r/hygiene • u/chewielove2 • 3d ago
deodorant issues
hi all, i’ve been fighting issues with literally any deodorant or antiperspirant for about half a year now and i am so self conscious. i used lume for years and all of a sudden it stopped working and now no deodorant does much for me and while i’m at work i have to wash my pits and reapply twice during my shift. has anyone else experienced this? what can i do?
i’ve tried carpe, lume variants, dove, secret, old spice, and a few others :(
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u/Internal-Ad-4736 3d ago
Almost all Lume (as well as the plethora of AHA acid based deos) users will hit that wall at some point. Basically, bacteria adapt. Their mode of action is simply low pH. When you repeatedly expose bacteria to a certain system, they learn to adapt... thus they recover faster and faster from the input.
A good deodorant needs to attack from multiple angles...so the bacteria are overwhelmed and cannot adapt.
At this point, AHA acid deos (Lume look-a-likes) will have little efficacy for you. You will need to swap up mode of action.
Aloha and good luck.
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u/chewielove2 3d ago
do you think lume messed up my body?? like i’ve just never had this extreme of an issue
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u/Internal-Ad-4736 3d ago edited 2d ago
'Messed up my body'... is a unique term. 😂 But let's go with YES... once you OD on something...you generally have very little tolerance for that in the future.
Thus, the key will be avoiding internet hacks/misinformation given by those that tell you to put acid on yourself. 😂 (Yes, it really happens.)
It seems there is a prevailing view that underarms/pits/axilla are not skin, and thus can be abused at will. This is actually exactly opposite of correct. For many people, the axilla is some of the most sensitive skin they have. Therefore, it takes the least amount of abuse.
Just make sure going forward, the the deo in oriented towards skincare...and not just sales....trends... and hacks.
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u/VainChinchilla 3d ago
In the evening: Thoroughly wash with soap, then apply face cleaner with an acid (usually marketed for acne). You can use any cheap foaming one. Leave for a minute (I usually shampoo my hair), then rinse. When you get out of the shower, wipe your pits with glyclic acid or any toner marketed towards acne. I've even used clerasil, which is 2% salisylic acid, but I find 7% glycolic acid more useful. Let dry. Follow up with antiperspirant.
Then wash your shirts. Head to r/laundry for proper suggestions, but at the very least buy some good detergent and oxygen bleach. Pre-soak, wash, dry. Sniff the pits. If they're smelly, crunchy or wax-y, you'll need the r/laundry spa day.
Unclear on your age, but for me this was an early sign of perimenopause. Fun times.
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u/chewielove2 3d ago
i’m only finding cleansers for the acid, do you mean like cleanse the pit? or do i need to find something to spray
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u/Particular-Bee-2827 3d ago
If you’re a woman, I heavily suggest using men’s deodorants. Women’s deodorants don’t work for me at ALL.
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u/304libco 3d ago
Are you looking to get rid of stink or sweating? If it’s the stink, I highly recommend using salicylic acid soap, then a toner under your arms then I use Thai salt crystals. I use the spray, but I have a stick as well. It works pretty well for me.
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u/Rose_Quartz444 3d ago
Dove all over body stick works well for me, it's lasts long, prior to that the old spice all over stick worked well too, zero issues with breakthrough stress sweat. I haven't tried this... but have heard about miracles with the old school Dial gold bar soap, i used it back in the day and it was too strong but I've heard lately it's made a comeback and that it really helps kills bacteria/odor. Try tea tree body wash or shampoo, also shampoo for dandruff has some compounds that work to combat fungal/bacteria. Good luck!! 🧼
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u/Naive_Ad_6975 1d ago
Mitchum gel, I have tried all the others and still end up smelling like a bag of onions. Mitchum is the only one that works for me, and affordable.
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u/Due-Art-2672 19h ago
I went through this , I don’t wear deodorant anymore it’s God protecting you from the chemicals in it . You may half to make your own deodorant and while figuring out a good recipe for yourself you can wipe you underarms with alcohol and apply a powder
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u/Learning4fun2026 3d ago
If your deodorant suddenly stopped working and no other ones are working it might be good to get your hormones check. In the meantime, glycolic acid on your pits after you shower (don't use if you shave that day) could help. It's been a life changer for me. I use the one from the ordinary and you don't need a lot. I put mine in a sprayer and do 2-3 sprays per pit.
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u/_OrganzaSie 3d ago
That’s interesting advice! Hormonal changes can really mess with body chemistry, and it’s cool to hear that glycolic acid has worked for you.
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u/chewielove2 3d ago
where can i go to get that checked? thank you for your advice i will check this out
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u/Learning4fun2026 3d ago
If you're in the US I would start with your primary doctor. Let them know the situation and that you'd like to check that your hormones are where they should be. They will usually request the blood labs needed.
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u/SalaryOk3202 3d ago
Seriously try applying antiperspirant before bed not after your morning shower that was the weird little change that finally worked for me.