Deoderant

[geekette]

A male friend of mine has noticeable BO. He brought it up himself, said he is "a sweater" and no deoderant can help him. He's in his mid50s so it's plausible that he's tried a lot of them.

But here's the thing - he apparently applies it Right After shower, when he is still moist. I don't ever do that, I make sure my pits are dry when the stuff goes on, and I can't imagine wet hairy pits really taking to the substance well. I learned by experience and I don't have hairy pits. Plus, back then there were only roll-ons so wet on wet never made sense to me (once solids came out I never went back to roll ons, and zero interest in gel formulations). If the idea is to have dry pits, I don't understand incorporating moisture into the routine. Doesn't that put the dryness tool behind the 8 ball?

So, question especially for the gents with hairy pits, do you wait until you are actually dry to put on deoderant or are you merely towel dried? If you have tried it both ways, I'd like to know results. Guy in question uses regular Mitchum stick, says it's the best he's found.

 

[nomoretslt]

I’m not a guy and don’t have hairy armpits, but I do perspire a lot.. Important thing is to use a deodorant soap in the shower. Dial gold is the best for me. Second thing is to use a combination deodorant/antiperspirant. I’m allergic to quite a few but have settled on Arrid and Secret. Gel or solid. I do think sprays work best but don’t like the idea of breathing that in. Mitchum is great for the sweat, but odor not so much. A good idea is to buy an assortment of travel sizes and see what works. I remember reading about some procedure too that can help reduce sweating.....not surgery, but some kind of treatment.
Also, the odor can get imbedded into clothing. So if you start sweating it will activate the smell in the shirt.
At least your friend knows it’s an issue and isn’t embarrassed to talk to you about it.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

I'm a guy and I wait until my armpits are dry before I apply a deodorant.

 

[mentalbreak]

Not a guy, but yes -absolutely need to be dry for applying deodorant!

I recently discovered Lume. It is amazing! $$$$ but absolutely a game-changer. Would make a great Christmas gift - they probably have Black Friday specials.

Note -the scents don’t last very long so aren’t critical. We have used twisted lime and tangerine. Both were pleasant enough. “Unscented” does not mean no scent and gets some criticism.

HIGHLY recommend! Good luck to your friend.

 

[plpgma]

I'm a guy and I make sure my pits are dry before I put deodorant on -- seems to work for me. It is true that finding a good deodorant to do the actual 'de-odor' part can be tricky -- but I find it hard to understand how a guy in his 50's hasn't figured that out yet.

 

[geekette]

I'm a guy and I make sure my pits are dry before I put deodorant on -- seems to work for me. It is true that finding a good deodorant to do the actual 'de-odor' part can be tricky -- but I find it hard to understand how a guy in his 50's hasn't figured that out yet.

I can sum him up as cute but dumb. Cheated his way through high school and college, bad enough, but why tell people?

 

[geekette]

Fabulous responses and ideas, folks! thank you.

 

[Passepartout]

I don't generate much perspiration, and use a stick antiperspirant after towel drying. What aggravates me is the white gunk it leaves on my shirts I pull over my head. But I guess that's a different issue.

 

[Big Matt]

Towel dry only. I use Dove for men deoderant (not antiperpirant). I shower after I work out in the morning.

 

[susieq]

I don't generate much perspiration, and use a stick antiperspirant after towel drying. What aggravates me is the white gunk it leaves on my shirts I pull over my head. But I guess that's a different issue.

Hubby had the same problem ..... till I suggested he put his shirt on first. Then go up & under with the deodorant.

 

[Luanne]

I don't generate much perspiration, and use a stick antiperspirant after towel drying. What aggravates me is the white gunk it leaves on my shirts I pull over my head. But I guess that's a different issue.

I use a damp washcloth to remove the "white gunk" that gets on shirts after I put on deoderant. I don't like putting it on after I've put a shirt on.

 

[callwill]

This discussion stinks!

 

[DeniseM]

My experience with stinky men is that some of them don't do a complete body soap-down in the shower. The wash pits, crotch, and face with soap and just rinse everything else.

 

[easyrider]

Never thought about it but it's Right Guard unscented after a bath even though I probably don't need it because I naturally smell like ginger or vanilla. Kind of an odd topic.

Bill

 

[geist1223]

I stopped using deodorant years go. No complaints.

 

[Brett]

I stopped using deodorant years go. No complaints.

