How to Stay Fresh

Starting the Day

Jump in the shower. To stay fresh, start your day by cleansing your body. Your unique body chemistry will determine how often you need to bathe. Many people take a shower every morning, but if you play sports or live in a really humid climate, twice a day might help you stay fresher. If you live in a temperate place and your skin is on the dry side, every other day might be best. No matter what, aim to bathe often enough that you smell good and feel clean. Being clean doesn't necessarily mean using the harshest cleanser possible. Use a soap that's good for your skin type and doesn't dry it out too much. Choose a body wash or bar soap that's gentle enough for everyday use. While taking a shower most days is recommended, you may want to wash your hair less often. Washing your hair every day can dry it out and ultimately damage it, since it strips your hair's natural oils. To stay fresh on the days when you don't wash your hair, consider using a little dry shampoo. It's a powder that absorbs oil and makes your hair look and feel clean.

Wear deodorant. Did you know that 2 percent of the population doesn’t have the gene that causes body odor? Those lucky people don’t need to use deodorant, but the rest of us use it to prevent body odor from becoming too strong during the day. Apply deodorant after you get out of the shower. If you tend to sweat a lot, you might want to use a combination deodorant and antiperspirant to keep you dry. Use it with caution, though: in recent years there have been claims that the aluminum in antiperspirant could lead to breast cancer. Experts say these claims are unfounded, but it's worth looking into if you're going to use it on your body every day. Using all-natural deodorant sticks or rocks is trendy, but many find that it wears off after a few hours. The exception might be homemade coconut oil deodorant cream, which quickly absorbs into the skin and keeps you dry and fresh. To make it, just blend 6 tablespoons (88.7 ml) of coconut oil with 4 tablespoons (59.1 ml) of baking powder and 4 tablespoons (59.1 ml) of cornstarch. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, and apply it by rubbing a little into your armpits.

Use body powder to absorb moisture. If your skin tends to feel a little oily or sweaty as the day progresses, try applying body powder after your dry off from your morning shower. It absorbs extra moisture, keeping you feeling fresh. You can bring a small bottle of powder with you so you can reapply during the day. Apply it to areas that tend to feel less than fresh, like your feet, armpits and so on. You can use baby powder or make your own body powder by simply mixing together cornstarch and your favorite essential oils.

Wear breathable fabrics. Lucky for us, polyester went the way of cassette tapes several decades ago. The synthetic fabric was known for being itchy and uncomfortable because it wasn’t made out of natural, breathable fibers like cotton or even wool. Although thick, heavy polyester isn't commonly found these days, there are other synthetic fabrics that have a similar effect. When you wear airtight fabrics that don’t allow fresh air to circulate near your skin, you can end up sweating and feeling sticky. Check your wardrobe for synthetic fabrics that might not be allowing your skin to breathe. Make an effort to wear more cotton and other natural fibers. Another way to stay fresh is to layer your clothes so you can change things up to suit the temperature. Instead of wearing a thick sweater to work and feeling hot later, try wearing a blouse with a cardigan that you can remove or put back on.

Take care of your feet. If you’re worried about your feet sweating or smelling, take extra care to wash, dry and powder them every morning. Wear shoes that are appropriate for the day’s weather. If you wear heavy boots in the summer, your feet are going to sweat, which leads to odor and an unfresh feeling. Whenever possible, wear a pair of socks to absorb extra moisture. Have a separate pair of shoes for working out. Don't wear the tennis shoes you use at the gym when you're hanging out with friends, because the dried sweat on your workout shoes could cause your feet to smell.

Keep your breath fresh, too. The best way to keep your breath smelling good is to have proper dental hygiene. Floss once a day and brush your teeth in the morning and at night using a toothpaste approved by the American Dental Association. Be sure to see a dentist every six months for a deeper cleaning to remove the buildup of tartar, which can lead to bad breath and more severe dental problems. Using mouthwash is a good way to combat bad breath. Rinse your mouth with antiseptic mouthwash a few times a day to kill the bacteria that cause bad breath. Drink water often. Aside from brushing your teeth, there's no quicker or better trick for freshening your mouth. Having a drink of water rinses away food particles that can build up in your mouth and cause bad breath.

Freshening Up

Change your clothes if necessary. If you’re physically active during the day, you might want to bring a few essential backup items you can change into. That way you won't have to deal with that icky feeling that comes late in the day when you've been wearing the same thing since 8 am. You could even keep a tote bag in your car with a few items so you’ll never be without them when you leave home. Consider bringing along the following: A change of socks A clean undershirt A pair of clean underwear If you've been wearing the same thing all day, change into something more elevated or something that isn't your regular, everyday clothes—that will help you look and feel more refreshed.

Freshen up your hair. Wind, rain, and general rushing around can mess up your hair and leave it limp by midday. Bring a comb or brush with you so you’ll always be able to fix your hair if you need to. You may also want to bring a small bottle of hair spray or gel to help it stay neatly in place. If your hair tends to look a little greasy by mid-day, try dry shampoo. You just sprinkle a little on the spots that look greasy, let the powder sit for a few minutes, then brush it out. Another trick is to put your hair up into a bun or ponytail to instantly give yourself a fresh new style for the remainder of the day.

Use sanitary wipes to quickly cleanse yourself. This might be helpful if you’re in a humid climate and don’t have time for a second shower. Be sure to use unscented wipes, since the scented kind has a strong smell. Wipe where necessary, then reapply deodorant and you’re good to go.

Brush your teeth after lunch. If you tend to feel less than fresh after lunch, start bringing along a travel toothbrush and toothpaste so you can quickly clean your mouth and feel better right away. A travel-sized bottle of mouthwash is also handy to bring. And when you don't have these items handy, you can always pop a breath mint or a piece of peppermint gum.

Be prepared in case your period starts. There’s nothing worse than having your period start in the middle of the day when you don’t have access to a drugstore. Think ahead and pack everything you need to keep yourself fresh during your period. Have enough tampons or pads so that you can change them every few hours. Avoid using douches or perfume sprays to keep yourself fresh. The chemicals in these products can actually lead to yeast infections, which will just make matters worse. Instead, wash with warm water or use an unscented cleansing wipe to freshen up.

What to Avoid

Avoid dousing yourself in perfume or cologne. Using a light application of perfume or cologne on your pulse points makes you smell fresh. However, spraying loads of it on mid-day to mask the smell of sweat is not a good idea. You’ll make matters worse if you try to cover up unfresh smells with strong floral or earthy scents. It’s better to find a way to take a quick shower or use cleansing wipes if you don’t have time.

Stay away from strong-smelling foods. If you tend to get bad breath after eating onions, or your skin smells like garlic a few hours after consuming spaghetti sauce, choose what you eat a little more carefully. Stick with lighter foods like salads, fruits and vegetables, especially on days when staying fresh is a priority. Eating these foods has the added benefit of keeping body odor to a minimum. Know which foods give you indigestion, too. Common culprits are beans, greasy foods and cruciferous vegetables. Spicy foods may make you sweat more than usual.

Don’t neglect your personal spaces. If your bedroom, car, and other places where you hang out aren’t clean, it’s going to affect the way you smell and look. For example, if you have a messy bedroom and never hang up your clothes, they might smell a little stale and look wrinkled. Here’s what you can do: Put away clean laundry right away, and keep dirty laundry in a closed hamper. Vacuum often, especially if you have a pet. Clean out the inside of your car. Clean out your office and other places where you spend hours of time a day.