I accidentally discovered what is proving to be the best natural deodorant ever—at least, of those I’ve tried. Clove oil! Yes, seriously. For years I have worn clove oil instead of perfume, because I hate perfume and I’m allergic to most of them anyway. Clove oil is irritating, so it has to be diluted in a carrier oil; any light/thin skin oil will do. (I happen to use apricot oil.)
Now let’s be honest: one of the shitty consequences of suffering major depression (MDD) is lacking the motivation even for hygiene. When showering is a chore I just can’t motivate myself towards, baby wipes—or an adult alternative—are my best friend. But when it comes to armpits, they only go so far. One day I remembered my clove oil and decided to try it under my arms after the baby wipes. And I shit you not, the next day, I had nearly no smell under my arms.
For a moment I was shocked, but then it occurred to me: clove oil is antimicrobial. Body odor in general is a result of the microbial ecosystems that live on the skin on different parts of the body. The clove oil killed almost all those microbes under my arms, effectively killing any odor. 😁 Now it’s my daily deodorant and I’m delighted with the results. Sure, I smell like a goth club all the time but, hey, that’s fitting for me. 😂
In all seriousness, if you are someone for whom hygiene is, for whatever reason, a challenge to keep up with, I could not recommend this more enthusiastically. I think not only of people with severe depression, but also people who are victims of the recent economy and who have recently—i.e., within the past five years—become so economically restricted that things like showering (with hot water!) have become a luxury.
I realize that the likelihood of anyone even reading this is near zero. But maybe by some unlikely chance, someone will happen upon this and read it and the information will help them or someone they pass it on to.
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