BATTLING STRESS SWEAT ODORS

There's sweat and then there's stress sweat! Nina Helms discusses the differences between the two and how to keep yourself as fresh as possible no matter what situation presents itself.

Thanks to the P&G Stress Stinks campaign, and a Feb 4th Wall Street Journal article, we are learning that there are two kinds of sweat; stress sweat and perspiration. We have all experienced both and may have been curious as to why we are sometimes more ripe than other times.

The WSJ says, “Sweat from being overheated is produced by eccrine glands, which are located just under the skin all over the body. But sweat caused by stress, fear, anxiety and sexual arousal is produced in the apocrine glands………stress sweat also contains fatty substances and proteins that readily interact with bacteria living on the skin to create what is commonly called body odor.” I call it bad breath caused by good bacteria.

Sweating while working out gives us a dewy sheen and a healthy glow, but we cringe at stress sweat that “funks us up” and stains our fashion picks. It always seems that stress sweat kicks in just prior to a big night or before getting cozy with someone. Evolution is actually on your side here, but that doesn’t help with the rattling of our confidence or surreptitiously sniffing our underarms to check that we are not being offensive.

So how do you fight stinky stress sweat side effects other than deodorant? Well you actually want to be smart and choosy about what you select to battle this odor, because as luck would have it, we stress sweat in our most sensitive, intimate areas that are delicately balanced.

There are many “mists” or “feminine sprays” on the market. Some layer on heavy perfumes that just mask the scent, which is not an effective solution. Other off-the-shelf products have irritating ingredients, may not be pH balanced, or they fight the odor by removing our good bacteria, not just the “bad breath”. It is beneficial to keep that bacteria intact, (especially outside the vagina) because without it we can become imbalanced, irritated or even infection can occur.

There are two great products that are natural and organic and can help you deal with stress BO that works in harmony with your skin and will help you to regain your confidence and allure. AfterIt is a pH balanced foaming cleanser for the shower that soothes, moisturizes and odor corrects. AfterTrace is a calming, odor eliminating spray that can be applied anytime to under arms, genitals or anywhere you want a boost of freshness. AfterTrace will whisk away the odor, keep your good bacteria intact and leave you smelling like a clean, fresh sexy you.