Let me start off by saying you’re not meant to smell like flowers or meadows or candy. Vaginas typically have a mild musky scent. If the smell is too strong, fishy, or foul that’s typically a sign of infection or an unhealthy vagina, and you should seek medical attention.
You’re not required to smell or taste like candy, and you’re never going to. It’s also important to note that anyone getting close enough to smell or taste your vagina shouldn’t expect it to smell or taste like anything other than a vagina. If they do or if they make you feel self conscious about it, they’re immature and that’s a problem for them, not you. If they aren’t going to appreciate a vagina for what it is, they shouldn’t have access to one. Find a different partner who appreciates you and makes you feel good about yourself.
That being said, it’s very normal to feel slightly self conscious about smell. Its totally normal to want to feel prepared and confident going into a sexual encounter. So if you want to know how to make yourself smell a bit more appealing it’s understandable, and I’ve got some tips.
Let’s start with talking about what doesn’t work because that’s honestly more important. You may have seen a variety of douches or supposedly ph-sensitive vaginal soaps on the market. The truth is you shouldnt be putting any kind of soap up your vagina, especially scented ones. The vagina is a self cleaning machine and putting any kind of soap in it could throw off the ph and lead to infection. Lots of these washes also have glycerin and sugars which feed bad bacteria, allowing them to grow and multiply, which means most of the time these soaps actually have a negative impact and can make scent worse. You can wash the outside of your vagina with regular soap but don’t touch the inside with anything other than water.
What you eat can also have an impact. Anyone who’s ever eaten asparagus can tell you that what you eat does have an affect on how your secretions smell. Any food that modifies the smell of your sweat or pee will also affect the smell of your vagina. Foods like garlic, broccoli, onion, spicy food, red meat, and sugar can similarly make your smell stronger or more bitter.
Drinking lots of water is very important. When you’re not hydrated every secretion gets more concentrated, that’s why your pee smells stronger when you’re dehydrated. Foods that could improve the smell and taste include nutrient dense fruits and veggies. There’s the old wives tale about pineapple, cranberry, and pomegranate improving smell, and there is some evidence to back that claim.
It’s also important to give your vagina room to breathe, which means not wearing restrictive clothing too often and wearing breathable cotton panties.
Boric acid suppositories are another option. They can help treat imbalances like bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections as well as help with smell and taste. It’s a mild antiseptic, has antifungal properties, contains probiotics, as well as antioxidants which maintains normal vaginal acidity and balances vaginal flora. The effects start working immediately and you can use them once a day, though you likely won’t need to; it’s recommended you use them two to four times per week if you’re prone to smell. You can also use them after sex in order to avoid changes in odor. You shouldnt have sex after using boric acid until it’s fully dissolved, typically four to twelve hours.
The most important thing to remember is that health is your priority when treating your vagina. If it’s healthy for your vagina it will probably make it smell better, and it will make you feel better which is the most important thing. Don’t overthink your smell, anyone getting close enough to smell it is probably focusing more on themselves than judging you anyway.