I stink! What to do?

[StinkyWinkyMe]

I'm 44 and I've never had problems with body odour but now I really notice if I forget my deodorant (I reckon the heat wave isn't helping 😂) but I also just...smell a bit worse? I have heard this might be related to perimenopause, but what to do about it?

My routine is: shower in the morning before work, pat myself dry, apply body lotion with SPF, and deodorant. But by the time I get to work I'm a bit sweaty. My armpits are a bit more ripe than I would expect but it's this sort of sweaty smell that is bothersome to me. Is there anything to be done about this? I'm a bit sensitive to perfumes and have quite sensitive skin so I'm not keen on loads of scented lotions, perfumes, etc. But I'm also feeling quite self-conscious about my new odour :(

Imo, the best antiperspirant is Sure 96 hour. I apply it and it lasts days. Other types of antiperspirant don't really work on me.

I’ve recently had the same problem, 49 and was absolutely stinking. Especially as I’m on sertraline and in the heat I’m sweating horrendously. I now use glycolic body wash - Naturium is the brand - and it’s made such a difference I don’t smell anymore

I’m still sweating like a demon though and am tempted to try AKT London as apparently it can be used on different parts of the body

Wash clothes inside out and line dry then as much as possible. Use soap for your underarms, nothing oily.
At weekends, when not at work etc, try not using anything or just use a natural spray deodorant. The Salt of the Earth brand is nice.

I find that I'm much fresher since I started wfh and don't need antiperspirant any more. And yes, it's much worse in peri-menopause.

Your antiperspirant might be part of the problem - it’s designed to block your pores to stop sweat but means sweat gets trapped and the bacteria that cause the smell have a feast.

I swapped to bar soap and salt rock - the literal block of rock from Holland and Barrett and I rarely smell now even in the hot weather.

You will need to unblock your pores first - hot cloth and soap scrub under arms.

Salt rock on damp underarms.

Body powder dusted all over can also help - talc free version applied with a big brush or puff.

Peri is the gift that just keeps kicking you in the ovaries.

Using a soap bar in a little jute bag instead of shower gel and switching to wild natural deodorant worked for me. I can still smell the wild deodorant a good 12 hours after I apply it. The jute bag acts as n exfoliant which seems to help quite a bit.