If you sweat a lot and are worried about body odor, you may consider using an antiperspirant deodorant stick. Antiperspirants contain aluminum chloride, a salt that plugs your pores to prevent sweat from escaping. A good deodorant should also have a mild antibacterial agent to keep you smelling fresh. However, even the best deodorant doesn’t always last as long as you might like. Below are some tips on how to make your deodorant last longer:
1. Shave those underarms
You may find that your deodorant lasts longer if you shave your armpits. This is because hair can hold moisture and bacteria, which are responsible for body odor, close to the skin, trapping them and making them harder to eradicate, even with the best deodorant.
2. Wear loose, breathable clothing
Wearing wool or synthetic fabrics, like polyester, can trap heat and sweat against your skin throughout the day. More specifically, if you have your armpits against synthetic materials all day, they’re more likely to become moist and bacteria-friendly, so your deodorant will be less effective. Instead, try wearing fabrics like cotton, linen, and silk that allow air to circulate around your skin and help your deodorant work more effectively. If it’s hot outside, you can also try wearing loose-fitting t-shirts and shorts to help your skin breathe better.
3. Use talc or baby powder
If you’re worried about your deodorant lasting throughout the day and notice that you’re getting a little sweaty and smelly, you can apply baby powder to your armpits and pulse points before putting on your deodorant. This will help absorb some of your sweat and excess moisture, helping your deodorant to be more effective and making it less likely that you’ll smell bad.
4. Apply deodorant to clean dry skin
Applying deodorant to damp or even slightly wet skin will be much less effective than applying it to dry skin. When they’re wet, your pores become open and ready to sweat; bacteria thrive in these conditions, so you’re far more likely to smell. So, once you’ve washed your armpits with a gentle cleanser, wait for them to dry before applying deodorant.
5. Wait for the product to dry fully
If you want your antiperspirant to last all day long, you don’t want to roll up your sleeves or put on a jacket directly after you put it on. This will cause the perfume to rub off and transfer onto your clothes, which will make it lose its effectiveness more quickly. Consider waiting for the fragrance to dry completely before putting on your clothes.
The effort of applying deodorant repeatedly throughout the day, though worth it to keep body odor at bay, can be irritating and mentally tiring. If you want your deodorant to last as long as possible, use it on clean and dry skin, wait for it to dry, and make sure you’re wearing fabrics that allow air to circulate.
