March 2021 | 5 minute read
Clean beauty industry maven Mary Futher founded kaia naturals® after spending 20 years working for global beauty companies. Mary now shares her weekly content series, delivering a quick fix, home remedy, or clean beauty product suggestion for a variety of human discomforts that some may find too embarrassing to discuss.
Natural deodorant can be a challenge for some as it is not formulated to prevent you from sweating. This is why natural deodorants are so much healthier than antiperspirants which block your pores. There are those that can use their natural deodorant and stay fresh all day long because they are not prone to consistent sweating. Then, there are those who use deodorant in the morning but by lunch hour are suffering from body odor because they are heavy sweaters. For the most part, these differences stem from body chemistry as everybody is different. However, if the latter is the case for you, don’t sweat it! Take it from me, as I am also one of those consistent sweaters. I will be sharing why this tends to happen and some tips to help your deodorant perform better and avoid the break-through odor by noon
This may not be what you expected, but sweat is not the cause of body odor. It is the bacteria that gets trapped within the moisture that creates the unpleasant smell. A 2016 medical study reported Corynebacterium is the bacteria found in the moisture of your armpit, along with Staphylococcus, Propionibacterium, and Micrococcus.
These bacteria become trapped within the moist dark crevice of your armpit creating the perfect environment for more bacteria to breed. If the bacteria is not properly cleansed from your armpits each time you shower, you are not applying your deodorant to a clean environment! Therefore, I found the key to controlling underarm odor is proper cleansing.
Tip #1: My Underarm Double Cleanse Method
I am going to suggest one of my kaia naturals products here, the underarm bar, as it is the only antibacterial bar of its kind that targets underarm odor. Designed to cleanse odor causing bacteria, I formulated it with activated charcoal, apple cider vinegar and salt to effectively remove yesterday’s deodorant build up and leave a protective barrier on the skin, helping to extend your deodorant well lunch hour.
Here is my Underarm Double Cleanse Method:
1. First Cleanse: Lather the antibacterial soap on each armpit for 10 seconds
2. Fully rinse off the soap
3. Second Cleanse: Lather the bar on each armpit for another 10 seconds
4. For the final rinse, check each armpit for a squeaky clean feeling
If you don’t feel the “squeak”, there may still be underarm residue that needs to be washed off.
Tip #2: Powder Protection
Invest in baby powder cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Both have properties that can help absorb excessive sweat throughout the day and keep your underarms dry so that bacteria does not have a chance to form. After getting out of the shower and applying your favorite natural deodorant, pat a layer of the powder on your underarms. For an added tip, keep the powder of choice in a travel container to touch up midday when you are on the go.
Two changes you could investigate to help reduce sweat production and body odor would be your stress levels and clothing fabric choices.
Since the bodily reaction to stress can trigger sweat glands to produce sweat, stress management and anxiety-reduction techniques can help you regulate your stress reaction and minimize your physiological sweat response.
Next, wear loose-fitting, natural fabrics like cotton and linen as these fabrics are breathable and will not trap sweat that allows odor causing bacteria to thrive. These fabrics will help your body to stay cooler better than constricting clothes made from non-breathable fabrics such as rayon or polyester materials.
If it is an absolute necessity to stay sweat-free for a day, this is a reminder that deodorants are meant to reduce odor, while antiperspirants help block sweat. As a natural deodorant expert I would always advise to stay away from using antiperspirants as they are made with harsh chemicals like aluminum. If you find yourself in a unique circumstance where natural deodorant doesn’t cut it, a little cheat if you must will not hurt. But try to avoid overusing antiperspirants as you will have to go through the armpit detox again when returning to natural deodorant.
Eliminates stubborn armpit odor using the power of apple cider vinegar, salt, and activated charcoal
Being naturally sweaty is a very normal human discomfort, however following my tips on how to help control sweat and avoid premature odor break-through may provide you with a little peace of mind and keep you odor-free well past lunch hour.
There are many preconceived notions about natural deodorant. This week, Mary answers the top 3 questions that people ask about natural deodorant.
Clean beauty industry maven Mary Futher founded kaia naturals® after spending 20 years working for global beauty companies. Mary now shares her weekly column, delivering a quick fix, home remedy, or
There are many factors that can impact our body odor. Find out 5 surprising causes that may be impacting your body odor.
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