Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez has revealed a unique personal recipe she uses to stay fresh and combat body odour. In a recent conversation, the star shared her reliance on a homemade 'fragrance milk', a blend of specific spices and almond milk, which she believes helps her smell good all day.
What is Jacqueline Fernandez's Fragrance Milk?
Speaking with Kamiya Jani from Curly Tales in December 2025, the Housefull 3 actor detailed her special concoction. "This milk contains some cardamoms, cinnamon, clove, star anise, rose petals, almond milk, and it’s sweetened with a bit of maple syrup," Fernandez explained. She described it as a method for "cutting off any odour-inducing bacteria." This revelation has sparked curiosity about whether such a dietary approach can genuinely influence body scent.
Expert Opinion: Does It Really Work?
We consulted health professionals to get a scientific perspective on the efficacy of this fragrant drink. CV Aishwarya, a clinical nutritionist and lecturer at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research in Chennai, provided a detailed breakdown.
She clarified that body odour primarily occurs when bacteria on the skin break down sweat. While the 'fragrance milk' is not a guaranteed or primary treatment, its ingredients may offer indirect benefits. Spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise contain antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds. These can potentially reduce the growth of odour-causing bacteria and support digestion, which indirectly influences body scent.
Rose petals add natural aromatic oils that might slightly alter sweat's fragrance. Almond milk and maple syrup don't directly control odour, but Aishwarya noted that almond milk could benefit individuals whose body odour is linked to dairy sensitivity. Overall, she stated this mixture supports gut health, reduces bacterial activity, and provides antioxidants, which may mildly improve natural body scent over time. However, it does not stop sweating or eliminate body odour completely, especially if the cause is hormonal, infectious, or related to lifestyle factors.
A Supportive Habit, Not a Cure-All
Dr Veena Praveen, Regional Medical Head (South) and Consultant Dermatologist at Kaya Limited, emphasised the mechanism of body odour development. She pointed out that while fragrant ingredients may create an internal feeling of freshness and influence breath, they cannot replace external hygiene or dermatological care.
"At best, these drinks can be a supportive wellness habit. But they cannot be considered a standalone or guaranteed remedy for body odour," Dr Praveen concluded. The experts agree that such concoctions should be viewed as complementary dietary measures, not clinical solutions.
Practical Strategies to Manage Body Odour
Beyond dietary tweaks, experts recommend several evidence-based strategies to keep body odour at bay. Managing excessive sweating is key. This can be achieved by using antiperspirants at night, wearing breathable fabrics like cotton, and keeping the body cool through proper hydration and ventilation.
Additional effective strategies include:
- Restricting triggers like spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, and hot beverages to minimise sweat output.
- Managing stress with relaxation techniques to reduce emotional sweating.
- Maintaining a healthy body weight to lower excess heat production.
- Consuming cooling foods such as cucumbers, mint, and tender coconut water.
- Keeping the skin clean and dry, and using gentle absorbent powders.
- Considering underarm hair removal, as hair traps sweat and creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Laser Hair Reduction is noted as particularly helpful.
While celebrity wellness tips like Jacqueline Fernandez's 'fragrance milk' offer intriguing insights into natural routines, dermatologists and nutritionists stress that consistent personal hygiene and targeted clinical approaches remain the most reliable methods for controlling body odour.
