Whiffy armpit update

[JessiCake]

A brief new thread, just so anybody interested (I still can't believe how many of you were nice enough to post with advice!!) doesn't have to trawl through.

Staggeringly, it seems as if a mere switch to SOAP has pretty much done the trick

I've not even broken out the new deodorant yet because I've washed with soap these past two mornings and even with my old deodorant I am fresher at 7.30pm than I was at 9.30am that morning I posted.

Only change - soap instead of shower gel.

I can't believe I have let my lovely tops get whiffy all these years when it was a simple a solution as that!!!

I will def try the new deodorants (Sure is my first one to try out) as the problem isn't TOTALLY solved (about 80% improved, though) and I've had relatively non-busy/running aorund days, so I would want a strong, reliable deodorant for a busy or warm day.

But really, for any other sufferers, I had to start a new thread just to say SOAP SOAP SOAP.

What the hell is (or is not) IN shower gel, that it does such a crap job?

Massive thanks again to everyone.

Yours un-whiffily
Jessicake

OP, so glad you have found a solution (almost!). I meant to reply on the other thread about soap. Good old fashioned soap.
I work in a hot school, and am perimenapausal. I became really whiffy and hated it.
I found that a warm - not hot shower, and a good scrub with soap helped enormously.
I personally love black African soap, the smell is divine, and the lather is ultra creamy. I have also used Cidal, palmolive, imperial leather, dettol, and all have worked well. The feeling of freshness is amazing.

I wash and rinse each armpit twice, and dry thoroughly.

I then apply the belts and braces method, of roll on, and aerosol spray together.
This has allowed me to use normal dove (my favourite because of the fresh smell) and sure, and not smell at all.

I believe that shower gel doesn't kill the bacteria that causes odours.
My teenage boys love a good scrub with soap as well, especially their feet, and it has cut down on smells tremendously.

My theory (and er, I am a microbiologist so not entirely a theory!) is that shower gels leave a residue on the skin that stops deodorants working properly. Soap doesn't kill germs and even if it did they would all be back within minutes - soap simply washes off germs. However soap doesn't leave a residue.

Dove soap DOES leave a residue as it isn't actually a soap but a detergent bar similarly designed to leave conditioners on the skin (so-called 'moisturising cream' yeah, right ), and I find Dove also stops deodorant working.

As stated in the other thread I use Mitchum Gel and only have to apply it once every two days as long as I wash my pits with soap first.

Yes I don't understand shower gel. It is too watered down.
I have no spots, blackheads backacne.
All the 'soap breaks down the acid mantle' rubbish is just used to sell more products.
In order to wash away grease effectively you need a good detergent.
Shower gel is about ~ 80% water anyway so I ain't paying for it.
I use shower gel occasionally for the perfume.

Wow this is really interesting. I've got a 9 year old son who gets a bit whiffy despite mild deodorant/shower gel etc. I'll give soap a go instead,thank you!

I use pears soap and a flannel. I do my face first and I swear it's the best exfoliant!!

I have to say I do find it odd when people only use shower gel and not soap. Shower gel just doesn't clean you in the same way! I hate not having soap to use.

I've always used soap, hate shower gel as I can't get it to stay on my skin long enough to lather up just using my hands. I especially dislike unscented shower gels - I know it's probably better to have fewer chemicals in but I like that clean smell and don't feel quite clean enough without it.

Soap makes me feel really clean. I use dove original antiperspirant which smells clean and soapy too.

I also use soap on my face, after double cleansing, and before my nip + fab pads, serums, facial oils etc - and my skin loves it.

Also, I use a shower puff and lather it thoroughly for an all over daily scrub, that includes my genital area too. No irritation, no odour, no bumps, spots or rashes.
I am over forty, and have done this for years.
I moisturise after, or use coconut oil, oilve oil or almond oil, and I have the smoothest skin ever.

I missed the other thread

My embarrassingly recent discovery is to get tops dried immediately after washing them. No leaving in the machine or in the washing basket until I can be bothered to hang them out.

Well this is interesting! Also related question (Haffiana) - if you use Mitchum every two days would you still have a shower/wash on the in between day? I've been using Mitchum recently and although I read that it lasts 48 hrs I've not yet dared try it!

Bar soap is the way forward for acne, spots, blackheads and the general musty teenage smell.

Funny, I was only contemplating this subject the other day. I remember the soap of childhood which was a big, heavy clear amber oval block. Do they still make it?

Was it Pears, Happen? I think you can still buy it.

Yes I use pears.

I prefer soap too. Lasts ages, gets you cleaner, and doesnt itch my skin like shower gel does

thepatchworkcat Heck yes - I shower every day and not infrequently twice a day (but lets not start one of THOSE threads, I know from many years on MN that there is a Great Divide between those that shower like me and those that shower once or twice a week or something like that!!).

I put the Mitchum on after shower before bed, and then at the same time two days later. I wash my armpits as normal in between and it doesn't wash off the Mitchum or mean that I have to reapply. I don't think that I am particularly sweaty though, and I mostly wear fabrics that are not polyester. I really like the Gel after many years using the roll-on - it seems to dry quickly and isn't sticky.

Which Mitchum Gel do you use?

I've started using the dettol laundry liquid on my long sleeve tops, keeps them fresher for longer. I can definitely tell when I've not used it!

I've started to wash at 60° for most washes now, using a good bio powder (no liquids or gels) such as ariel or persil. This seems to leave clothes smelling so much more fresher, especially the teenage ds's school tops.
My ds13 and ds11 have embraced bar soap wholeheartedly too, as they have noticed the difference in how clean they feel and smell.

I use mitchum now and again, but it can make my armpits very sore and itchy after a while.
I find using soap, lathering and rinsing twice, drying thoroughly, and applying roll on, then the matching spray, keeps me as fresh as I'm going to get with perimenapausal hotness.
This allows me to wear dove or sure deodorants, that don't dry out or irritate my armpits.

Thanks Haffiana! I'll have to try it, will feel weird washing the armpits but then not applying the deodorant again but if it works I'll give it a go!

ComputerUser yes it may well have been Pears. Thanks 👍

I'm changing to soap now! I've used bicarbonate of soda in the past when I've been skint, just powder it in like talc and it gets rid of the whiffiness

This thread is like a lightbulb. I am totally going to convert to soap. Thank you OP.

The sure deodorant is reduced to £3 at Wilkinson's. Bought two today.

I buy www.amazon.co.uk/NESTI-DANTE-Dolce-Vivere-Portofino/dp/B002JPUD42?tag=mumsnetforum-21 soap. It's a big bar and lasts absolutely ages.
Much less drying than shower gels, most of which comprise of synthetic chemicals and perfume.

Another lightbulb here. Which soap is best?