As your friend in the deodorant industry, sometimes we get to talk about the things no one else wants to, like body odor.  A very unfortunate truth of life, right?  Not necessarily.  Because you really don’t have to be smelly, even when you’re sweaty.  That’s right, we’re here to teach you how to get rid of body odor.  And, even better, what’s causing it in the first place.

Okay, so let’s get to the bottom of this.  Why exactly do we have body odor?  For starters, you have two types of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine.  Your eccrine glands are all over, and produce the sweat that’s mostly water, released to help you cool down.  Your apocrine glands though, in areas like your armpits, are the ones sweating out different proteins and toxins.

Still, the interesting thing is, the sweat itself doesn’t actually smell.  It’s completely odorless.  So unfortunately, eliminating sweat isn’t going to eliminate B.O.  And trying to stop your body from sweating all together with a traditional antiperspirant actually clogs your pores, and can make the stench even worse.

What makes sweat stink is when it mixes with the bacteria on your skin.  So, by neutralizing the interaction between these bacteria and your sweat, your able to get rid of any unwanted smell, while still letting your sweat glands do their thing.

So, yes, sweating is inevitable (and, beneficial).  But smelling definitely doesn’t have to be.  Here’s a few simple tricks to help your body with a B.O. problem.

1. Don’t skip laundry day

One way to keep sweat from mixing with these bacteria is to keep your clothes clean.  When we don’t wash our clothes regularly, we’re giving these bacteria that extra "in" to jumping on our skin.  So, in order to give our body a helping hand in staying clean and smelling good, we’ve got to stay on top of our laundry.

2. Always opt in for a body shower

Keeping our clothes clean wouldn't really matter if we weren't keeping our skin clean, right? Making a body shower part of your daily routine, if it isn't already, is so important in ridding your skin of odor causing bacteria (and, just all bacteria).  Our bodies take on all the impurities of the day, so taking just a couple minutes to rinse our skin does wonders.  Not to mention, a quick shower is a great way to kickstart your day in the morning, or unwind in the evening. 

3. Swap out your deodorant

Rather than masking your stench with a heavy chemical fragrance, or clogging your pores with a harsh antiperspirant, swap for an option that tackles the real problem.  Choose an alternative that addresses and neutralizes the stench causing interaction between your sweat and your skin’s bacteria.  This way, you let your body do its thing, but you don’t have to worry about B.O. stopping you from doing yours.

We’ve all been a victim of unsavory armpit stench at one point or another.  But we really don’t have to be.  Because we know what’s causing it, so we can take these simple steps to deal with it.

When reaching for a health goal, we often ask ourselves, “how much time exactly am I supposed to spend exercising?”  Well, the answer to this is relatively simple.  When it comes down to it, you should be moving your body every day.  However, there is a such thing as too much exercise, too.  If you aren’t giving your muscles the time they need to rest and recuperate, you could actually be doing more harm than good.

So, we wanted to clear the air.  And not only help clarify how much you need to be exercising in order to reach your health and wellness goals, but also, just how much you need to be moving your body in general.

Our bodies are our greatest tool.  They are capable of so much, and we need to show our appreciation by keeping them healthy and happy.  We’re all guilty of getting caught up in our busy schedules, and maybe not giving our body’s the little bit of TLC they deserve.

But, how do we change this?

Think about it this way.  You should be moving your body every day.  This doesn’t mean hitting the gym every day.  But it does mean stretching your limbs and getting your blood flowing.  Go for a short walk when you get home from work, or spend five minutes every morning stretching each muscle.  Our bodies crave movement in order to fight off stiffness and fatigue, especially when we’re most likely spending the majority of our day working. 

When you are trying to reach a specific fitness goal, you’re range of movement obviously has to be a little more intensive than a walk around the block.  But how often you’re pushing your body is still important.  While moving your body every day is necessary, so is a day of rest from any workout.  Your muscles need time to recover from all that hard work you’re putting in.  So, pick a day to skip the gym and stroll around your block instead. 

And, to see the best results when reaching for your health and wellness goals, remember to switch it up.  Challenge your muscles in different ways.  Alternate between running, yoga classes, and riding your bike on different days of the week.  Throw some circuit training and strength building exercises in there, and you’ll be feeling stronger faster than you can even say, “fitness.”

The goal to understanding whether or not you’re moving your body enough is really just to be in touch with yourself.  Remember it’s important to treat our bodies right by taking them out for a spin each and every day.  But also remember, that our muscles do need rest in order to keep working hard and keep us going.

We’re proud that none of our products contain any harsh chemicals, and it's exciting to see other leading skin care professionals hopping on the same chemical-free train. But with all of the different skincare products out there, it can quickly become overwhelming when deciding which one to go with.

The good news? Knowing some of the red flags to look out for when making your decision can make this process much easier. 

Here are a few to keep in your back pocket:

Heavy Fragrances

In general, the way fragrances in skincare products are regulated can get a bit tricky. Many of the ingredients that make up a heavy fragrance tend to fly under the radar, and can be filled with tons of spooky synthetic and allergy-provoking chemicals. 

So what's a person to do? Look for products that utilize natural oils or allergen-free fragrances (much like our own), and brands that are transparent about the ingredients that go into their products. Hey, if the shoe fits. 

Heavy Exfoliators

Exfoliating is incredibly important. But we’ve said it before, and we still stand by it: there is such a thing as too much exfoliation. And heavy exfoliators can be harmful to your skin.  Abrasive scrubs strip your skin, which leads to dryness and irritation.  And, it can worsen skin conditions like eczema, rosacea, and acne. 

Instead, try natural cleansers and more gentle exfoliators to keep your pores clean, and your skin healthy.

Long-Wear Makeup

We know that maybe makeup isn’t technically skincare, but you still are applying it to your skin, right?  So, we figured, might as well arm you with the power of knowledge in this department as well.

 For starters, long-wear makeup products are able to cling to your skin for so long because their packed full of strong chemicals that your skin shouldn’t be exposed to on a daily basis (or, honestly ever).  And, that’s not the only problem. 

When wearing long-wear makeup, we tend to fall off of our typical skincare routine.  Think: not washing your face because it’s “concealer you can sleep in.”  It’s never good to have harsh chemicals on your skin, but especially overnight.

At the end of the day, slowly replacing any red-flag products with alternatives that are free of harsh chemicals and parabens is a great place to start.  Trust us, your skin will thank you.