Why is My Deodorant Not Working? (10 Causes)

Deodorant is one of the must-have items, especially in the summer because the summer sweat in combination with unwanted underarm hair and accumulated bacteria gives you an unpleasant body odor.

Additionally, some people also use deodorant regardless of the season to smell good and feel confident. However, are you noticing that your deodorant is not as fragrant and effective as it used to be? 

If yes, let us find out “why is my deodorant not working” with us. Also, let us determine how long an average deodorant lasts and what can you do if you do not have a deodorant. 

So, without further ado, let us get into it.

Table of Contents:

• Part 1: Why is My Deodorant Not Working?
• Part 2: How Long Does Deodorant Last?
• Part 3: When is the Best Time to Put on Deodorant?
• Part 4: What to Do If You Have No Deodorant?

Part 1: Why is My Deodorant Not Working?

Here are the 11 most common causes why your deodorant stopped working. 

1. Your Deodorant Might Not be a Deodorant At All

Two products are often used on the underarms to control bad body odor. These include deodorants and antiperspirants. While deodorants are essentially made to reduce the armpit odor, antiperspirants control the amount of sweat your body produces.

You might use an antiperspirant when you need a deodorant and vice versa. So, be careful while buying the products according to your needs. Also here are the 12 Best Men’s Deodorants and Antiperspirants.

2. You Sweat Excessively 

If you consider why you need more deodorant in summer than in winter, you will know it is the sweat that is making you smell bad. So, there is a possibility that you are sweating more than usual and an increased amount of sweat means your deodorant can do nothing about the body odor. 

Under such circumstances, you need to address the causes of excessive sweating as mentioned in Why Do My Armpits Sweat So Much in addition to using deodorants.

3. The Strength of Your Deodorant is not Enough 

Deodorant come in a variety of formulations and strengths. So, one of the causes of deodorant not working for odor is using mild strength and gentle ingredients when you need something strong to tackle the issue.

Also, a deodorant with aluminum, acids like AHAs, or a secret clinical strength of almost 20% can be useful. 

4. A Change in Micro Flora of Your Armpits

Our skin contains bacteria. The quantity and quality of the natural skin flora differ from person to person. These bacteria react with sweat to produce a smell we call body odor. 

If there is a change in the concentration of bacteria in your armpits, your armpits will likely produce more odor than your deodorant can combat.

5. You are Applying it in the Wrong Way

There is a particular time and way to apply a deodorant to make it work efficiently. While many people apply deodorant in the morning, using it at night is more beneficial. 

Similarly, a deodorant must be applied on dry skin. Using it on damp skin interferes with the absorption of deodorant into the pores and thus its efficiency.  

6. Your Diet and Lifestyle Could be the Cause

If you wonder “Can deodorant stop working because of diet and lifestyle”, the answer is yes. Anything that either makes you sweat more or alters the natural flora of the skin makes deodorant ineffective. 

For example, a change in the hormonal status because of puberty or menopause; eating food like onions, eggs, garlic, and seafood; and drugs like anti-psychotics are associated with deodorant not working like it used to.

7. You Might Be Stressing Too Much

An increased amount of stress means an enhanced production of cortisol and thus increased production of sweat. Also, people tend to sweat when they are too anxious as their sympathetic system becomes active.

In both cases, excess sweat washes away the deodorant and you are left with smelly armpits. 

8. You Might Not be Keeping Your Armpits Clean

First give Is Armpit Hair Unhygienic? Here’s Everything You Need to Know a read to know about armpit hygiene. Then, let us tell you that keeping your armpits clean is essential if you want to smell good.

Otherwise, your deodorant can do nothing for the accumulated bacteria, products, dirt, and even oil on your skin.

9. Product Build-Up Might be Interfering 

As we apply a deodorant on the armpits, it forms a layer on the skin and deodorants lose their effectiveness after a while. If you are not cleaning the product thoroughly from your skin, the old product build-up is stopping your freshly applied deodorant from working.

So, always take measures to clean the product build-up before you use another layer of deodorant on the skin.

10. You Are Not Using a Probiotic Toner

If the bacteria in your armpits are too stubborn, deodorant alone is not enough to eliminate bad body odor. This is because a deodorant can mask the armpit smell transiently but not prevent it entirely if the odor-producing bacteria are active in the skin.

So, using a probiotic armpit toner or lotion before using a deodorant can help your deodorant last for a long time.

Part 2: How Long Does Deodorant Last?

If we talk about how long a deodorant lasts after you have applied it on the skin, the answer would be 1 to 2 days. It depends upon certain factors including, 

• The strength and formulation of the deodorant used
• Weather conditions 
• Amount of sweat your body is producing
• Your Hygiene 
• Your everyday activities

Furthermore, you can use a deodorant for 6 to 12 months after you have opened it as deodorants start losing their effectiveness after a certain period. 

Part 3: When is the Best Time to Put on Deodorant?

The best time to put on a deodorant is when your skin is dry and clean and will stay dry for a few hours. Therefore, we suggest that you use a deodorant after taking a shower and drying your armpits at night. 

Additionally, you can apply it in the morning if you sweat a lot and reapply it as well after strenuous activities. 

Part 4: What to Do If You Have No Deodorant?

If you forget to apply a deodorant or do not have one at all, do not worry as here are some life hacks and alternatives to deodorant for you.

1. Use a Hand Sanitizer or Anti-Bacterial Wipes 

Let us remind you that bacteria make the sweat smell bad, right?  Now, your goal is to get rid of the bacteria if you want to avoid using deodorant and smell fresh at the same time.

Therefore, take a hand sanitizer and apply it on tissue paper or grab anti-bacterial wipes. Then, use these to clean your underarms and kill the bacteria. 

2. Try a Body Spray

Most body sprays available in the market have alcohol in them and alcohol works wonders to eliminate odor-producing bacteria. Additionally, body sprays also have a fragrance to make your body smell nice.

So, a body spray can be a win-win if you do not have a deodorant.

3. Rubbing Alcohol can be Useful 

Just like using alcohol in the body spray, you can use rubbing alcohol directly on your armpits as well. While you can apply rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad and use it on your armpits, spraying it directly also works well. 

Also, its mechanism of action is the same as that of a hand sanitizer. 

4. Use Some Home Remedies 

For additional benefits and effectiveness, here are some home remedies that you can use to prevent your armpits from smelling bad. 

• Witch Hazel: Witch hazel controls armpit smell by closing the skin pores and stopping them from sweating. It also kills the bacteria. So, it could be your best bet if you have some witch hazel at home.

• Lemon Juice: Lemon juice works by changing the pH of the skin and stopping the bacteria from growing in that pH.  

• Cornstarch and Baking Soda: Using 6:1 of cornstarch and baking soda helps in cleaning the armpits. Moreover, it works as an antiperspirant and deodorant combined. 

• Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is a convenient and less harsh substitute for lemon juice. Therefore, it can be used in place of a deodorant as well. 

Conclusion 

While armpit odor can be such a turn-off and make one embarrassed, deodorant not working effectively adds to the embarrassment. Also, it makes you want to throw your new deodorant in the trash can.

However, study the causes of deodorant not working and address them before you take any other measures to eliminate the bad body odor.