Hey My Fellow Sweatyfolk,
I’ve used deodorant/antiperspirant on a daily basis for ~20 years. The problem I have and why I’m embarking on this 30-day challenge is I’ve never actually met an antiperspirant that even slightly reduced my sweating. Deodorant works fine, but I feel like antiperspirant has the opposite effect on me. And despite two decades of ineffectiveness, I’ve continued to apply this stuff to my armpits. On some weird level, I feel like I was holding onto a fool’s hope that it’s all of a sudden just going to start working for me one day. I think that’s called denial and in reality, I’ve been stuck in a mindless habit that doesn’t really offer a satisfactory return on investment. After ~20 years of dissatisfaction, I’ve finally talked myself (and also my girlfriend) into exploring an alternative approach. So, we are going to take on this challenge of abstaining from deodorant/antiperspirant for the month of May.
First, I want to give you a bit of background on our sweatiness.
ME: I have always been a super sweaty guy. When I say sweaty, I mean at basically any level of physical exertion, I am (at the very least) sweating in the armpits and feet. There is no amount of layers that I will not sweat through and I have the pictures to prove it. Furthermore, I also have been known to sweat profusely in not only heat, but also in extremely cold temperatures. Thanks for the genes dad, you lovable sweaty teddy bear.
HER: My girlfriend isn’t nearly as sweaty as I am, but she definitely has her moments. Her main problem is the deodorant/antiperspirant never fully washes out of her clothes, leaving a noticeable stain in the armpit area that significantly shortens the lifespan of her shirts.
DEODORANT/ANTI-PERSPIRANT: We’ve both exhausted a variety of these products from the cheapest to the most expensive clinical strength as well as a many of the “natural brands.” Across the spectrum, they typically all succeed in deodorizing, but we’ve never found an effective antiperspirant. I tried some coconut oil over a three day run-in period, which worked to an extent but needed to be reapplied several times throughout each day. Plus, when I would sweat, the oil would leave stains on my shirts, so I don’t see that as a viable solution. I’ve decided to try using Raw Apple Cider Vinegar as an alternative, because it’s like THE home remedy for all ailments under the sun. Plus, I’m kind of a weirdo and these are the types of odd decisions I tend to make. My girlfriend is choosing to go completely free of anything at all.
The main goal of this experiment is to evaluate our physical and mental responses to being deodorant/antiperspirant free. Ideally, we want to be able to confidently answer these two questions.
- Do we really need to cover up our smell with deodorant?
- Do we really need to try to prevent ourselves from sweating with antiperspirant?
These are some sub-questions that we’ll be keeping in mind as we evaluate our mental/physical responses throughout the challenge.
- Because nothing in these products is a naturally occurring substance as it relates to the homeostasis of our armpits, could it be activating our sweat glands in order to detoxify?
- Because we’re clogging up our detoxification/cooling ducts, could that lead to overheating that would in turn, cause more sweating/smelling?
- How does the weather and temperature affect sweat/smell output everyday?
- How does food and beverage consumption affect sweat/smell output everyday?
- How does our sweat/smell output fluctuate based on psychological strain in any given moment?
- Sweat causes discoloration of clothes over time. But does sweat mixed with an anti-perspirant expedite the demise of clothes?
- Will anyone tell us if we smell except for each other?
HERE WE GO: I will post weekly updates here as well as on social media when something interesting occurs.
The schedule in the month of May includes a week of annual checkup Doctor Appointments, back to back weeks of visitors from out of town, and an outdoorsy Memorial Day trip to Colorado!!
STAY TUNED for Part 1 and thank you for reading!
