Glycolic Acid Deodorant: An Update
In April I wrote about how I started using glycolic acid as deodorant. It’s been about two months of regular use, temps have gotten warmer, sweat has become more of a concern, and I’ve made some changes that, well, changed things.
In the beginning, I was using this big bottle of The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution. I’d just put some on my hands, rub it under my pits, and be on my way. It actually wasn’t as messy as I’d imagined, and it was working fine. But fine isn’t good, and this bottle was too big to fit in my medicine cabinet, so I had to store it elsewhere, and you want your deo within easy reach! Then, when I was thinking about how to decant my acid deodorant, I realized I could use a spray bottle. This was such an obvious revelation that I was annoyed I didn’t think of it before. So I grabbed a lil’ spray bottle from the Target travel section, and did my favorite thing: Decanting.
Now I just give each pit a few spritzes and I’m done! It’s so easy! So mess free! And the little bottle actually fits in my medicine cabinet! But there’s one more issue I needed to handle: DAMPNESS.
The thing about using acids as deodorants is that yes, they are AMAZING at controlling odors, but they do NOTHING for actual sweat. The moisture. The WETNESS. I am coming off of years of diligent antiperspirant use, and I am shocked at how much (blegh) liquid comes out of my armpits. I was grabbing old napkins out of my glove compartment and wiping down my pits before I went into a store. I was pulling at my shirts and fanning my body, trying to get any kind of control over my (completely normal, if infuriating) bodily processes. Then I realized (again, how did it take me this long to see the obvious), I could just carry a hanky.
I guess because they’re a part of suits and like, finance bro culture (?) hankies can be so expensive. I’m not looking for a pocket square or a status symbol. I am literally looking for a SWEAT CLOTH. It took some searching, but I settled on this set from Target (the one in the middle of the above photo), which gave me 6 hankies for $5. They’re thin, they wrinkle, they’re not fancy, but they get the job done. I keep them in my console table by the front door, and toss one in my bag before I leave the house (and then put it in the laundry when I get home). I also have this set of bandanas from Target (left side of photo), and this bandana (on the right) I got from REI when I was trying to qualify for free shipping. I don’t iron them, I don’t even fold them nicely, and they’re working out perfectly.
