other hand, always thought she smelled really nice (I never shared my opinion with him -- didn't want to hurt his feelings!).

 

In a similar note, I feel comforted with the smell of my family members, but I do feel like they stink a bit. Well, there was this one lady who had entered my brother's room and thought it smelled amazing. I was thinking, WTF, it always smells slightly bad to me.

 

So, yeah, I'm feeling quite awkward about offending others.

 

I think that people can be curious both about pleasant and unpleasant smells. Do people sniff around other people when the smell is unpleasant? I tend to hold my breath, but maybe not everyone's the same.

 

Blatantly 'sniffing' someone is very rude! Come on, now. I would just come right out and ask the person doing it if they've got a problem... I might even say " mental problem" but that's just me.

 

As for the rest of it, you're afraid you offend people by the way you smell? If you keep yourself clean and this is just YOU then don't worry about it. You're not DOING anything to offend anyone so there's no need to feel bad or apologize.

 

I honestly never met anyone who had a naturally strong body odor though my brother claims our nephew stinks though he showers twice a day. I never noticed but I do know there is a particular brand of men's body wash that smells just like body odor and I find it repugnant... but I digress.

[Marc878]

Some people are more sensitive than others. Some women have that clean smell. It may have been the scent from your shampoo in your hair.

 

If they were sniffing it wasn't because they were smelling something bad.

[coolheadal]

I don't remember anyone saying that I have body odor, but I'm still worried that my body scent may be strong -- and when it comes to perfume I always worry that if my clean body smells unpleasant indeed, the perfume on top would be gag inducing. And I'm a bit sensitive to most perfumes. I really like arabian perfume oils though.

 

Now that you mentioned it, it could be conditioner smell. I do use lots of it. Hopefully it's that.

 

Are you Greek? I know that some that use too much olive oil can have some lasting smells in the oil glands. If your a Vegan and you just use a lot of herbs and spices you then will smell like these herbs and spices out of your sweat glands.

[Veronica73]

I think you’re being paranoid. Given that you shower regularly, I really doubt you smell bad. Try to stop worrying. Or visit France or some other country where people don’t shower daily and experience some really smelly people, lol!

[GoreSP]

Like most people said, you are reacting to people's pheromones.

 

From your OP, it looks like you are putting a lot of weight into what other people smell like to you so your tendency to worry about how other people react to your b.o. is just projecting. (and I mean no offence by that, we all do it to certain degrees....)

[gone_girl]

Oh I don't use many oils. Yah, I guess it's probably my imagination. No people turning away their faces when standing next to me, so I guess that's a good sign.

[OneParadox]

Most importantly: are you sure they are "sniffing" a bad smell? Could it be you smell so incredibly well, they are actually sniffing your awesome smell?

 

BTW, I have met women that smelled so incredibly well, it I was hard to move away from them (seriously, some women smell just perfectly delicious... I can't even find words to describe it).