Most of you must be using deodorants and antiperspirants to smell and feel fresh 24x7. Y’all also may have felt confused when trying to understand the difference between the two. It won’t come to you as a surprise that most people consider them to be synonyms. Confused? Don’t you worry cuties, we’ve got you!
Let’s break it down for you. Deodorants and antiperspirants have many key differences. They REALLY are as different as apples and oranges! To give you a basic understanding, deodorants help fight body odor, while antiperspirants block your body sweat. Still confused? You’ve arrived at the right spot! Let us give you an insight into the differences between deodorants and antiperspirants.
Battle Your Body Odor With Deodorants
Stopped wearing sleeveless because of smelly armpits? Well, if you’ve been blaming your body sweat, you’re probably accusing the wrong thing. Let us solve that mystery for you. Sweat doesn’t actually stink. The smell on your body is because of the hodgepodge of bacteria on your skin and the proteins and fat in your sweat. Your sweat glands under your armpits are prone to producing more sweat that the rest of your body (hair growth on your underarms being one of the key contributors to host a higher concentration of sweat and bacteria!). That’s the reason you may experience a funky body odor and the weapon to tackle this odor is deodorant!
As the name suggests, deodorants de-odorize your stinky pits by neutralizing & eliminating the odor-causing bacteria, instead of just masking the odor. Some deodorants eliminate the stinkies produced by sweat with substances like baking soda, which are no good for your skin. So, look out for products without aluminium, baking soda & other nasties, like de-odorizing pit creams, which are creamy deodorants that keep you odor-free for 12+ hours.
When And Where Should You Use A Deodorant
Your deodorant is supposed to be applied to clean and dry armpits. Step out of your shower, pat your underarms dry & take a pea-sized amount of the deodorant & massage it onto your pits. Voilà: odor-free, fresh armpits for HOURS! :)
You can also spritz on some fab-smellin’ body mists & eau de parfums after you apply deodorant creams to ensure you smell fab all day long.
To Block The Sweat, Or Not To Block The Sweat?
A Deep Dive Into Antiperspirants
The role of antiperspirants is to stop you from perspiring, using the aluminium salts present in them to block your sweat glands in order to get rid of sweat. This may seem like the perfect solution, but BEWARE, they truly are trouble in disguise! Conventional antiperspirants contain ingredients like baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to reduce odor, but this li’l villain not only irritates skin but also leaves behind a white residue, leading to toxic build-up. MOST importantly, sweating is our body’s way of keeping cool and letting out toxins. But using an antiperspirant blocks this very natural, essential process because of the presence of aluminium in it; pretty much making it that toxic relationship we all want to avoid!
When And Where Should You Use An Antiperspirant? (Although You Shouldn’t... Really!)
Antiperspirants can be applied on body parts where you sweat a lot, primarily your underarms, whenever you’re bothered by sweat. But as peeps who always have your back, we have to say, embrace that sweat, and SKIP the antiperspirant! Sweating is quite literally the cool thing to do (because it cools you down—see what we did there?) and stopping your body from naturally cooling down makes no “scents” at all! :P
Deodorant VS Antiperspirant: Which One Is Better For You?
Deodorants and antiperspirants tackle different problems. Deodorants eliminate body odor by eliminating bacteria. Antiperspirants stop you from sweating by blocking your sweat glands. But reiterating, sweating is natural; after all, your body needs to cool down and detoxify itself, right? So, you should definitely opt for deodorants, that are free of toxic ingredients and don’t cause any irritation or worse, darken your underarms. With no downsides, you can control the applied quantity, deal with the stink, and keep your armpits fresh & healthy, all in one go!
You now not only know the difference between the two products, but you also know about the e-pit-ome of somethin’ that’ll get rid of your stinky pits, i.e. de-odorizing pit creams!
FAQs
Is It Better To Use Deodorant Or Antiperspirant?
You’re better off using deodorants over antiperspirants; moreover, aluminium & baking soda-free deodorants. Deodorants help you get rid of body odor by dealing with stink-causing bacteria. But antiperspirants stop your body from sweating by clogging your sweat pores, which isn’t ideal. Opt for a de-odorizing pit cream that can help you eliminate odor.
What Is The Main Cause Of Body Odor?
Body odor is the result of the bacteria that live on your body, particularly in places like your underarms. Body odor can be exacerbated by poor hygiene, hot and humid weather, exercising recently, or eating certain types of food.
Do Antiperspirants Clog Pores?
Yes, antiperspirants temporarily block your sweat pores/glands. The aluminium salts in antiperspirants create a clog so you can stop sweating for a while. This can actually be harmful as it stops your body from naturally cooling down and detoxifying.
Why Do My Armpits Smell Even After A Shower?
Armpits smell because of the concentration of bacteria that live there. But if your armpits are always noticeably stinky even after showering, you might have poor hygiene or are using the wrong products for your underarms and skin.
