Do You Smell? Causes Of Body Odor And Natural Ways To Treat It
We debunk the need to block sweat and find you natural ways to stay fresh all day
Everyone sweats. Especially with the peak of summer upon us, it’s impossible to not sweat when you’re working out, going out for errands, or even just when you’re working in a non-air conditioned room.
But real talk: we should stop blaming body odor on our sweat. Because one, sweat is a regular response of the body to regulate its body temperature; and two, sweat is actually odorless.
So, who is the culprit for persistent body odor? There are three things that you might have to consider: hygiene, lifestyle, and possible medical conditions.
Hygiene and bacteria
While sweat is odorless, what makes our sweat stink is when it interacts with bacteria present in the surface of our skin. Our body is coated with tons of bacteria—both good and bad—creating a healthy skin biome. But areas like the armpits are one of the biggest concentrations of bacteria, with more than a million bacteria per square centimeter. This creates the perfect environment for body odor. And when sweat and bacteria interact, that’s when unpleasant odors start to develop.
Lifestyle
Apart from the bacteria that naturally resides in our body, the things we eat and use may also have an effect on why certain parts of our body smell.
Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, says that in many cases, when the body could not properly break down certain compounds in the food that we eat, these foods then find a way to evaporate through our skin. So foods like garlic, onion, spicy food, and alcohol may be increasing your likelihood to smell.
Apart from our diet, what we wear may also be contributing to the smell. Some fabric conditioners have been discouraged as they prevent clothes from airing out properly. Synthetic fabrics used for our clothes are also not as breathable as natural ones, which may be hindering sweat from evaporating properly.
And of course, it’s also a matter of environment. If you live in a more humid country like the Philippines, expect that you’re more susceptible to sweating out. It’s just a fact of life.
Medical condition
Sometimes, however, body odor may be a signal of something more serious happening in your body.
“Digestive system body odors, in particular, can offer some clues as to health-related issues,” says Tamara Duker Freuman, a registered dietician in New York City. Some medical conditions like fish odor syndrome, liver disease, diabetes, and kidney failure may also cause you to smell funky.
But before you go running to your doctor for a diagnosis, check out our gallery below for a list of natural remedies to see if your body odor is just a case of hygiene and lifestyle.
Natural ways to treat body odor
Swipe through the gallery below:
Natural ways to treat body odor
Natural ways to treat body odor
Use clothes made from natural fibers
While synthetic fabrics like polyester are usually cheaper and trendier, they trap sweat and bacteria between fibers which can contribute to body odor. For a more stinky-free option, choose breathable clothes that use natural fibers like cotton and linen. Linenlab is an excellent small local business that creates all-linen wear, where they endeavor not just to create comfortable and fashionable clothes, but also do their part in encouraging a more sustainable lifestyle. They use high- quality linen that will last you a long time so you don’t have to keep buying, biodegradable cardboard boxes to reduce plastic waste, and plantable dress tags so you’re not only helping your body, but also helping the environment.
Photo Credit: Buy here: @linenlab_
Use antibacterial soap
Using an all-natural anti-bacterial soap will help fight those nasty odor-producing bacteria, especially in high-bacteria places like the armpits, neck, behind the knees, and feet. It’s also recommended to clean your body immediately after a high-sweat session to keep sweat and bacteria from building up. For a trusted all-natural and anti-bacterial cleansing bar, check out Nature's Plus Tea Tree Oil Bar Soap. This bar is formulated with an antimicrobial formula that’s made more skin-friendly with the uplifting effects of essential oils such as cedarwood, coriander, eucalyptus, lavender, and rosemary.
Photo Credit: Buy here: Healthy Options
Create a homemade apple cider vinegar deodorant
One of the easiest and most popular homemade deodorant formulas consist only of two ingredients: apple cider vinegar and water. Erin Rhoads from The Rogue Ginger swears by this apple cider vinegar and filtered water mixture as her deodorant to reduce body odor and help protect the environment. To be fair, apple cider vinegar is a known antibacterial ingredient. Just don’t use this after shaving because it might sting. To create your own homemade apple cider vinegar deodorant, grab a bottle of Cadia apple cider vinegar from Healthy Options and mix it with equal parts of filtered water.
Photo Credit: Buy here: Healthy Options
Use an apple cider vinegar toner
Apart from apple cider, witch hazel and tea tree are also amazing antimicrobial and antiseptic ingredients that can kill odor-causing bacteria on your skin. For a hardworking formula that packs the bacteria-busting powers of these three ingredients, check out this toner from Skin Genie. While it’s formulated for the face, it’s also a great underarm product to kill body odor and help lighten dark spots, as well.
Photo Credit: Buy here: Beauty MNL
Apply pure tea tree oil
If you’re more purist, then you can just go with pure tea tree oil, which has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that can kill odor-causing bacteria. Like other essential oils, make sure to test tea tree oil on a small area first and monitor for 24 hours to observe for allergies and other skin sensitivities. If you’re good to go, this is a great body odor buster that you can apply by itself or before your deodorant. Check out Soul Apothecary’s 100% pure tea tree oil for an affordable but reliable tea tree option.
Photo Credit: Buy here: @soulapothecary_ph
Use a natural deodorant
Instead of anti-perspirants, which block your body’s natural way of releasing toxins, use a natural deodorant designed to target odor-causing bacteria. The Human Nature Powder Light Beauty +Plus Deo Roll-On uses all-natural actives like sage oil to fight pesky odor-causing bacteria, and is improved with the benefits of sunflower beauty oil to lighten and soften your underarms, improve appearance of chicken skin, and soothe the skin after waxing or shaving. This way, you’re not just addressing your body odor concerns; you’re also addressing persistent skin concerns.
Photo Credit: Buy here: humanheartnature.com
Look for a deodorant with potassium alum
Potassium Alum is a natural mineral salt used as an alternative to aluminum ingredients usually found in antiperspirants. Instead of blocking the sweat glands, potassium alum works by forming a porous barrier to prevent odor-causing underarm bacteria from multiplying in the skin. The Zero Basics deodorant is a natural deodorant that harnesses the antimicrobial powers of potassium alum and includes peppermint, tea tree, lavender, oregano, and lemon essential oils to provide 24-hour odor protection free from chemicals and preservatives. What a great way to go natural and organic!
Photo Credit: Buy here: @zerobasicsph