Why 'Smelly'?

Good question.

Here's the honest answer.

You've probably worked out already that we don't actually think anyone should smell. Quite the opposite – that's rather the point. "Smelly" is a joke, not a description. And it's a joke for people confident enough to get it.

Snips, snails, and puppy-dog tails.

There's an old rhyme that says little boys are made of "snips and snails and puppy-dog tails" – a bit grubby, a bit wild, entirely unbothered by it. Girls, meanwhile, get "sugar and spice." We always thought that was funny, and a bit unfair on everyone involved.

Smelly Boys leans into that old joke rather than pretending it doesn't exist. Boys are going to get sweaty, grubby, and yes, a bit smelly. That's normal. The products exist so that bit sorts itself out properly – no aluminium, no harsh chemicals, just soap and deodorant that actually work.

It's not really about teenage boys.

Or rather, it's not only about them. The whole Smelly family – Smelly Men, Smelly Women, Smelly Boys – is taking the same gentle swipe at an industry that takes itself far too seriously. Anti-ageing. Performance. Transformation. Every bottle promising to fix something that was never broken.

We think that's a bit ridiculous. So we called ourselves Smelly. On purpose. Loudly.

We're in good company here. Sweaty Betty did much the same thing years ago – a name that pokes fun rather than flatters, from a brand that never doubted people would get the joke. We'd like to think we're carrying that on.

So will it offend anyone?

Humour is personal, and we'd never tell you how someone should feel about a name. What we can tell you is this: it's affectionate, not literal. Nobody using our products is actually smelly. If anything, that's rather the joke.

Most people – teenagers included – enjoy being in on a joke rather than having it explained earnestly. If in doubt, that's usually the best way to hand it over: "I thought you'd find this funny."

If it's not for you, that's completely fine too. No hard feelings either way. But we hope, now you know the thinking, it lands as it's meant to.

Got a question we haven't answered here? Just get in touch – we read every message.