Our Team Had a No Deodorant Debate – Which Side are YOU on?
No deodorant = no problem. Here’s how to keep armpits from smelling without deodorant!
Consider a new minimalist morning routine. ☀️
We found something you can skip buying next time you’re at the store, and over time it can save you big. Not to get too personal, but I don’t wear deodorant, and I’m here to tell you keeping your armpits from smelling without deodorant is totally possible! It could be the secret to an ideal daily routine you didn’t know you needed…though some of my Hip team members may not agree. 😂
Deodorant is a frequently talked about topic within our Hip team but not wearing deodorant at all is a hot topic that shocked a lot of our Hip sidekicks. Yes, you heard that right! Turns out some of us on the Hip2Save team don’t even wear deodorant at all and it’s saving us money in the long haul. 😱
Here’s what one Hip reader shared about recently ditching deodorant:
“I found myself wearing deodorant less when the pandemic hit and I wasn’t going anywhere, but I would wear it when I had to leave the house. However, since I was getting used to not wearing it, at times, I would take a shower, get dressed, and leave the house realizing way after that I forgot to put on deodorant. Then in January 2021, I had shoulder surgery so I couldn’t lift my arm and I stopped wearing it altogether. Now, I don’t wear any deodorant at all, and even when I go for a brisk walk at work, and come back sweaty and I do not smell! So, no more deodorant for me!”
Turns out that a significant amount of people stopped wearing deodorant altogether when working from home became more common. According to CNN, deodorant sales slumped significantly in 2020.
More recently, they noted the fact deodorant isn’t actually a medical necessity, but rather a cultural and personal preference.
The deodorant industry was worth $5.59 billion last year and is expected to make a steady increase over the next few years despite some people’s lifestyle changes since COVID. And while some are satisfied spending just a few bucks on popular drug-store brands, many are splurging on more health-conscious, natural deodorants. Designers like Tom Ford are in on the game too. Astoundingly, some consumers are spending a whopping $129.99 for just one stick of luxury deodorant. Say what?! 😱
This leads me to believe many of us could be saving if we thought twice about how to keep armpits from smelling without deodorant.
According to Statista, you could save on average about $26-$50 a year to ditch deodorant. However, it’s pretty clear deodorant is a must-have for the majority of our team. I did a very scientific poll 😉 and here were the results:
Final count: Deodorant – 30 vs. No deodorant – 2
I was shocked to be one of the only ones who don’t wear deodorant on occasion. 😂 That said, just because some of us are ditching this traditional and socially acceptable product, doesn’t mean we aren’t taking care of our pits. And it certainly doesn’t mean we’re walking around with a musk.
Did you know that sweating is not only totally normal but it’s also healthy and necessary?
Here’s what one of my Hip sidekicks shared about going no deodorant:
“For years I’ve been using The Ordinary Glycolic Acid instead of deodorant. It won’t keep you from sweating but it does keep you from getting stinky and may even help with hyperpigmentation. It works by changing the ph of your pits and gets rid of the bacteria that cause odor. You can add it to a spray bottle for easier application but I just drop a little onto some Shiseido cotton pads and wipe it on. I never do it right after I shave though and I always apply it at night, once my armpits have cooled down from my shower. I probably use it once or twice a week in the summer and I love it!” – Cass, Hip sidekick
Here’s what another Hip sidekick shared:
“Get ready for a super personal fact about me. I don’t wear deodorant and haven’t since I was a teenager. I promise I don’t stink! 😆” – Paige
Here are some of the benefits of not wearing deodorant:
- Less bacteria build up in sweat glands
- Your skin will be more clear of dirt, oil, and debris
- Your skin’s natural microbiome can reset
- Money-saving
- You’ll likely accept your body’s natural aroma
- According to MeMD, the body odor of other people also affects attractiveness on another level
Still convinced you need to cover up? Did you know that there’s a difference between Deodorant and Antiperspirant?
Deodorant is specifically made just to prevent body odor. This means you’re still going to sweat with it on. Deodorants can be applied not just to your armpits, but also to your feet and other parts of your body too.
Whereas, antiperspirant is just applied primarily to armpits. It also contains antimicrobial agents which prevent sweating by blocking sweat glands. This in turn reduces moisture on your skin, but in all actuality, this could be making you smell worse since it alters the composition of bacteria in your armpits. According to other studies, you’re also risking a paradoxical increase of sweat production in other areas of the body.
