Foul Body Odor: How and do you tell someone that they smell BAD

I haven't met a lot of "normal" guys that smell. I put normal in quotation marks because it excludes hobos and people on the bus. Normal guys are guys that I met at uni or friends from high school etc. So there's this one guy that am currently working on a project with and he has some of the worst scents I have ever experienced! Actually I find blue cheese more repulsive but his odour was a mix of cigarettes and SOUR body odor. How can BO ever turn sour? The way I experienced it was quite funny: all my teammates and I were sitting around a table and I was sitting to his left, about 60 cm away and he turned around to ask me a question and I caught a swift of his smell which made me go 0_o interiorly and subsequently tried to limit my intake of air. Luckily we had just switched tables and I passed off the excuse that one side of the table (it was two tables side by side and the side I was sitting at with the guy was slightly uneven) was uneven and I had to switch sides (further away from the smell). Obviously, I did not say anything to his face because I don't want to embarrass someone in any way. I did ask my other teammate about him and she acknowledge that fact that he smelled horrible. She was the one who pointed out the cigarette smell. I personally don't mind that particular smell if it's not too strong but I initially felt that his bad smell was probably due to BO. The funny part is that there is another girl that finds this guy SO Attractive. I kind of understand what she sees (tall, black hair, blue eyes) but she is totally oblivious to the smell! I was baffled by this. Lemme explain in a drawing:

picture on my blog: http://laratothesky.blogspot.ca/2012/03/foul-body-odor-how-and-do-you-tell.html

I'm not trying to make fun of this guy because I think he's pretty cool minus the smell, just thought it was a pretty funny situation. I hope he will realize that he had some odour (like me!) and try to fix it. I have just met this guy so of course I will not tell him that he has odor.

2 more stories on my blog: Link below:

http://laratothesky.blogspot.ca/2012/03/foul-body-odor-how-and-do-you-tell.html

I know a girl who smells like BO quite often... it's very apparent that she just doesn't bathe very much... I can smell her from lie 10 feet away, and I am not at all exaggerating. I honestly have not said anything, it would be way too awkward and since I have to see her almost every day of the week I just couldn't. I just avoid her on her smelly days...

Sorry, I'm no help.

My mom has this mechanism of looking at them in the eye and waving her hand in front of her nose trying to get some fresh air... It surely helps them get a clue...

My nose doesn't function properly so even if they smelled really bad, I wouldn't be able to notice.

"You must have very similar MHC to me"

studies have approached mate choice based on odor preference. In one study done by Wedekind et al, women were asked to smell male axillary odors collected on T-shirts worn by different males. Women that were ovulating rated the odors of MHC-dissimilar men as more pleasant than those of the MHC-similar men. Furthermore, odors of MHC-dissimilar men often reminded women of current or former partners, suggesting that odor—specifically odor for MHC-dissimilarity—plays a role in mate choice

My mom has this mechanism of looking at them in the eye and waving her hand in front of her nose trying to get some fresh air... It surely helps them get a clue...

My nose doesn't function properly so even if they smelled really bad, I wouldn't be able to notice.

Giving them clues doesnt really help... cause they wont even notice it... I have sibling that smells super bad... never washes his clothes... Lie literally! IM NOT KIDDING!! LOL and everytime im in the car with him.. I always say "Roll down the windows" when its like super cold outside because it stinks really bad so id rather deal with the coldness then that stench. But he still doesn't get it..., i never stand next to him, i talk from a distance, i cover my nose if im ever next to him, and he still doesnt get it.... ZzZzZZ u_u

And i really cannot tell him either... you know... its heartbreaking lol... haha. I dont think im that mean xD. So I cant help this thread either... anyone have anymore suggestions? I also am looking for solution

WHY TELL THEM? THEY OBVIOUSLY DON'T CARE... I WOULD JUST HELP THEIR CAUSE BY INCHING CLOSE ENOUGH AND LAYING THEM IN A FART CLOUD... NEGATIVE + NEGATIVE = POSITIVE? I THINK YES

.___.

I read ur blog on the armpit odors. Yeah I understand completely I usually use Lush *all natural*..it smells woody sweet and herby, but after 10 minutes its all gewd lol..I believe the baking soda in it helps most with the blocking power. Or at times I use The Dr. oz Show tip..use apple vinegar i sometimes put body lotion over just to give a nice scent..works like a charm.

Here is a short story:

Recently about a few months ago. I was at my uni..studying all by myself at a table...When this guy walks up to me. I assume he was liking whatever it was that he was seeing and he sat by me and he started flirting. I wasn't feeling the dude..i wanted him to leave me along. But he kept talking so he decided to leave me his number and as he got up..he wanted a hug..so i sort of decline by siting and reaching up for a quick pat one arm hug. So this dude smiles as he was walking away i smell this strange...i can't even understand..was coming from his lower front area. I'm glad I never saw him again after that. Body odor happens but its bad..when a person gets use to it and they can't smell it anymore, but others can. Im glad *in ur blog* u nicely told the guy/buddy.