Steve Jobs didn't believe in deodorant or taking showers

"Steve Jobs believed that his commitment to vegan diets meant his body was flushed of mucus and that it meant he was free from body odor, so he didn't need to wear deodorant or shower regularly."

https://www.nbcnews.com/healthmain/strange-eating-habits-steve-jobs-119434

 

[geekette]

I stopped using deodorant years go. No complaints.

If I didn't perspire, I wouldn't use it, either. But I know my pit sweat stinks. Sounds like you are one of the lucky ones. Well, except Bill's vanilla ginger pits.

 

[geekette]

Steve Jobs didn't believe in deodorant or taking showers

"Steve Jobs believed that his commitment to vegan diets meant his body was flushed of mucus and that it meant he was free from body odor, so he didn't need to wear deodorant or shower regularly."

https://www.nbcnews.com/healthmain/strange-eating-habits-steve-jobs-119434

ew. I sure would like to hear from those who worked closely with him.

Everybody sheds skin cells, showering is an effective way to be out with the old and get growing the new. In Mom's LTC, she gets showered twice a week. I think that is sufficient for someone like her, that mostly sits in bed or in a chair, not a lot of activity. No weird foods.

Of course, one can believe whatever they want to. It seems to me that some people are oblivious to their stink, but I certainly know when I smell ripe. If I don't like my stink, I can't see how it would be ok to expose it to others.

 

[dayooper]

I know it’s not as eco friendly, but I like the spray on anti-persperant. I feel it works better than the stick.

Also, since I coach middle school football, Axe body spray must work as well. I walk into the locker room and it almost suffocates me. They must use a full freaking can after every practice!

 

[geekette]

My experience with stinky men is that some of them don't do a complete body soap-down in the shower. The wash pits, crotch, and face with soap and just rinse everything else.

When I am limited to 5 gallons or less, I definitely focus on the important parts and too bad for everything else. Get yourselves clean, feet.

That's one way our offgrid experiment has failed - there are no hot showers on demand, a little pump goes into a 5 gallon bucket of water that either sun, fire or propane has helped heat. I am close to making an offer on a little plot of land and I'll get elec hooked up shortly after the well is drilled. I can't live like this. Landowner, however, seems to enjoy everything being super basic and much harder than it needs to be. Then she can keep on doing it.

 

[JanT]

I have no idea why but this thread is just cracking me up. I'm not a man so can't help answer the question but I'm not sure how anyone can not use deoderant and not smell. But, I suppose it's possible. Regarding Steve Jobs - well he might have been a genius but I think he was off the mark on the anti-shower/anti-deoderant issue. And not to be cruel but I'm not sure that vegan diet really helped him either.

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis don't believe in showering every day - either themselves or their kids. They said they do clean the "important" parts everyday. YUCK!!!!

 

[easyrider]

If I didn't perspire, I wouldn't use it, either. But I know my pit sweat stinks. Sounds like you are one of the lucky ones. Well, except Bill's vanilla ginger pits.

I just asked my wife about my scent. She said I didn't have a scent and that I am a smelly man but she fixed it with soap and deodorant. My scent is the soap I guess. The Right Guard is unscented. I'm am so disillusioned because I guess I can stick as much as the rest of you all if I try.

Bill

 

[Passepartout]

We can all be happy we aren't living a couple hundred or more years ago. It was considered 'unhealthy' to bathe. People smelled the way, well, people smell. I seem to remember classical poetry, (Shakespeare?) who described someone whose breath was fresh as 'new-mown hay'.

I remember training new truck drivers. There were some who, to be charitable, had an aversion to water. I had to have 'the talk' with them, because we basically lived 4 feet apart. I'd tell them that under 'normal' circumstances, we'd shower daily. But when we were under a 'hot' load that had to get across the country ASAP, we could still shower every other day while the other one of us fueled the truck. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES would we go longer than 48 hours. By the 49th hour we'd be standing under a warm shower.

Jim

 

[geekette]

I just asked my wife about my scent. She said I didn't have a scent and that I am a smelly man but she fixed it with soap and deodorant. My scent is the soap I guess. The Right Guard is unscented. I'm am so disillusioned because I guess I can stick as much as the rest of you all if I try.

Bill

Sounds to me like you are a Get Things Done kinda guy, so I'm guessing you could stink if you really wanted to. But the wife has hooked you up with pleasant scents.

 

[Janann]

Also, the odor can get imbedded into clothing. So if you start sweating it will activate the smell in the shirt.

Using a detergent that is made for this problem, like Tide Sport, should help.

Another body smell issue can be clothing that was left damp in a laundry basket after partially drying it. I've had the misfortune of being around a couple of those people in the office over the years.