“I always used my deodorant incorrectly – until an expert gave me THIS tip”

“I always used my deodorant incorrectly – until an expert gave me THIS tip”

When it comes to personal care, there is one ultimate sure-fire choice: deodorant. AtOpinions differ just as with hair products and the use of. But deodorant is pretty much the only product that you can assume that almost everyone owns and uses every day.

Similar to brushing my teeth, deodorant is firmly integrated into my routine in the morning. So solid that after so many years I barely notice when I put my deodorant on in the morning. This step is so natural for me. I was all the more surprised when I found out that I had adopted a completely wrong routine. You’re now thinking: “You can’t really go wrong?” Unfortunately yes! Onereveals how to do it right.

Deodorant vs. antiperspirant: the difference

First, as Heba Sacca, innovation manager and product developer at Hidrofugal, explains to me, you should know which product you are using. “Deodorants combat sweat odor because they contain fragrances that mask the smell and antimicrobial agents that inhibit the growth of bacteria,” explains Heba Sacca. Because fresh sweat is initially odorless. Only decomposition by bacteria ultimately creates the undesirable smell. Deodorants primarily help against the smell and not against the sweating itself.

This is where antiperspirant comes into play. This actively combats armpit wetness. The expert explains it like this: “The antiperspirant ingredients it contains narrow the openings of the sweat glands, so that less sweat can reach the surface of the skin. A reduced sweat flow also means that there is less breeding ground for odor-causing bacteria.” As a beauty editor, I now try to consciously reduce the number of artificial fragrances on my skin and have therefore been using antiperspirant instead of deodorant for some time now.

This is the right time to apply deodorant

If I was sure about one thing, it was that you should definitely apply the freshness kick - whether deodorant or antiperspirant - in the morning. And of course after showering. This way you stay fresh for the day. At least that's what I always thought. Heba Sacca has now proven me wrong. According to her and Hidrofugal's study results, there are many wrong times to apply deodorant and antiperspirant. “For example, immediately after the shower on wet skin,” she says. “This could dilute the formula and prevent the ingredients from being fully effective.”

In general, according to the study results, antiperspirants in particular are less effective in the morning. Hidrofugal has developed a new antiperspirant and tested how it works at different times. “Our tests have shown that the 'Forte Overnight Roll-on' is twice as effective compared to using it in the morning.” What applies to this product also applies to all other antiperspirants. The time of application therefore plays a crucial role.

That's why you should always apply antiperspirants in the evening

Why does it work so much better in the evening? “Our sweat glands are less active in the evening and sweat flow is lower at night than during the day. This allows a long-lasting effect against underarm wetness to build up during the day,” explains Sacca. She has proven this in double-blind studies. Under the leadership of Heba Sacca, Hidrofugal uses standardized and independent testing procedures developed by, among others, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

So I've learned: The optimal time to use antiperspirants is not in the morning, when I'm still fresh but stressed and rushing to work, but before I go to bed. Otherwise the effect will disappear faster than you get to the office. Sacca explains the effect as follows: “Before a longer period of rest for the body, the highly effective formula has enough time to build up a long-lasting effect.”

This means the deodorant lasts even after the shower

But what if I take a shower in the morning? “This is not a problem as the morning shower does not change the protection. The sweat-reducing active ingredients are absorbed overnight and remain intact,” emphasizes the expert. I wouldn't have thought that either.

One thing is certain: I have been using my antiperspirant so incorrectly in recent years that it was only able to achieve half of its effectiveness. From now on I will probably have to change my routine. I now only apply antiperspirant in the evening.

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