My morning routine is pretty simple. I do all my AM tasks, from brush to shower to blow-dry to feed my dog, and then I get dressed. I finish the process with a spritz or swipe of deodorant x antiperspirant. It's simple and effective. Or is it? Well, reports suggest that applying deodorant at night is actually a better technique, specially when it comes to deodorant with an antiperspirant.
Byrdie and others report that it's best to apply deod with antipersp in the evening, since our bodies react to the chemicals in the product differently at different times of the day. The body's reaction to deodorant applied at night is different enough than its reaction to deodorant applied in the morning to warrant a change in thinking and routine!
Here are the key reasons and it's simple science. The deodorant with antiperspirant —which can be easily removed from a sweater in these easy steps— can do its job more effectively at night since body temperature dips at night, so we sweat less.
Less active sweat glands means that sweat ducts can absorb more of the antiperspirant's aluminum-based, active ingredient. It allows the antiperspirant to sink in and block the sweat ducts. In the AM hours, the glands are more active, making it more difficult for the antiperspirant to penetrate and do its thing.
My big question is this: Won't deodorant applied at night be rinsed away during a morning shower?
The answer is no, actually! Byrdie notes that the ingredients remain active for 24 hours if they've penetrated. So there.
If you use regular ol' deod sans an antiperspirant since you only care about avoiding that natural, uh, musk, as opposed to preventing perspiration, then you can apply the stuff whenever you feel like it.
Another deodorant with antiperspirant suggestion? Don't apply it immediately after showering. The antiperspirants are effective on dry skin. If the active ingredients interact with wet skin, the reaction takes place in outer skin layers, instead of the pores, which is where sweat is blocked, rendering it pretty useless.
If you want to get the most out of your deodorant with antiperspirant, then add it to your nightly routine. Brush your teeth, floss, wash your face, dab on some eye cream, and rock that deodorant!
BTW, this is what happens when you ditch deodorant for a week.
Image: Suleimanagich/Bustle
