Underarm Care

The heat is on, and calls for short or no sleeves. Our tips will have you throwing your arms in the air with confidence!

We usually give our underarms very little love, and without proper care, they can suffer from odour, irritation and discolouration. Here’s how to get smooth and fresh-smelling armpits:

ANTIPERSPIRANTS

The delicate skin under the arms needs special care, says Dr Jens Schulz, head of global product development for Nivea Deodorants. “An antiperspirant is designed to inhibit sweating. It contains reliable active antiperspirant ingredients that reduce sweating by constricting the sweat glands. The less sweat bacteria that breaks down, the less body odour and fewer sweat patches. For the best results, use the product on clean and dry skin,” Dr Schulz adds.

HAIR REMOVAL /SHAVING

Avoid common post-shaving effects such as stubble, itchiness, ingrown hairs and inflamed skin by lightly exfoliating the area with a loofah or gentle scrub. Use a nourishing shaving cream for smoother results, and using a fresh blade, shave in a downward direction.

WAXING

This is best done professionally. If you decide to do it yourself, first prepare the underarm skin by exfoliating it to remove dead skin cells, and wash the area with hot water to soften the hair — also trim the length to minimise pain during waxing. To reduce pain, pop a painkiller an hour before and avoid alcohol.

LASER

The procedure is safe but not cheap, and you won’t see the results instantly! After a few days, the hairs in the treated area will fall out and regrowth reduced.