I agree with everyone who said that a guy's natural scent can be pleasant, even if he's freshly sweaty. If he's really ripe, however, the smell can be so bad that I find it hard to breathe.
A few of my former housemates had a distinct scent. Murph smelled vaguely of sour milk with a sweet, fruity undertone. It may not sound pleasant, but it was actually really nice. He wasn't particularly attractive to look at, but was very popular with women, and I think the way he smelled had something to do with it. Nate smelled like chili peppers, especially if he'd been working hard all day. (He was a carpenter.) It wasn't a sexy smell, but it certainly wasn't offensive. I was actually very thankful that he didn't reek when he came home after a hard day. Patrick...his scent was harder to describe. He smelled like a little boy who'd been out playing all day, but he never had that overpowering, grown-man funk. He was also very popular with women.
Incidentally, Patrick claimed that he didn't use soap. (I met his mother, and she believed that using soap causes dry skin.) He showered daily but he just scrubbed with a loofa. Although he did have a noticeable odor, it wasn't unpleasant or overpowering. Whatever he was doing worked for him.
I can't remember where, but I read somewhere that dermatologists recommend that the only parts of the body that you should wash with soap are the face, hands, feet, armpits, genitals, and buttocks, because those are the places that tend to get especially sweaty and oily, and where bacteria builds up. As for the rest of your body (arms, legs, and torso), unless you actually do something to get dirty (playing naked in the mud?), you don't need to wash with soap, especially not everyday. A few years ago I dated a doctor who confirmed this advice. By using soap excessively, you're stripping off the skin's natural oils which can result not only in dry, flaky skin, but also in eczema, other rashes, and increased susceptibility to infection. (You're also washing away your pheremones and your unique scent, which a potential mate might find attractive.) I've also read that it's not necessary to bathe every day. Many of us like to feel squeaky clean, but it's really not what's best for our skin.
A few of my former housemates had a distinct scent. Murph smelled vaguely of sour milk with a sweet, fruity undertone. It may not sound pleasant, but it was actually really nice. He wasn't particularly attractive to look at, but was very popular with women, and I think the way he smelled had something to do with it. Nate smelled like chili peppers, especially if he'd been working hard all day. (He was a carpenter.) It wasn't a sexy smell, but it certainly wasn't offensive. I was actually very thankful that he didn't reek when he came home after a hard day. Patrick...his scent was harder to describe. He smelled like a little boy who'd been out playing all day, but he never had that overpowering, grown-man funk. He was also very popular with women.
Incidentally, Patrick claimed that he didn't use soap. (I met his mother, and she believed that using soap causes dry skin.) He showered daily but he just scrubbed with a loofa. Although he did have a noticeable odor, it wasn't unpleasant or overpowering. Whatever he was doing worked for him.
I can't remember where, but I read somewhere that dermatologists recommend that the only parts of the body that you should wash with soap are the face, hands, feet, armpits, genitals, and buttocks, because those are the places that tend to get especially sweaty and oily, and where bacteria builds up. As for the rest of your body (arms, legs, and torso), unless you actually do something to get dirty (playing naked in the mud?), you don't need to wash with soap, especially not everyday. A few years ago I dated a doctor who confirmed this advice. By using soap excessively, you're stripping off the skin's natural oils which can result not only in dry, flaky skin, but also in eczema, other rashes, and increased susceptibility to infection. (You're also washing away your pheremones and your unique scent, which a potential mate might find attractive.) I've also read that it's not necessary to bathe every day. Many of us like to feel squeaky clean, but it's really not what's best for our skin.