From beards to butts: A client's guide to hygiene

This article was updated in 2026. Georgie was employed by Tryst.link at the time of writing this article.

In the course of my work, I spend a lot of time reassuring my clients that physical appearance isn’t important when you see a sex professional.

If you’ve read our Tryst.link blog article on how to book an escort, you will know there are a few social rules to follow. There might also be a few things to consider that differ depending on who you’re booking, be it a trans provider or even a financial dominatrix. But once you’ve made that booking, there’s one more important consideration:

Personal hygiene

Whether you smell good. Whether you’re freshly showered. Whether you’ve bothered to make sure you have fresh breath. When you make an effort, your worker knows you’re investing more than just money into the encounter—that you see the meeting as a special occasion.

People sometimes assume that because they’re paying, they don’t need to attend to their cleanliness. I’ve met some folks who were covered in sweat, as if they’d just won a football game. I’ve turned more than one client away because they had suspicious-looking rashes on their nether regions from lack of washing. When I’m getting intimate with another human being, this kind of personal presentation definitely affects my enthusiasm.

So I’d like to give you some hygiene tips. Not just the obvious stuff, but also the little things you may not have considered. By the time we’re done, you’ll be in excellent shape to impress your date and get naked with confidence.

Wash all your crevices (not just your butt)

A thorough wash is my number one tip for ensuring good sex. If you’re visiting the worker, take a shower right before you leave the house, and don’t be offended if we ask you to shower-wash again once you arrive. Many escorts will request you take a shower at the start of the session regardless of whether you did so earlier. It’s our way of being one hundred percent sure you’re one hundred percent clean.

Washing your butt crack is pretty obvious, right? Get right in there. With soap. Same goes for armpits—a splash of water doesn’t cut it, you really need to scrub (as someone who does a lot of workouts at the gym, I’ve found that exfoliating occasionally can help neutralise persistently stinky pits.)

There are other spots that matter too. If you’re on the bigger side and you have a stomach roll, you’ll need to make sure you scrub underneath, as sweat, dead skin, and bacteria can accumulate there. The belly button is another place that clients sometimes overlook. 

If you have a foreskin, pull it back and wash underneath with water. You can use a mild soap, but it’s advised to be gentle, as it’s a sensitive area. If you have balls (aka testicles), they can have a distinctive smell, and I recommend giving them a thorough once-over with soap too. Having someone play with your nuts is a wonderful experience, but it’s much less likely to happen if you’re sticky or sweaty. 

Considering the time and money that you put into your encounters with sex professionals, it’s worth putting effort into your hygiene too.

Fresh breath leads to a good makeout sesh

If you’re into kissing, good mouth-hygiene is essential. Although many escorts offer kissing as a service, it’s always conditional on your dental hygiene. After all, they’re getting up close and personal with your teeth, tongue, and lips, and that’s never going to happen if you have bad breath.

Here are a few tips for ensuring you’re kissable:

• Avoid eating or drinking anything strong beforehand, such as onion, garlic, or coffee.
• Brush your teeth but don’t floss directly before a session. Flossing creates micro tears in the mouth.
• Use mouthwash right before you make out with someone. Go to the grocery store to pick up one of those tiny, portable bottles and bring it with you to the session. If a worker’s in-call space has mouthwash in the bathroom, use it!

Keep hair anywhere on your body tidy and clean

To ‘scape, or not to ‘scape? It’s a bit like the “pineapple on pizza”debate–everyone has an opinion. But at the end of the day, your hair is your own business. Having hair, trimming or going clean shaven are all fine, as long as you practice good grooming.

If you have a beard, personal grooming becomes even more important. Facial hair can trap all kinds of stinky stuff, such as food and cigarette smoke, and also harbour bacteria. So, give that bad boy a thorough wash! If you condition your beard, your face will feel incredible and smell amazing too. It’s a great way to ensure a satisfying make-out session, if that’s a service your escort provides!

So, that’s the face. But what about the rest of you? 