An armpit detox is a great idea for how to keep armpits from smelling without deodorant.
Body odor can also be a reflection of your gut’s health or other underlying health conditions (among other things). Thankfully, this quick and easy home remedy will help eliminate toxins and release odor-causing bacteria that could be building up in your body and contributing to foul body odor when you do sweat.
All in all, this simple tip could make it easier to start using a much more natural deodorant. Or ditch it all together like some of us. 😉
The truth is, I really don’t stink with no deodorant (promise!). I’m also super sensitive to smells so I truly do love the natural smell of my body. Luckily, my partner does too. 😆
So, if it’s just me and my laptop working from home, you can bet I’m normally not wearing deodorant on the day-to-day. 😏 Plus, the frugal side of me loves the added savings! However, for special occasions, I do still love a good natural deodorant or my go-to DIY deodorant. BUT I never wear it to mask a bad smell.
So we want to know — what do YOU (or don’t you) use?!
Choose a deodorant with clean ingredients that’s right for you.
If you’ve spent any time inside a middle school you know that people NEED deodorant! Natural or whatever you choose! I think people become immune to their own stink and it’s rude to tell someone they smell bad. Personally I wouldn’t say that to even my friends because it’s too offensive.
Not everyone needs deodorant. I will agree that most middle school boys need deodorant. It is a smelly age. A lot of them are just hitting puberty and haven’t figured out they stink.
“It’s a smelly age.” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 So true!
As an elementary school teacher I can tell you some students need to wear deodorant/antiperspirant. They also need to shower regularly.
My daughter’s dance teacher has made a few comments about the smell in a room full of 10-12 year old girls dancing. Honestly, I think at that age they could put it on all day long & they will still smell.
I work in retail and it is a fact that people cannot smell themselves…..at least i hope not…..wear deodorant, use soap and do laundry….save our noses!!!!
The best thing I’ve done was change to Native deodorant 3 yrs ago. The detox from years of having to apply deodorant 2-3 times a day was painful but once that was over it was worth it. I use the unscented but o love to keep the vanilla cupcake on hand for special occasions… I also buy native unscented for my 6 yr old granddaughter.. her mama laughs because I spend $12 on deodorant for a 6 yr old but it’s better to start her off on the good stuff now instead of later
Thanks for taking a moment to share about your detox experience and the deodorant brand you use now, Becky! So glad to hear it’s been working well for you! 🥰
I use Native all the time now. And since I buy the deodorant, I also pick it up for my daughter to use. She likes the cucumber one, but I will have to keep an eye out for the cupcake one.
Switched from antiperspirant to natural deodorant a few yes ago after reading some studies that linked aluminum to breast cancer. There was definitely an adjustment/detox period, but my armpits stink less now with or without deodorant. I routinely wear Raw Sugar or Native (when I can catch it on sale) and both work really well.
Happy to hear you’re enjoying some more natural branded deodorants, Casey! I made the switch a few years ago as well to Native, and agree that there was a bit of an adjustment period with it! 💞
I wear Lume deodorant which helps kill the bacteria 🦠odor. It really does work but wish they sold it on stores! I still sweat 😅 a lot… I tried other natural ones and none of them worked for me. I smelled terrible on Native. If I forget to put Lume on and just shower 🚿 I smell awful a few hours later. Like a smelly kid going through puberty 😂 yikes
Thanks for sharing about your deodorant usage and the brand you prefer, Michelle! Glad Lume seems to work the best for your body! 🤗💕
Target now sells Lume in stores! I just noticed a display at my store last week. https://goto.target.com/c/12116/81938/2092?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fc%2Fdeodorant-personal-care%2Flume%2F-%2FN-5xtzpZq643leuue27
Yay! Thanks so much!!!
My teen definitely needed deodorant, but it never really helped after 2 hours of sports. I went on a hunt for a more natural alternative that could help with the odor and switched her to Crystal. She loves it and she actually doesn’t smell anymore. It also lasts a really long time as she is still using the same stick I got her over 6 months ago with daily use…. and she has barely made a dent in it!
SO awesome that you’ve found an option that works best for your kiddo, je! Good to know how long it has lasted as well! 🙌💓
There is a huge difference between people who don’t need deodorant and those that choose to not wear it. I have been married to two men. One needed it and one didn’t. Nothing like being around people who smell like a garbage dump. As I have aged ,my body odor is the absolute worse. I’ve tried ever product advertised for this issue. Hey human is the only product that keeps me socially acceptable.