One of the more annoying things about natural deodorant is this:

You finally find one that works.

Everything is beautiful.

Your armpits are happy.

You tell three friends about it.

And then six months later?

You stink.

Why?

Your body isn't static

I think this is the first place to start.

We want skincare and deodorant products to behave identically every day.

Our bodies do not.

Body odor can change with:

• hormones
• stress
• temperature
• exercise
• illness
• diet
• medications
• clothing
• shaving
• skin irritation
• changes in the local microbiome

So if your deodorant suddenly seems worse, I wouldn't immediately assume the formula somehow forgot how to deodorize.

Look at what else changed.

Hormones can change body odor

A lot of women notice that their underarms smell different at different points in their cycle.

Pregnancy.

Postpartum.

Perimenopause.

Stress.

All of these can change sweating and body odor.

And because deodorant is interacting with the sweat and skin environment you're producing today, the exact same formula may seem more or less effective at different times.

Stress sweat can smell different

You've probably noticed this.

A hot-day sweat and a nervous-presentation sweat are not always the same experience.

Stress activates sweat glands differently and can change the type of material reaching the underarm.

Then bacteria get to work.

And suddenly your usual deodorant seems underpowered.

It may simply be dealing with different raw material.

Magnesium gets used up too

Magnesium is something that is used up daily, and during periods of stress — hormonal, emotional, dietary, alcohol — your body needs more.

So in a week where your deodorant suddenly isn't keeping up, I'd look at that too.

I'd add magnesium flakes to my bath, put some magnesium lotion or deo on my feet, and think about salt and potassium as well.

All three go together.

Clothing matters more than people realize

This is a huge one.

Synthetic fabrics can hold onto odor compounds and bacteria in ways that make you think you smell when your shirt actually smells.

Sometimes I will notice an odor in a particular top that I simply do not notice wearing wool, linen or cotton.

And once synthetic workout clothing develops that permanent underarm smell?

Good luck.

You can shower.

Scrub.

Apply deodorant.

Put the shirt back on.

Instant B.O.

Investigate the fabric before blaming your body.

Your deodorant may be building up

Natural deodorants often contain waxes, oils, butters and powders.

Over time, they can accumulate on the skin or in clothing.

Sometimes giving the area a proper wash and making sure residue is actually coming off helps considerably.

More deodorant isn't always the answer.

Sometimes less buildup is.

Shaving changes the environment

Hair changes airflow, moisture and surface area in the underarm.

Shaving also temporarily disrupts the skin barrier.

If you've changed your shaving habits, that can change both odor and how well you tolerate your deodorant.

Again:

one variable changes and suddenly the whole system feels different.

Your microbiome can change

Your underarms aren't sterile.

They're an ecosystem.

Change:

your soap

your deodorant

your shaving

your diet

your hormones

your clothing

your environment

and the bacterial community can change too.

That's not necessarily good or bad.

But it can change odor.

What I would try first

If a deodorant that used to work suddenly doesn't:

1. Wash the area well.
2. Make sure the smell isn't trapped in clothing.
3. Look at hormonal/stress changes.
4. Look at shaving and skin irritation.
5. Try applying less or more depending on how you've been using it.
6. If nothing helps, try a different deodorant mechanism.

Sometimes your body changes.

Your products have to change with it.

That isn't failure.

It's just biology being irritatingly dynamic.

For the story of how magnesium fixed mine, read Natural Deodorant: Why Body Odor Is a Signal (and How Magnesium Fixed Mine).