9 Tips For Smelling Great On Date Nights

Date nights for some are a damn good excuse to look and feel your best; a night of potential exhilaration, fun, flirtation and dare we say, arousal? And for others, they’re just a one-way ticket to nerves, sweat patches and of course, the dreaded friendzone.

Whether or not they end on a high or a low, I value smelling great as a MUST for any date. You might fail, but hey, at least your personal hygiene was on point.

I advocate this more for yourself than anything, but IF you were to bomb on date night, you may be many things – arrogant, too tall, too short, too shy, too different, too much like a brother/friend – but at least you didn’t smell like shit. 

9 Tips For Smelling Great On Date Nights:

1. MAKE TIME TO WASH:

I know - this is ‘no shit Sherlock’ territory, but I'm also assuming nothing. Wash yourself and wash well. You never know where a good date might lead and you can spray yourself all you want, but unwashed bits are unwashed bits. And no, yours do not smell like roses either.

2. BRUSH YOUR TEETH:

They say people may not remember what you say, but they remember how you made them feel. Breath is a bit like that. Don’t be caught with pungent breath (or pungent anything). You’ll be remembered for that – trust me. Give your mouth a proper clean, executing good dental habits.

This means cleaning your tongue (where most of the bacteria breed) and flossing / using a dental pick to get rid of the bits your toothbrush leaves behind. If you don’t like mouthwash, don’t rinse your mouth with water after you’ve brushed, otherwise, you’ll be getting rid of all that good fluoride.

If however, you’re partial to a good swig of the minty stuff, use a quality mouthwash to finalise the routine.

3. DRESS TO NOT STRESS:

Now while what you wear will depend on where you go and what the weather is like, wearing excessively tight/restrictive clothing or an abundance of clothes can lead to additional odours. Ensure you feel able to breathe and that all of the clothes you choose to wear are clean. 

4. USE DEODORANT:

Apply deodorant to ensure that you don’t sweat and develop unwanted body odour throughout the night. Consider using an antiperspirant with a pleasant scent for an added touch.

5. WEAR A SENSIBLE COLOGNE:

As with the rest of the tips on here, you can pick and choose (although I still strongly advocate that you wash!). Not everyone enjoys applying colognes/perfumes. But for the ones that do, use a cologne that you know works WELL with your skin and has an excellent dry down.

Just because it smells great at first burst doesn’t mean it will leave a pleasant aftermath. So make sure it’s one you’ve tried and tested. On that note, while it may be tempting to overspray, as great as your pick probably is – you don’t want to induce an asthma attack or headache. 

If you like 15 sprays, try 10. Or try an Eau Du Parfum. Just keep it moderately light, unless of course this isn’t a first date and it’s a scent your date really likes! Apply with just enough time to let it start to settle and work its magic. Find one with great projection and silage to leave a blaze of HELLYEAH behind you. 

Lastly, if at all in doubt about the ‘right’ cologne/perfume, stick with a generic crowd-pleaser. This is especially if you like bolder choice scents and you’re unsure how they may perform on the night.

Oud – as much as I love it – isn’t something that always goes down well with some and may need to be sprayed with caution. Primarily floral scents can wind up like marmite. Heavily spicy or woody scents can tend to come off harsh or too earthy. 

6. STAY REFRESHED:

Hydrate and keep cool. Your breath will thank you for this!

7. BE PREPARED:

Fundamental. If you don’t want to be flapping about like a madman, then invest in preparation. As the old saying goes: prior preparation prevents poor performance. While it may not seem important, rushing late for a date and turning up hot and bothered might be cute to some, but a hot mess to others.

You may have the grooming and travel sorted, but you realise you’ve forgotten key essentials later on. So give yourself time to play with. Allow room for possible error and room for tidy up.

Sorted the route out? Check.

Wallet? Check.

Money on your cards? Check.

Juice in your phone? Check.

Chewing Gum? Check.

Dates can be stressful for some people, so do yourself a favour and eliminate as much chance for that to occur as possible!

8. BE COOL:

Quite literally. Throughout your date preparation, it’s important to try and stay cool to avoid excessive sweating. Excessive heat can also change the way chemicals you’ve applied to your body – i.e., colognes/perfumes etc – react.

When you wash, let your body dry and temperature cool before throwing layers over it. If you’ve followed step 7 and been prepared, you shouldn’t need to be rushing around and encouraging the stress hormones to kick in.

Wherever possible, stay as cool as you can. Hydrate. Fan yourself if need be. Hell, stick your head in a fridge… (okay maybe not that last one)

9. FIND YOUR CALM:

Okay, so you look great, smell great and you’re prepared. There’s always room for things to go wrong. Likewise, EVERYTHING may feel like it’s starting to go wrong. It can get worse BUT it can also get better. Much better. Keep a cool, calm, collected head.

If step 8 is about quite literally allowing yourself to be free of excessive heat, this is about reminding yourself to enjoy the ride and be metaphorically cool. 

A calmer head will help you deal with arising problems, as well as make it easier to just be you. How does this help with smelling great? Taking time to pause will reduce stress levels, thus reducing apprehension, the likelihood of enduring manic moments and the possibility of unwanted odour.

Besides, if organisation isn’t your strong point, preparation won’t get the chance to be your friend. So let peace fill the gap. Allow yourself to find moments of calm, slow your heartbeat and beat any nerves/anxiety/worry with a stick. You got this.

In conclusion

When it comes to date nights, confidence, charisma and charm will no doubt get you far. And while a great personality is high on the agenda, personal hygiene is basics 101.