【Are People Secretly Tolerating Odors from Partners and Friends?】'Fundamental Care' Becomes Crucial in Summer

magicnumber Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) conducted a survey on 'The Reality of Odor Care for Summer' among men and women in their 20s to 40s.

With the rainy season approaching and summer just around the corner, concerns about sweat, sebum, and 'odor' rise with the temperature.

Especially on the scalp, where sebum secretion is active, and in areas where sweat accumulates like the armpits and back, sebum and sweat mix easily. The oxidation and decomposition of these by bacteria cause unique odors and stickiness.

Furthermore, scalp odor is often difficult for individuals to notice themselves. How many people are actually taking concrete measures for odor control?

To find out, magicnumber Inc. (https://magicnumber.co.jp/) conducted a survey on 'The Reality of Odor Care for Summer' among men and women in their 20s to 40s.

**Survey Overview:** Survey on 'The Reality of Odor Care for Summer' 【Survey Period】April 23 (Thu) - April 24 (Fri), 2026 【Survey Method】Internet survey by PRIZMA (https://www.prizma-link.com/press) 【Number of Respondents】1,041 people 【Survey Target】Monitors who identified as men and women in their 20s to 40s at the time of response 【Survey Source】magicnumber Inc. (https://magicnumber.co.jp/) 【Monitor Provider】Sakurisa

**60% Are Concerned About Summer Body Odor, with a Sharp Increase in 'Odor Awareness' from the 30s.**

When asked if they are 'concerned about their own body odor' as temperatures and humidity rise in summer, over 60% responded 'very concerned (25.4%)' or 'somewhat concerned (38.9%),' revealing that two out of three people feel some stress about their own odor.

A comparison by age group shows that while over half of those in their 20s are 'concerned,' the figure jumps to about 70% for those in their 30s and 40s, indicating a sharp increase in anxiety about odor from the age of 30.

While many people are anxious about their own odor, how do those around them actually feel?

**'Tolerating' is the Most Common Response to Others' Odor! The Fear of 'Unnoticed Odor' That No One Points Out**

When asked if they have 'ever been bothered by the body or scalp odor of people around them,' the responses were as follows.

There are clear differences in odor awareness depending on gender and relationship.

While about half of both men and women are bothered by the odor of 'friends/acquaintances,' women tend to be more sensitive to the odor of close relations like 'family' and 'partners' than men.

Particularly among women, over 60% have experienced being bothered by a 'family' member's odor, suggesting that close, regular contact may make them more aware of subtle changes in odor.

Furthermore, over half of the women reported being bothered by the odor of a 'partner or someone they are attracted to.' This result implies that 'there is a high probability that your partner or crush has noticed your odor.' Because many people may feel anxious about what their closest companions think of their odor, it seems crucial to practice daily, proactive odor care even in close relationships.

So, how many people actually communicate or take action when they are bothered by someone's odor?

When asked if they have 'ever told someone about their body or scalp odor, or taken any action,' only about 10% of both men and women were able to directly tell their partner or crush.

On the other hand, the most common response was 'to tolerate it.' Notably, about 20% of women tolerate their partner's odor despite finding it unpleasant, showing a tendency for people to keep odor-related concerns to themselves.

This trend is also a reality in friendships. Additionally, a certain number of respondents chose to 'quietly keep their distance' instead of pointing it out, suggesting that a gap may be forming with others without the person's knowledge.

Not being told about your 'odor' by anyone is not necessarily proof of perfect care. Because odor is hard to notice yourself, self-care is indispensable.

**Can't Tell Anyone!? The Realities of 'How Do You Check Your Own Odor?'**

When asked 'When have you been bothered by someone's body odor?,' the most common response was 'the moment they passed by (36.6%),' followed by 'when sitting next to them (35.6%)' and 'after they exercised and sweated.'