Debunking myths about vaginal odor products
Can my diet really change how my vagina smells?
Most of your vaginal odor comes from hormones, normal bacteria, pH, sweat, and discharge—not last night’s garlic knots. That said, diet can play a **small** role. Strong-smelling foods (garlic, onions, spicy food) and certain supplements can change the way your sweat and bodily fluids smell, including around the vulva. Dehydration can also make urine more concentrated and sharp, which people sometimes confuse with "vaginal" odor.What diet absolutely does affect is your overall health and immune system. Lots of sugar, frequent antibiotics, and high stress can contribute to yeast overgrowth in some people. But no one food will magically make you smell like fruit—or like death. If odor suddenly changes or gets strong, don’t blame dinner; rule out BV, yeast, or an STI first.
Is it safe to use baby wipes or makeup wipes on my vulva?
Baby wipes feel gentle, but they’re not automatically vulva-friendly. Many contain fragrance, essential oils, or preservatives that can irritate the thin, sensitive skin of your vulva. Makeup wipes are even worse—designed to strip oil and product off your face, not chill on your labia.If you truly need wipes (travel, festivals, no shower access):- Choose **fragrance-free, alcohol-free, sensitive-skin** formulas.- Use them **only on the external vulva** (mons, outer labia), not inside the labia folds or vagina.- Don’t scrub; pat gently and let the area dry.Long term, water + a gentle wash is safer. If you get burning, itching, or redness after wipes, they’re not "cleaning" you; they’re irritating you.
Does shaving or waxing my pubic hair affect vaginal odor?
Pubic hair is not dirty; it’s protective. It helps reduce friction and can trap some sweat and odor molecules—but that doesn’t mean removing it will make you smell like nothing. In reality:- **Shaving or waxing** can cause irritation, razor burn, small cuts, and ingrown hairs. Broken skin is more vulnerable to infection and can feel itchy or painful.- Freshly shaved skin can trap sweat differently, sometimes making odor feel *more* obvious if you’re also in tight clothes.- Hair itself can hold onto scents (sweat, body wash, period blood) until you wash it, just like head hair.You get to choose your grooming style. Just know: hair isn’t the enemy, and removing it won’t fix infection-related odor. If smell changes suddenly or comes with discharge or irritation, that’s a medical check, not a waxing appointment.
Can hormonal birth control cause changes in vaginal odor or discharge?
Yes. Hormonal birth control rewrites your hormone script, so it’s normal for discharge and odor to shift.- **Pill/patch/ring:** More stable estrogen/progestin levels can make discharge more consistent, slightly increase or decrease volume, and sometimes change texture. Odor may become more subtle or just different from your pre-BC baseline.- **Hormonal IUD, implant, shot:** Can cause irregular spotting, more or less discharge, and changes in cervical mucus thickness. That can make odor feel new or unpredictable.Hormonal methods don’t usually cause strong, foul odor by themselves. If you notice fishy, rotten, or very off smells—especially with grey, green, or cottage-cheese discharge—don’t blame the birth control alone. Get checked for BV, yeast, or STIs. But if things changed *right after* starting or stopping BC and the odor is mild, it’s probably your hormones doing their thing.If you’re still wondering whether what you’re smelling, seeing, or feeling is "normal" or something to get checked, you don’t have to guess alone—talk it out with Gush and get a real-time read on what your body’s trying to tell you.
