First, let’s agree that it’s unrealistic to expect any vagina to smell like scented candles and flowers. It already has a natural smell which is normal and varies from woman to woman. You should only give two cents about how your vagina smells when something seems to be…off or weird about it.

If it smells fishy, cheesy, fermented, sour, metallic, like onion, garlic, sweet, or even like rotten eggs, these could be the possible reasons.

1. Your body is just body-ing

Sometimes, there’s no plausible explanation for how the body chooses to function. So, it’s probably nothing to worry about.

2. Your underwear has known better days

It’s a good idea to change your undies as often as you change your weaves, especially if you have a history of vaginal infections. Also, preferably, ditch silk or polyester and embrace cotton panties.

3. Your clean-up game is zero

Ideally, you should wipe after peeing to prevent urine build-up on your underwear as this can cause a vaginal smell.

4. It’s something you ate

What you give your body in terms of diet is what you get on the outside. So, if you eat lots of onion and garlic, it’ll most likely impact how your vagina smells.

5. The bathroom is the least visited room in your house

After a long day spent at work, outings, the gym or wherever, it’s only hygienic that you should have a refreshing bath. This can help prevent not just vaginal, but body odour as well.

6. It’s that time of the month……or close

Yes, your period. During your menstrual cycle, a lot of hormonal changes take place your the body. Plus your blood contains iron, which is responsible for the metallic smell you might notice at that time of the month or even a couple of days after. So don’t freak out.

7. You have an unhealthy relationship with pads/tampons

Using one sanitary pad for twenty four hours is not really a bad bitch move. Even if you don’t experience heavy flow, you should change your pad often. Not just for hygiene sake, but to maintain a healthy vagina.

8. You had unprotected sex

According to HealthLine, when your vagina comes in contact with semen and sweat, your pH level can become imbalanced, causing it to smell off.

9. Something is stressing you out

Emotions affect your body in more ways than you think, especially love, anger and anxiousness. At such times, your body secrets fluids that can cause an unsexy smell when they mix with the bacteria in your vagina. So, drink water and keep stress at bay.

10. You have an infection

It could be a yeast, bacterial or sexually transmitted infection. One way to guess is if your vagina smells fishy or your discharge is yellow, grey or green. To be sure, see a doctor ASAP as swallowing antibiotics just won’t do in the long run.

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