All these new “whole body” sprays

[Indigo Blue]

Since Lume came out with several things intended for use on your whole body that subsequently got many people on board with using Lume that way, other companies are following suit. Now we have commercials where people are spraying themselves right into their open pants. They say things like four out of five gynecologists recommend xyz whole body spray. There are even sprays marketed toward men. This was never a thing until Lume came along. Well, there was spray designed just for women in the nether regions only, but you get the idea. 
 

What do you think about that?

I think it not best to go spraying stuff all over the place on sensitive parts. I can’t imagine a gynecologist would think this wise. Do they?
 

I’m sure many people have adopted this practice since the advent of all these new products. 
 

Surely this isn’t a good thing, in general? Or maybe if you aren’t sensitive it isn’t harmful? 
 

But geez, do these companies jump on the bandwagon to make a dollar. 

[dirty ethel rackham]

I think of it as Axe body spray for grown ups. 😆.  I agree that it seems like a bit much.  I get that some people have circumstances where having a deodorant for other body parts is helpful, whether it be due to hot, humid conditions or personal conditions that make them self-conscious about body odor.  But I wonder if it is just that people don't feel like showering.  Or are these companies creating demand by making people believe that normal hygiene isn't enough.  

 

[Heartstrings]

1 hour ago, Indigo Blue said:

What do you think about that?

I think it’s marketing, for sure.  But I also know that 99% of Americans today wear deodorant on their under arms which was popularized through the exact same marketing as these more intimate sprays and creams.   Toothpaste and mouthwash also gained popularity through marketing y bad breath.  I, for one, am extremely grateful to live in the age of deodorants and minty fresh breath, so it’s hard to get worked up against something new.
 

 I’m 100% certain that when everyone started wearing deodorant and using mouth wash that there were naysayers who thought it was just ridiculous, and that under arm stink is perfectly natural.  
 

 

Edited May 23 by Heartstrings

[Heartstrings]

1 hour ago, dirty ethel rackham said:

But I wonder if it is just that people don't feel like showering.

Sometimes showering as often as needed isn’t practical.  In the summer I regularly do a extra quick shower 2 or 3 times a day in addition to my main shower, especially if I’m outside a lot with the kids. That’s impractical for most people but an absolute necessity for comfort and hygiene.  Sometimes a once daily shower just isn’t enough.  

 

[Frances]

I think people do all sorts of stuff to that region of the body that cost money and aren’t wise, like douching and waxing, so just add this to the list of unnecessary ways to waste money and potentially do harm.

[Heartstrings]

The mushrooming of the deodorant industry must go down as one of Madison Ave nue's most impressive accomplishments. Ever since Listerine Antiseptic first warned of the ominous dangers of “halitosis,” marketing men have spawned a remarkable array of anti‐odor products.

Where once there was only mouthwash, today there are roll‐ons, spray‐ons and pat ons; there are deodorants for the breath, the arms and the feet; 

There was no deodorant market until advertising created it.

(bolding mine)
 

https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/26/archives/advertising-success-for-the-deodorant-industrys-boom-is-laid-to.html

This is a digital reprint of an article from 1964, loooong before Lume and the like.  

 

[HomeAgain]

I occasionally read on Reddit.  There are so many posts on there from women who are confused about why the young men in their lives don't wipe or wash their rear ends.  Unfortunately, I predict these full body sprays to be a faulty remedy employed by these sanitary-challenged men.

 

[Indigo Blue]

1 hour ago, HomeAgain said:

I occasionally read on Reddit.  There are so many posts on there from women who are confused about why the young men in their lives don't wipe or wash their rear ends.  Unfortunately, I predict these full body sprays to be a faulty remedy employed by these sanitary-challenged men.

 

🫢Oh dear. 

[Indigo Blue]

I was posting mainly about spraying that stuff in nether regions. I can’t see how that can be a good thing to do. It’s only my opinion. 🤷‍♀️But I’m not getting worked up about any of it. Just wanted to discuss. 

[Indigo Blue]

I did read a few Amazon reviews out of curiosity. Some ladies reported that it made their lady parts burn. 

[Indigo Blue]

I remember one ds went through a Axe Body Spray phase. That stuff made me gag. 
 

I should also mention….dh Old Spice deodorant is heavily fragranced, which bothers me. At least, once upon a time, it smelled REALLY good. Now it just stinks to high heavens and Dh is totally oblivious. If they keep putting it in the same container, whatever it is, he’ll use it. 
 

