Here’s the question:
Hi there!
Is there any information, that you’re aware of, about natural deodorants standing up to high intensity exercise and sweating? Not sure if my hormones are changing, as, it appears, anything can and will happen to our bodies after 40, but good old Tom’s ain’t up for the challenge, these days.
Thanks!
What do you suggest? Help a reader out!
I’m looking forward to reading the wisdom contributed by the audience here. I have no experience in some of these things (e.g. circling the sun 40 times) but recently learned a whole bunch about the mis-marketing of this category of products.
(1) Deodorant deals only with bacteria and prevents their growth (usually it’s their excrement which stinks); apply it while still damp from cleaning/washing e.g. just after patting dry from a shower; it need not have an odor nor added fragrance.
(2) Anti-perspirant clogs pores to prohibit sweat from certain parts of our largest organ, our skin. Best to do your cleaning/washing at night, apply the product then, and allow for the clogging to be made effective overnight.
(3) The previous two functions may be combined into one product.
(4) During high intensity exercise we must sweat to cool our bodies. (Swimming in cool water may prevent sweating! but if you’re absorbing chlorine from the pool, then sweat & rinse to clean your skin of the chlorine) That sweat is likely to rinse/wash off deodorant.
(5) Chemistry of each product and each human is unique. Try a bunch and decide what works. it seems to me that some fragrances react to enhance / reduce the effectiveness of the same product from the same manufacturer. Happy shopping!
(6) Washing + clean clothing is best. Wiping off the bacteria and covering it with clean clothing is next best. Allowing fabrics to dry on my body is worst; when I next sweat some stink is guaranteed, and made worse if it’s fancy wicking polymers! Fancy that!
(7) Hand towels are great for wiping dry. Layering fabrics can also do good; you can choose to have more evaporation (and saturation) or an outer layer that blocks either the moisture or the appearance of moisture. Simply squirt your water bottle at clothing to test whether it changes colour to reveal moisture in a big way.
(8) I hear hand towels are great for midday spot-washings before re-applying deodorant. Never yet tried that myself. Rarely ever tried to fake it by applying deodorant (having an odor) to mask other odor. Changing shirts usually solved my issue sufficiently.
I have a confession: I’ve never used deodorant nor anti-perspirant. Yes, I’m born and lived all my life in Canada. And yes, I eat foods with garlic. Am I the only reader like this?
I’ve asked my partner: Do I smell? He never thought I did when he first knew me (that’s only the test. By now, he’s used to me.)
Do you swear? I would have wet armpits if I didn’t use antiperspirant….
Perhaps the point is how much it shows and how it bothers the person..
Very true.