thoughts on body odor (anyone agree?)

It's not a repulsive smell, so why does everybody hate it?

After thinking about it for a while, I've arrived at the conclusion that the negative polarization (the general societal labeling of it as bad) of body odor originated out of an attempt of the elite to distance themselves from the 'unwashed masses', who could not afford perfumes (that's how BO was first masked) or frequent bathing.

It isn't because it smells bad or because it's inherently bad. It's because it was once a tool of the elite to reinforce the stratification of society. Just like the wedding ring, which was at first a courtship ritual that originated in the elite and an item that could be afforded only by the affluent, almost all classes took the lead to embrace the elite's custom as the 'right' way. If the elite uses something as an attribute to separate the elite from the common man, most of the common man will, when possible, adopt the custom to attempt to gain that status and power. I think that's why mainstream society has this strange repulsion towards body odor.

I think that's also the case with most things considered 'gross' or 'dirty'.

 

i have the same thoughts on this subject. Many things are considered 'unclean', 'lower quality', 'unsophisticated', ect ect ect. All because they do not match up to our society's standards. Which are constantly being raised.

 

ps. this is in the wrong forum.

 

obviously you haven't smelled me at my worst

 

I use Powdry deodourising powder from lush, from what I can tell it seems fairly natural. personally, I'd rather people didn't associate me with BO.

 

Smells are like fashionable clothes, they change according to the season.

While some perfumes are pleasing to the nose in their pure state, when you combine it with a person's natural body odor, the outcomes can be offensive.

I use no deodorants. I use a crystal. No fooling. I've used the same one for almost 8 years now. It cost me 8 dollars US. I've worn it down to about a third of it's original size. Recently dropped it in the sink though, broke into one large piece and two shards.

The "crystal" is a mineral salt crystal. I swear this thing works.

This crystal actually kills underarm odor at the source, the little microbes that cause it. It does so by changing the ph level so they can't grow. Simple. Effective. And I ride bicycles, ok? No BO for me.

Read over the website. I bought mine in a health food store.

http://www.thecrystal.com/product.cfm/id/1/scid/a/submit_thumb/2




x

 

after nearly 8 years of using nothing, i've gone back to using deodorant because for some odd reason i had a LOT more bo in the last few months than in the previous 7+ years. i didn't tell any of my friends anything about this for the first year and when i finally did not one of them could tell the difference. occasionally after a work-out or a bike ride i could self-detect an odor but it wasn't offensive, just my natural scent in the extreme. i don't mind some bo on other people though an added light perfume or oil is nice too on occasion.

 

Natural body odors perform functions in that they trigger hormonal respones in the body of the smeller.

People have become overstimulated by perfumes to the point they can no longer respond in the way nature intended. The cohesion of any society in the animal world depends heavily on the ability to smell who is who. Same in the human animal world

Our superior intelligence does not spare us this primordial obligation.

But our sense of vanity says otherwise.



x

 

Nobody said we prefer the smell of perfume, only that we prefer not to stink. I think BO is repulsive. Sweat doesn't smell good, neither does an unwashed body. It's definitely a turn off for me.

 

i like when people smell like themselves, like a person. i hate perfumes and deoderant, biggest turn off for me.
i dont wear deoderant and i dont smell bad, unless im nervous. nervous sweat has a different, sharper smell that i dont particularly care for.

 

i've found that people who eat meat (like burgers) smell hella bad.
whenever I reek I just put a little baking soda under my pits.
hate perfumes. love your pheromones, ladies!

 

Drumminmama, have you ever found that EO's stain your clothes when you use them as a deodorant? I've had that problem, and I'm curious as to your (and anyone elses) experiences. If you don't mind telling, how to mix the EO's with water, how much oil to how much water?

Thanks!

 

Drumminmama, you're amazingly good at telling if things are natural. Has this got any nasty chemicals in? I bought it at Christmas and I love it much more than any deodourant I've ever used. I'm going to have to get better at this.

Kaolin, Cornstarch (Zea mays), Chick Pea Flour (Cicer arietinum), Magnesium Stearate, Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Olibanum gum, Juniper Wood, *Citral, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool.

*Occurs naturally in essential oils

Must say the Kaolin and magnesium stearrate sound a tad not nice!

 

It's Lush Powdry. i really like it. Thanks by the way, I just needed to double check! It's basically a talc free powder you shove under your armpits and feet.

 

That's why I double checked, I love lush but there are a lot of nasty chemicals when I ingredient searching. It's a powder.

 

i totally agree. b.o. is the worst! whenever i walk by someone and can smell their b.o., it's pretty much a given that i'm gonna think of them as a dirty kid. at least use something natural - put baking soda on or somthing!