The sweet smell of success

There's nothing more off-putting than someone who has coffee breath,e rises are you still the one everyone wants to get next to, or do you suffer from a touch of the summer smellies? Colette Harris has the definitive guide to getting (and staying) fresh this summer. cheesy feet or body odour so ripe it smells like a lamb casserole. Make sure you're not the person everyone tries to avoid this summer by taking to heart a few simple freshness pointers.

Wake up to being squeaky clean

In the morning, arm yourself for the day ahead: even if you're rushing, a shower only takes two minutes. Choose shower gels and bath products with the words 'deodorising', 'refreshing' and 'cleansing' on the package, such as Molton Brown's Hair & Body Sportswash with zingy spearmint and lemon, Iso Bar minty cool body soap (#2/115g) or Lemon Up Shower Gel (#4.50/200ml) from Cosmetics to Go (mail order on 01202 621966).

Wait until you've cooled down and dried off from your shower before you slap on the deodorant - this gives it a chance to settle into your skin properly without sliding off any residual moisture. If you don't like to wear aftershave or fragrance, go for a deodorant with a bit of a smell, so anyone who catches a whiff of what's under your arms will be pleasantly surprised.

If you finish your morning grooming habits with a squirt of something (nicely) smelly, use unperfumed deodorant or one that matches the scent you choose.

When it comes to a fragrance the only rules are, choose something you like the smell of and don't drown yourself in it: other people might not like the smell and even if they do, they could easily change their minds if you wear so much that they can practically taste it. Bear in mind that some all-over body sprays have deodorising properties so look out for that magic word in the blurb on the packaging - you might as well kill two birds ...

Keep your feet sweet

Don't wait until your feet get whiffy before you do something. Get into a morning habit of zapping lurking bacteria with an antiseptic foot spray such as Desert Essence tea tree spray or Scholl's refreshing foot spray.

Massage in some Pied de Pepper lotion (#4.15/125g) or sprinkle with T for Toes dusting powder (#3.50/100g) from LUSH (stockists/ mail order on 01202 668545), both with antiseptic, deodorising and sweat-reducing ingredients. Then slip your feet into shoes lined with insoles to combat sweaty smells, such as Boots own brand or some powerful Odour Eaters.

Minty not stinky

Let everyone breathe a sigh of relief when you talk up close, by brushing your teeth with a toothpaste complete with long-lasting breath freshener, such as AquaFresh, or Colgate with 12-hour protection. Then swill a bit of mouthwash round your chops for good measure. Try Colgate Plax which lasts for hours or, if you find traditional mouthwashes too drying, go for something alcohol-free such as Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Mouthwash with natural oil of spearmint (stockists on 0800 146215).

Top it up

Buy a matching supply of your morning deodorant, fragrance and foot products, and stash them away in your desk drawer. Then keep an eye (or nose) on your smell levels during the day. Be satisfied that you're not skimping on any areas in your odour checklist:

- Armpits - never any harm in re-applying deodorant if you feel the morning's dose is being heartily challenged by hot weather and stress.

- Breath - drink a lot of fluid throughout the day to counteract 'dry mouth' bad breath. Chew sugar-free gum after meals, cigarettes and coffee.

Keep a breath fresh spray handy for a quick blast before meetings. Try Aveda's Peppymint drops, FSC's Cinnamint breath fresh spray or pop a Smint.

- Feet - don't slip off your shoes before you neutralise fumes with a touch of The Body Shop's Peppermint Foot Lotion or Applewoods Tea tree and peppermint foot spray (#3.75/150ml, stockists on 0171 487 2523).

Travelling

If you know you're travelling on what's forecast to be the hottest day ever known to man, go in a T-shirt with your spare shirt in a bag and change before you get to your meeting. If you know your feet won't stand the heat, take a spare pair of socks, or travel in your Birkenstocks to let air circulate freely and stick your smart shoes on at the other end.

Don't sit in the smoking carriage or you'll stink at the end of the journey.

Book a no-smoking seat, and nip to the smoking carriage when you need a cigarette. Arm yourself with a hair deodorant even if you only have the odd fag: other people will smell it far more easily than you do. Try L'Occitane's neutralising sprays, or Neroli hair fragrance from Cosmetics to Go (#3.10/100ml, mail order on 01202 621966).

Get rid of BR coffee-breath or smoker's mouth with a well-timed sugar-free mint or two.

Day into night

If you're coming back to an evening bonding session down the pub with your workmates, or even going out on a hot date, make sure you're still nice to know. Cool down by running your wrists under the cold tap for as long as you can stand it to chill your blood and keep perspiration down. Look and feel crisp as well as smelling clean by changing your shirt/socks or shoes if you've been clever enough to pack spares. Then add an extra dash of deodorant or a spritz of fragrance from your secret desk supply for that 'just showered' smell.

The morning after

If you're suffering from the after-effects of a hard night out, don't make your colleagues suffer too. Combat garlic breath with Boots parsley seed oil capsules that can neutralise the odour long-term, wipe out the whiff of stale alcohol by drinking lots of fluid to help your body get it out of your system and again, bring out the sugar-free mints. Clean up the halo of stale cigarettes by using a zesty shampoo such as Original Mint Source or a fragrant hairwash such as Ibiza Party Shampoo from LUSH.

Desperate measures

If all else fails and your colleagues have resorted to applying clothes pegs to their noses before entering your work area, try room sprays and scented candles. Just make sure they're scented nicely and not like the dodgy cab-driver's car freshener or the bright blue block of fragrance you find in public loos. Opting for real essential oil smells is often your best bet. Try Lothian Herbs new range of tinned candles from health-food shops, fresh smelling candle pillars from Angelic shops nationwide or plug in a 'fire-free' oil vaporiser with a few drops of an essential oil such as lemon, pine or orange to help counteract a stuffy office.

If a niffy neighbour is the problem, then it might just be the gentle hint he or she required!

Check up

If you find you're having persistent problems with bad breath, excessive perspiration or flatulence, don't just rely on products to mask the odours, go to your GP. You could have digestive problems, a skin condition or a complaint such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) which needs deeper investigation and treatment. Don't by shy, GPs handle this kind of thing all the time and anyway, isn't it about time your colleagues stopped calling you smellbag and reverted to fatso instead?

Say no to Nylon

Synthetic fibres are the enemies of freshness. Natural fibres are your best bet for keeping excess sweat at bay, as they absorb perspiration and let it evaporate away, rather than trapping it in the space between your skin and the fabric, which allows it to get stale and smelly. Make sure your socks, trolleys, shirts and trousers are mainly cotton, linen or cool wool.

It's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it

Nasty niffs have never been your problem but as for Nigel in accounts, well ... Telling someone they smell isn't an easy job. You need to judge your relationship with that person and their sensitivity levels to their 'problem' before deciding which approach is best. You have four choices:

- Be tangential. Take someone to one side and say that you've noticed how muggy it gets in the office, so you've just been mentioning to everyone that personal hygiene is a top priority around the office, especially when clients are coming in. That way they don't feel singled out but hopefully they get the hint.

- Constructive criticism. Tell the person with a problem that you couldn't help but notice that they've been struggling with x problem and maybe they could try x product as you've known people it's worked for you in the past.

- Cop out. Have a word with personnel, office services or a senior manager. A firm all-staff memo on the topic of 'consideration for your colleagues' ought to do the trick.

- Be honest. Tell them they're not always very nice to be near and could they sort it out, please.