When we look into how to care for ourselves, there are so many things we need to look into and understand. One is to definitely look into how you can make yourself feel and look more confident.
As the wellness movement has increased bodily awareness and inspired us to embrace traditionally less-thought-of parts of our physical being, underarm care has emerged as a new category, one that’s particularly intriguing as the past two years has, for many of us, brought on an abundance of sweat stress. The good news is, perspiration is absolutely a good thing—especially now.
For humans, the physiology of sweating is crucial to maintaining a safe and healthy body temperature. We offset excess heat from our bodies by way of our built-in cooling mechanism. It is when the body is producing too much heat, sweat droplets from within sweat glands are produced. And it is through the portals of microscopic sweat ducts, moisture permeates on the skin surface. As the moisture of sweat meets the air by evaporation, it releases and heat and cooling takes place. However, as important as sweating is to helping the body stay balanced, its outcomes aren’t always desirable—especially when there’s an excess of body odor. But what many don’t realize about sweat is that at its source, it has no smell. That’s where underarm care, from thorough cleansing and exfoliating to a refreshing deodorant, comes in: to not only to keep odor under control, but also contribute to your body’s overall well-being. Now let’s look into how you can detox and nourish your underarm care in a strong manner!
One thing you need to aim for is to cleanse daily. Underarms are a part of the body that’s considered an intertriginous zone, which means that due to the folding of the skin, it’s prone to being moist due to lack of airflow, and it can often harbor particular bacteria and fungal-yeast organisms. Proper care and cleansing is important to reduce unwanted moisture and keep the natural balance of the microbiome. Yet, doing so must be approached delicately. You should be washing your underarms once a day (no more, unless you have a very athletic or physically demanding job or hobby) and alternating between different pH-balanced body or underarm cleansers.
It is also important that you also exfoliate regularly. Like the face, underarms can be impacted by skin sensitivity and irritation. This is because too much oil, clogged pores, pimples (known as folliculitis), and a buildup of dead, dull, and sometimes discolored skin cells, are all reasons exfoliation should extend below the neck. To this end, there are physical exfoliants, such as masks or scrubs that manually remove dead skin cells and debris, or chemical exfoliants such as toners that harness the power of AHAs, BHAs, and PHAs to gently melt away the buildup.
Often people also ask how it is important to take certain precautions when you shave underarms. If you choose to shave your underarms, think of doing so like skiing. If not done on a smooth surface, you are skiing moguls and it is a bumpy experience. For a smooth shave, a shave gel (or at least a moisturizing cleanser) in a warm shower is critical to prevent razor burn and razor bumps. If you’re prone to irritation or want to safeguard against ingrown hairs as much as possible, prep the night before. Go to bed with a thin layer of moisturizer on the area you will be shaving. This will create a friction-free experience the next day. Razor-wise, be sure to change your razor at least once every one to two weeks.This is essential to prevent any skin problems and irritations. In the same ways your face and body crave moisture, your underarms need hydration to look and feel their best. They just don’t need it quite as frequently. Since they are damp, using a pH-balanced underarm or body lotion once or twice a week, or more as needed for dryness. Another tip for keeping underarms smooth and supple. In the same way your face and body crave moisture, your underarms need hydration to look and feel their best. They just don’t need it quite as frequently. Since they are damp, using a pH-balanced underarm or body lotion once or twice a week, or more as needed for dryness.
In navigating the deodorant market, Listen to your body. If your deodorant is causing irritation or leaving too much residue on your skin and clothing, choose another. If you want to take things to the next level, consider opting for one that is “clean and simple,” i.e. fragrance-free and avoiding phthalates, parabens, sulfates, or dyes. Look for products with the fewest chemicals. Isn’t that the case with the foods we eat too? Additionally, unless you need to block moisture because you have excessive sweating (known as hyperhidrosis), avoid aluminum in your deodorant. Why? This is because aluminum-containing antiperspirants are lifesavers for some, but we don’t all need aluminum in our day-to-day underarm care. It is possible to prevent odor without blocking sweat. Sweat is intentional; odor is preventable.Just follow these simple tips and you will be amazed to see the kind of results it brings on! Making your skin look supple, and allowing you to have underarms which are soft and smooth.