Changing Deodorant with the Seasons
By Sher Warkentin in Natural Products
Whether you spend winter hopping between holiday parties or curled up with a good book at home, the seasonal shift can come with several changes, including those related to your hygiene routine. These changes in your body with the shifting seasons might leave you wondering: how often should you change your deodorant? While it's not essential by any means, switching up your deodorant based on the season might be just what you need to stay comfortable year-round.
Reasons for Changing Deodorant
Every season creates new changes in the environment around you and within your body. These are a few reasons you might consider changing deodorant.
Temperature Shifts
Changes in temperature throughout the year can affect your body in different ways. Colder temperatures in the winter may mean you sweat less. Conversely, rising heat in the summer might cause an increase in sweat and body odor.
While deodorant helps minimize body odor, antiperspirant targets wetness by blocking sweat ducts. Deciding whether to use deodorant or antiperspirant could depend on the season. For example, you may choose to use an antiperspirant in the hotter months when you sweat more frequently, or a product like Tom's of Maine's Complete Protection, the 1st natural deodorant with wetness protection . You could then switch to a natural deodorant in the winter when underarm wetness is less of an issue for you.
Bundling Up
When it gets chilly outside, you start layering up to beat the cold. However, those same dropping temperatures outside can lead to warmer indoor environments, leaving you sweating under those thermals and heavy coats. If you spend a lot of your day going back and forth from cold to hot, consider changing to an antiperspirant that provides more wetness protection to keep you drier.
Skin Changes
Dry air, lower humidity, and wind can all lead to dry, sensitive skin in the winter. This often signals a time to change your other personal care products, like cleansers and moisturizers. But what about deodorant? If your skin is more sensitive in the winter, consider choosing a deodorant with naturally derived ingredients or an unscented deodorant to help minimize irritation.
Activity Levels
If your physical activities change with the season, that can be another reason for changing deodorant. Whether it's from the cold weather or your busy schedule, you may exercise less in the winter, which means you may be sweating less. If that's the case, it can be an excellent time to take a break from your antiperspirant and switch to a deodorant instead. As the weather warms up in the spring and summer and you start running, biking, or hiking more frequently, you may find the opposite is true. In this case, antiperspirants may be more effective at handling sweat and odor.
Stress and Anxiety
Every season brings new activities and responsibilities. Still, the winter holiday season can be especially stressful, with so many activities, family gatherings, and endless to-do lists to cross off. All of that stress can lead to an increase in physical tension and anxiety-induced sweat. If you find yourself sweating it out during the holidays, you might want to switch from a deodorant to a product designed to control wetness to help handle excess sweat.
Scent Preferences
Deodorants and antiperspirants come in various scents, from floral and sweet to earthy. You might find that as the seasons shift, you also want your scent to change. Maybe you enjoy flowers in the spring and cedar in the fall. You can choose a natural scented deodorant to match the season as it suits you.
Over time, it's also hard to notice the scent of your own deodorant because your nose becomes so accustomed to it. Making a seasonal change can help stimulate your senses so you can enjoy the smell again.
Tips for Managing Sweat and Body Odor
Besides switching personal care products, you can take other steps to help manage sweat and body odor during the winter. If you're sweating more from all those layers, choose breathable fabrics that still allow for airflow. If stress is causing your sweat levels to rise, take some time each day to practice stress relief. From meditation to journaling or just learning to say no to some of the demands of the holiday season, it's important to practice self-care. If odor remains a problem, you can always try reapplying deodorant more frequently. Choosing a natural deodorant can help you feel comfortable about using it more often.
Changing deodorant with the seasons can help address various factors, from weather to activity level and even holiday anxiety. Making a change can help customize your personal care routine to your shifting needs and keep you feeling confident and fresh year-round.
To learn more about changing to a natural deodorant and how to make the switch effectively, check out this guide to deodorant detoxes.
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Why It's Good
Changing deodorant based on the seasons can help you meet your body's shifting needs so you can feel your best no matter the time of year.