What Should A Vagina Actually Smell Like?
Let’s get one thing straight—your vagina should have a scent.
It doesn’t have to be a bad one, though! Healthy vaginas typically have a mild scent that can be tangy, musky, fermented, or even sour. Having an odor in general doesn’t mean it has to be bad or unhealthy. Because our bodies are all different, every vagina will have a slightly different scent-- there’s no “one smell fits all” when it comes to vaginal health! Your hygiene practices, age, menstrual cycle, what you eat, what you weigh, water intake, and any medications you’re taking are just some of the many factors that play a part in your vaginal scent.
How Do I Know If My Vagina Is Healthy?
Healthy vaginas contain large amounts of good bacteria (the community being called lactobacilli, with 100s of different species) that help balance the pH of your vag by producing substances such as lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide to keep it slightly acidic. And because of this, your vag is definitely going to have a smell.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what odor can tell you about the health of Lady V:
A sour or tangy smell means that your vagina is slightly acidic. This is good!
A sweeter smell (like molasses or gingerbread) means your pH levels could be changing. This is still healthy and isn’t necessarily a cause for alarm, but if the smell changes and gets worse, your pH levels might be getting out of whack. Your vagina might also have a sweeter smell if you have a lot of citrus fruit (like pineapple) in your diet.
A metallic smell might occur around the time of your period. Period blood contains iron, which can give off a smell like copper pennies. Your vag might even smell different a few days after your period. This is all super normal and healthy!
A musky smell could be a result of heavy sweating (and there’s no shame in sweat, girl-- we all do it!) and also reflects a healthy vag. The down yonder has sweat glands just like the rest of our body, so an extra-strong smell after a workout doesn’t mean there’s a problem.
A chemical or bleachy scent could occur as a reaction to a particular lubricant or condom. It’s nothing to worry about, but if the smell is unpleasant to you, maybe try another brand.
A fishy or cheesy scent could be a sign of an infection, and something you might want to ask your gyno about. Bacterial vaginosis, an infection resulting from an imbalance of bacteria in your vaginal biosphere, typically causes a strong fishy odor as well as white or gray discharge.
How Does Pube Hair Impact Odor?
Believe it or not, how much hair you have actually plays a big part in how strong your natural scent is. Hair holds odor, and the more hair you have, the more you’ll sweat and the stronger it’ll smell.
Hair can also hold urine after we wipe, and the urine residue can leave an unpleasant scent behind. If you have a lot of hair down there and “dry wipe” after you pee, the urine residue left behind can cause your hoo-hah to smell stronger than normal.
Removing hair from your pubic area and keeping it hair-free is another way you can naturally reduce unpleasant odor, especially if you work out and/or sweat a lot.
Can I Use Boric Acid to Get Rid of Odor?
You should never try to get rid of your vagina’s natural scent by regularly using boric acid or douching to cleanse Lady V. She’s self-cleaning, and these products can kill the good bacteria. This can cause recurring infections, which will worsen the smell. Boric acid is for infections only.
Also beware of fem products advertised as “odor blocking.” Read the ingredients label to make sure they’re not filled with harsh chemicals that could damage your natural biosphere.
If you want to stay fresh, there are healthy ways to achieve this without threatening your pH balance. Here’s our list of brands that provide clean and minimal-ingredient fem washes:
And of course, Happy Girl’s Bush Oil and Vadge and Bum Refresher helps to keep your girl fresh all day!
Feminine washes should be used to wash the vulva (your external bits) only, and should never be inserted in the vaginal canal. You can also wash your vulva with warm water and mild, unscented soap if you don’t feel like your scent requires a feminine wash. Staying hydrated, wearing loose clothing, and washing are all natural ways you can maintain a normal, healthy smelling vag!
What are your favorite washes to use for staying fresh? Let us know in the comments!
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The author.
Allison Kindley is a Digital Media Production & Journalism student at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. She loves working with Team Happy Girl because she gets to inform others on feminine wellness, learn every day, write creatively, and empower women.