Honking of body odour!

[Manatee50]

Is it just me noticing but there seems honking body odour permeating the air. Are people just not washing? Or is a thing to reek ? It seems tubes, buses, streets have are filled with people with stifling B.O.

Armpit hair will make you sweat a lot more, simply because your underarms get hotter when hairier! If I forget to shave mine for a week, I get damp and can smell sweat! I never get damp like that if they're hairless and I use antiperspirant.

And a top can easily be changed if you get sweaty in it. Armpit hair is far more difficult unless you wash it under the sink at work halfway through the day! 😆

In summer most people have hairless armpits unless they wear long sleeves. When you're layered up, it's easy to think it doesn't matter.

This isn’t my experience. Hair is a natural regulator. I guess we’re all different and I’m not a sweaty person unless working out but when I have removed hair below, I’ve found the pubic area gets sweaty. With armpits I think the reality is that females who go natural are possibly less likely to wear deodorant, maybe because they feel less sweaty or because they choose to go natural.

i do think 30 degree washes aren’t great for removing sweat from clothing. My gym stuff needs 40 degrees despite detergent stating you can wash at 30.

Not mine either. My armpits always feel sweatier when they’re hairless.

Might be because it's gotten colder but not freezing yet, so people are starting to wear coats and jumpers but then sweating underneath them. I never know what layers to wear for the school run atm but hopefully I smell of perfume.

I don’t smell but have the nose of a bloodhound and my children have inherited my husband’s sweaty gene 🤢. Also my unfortunate hairiness so that’s a genetic inheritance and a half. Just bought them all Solid Bar Company probiotic deodorant cream. I have been amazed. It’s a faff to put on but even after very heavy exercising and a day wearing vile polyester school uniform they smell nice. Husband too.
We all bathe at night and shower in morning and use bar tar soap etc., I wash sports kit on 60’c with bio and detergent pre soak, but this made a real difference and we were very sceptical.

When I used to shave my armpits smooth, I would get beads of sweat rolling down my side.

The hair keeps everything in place. And with daily showers and roll on antiperspirant, it doesn’t smell.

So I definitely prefer it.

The biggest issue with armpits is the sweat smell staying in the pit area of clothes IMO.

Apologies OP, I take it back! I took two trains today and the smell was very noticeable. I can’t think why, but I do see what you mean.

You’ll get better coverage of antiperspirant if you shave your armpits.

hairy pits or shaved, deodorant or none, menopausal or post Covid, if I can smell you from a distance you certain haven’t washed for a while. Leaving a trail of stale sweat is just unpleasant! That said I thought it was a district line thing but a mate said picadilly line reeks!

It's the same, unfortunately. It doesn't matter what I wear, how new it is, how old it is, or the type of material. But I do think it's at least something to do with how my clothes are washed - I bet the sweat smell isn't being completely removed

I was thinking of this thread yesterday when I went in to a toilet cubicle at work and it STUNK of old BO.

But wouldn't they pick up your bacteria and start to smell more?

Fussy is the only thing that works for me. I've gone from having to wash in my breaks at work and have a spare top available at all times, to having no BO issues at all (confirmed by my own nose and my partner). Even if it was found to be terrible for the environment there is no way I would swap back now. I've seen countless other positive comments about natural deoderant on here on the various BO threads too. And these aren't people who refuse to admit they might smell...they are people who know they did and have seen an improvement.

So I don't agree that natural deodorants are the issue. There surely can't be that many people who would happily go around stinking for the sake of the perceived benefit on the environment. Unless there is a genuine safety concern, people will use what works for them.

Have people tried using 'Soapy Bath Wipes' or 'Soap Infused Sponges' on days they need a freshen up or have no time to shower? I sometimes use them before school run or when I'm ill and have to skip showering. They're dry wipes infused with no-rinse soap. Add water to it and it lathers creamy foam. One or 2 wipes is enough for whole body. The foam sort of absorbs, leaves you very fresh, dry and moisturised. I use them all over apart from face.

Initially I got them from Temu for camping, now I get from Amazon. Easy to carry a couple of dry wipes in your bag to clean armpits and reapply deodorant during day.

Great for potty training toddlers too! Or for giving them a damp soapy wash all over when no time for a bath!

I find persimmon soap and sure 72 hour deodorant stick works for me. I get sweaty/smelly quite quickly. Along with dettol laundry sanitiser. I expect a lot of the stinky people also have mental health issues too.