If you regularly shave, try to squeeze in a fresh shave right before your meeting. Otherwise, you might leave your play partner with stubble rash on their face—or worse, on their nether regions. It’s totally up to you if you like to shave, trim, or keep a full bush—just make sure it’s clean!

Use aftershave and cologne in moderation, if at all

I love tasteful scents. I know a lot of people who have a signature scent they prefer to wear, and a hint of perfume or aftershave across the table at dinner can definitely make my heart beat a little faster when we’re flirting on a dinner date.

But it doesn’t wow everyone. Some workers might be allergic to perfume or have sensory processing issues that make strong smells overwhelming. Aftershave, cologne, or perfume can also sometimes taste a bit nasty. Many times I’ve gone to kiss someone’s neck, only to end up with a bitter taste in my mouth! So if you do use a scent, it’s best to use it sparingly. 

Sex workers often don’t wear scents at all because they don’t want the smell to cling to you after the session. Consider that this “attachment” can go both ways! Some clients avoid scent entirely, simply because it makes getting intimate too uncomfortable. If you’re worried that your worker might not appreciate your signature scent, ask them before you meet in person.

Attend to your hands, feet and nails

Dirty, pointy nails aren’t conducive to good sex. You can do a lot of damage to someone if you have sharp edges on your fingernails or toenails. Even a bit of dried skin on your hands can scratch your worker’s delicate anatomy!

It’s impossible to enjoy being touched when a client’s hands or nails are scratchy. Just imagine—every time you reach out for your date, they cringe because they’re afraid of being injured. Or, the day after your session, they’re left dealing with a nasty bacterial infection because you fingered them using dirty nails. Neither of these things will endear you to your escort.

You don’t need to book a mani-pedi to solve this problem (although it can be really fun.) Here are a few simple steps for great hands and nails:

• Use a nail scrubbing brush to remove dirt from under your fingernails.
• Cut your fingernails and toenails short with nail scissors. Nail clippers aren’t optimal, as a “straight across” cut often leaves sharp edges.
• Blunt your newly-trimmed nails with a nail file. This step is essential after trimming, as a freshly-cut nail will often have sharp edges. Pro tip: if you’re caught short, buffing your nails vigorously with a rough material such as denim or a towel can help remove any pointy bits.
• Moisturise your hands before the booking if you’re prone to calluses. This will help soften any rough skin on your fingers or palms. 

Good touch is essential for good sex, and smooth, well-kept hands are the sign of an experienced sexual adventurer.

How to dress to see an escort

Just as I don’t judge others for their body shape or age, I don’t believe in judging my clients for what they wear. I suspect most escorts are similar—whether you can afford designer jeans probably isn’t an issue. So when you’re worrying about what to wear on your next date, don’t feel bad if you’re not a big spender.

You know what impresses me? Making the effort to dress up, whatever ‘dressing up’ means to you. Spending time with a sex worker is very much like a regular date, in that it’s important to show you care and that you’re at least a little emotionally invested. So whatever you’d wear for a regular date is a good bet.

No matter what you wear, make sure it’s freshly washed. Even if you’ve worn something for a day or so and it smells fine to you, that might not be the case for the worker you’re about to meet. Don’t rely on the “sniff test”—take something straight off the clothesline.

This particularly applies to underwear. Having a clean pair is essential, so make sure you change out of the pair you just wore all day at work. 

Effort is more important than perfection

I know I say this a lot, but it’s true: having an enjoyable time with an escort isn’t about being perfect. You don’t need to be young or conventionally attractive. You don’t need to have impeccable fashion sense, feel confident, be sexually experienced, or make lots of money. But effort does matter. 

It’s the attitude of a new client that affects my enthusiasm. Being clean, smelling great, and dressing nicely shows me you care about our time together, and when I know you care, I’m much more inclined to take good care of you in turn. This is the key to a great encounter! If you’re able to demonstrate that you take your own pleasure seriously, we know that you’ll appreciate what we have to offer.

Achieve your peak experience with sex workers

The Satisfaction Project is Georgie Wolf's comprehensive guide to sex workers, for clients just like you. Get the know-how for life-changing encounters with escorts and other independent, hands-on providers.