We’ve all been there. A quick whiff of body odour (B.O.) makes your nose wrinkle before you get hit with the sinking realization that the offending scent is coming from you.
These hacks will hold you from desperately trying to clean your pits with paper towels in the restroom at work.
Select the right deodorant for you
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a deodorant epically fail on you. On second thought, let’s leave these pits closed.
Finding the proper deodorant can be frustrating, however, if your current choice isn’t working for you, it’s time to kick it to the curb. You’re better than a deodorant that can barely make it through lunch.
It can also take a few tries to find a deodorant that works nicely with your biochemistry and day-by-day demands. You don’t have to try each and every deodorant on the shelf to find the proper one. Pay attention to active ingredients: If deodorants that use baking soda or tea tree oil as the active ingredient to beat smell are irritating or don’t work for you, you can omit every deodorant that lists them as an active ingredient (or that lists them high in the ingredients list).
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for any inflammation whilst you are experimenting. Smelling like roses is not really worth having itchy armpits.
Try Homemade deodorant
Struggling to find a deodorant that works for you? Skip the drugstore and formulate your very own that’s perfectly tailored to your preferences and biochemistry. Homemade deodorant won’t prevent you from sweating, however, it will assist you to stop the source of the odour, which is bacteria.
There are lots of different recipes out there, like this one for a homemade cream stick deodorant. The trick is finding the one that works for you. Some people are sensitive to baking soda and can also get contact dermatitis from it. If you get any irritation, cease the use of it at once and let your pores and skin calm down before making use of a different deodorant. Also, be aware that if your solution is too oily, you may additionally end up with oil stains on your clothes.
All hope is not lost if baking soda doesn’t work for you or if you hate powdery deodorants.
“I use a mix of apple cider vinegar and water for my deodorant,” said Erin Rhoads from The Rogue Ginger. “The apple cider vinegar helps kill the microorganism that causes body odour. I can’t use it post-shave, however, that’s OK, because shaving helps remove the microorganism anyway, so I hardly ever smell on these days.” Use apple cider vinegar carefully, as it can cause chemical burns and irritant contact dermatitis.
Smelly feet
Shoe spray has been a game-changer. It turns out my feet aren’t the problem, it’s my shoes. When I often spray my shoes (daily till the smell dissipates and then weekly as maintenance), my feet don’t smell at all. I use straight rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol) and spray it on with a little spray bottle. I spray them when I get home in the evening, and they are effortlessly dry and prepared to go by morning, no count how much I soak them.
Note: Rubbing alcohol is quite drying and can cause irritation and peeling. Always make sure to only spray your shoes, not your skin. Wear socks and make sure your shoes are totally dry before wearing them again.
