There's a funny thing going on here which cuts both ways, you get used to your own smells. This means that if you don't use deodorant (or don't shower regularly

There's a funny thing going on here which cuts both ways, you get used to your own smells. This means that if you don't use deodorant (or don't shower regularly!) by the time your own BO smell is noticeable you are, in fact, quite ripe and other people around you have been noticing a lot. And on the other hand, if you use scented deodorants, soap/body wash, detergent, dryer sheets, or perfume the level where you can smell them distinctly is where they are basically overpowering for someone who hasn't been steeping in them for days/weeks. Which is why such scented things tend to have such overpowering smells, they're calibrated to a level of smell for someone who is already used to that smell. Unfortunately, the middle ground isn't well represented in the market. I long ago made the switch to more lightly scented and unscented hygiene products and sometimes it takes a lot more work than it should. Fortunately there are clothes detergents and dryer sheets that are unscented that you can buy in many stores, however for body wash and deodorant I basically always have to buy online (I ended up just using an "unscented body wash base" and a fragrance free hypoallergenic anti-perspirant). It's very frustrating to have such a simple need (fragrance free common products) be so difficult to fulfill. Maybe things will change, I remember when it was hard to find soy milk in most grocery stores and that's changed dramatically.