The Reason Why Your Deodorant Is Not Working - kaia naturals (2024)

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The Reason Why Your Deodorant Is Not Working - kaia naturals? ›

The real reason none of the natural deodorants you have tried have worked for you is simply because you didn't give it time. When switching to natural deodorant, your body – and more specifically your underarms – will go through a natural transition period commonly known as an armpit detox.

There are a few situational reasons that may have contributed to its downfall, such as ever-changing hormones, increased stress levels, new medications, or even a new workout routine. Any of these can lead to an increase in bacteria living on your skin.

"When switching from an antiperspirant to a deodorant, you are removing the aluminum and releasing waste which has been blocked. This is a natural process as part of our body's built-in mechanisms, but it may contribute to releasing some slightly unusual body odor in comparison to what you are used to.

Internal factors, like what you're eating, and external factors, like your environment, can impact how well your deodorant works. Increased humidity and altitude affect your “BO” profile, not just how much you sweat but also your microbiome and how it reacts to sweat.

If your deodorant is no longer effective, you may need to re-evaluate your deodorant routine. Several external and internal factors can affect your deodorant's effectiveness. These include humidity, altitude, and the microbiome of your skin. Also, certain foods, can affect the performance of deodorant.

Dry it out

We recommend applying to dry skin versus when it's wet so your skin can absorb the formula more easily. If your skin's surface is wet, it's less likely to absorb the product. Not to mention, some ingredients used in deodorants may react poorly to the water left on your skin, causing some unwanted irritation.

Natural deodorants typically contain ingredients that can help absorb moisture, but these ingredients aren't as effective as the products in antiperspirant that actually plug the pores creating the sweat. But this isn't a bad thing! Sweat is natural. Plus, you may not sweat as much as you think.

Armpit masks for detoxing often involve charcoals, clays, or apple cider vinegar. You mix up the ingredients, so say proponents, and slather them onto your pits, keeping your arms raised above your head as they dry.

“Natural deodorant reduces the scent of the sweat, but does not reduce the amount of sweat the body produces,” Collins told Verywell. “So if your main concern is the appearance of sweat in the armpit area of your shirt, deodorant will be completely ineffective in reducing the dreaded armpit sweat marks.”

Best Overall

Give your pits the protection they need with our top pick, the Uriage Clinical Strength Deodorant. It's a roll-on antiperspirant that glides on in just a few swipes to keep sweating at bay. The aluminum-based formula works by reducing underarm wetness, though it also targets odors.

Why do my armpits smell no matter what deodorant I use? ›

The primary cause of armpit odor is not the sweat itself, but the bacteria that thrive in the warm, moist environment of our underarms. When we sweat, these bacteria break down the proteins and fats in our sweat, producing the distinctive smell we associate with body odor.

However, unlike antiperspirant, deodorant does not block sweat. Thus, the potential mingling of sweat and bacteria might lead to unexpected odors even after deodorant has been applied.

The main culprit is the bacteria on your skin. The best natural deodorant for you will be the one that deals effectively with that bacteria. Some people find success with a formula that includes baking soda while others may need to go for ingredients like zinc, magnesium, or clays.

Both Halter and Poepping recommend trying the warm water method first, but if that doesn't work there's another quick fix you can turn to: Inserting a needle into the release mechanism to physically loosen the clog. "This will often do the trick and get you back spraying happily," Halter says.

Women who sweat a lot, look no further than Certain Dri's clinical strength antiperspirant/deodorant, which lives up to its name. It's made with a high 25% concentration of the sweat-stopping active ingredient aluminum. "I recommend this for those who have excess sweating and need better control," Dr. Luke explains.

It is less effective in reducing sweat, which is a downside for those who perspire heavily. You may need to reapply natural deodorant frequently throughout the day. You may still experience sweating even when applying deodorant, especially if you are used to antiperspirants.

Your body builds up immunity

Most deodorants use ingredients like aluminum to stop sweat, or alcohol to mask B.O. Over time, your body builds up a tolerance to these chemicals, so the more you use these types of deodorants, the more you have to reapply. A little counterproductive in our opinion.

Since you're no longer blocking your sweat glands and shrinking your pores with antiperspirant deodorant, your body has to relearn how to sweat naturally. This can take up to 30 days.