Look i have a korean friend who have almost the same problem hhh ^^'

and today he was helping me writing something in korean he's really cute guy but i really had like REALLY REALLY hard time at that moment Ugh

so he knows how ummm how to say it "LOVELY AND KIND" i am to him and i didn't want to hurt his feelings or something 

so i kept on thinking and put "Maybe's" - Maybe his house smells that way - Maybe he swatting really fast . . thou its not really hot :S

maybe and maybe till i couldn't keep on smiling and pretending that everything is fine 

Me ; " Thanks for helping me but i really wanna tell you something ^^ "

Him ; " Hey Sure whatever you want "

- Keep staring at him and feeling sorry -

Me ; " Well you're doing a great job and working hard and . . Really it seems like you're taking a shower ever 10min haha  ! "

Him ; " Yeah hahah i know . . . . "

- Silence -

Me ; " anyways *Name* have a nice day & thanks a lot ^^ "

Him ; ' Anytime you need me i'm HERE  "

WTHHHHH  !!!

Really its hard for me either thou everyone knows how rude i am when it comes to these things but I COULDN'T :"(

So what to do , lets except that fact of some of those ppl and keep on living

i was thinking of buying him a perfume BUT koreans usually don't use perfumes in young ages i guess, plus i don't want him to get me wrong or something . . so i'm keeping it this way 

Oh there are plenty of ways you can tell someone they have BO.  In my experience, people have:

1.  Yelled at me about it. (Usually strangers.)

2.  Discreetly passed me a note (like during work meetings).

3.  Delicately whispered it in my ear (usually social gatherings).

4.  Openly mock me about it and tease me (family and close friends).

5.  Secretly leave veiled "hints" - like leaving deodorant on my desk at work or leaving a pack of breath mints next to my seat at church.

So really, there's plenty of ways you can let a person know. 

Believe me, I know.

I think if you're not really close friends with him, you don't need to tell him he smells back? lol that's how I feel. I have a friend whose feet smell bad even with socks on but I'm pretty sure she knows that herself... I'd offer her something to eliminate the odour but I don't know what. 

^maybe this might help ur friend.

Dr Oz: Foot Odor Vodka Bath

Dr Oz’s first guest said that she has the smelliest, sweatiest, worst feet ever. Dr Oz asked her to guess whether duct tape or vodka cures foot odor. The answer is that vodka is a Foot Odor Remedy. The bacteria on your feet eat and live off of the sweat that your feet produce. If you soak your feet in a tub of vodka, the high alcohol content acts as an antiseptic. All you have to do is pour some vodka in a basin with a little bit of water, soak your feet for 5-10 minutes, and you can say goodbye to your stinky feet!

^i copy and paste that, so its not my exact words lol.

here another remedy:

http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Oz-Answers-Burning-Medical-Questions/13

Also a teaspoon r tablespoon (i forgot) of baking soda in the shoe can reduce odor.

You don't tell them. Plain and simple. Sorry, but it's rude. It sounds a little racist but I find a lot of Indian, Bengali, Pakistani people with a certain 'armpit' odor I really can't stand. It's been like this for many, MANY years and I try to hold my nose and say nothing. It's rude to say something. You don't know who you're dealing with - they can be nice or go crazy about it...you never know. The best thing to do is to move away from this person as much as you can.

You don't tell them. Plain and simple. Sorry, but it's rude.

Perchance we could also argue that it is rude to emit a foul odor from ones body in public. Would it be rude to tell someone else that they are being rude?

Perchance we could also argue that it is rude to emit a foul odor from ones body in public. Would it be rude to tell someone else that they are being rude?

Rude from..? Are you not aware that some people have conditions in excessive body odor, even they can't control it? I know this because I have PCOS and no matter how much deodorant I wear, my arms still smell. Maybe you don't know this but there are people with conditions that sweat a lot - so are you saying that it's rude to have a condition then?

lol...i know what you feel

i meet some people like this...

for cigarette smell, i will tell him honestly, since cigarette smell is not that embarrass

but for body odor, that's another story...

even until now i don't have any courage to tell my friends

I don't personally know anybody with strong body odour, but when i have to sit with someone that does have smelly body odour, i kind of turn my face away and put my hand near my nose and look you know, casual, like i'm in deep thought when i'm really not LOL i dont' really know how you would be able to tell someone "Hey, you kind of stink" or "um, do you need deoroant?" because i think it's kind of impolite. But when it stinks REAL bad, i kind of turn away AND cough/clear my throat.

I don't tell them, instead if it's like their birthday I'll just buy them shower gifts & lotions.

I just take out a scented body lotion to rub on my hands so I don't breathe in too much of the bad smell and I discreetly ask the BO person if they want some too. It's kind of like pulling out gum to chew so the person with bad breath will also want to have some gum too, and you offer it to them so you and that smelly person both end up happy.

If it's really offensive and you are forced to smell it for long periods over time (due to your project) then you can always write a note telling him nicely that he sort of smells and it wouldn't hurt to take a shower and wear some deodorant. Don't sign it of course hahaha.. you can leave it somewhere where he will take notice of it, or you could always wear a ski mask and find him somewhere and throw the note at him and run away. 

I would personally do the latter  

This didn't happen to me, but I saw a old lady do it. The old lady was sitting in the front of the bus and this big guy walked in front of her. I can't smell anything because I was quite far away, but I did see how she reacted to him. Her face went pale and she let out a shout in disgust. Apparently the guy in front of her didn't hear, so she took her cane and pocked him several times until he turn back to her. The old lady covered her nose and told him, 'SHOO' 'SHOO'

I thought it was mean, but the people beside me were laughing so hard.

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If it was me and someone stinks so bad to the point where I can't even breathe...I'll move away. --That will make it obvious to them that something is wrong...