On the occasion of this horrifically hot summer, we brought together a particularly sweaty crew of Strategist writers to talk about how they are dealing with the dampness.
Deodorant feels like a natural place to start. What is everyone using these days?
Dominique Pariso: People need to wear deodorant with aluminum in the summer. I understand how people feel about anti-perspirant, but when you’re on the subway and people are not wearing aluminum deodorant, there’s a smell situation that happens. Natural deodorant just doesn’t work as well for absorbing moisture or preventing sweat in the first place.
Tembe Denton-Hurst: I personally cannot wear aluminum because I have hidradenitis suppurativa and aluminum clogs my pores and creates lesions, so I do wear Native deodorant, which is natural. I think because it has a powdery texture, it helps with drying ever so slightly. The scents are also good. Cotton and Lily is pretty neutral.
Amelia Jerden: I also wear Native, and I would co-sign that — it’s not an anti-perspirant, but the scents are good and it keeps you slightly dry.
TDH: Whatever you use, I say reapply and keep your arms down. There’s no reason you should be participating in any hand-raising activities if you know you stink.
DP: There is an important distinction between sweat and smell. I don’t think my sweat has much of a smell, but I sweat a lot, so we’re talking just a lot of … wet.
Okay, so how are you staying dry?
DP: My best piece of advice is to apply your anti-perspirant at night. When I started doing that, it helped me a lot. Basically, it works better at night because your sweat glands aren’t as active, so it allows it to soak in more. I use the SweatBlock Max Clinical Antiperspirant Wipes, but you can do this with any anti-perspirant.
TDH: I sweat a lot, especially underneath my boobs and in my scalp, so I’m a big proponent of a personal electric fan.
DP: The personal fan is a must. If you’re on that subway platform and it’s a hundred degrees, you’re going to get sweaty, and it is the only thing that helps. The VersionTech is the one in my opinion. It’s extremely powerful.
TDH: I also love these thick little Scünci No Damage Stretch Fabric Headbands. I’m a natural-hair girl, so I’m not trying to keep my hair straight or anything, but they do absorb a lot of the scalp sweat.
And what are you doing about … smell?
TDH: From a scent perspective, a good body wash is key. I love the L’Occitane Cleansing & Softening Almond Shower Oil. Also moisturized skin holds on to scent better, so a moisturizer-perfume combo is good. You should pick scents that don’t contrast strongly with sweaty skin.
DP: Things like marine notes, salty, beachy scents, I think work well for sweat. It’s not for everyone, but Diptyque’s L’Eau Papier is nice and so is its Ilio scent. Diptyque has good staying power without being too strong.
TDH: I really like Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Gentle Fluidity, the silver version. It’s woody and aromatic, and the notes are really nice. It’s spicy and very slightly sweet, but it also feels really neutral — what’s cheaper, though, is just getting in the shower. Two showers a day.
DP: Sometimes you just have to wash your hair or your body and start fresh.
Lauren Ro: I’m a big fan of the cold body shower.
Are you wearing anything specific to stay cool?
AJ: I have basically given up on jean shorts. I think they’re demonic. I’ve tried to fully move to linen and cotton, and I wear a lot of tank tops. I’m currently loving the Los Angeles Apparel Baby Rib Sleeveless Boatneck Top.
LR: I always put on a linen shirt over a tank top or else I feel a bit naked. It also helps with the sweat. I’ve been wearing Uniqlo’s Premium Linen Long-Sleeve Shirt for years.
TDH: I am big into sweat-wicking fabrics, so I’m wearing polyester everything. I love the Old Navy High-Waisted PowerSoft Leggings in particular. They’re thick without being suffocating and compressive without being restrictive.
DP: This is a little TMI, but if you sweat in your intimate areas, period underwear is the trick. In the summer, I kind of just wear Knix Ultra Leakproof Zones+ High Rise period underwear all the time and it takes care of that.
TDH: I do have a triangle-of-sweat situation, but I’ve noticed that if I’m not wearing cotton I sweat more, so I’m a big proponent of cotton underwear.
AJ: That’s so real. I’m also a 100 percent cotton underwear person.
TDH: I just buy white Hanes Cotton Brief Underwear in a pack. I don’t try to do anything fancy.
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