Guide
Why natural deodorant stops working
It worked fine for weeks. Now you smell by lunchtime. Your body didn’t get used to it. That doesn’t happen with deodorant. Something else changed, and it’s usually one of six things. Most of them are easy to fix.
First, the basics
Sweat doesn’t smell. Bacteria do.
Fresh sweat barely smells. The smell comes from bacteria on your skin that feed on it.
So a deodorant either hides the smell with perfume, or it stops the bacteria. That difference is behind most of the problems below.
The six reasons
Which one is it?
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It was only covering the smell
A nice scent smells great in the morning. By the afternoon it’s gone, and the bacteria were there the whole time.
How to tellYou’re fresh in the morning and not by mid-afternoon.
What to doUse one that stops the bacteria instead of covering them up.
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Your skin is irritated
A lot of natural deodorants use baking soda, and it can be rough on skin. Once your armpits sting, you skip a day or use less, and the smell comes back.
How to tellRed, itchy or stinging armpits.
What to doSwitch to one without baking soda and give your skin a few days.
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There’s old product in the way
Leftover deodorant and body wash can build up on your skin. New deodorant sits on that layer instead of on your skin.
How to tellIt worked well at first and wears off faster now.
What to doWash with soap, dry off completely, then put it on.
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Your sweat changed
Hot weather, more exercise, stress, hormones, food and some medicines can all change how much you sweat and how it smells.
How to tellSomething changed in your life around the same time.
What to doStay with the same deodorant, put it on clean, dry skin, and give it a week.
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You just stopped using antiperspirant
Antiperspirant stops you sweating by plugging your pores. When you stop using it, they open back up, so the first few weeks can feel sweatier. That’s normal. It’s not a detox.
How to tellYou switched less than a month ago.
What to doGive it 2 to 4 weeks. Most people settle down by then.
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How you put it on
Too little, on damp skin, or getting dressed before it’s soaked in. Each one makes it wear off sooner.
How to tellSome days it works and some days it doesn’t.
What to doUse enough, on dry skin, and wait a minute before you get dressed.
Skip these
What doesn’t help
You’ll see these tips a lot. They don’t do much.
When it’s not the deodorant
When to see a doctor
If the smell changes suddenly and a lot, or you sweat through your clothes on a cool day, see a doctor. Those can have causes no deodorant will fix.
How nuud works
Stop the bacteria, not the sweat
nuud is a deodorant cream that stops the bacteria instead of covering up the smell. It uses tiny bits of silver to do it, and bacteria can’t become resistant to silver.
No baking soda and no perfume. One pea-size dab per armpit keeps you fresh for up to three days. You still sweat like normal. nuud stops the smell, not the sweat.
Start clean and dry
Apply after a shower, on dry skin.
Take a pea-size dab
That’s enough for one armpit. More doesn’t work better.
Rub it in
Rub it in until you can’t see it.
Questions
Deodorant questions
Can your body get used to deodorant?
No. Your body doesn’t get used to deodorant. When it seems to stop working, something else changed: your sweat, your skin, how you put it on, or it was only covering the smell.
Does an armpit detox work?
There’s no evidence it does. Nothing is stuck in your armpits waiting to come out. The extra sweat after quitting antiperspirant is just your pores opening back up, and it settles on its own.
How long does it take to switch from antiperspirant?
Usually 2 to 4 weeks. You may sweat more at first because your pores aren’t plugged anymore. Stick with one deodorant and put it on clean, dry skin.
Why do I still smell right after applying?
Deodorant doesn’t remove a smell that’s already there. Wash with soap, dry off, then put it on.
Should I reapply during the day?
If your deodorant only covers the smell, you often have to. nuud keeps you fresh for up to three days, so most people don’t. If you do notice a smell, wash first instead of adding more on top.
Why do my armpits smell like onions?
Some of the bacteria in your armpits turn sweat into a smell a lot like onions. It’s the bacteria, not a sign you’re not clean, so stopping the bacteria stops the smell.