 

Edited May 23 by Indigo Blue

[Catwoman]

1 hour ago, Indigo Blue said:

I was posting mainly about spraying that stuff in nether regions. I can’t see how that can be a good thing to do. It’s only my opinion. 🤷‍♀️But I’m not getting worked up about any of it. Just wanted to discuss. 

I completely agree with you!

Not only do I think these sprays may very well turn out to be very physically unhealthy, I think it's an absolute shame that women (especially teens and young adults) are being conditioned to think that their natural body odor is so offensive that they need to cover every last bit of it with a perfumed spray. 

I feel sorry for these young women. So many feel like they have to wax away every single hair on their body and now use perfumed "deodorant" sprays in their nether regions -- and the implication is that men won't desire them if they don't do those things. Ugh. (And young men aren't immune to some of the same types of pressures, considering some of the newer personal products marketed to them, which is a step toward equality, but not in a good way for the men or the women.)

[Jaybee]

I am definitely thankful to live in the days of deodorants and anti-perspirants, as I REALLY needed a good-quality anti-perspirant during my teen years through middle age. I still need one, but not to the same extreme. But I do think the whole-body sprays go too far. It might make some feel that good hygiene isn't necessary, if they just give themselves a good spray-over. I lived quite a few years in a country where Axe body spray over really strong B.O. was typical, and that is not a pleasing combo. I do wonder if future health issues and cancers will be a result, especially by spraying the private parts.

[annandatje]

14 hours ago, Indigo Blue said:

Since Lume came out with several things intended for use on your whole body that subsequently got many people on board with using Lume that way, other companies are following suit. Now we have commercials where people are spraying themselves right into their open pants. They say things like four out of five gynecologists recommend xyz whole body spray. There are even sprays marketed toward men. This was never a thing until Lume came along. Well, there was spray designed just for women in the nether regions only, but you get the idea. 
 

What do you think about that?

I think it not best to go spraying stuff all over the place on sensitive parts. I can’t imagine a gynecologist would think this wise. Do they?
 

I’m sure many people have adopted this practice since the advent of all these new products. 
 

Surely this isn’t a good thing, in general? Or maybe if you aren’t sensitive it isn’t harmful? 
 

But geez, do these companies jump on the bandwagon to make a dollar. 

Maybe as far as marketing goes, it may be new thing.  

However, there are many of us who have been adapting other deodorant products and miscellaneous products for whole body use for decades. Of course, you wouldn’t apply an irritating product on mucosal membranes but there are workarounds.  I’ve been a whole body de-stinker since my 20s and am now in my 60s.  

I do indeed have sensitive skin and have adapted my products accordingly.

I never felt need to get personal hygiene advice from a gynecologist.

While I’ve never tried the Lume and newer products, I may check them out but I know there are far less expensive alternatives.

 

Edited May 23 by annandatje

[annandatje]

The people I know, including myself, whose are whole body deodorizers also bathe daily at least once and often a second time after running in heat or working out.

If someone thinks a whole body spray can replace soap and water, then I am glad that they do use body spray to mask their body odor.

[dsmith]

I'm against spraying anything on my body in general. Or in my house. I don't want to be inhaling who knows what, and it would probably trigger a migraine. A cream would be ok if the ingredients were ok. I have been thinking of getting something like that for my son, or the Lume body wash. I wish I could sample the different Lume scents and the men's version they came out with. 

[Catwoman]

49 minutes ago, Jaybee said:

I am definitely thankful to live in the days of deodorants and anti-perspirants, as I REALLY needed a good-quality anti-perspirant during my teen years through middle age. I still need one, but not to the same extreme. But I do think the whole-body sprays go too far. It might make some feel that good hygiene isn't necessary, if they just give themselves a good spray-over. I lived quite a few years in a country where Axe body spray over really strong B.O. was typical, and that is not a pleasing combo. I do wonder if future health issues and cancers will be a result, especially by spraying the private parts.

I agree! It wasn’t that long ago that people used to think that baby powder was safe to use in those areas.

I also think that a lot of the marketing seems to imply that women need these whole-body sprays even if they have already showered, which I think is a terrible and very body-negative message.

[Indigo Blue]

18 minutes ago, dsmith said:

I'm against spraying anything on my body in general. Or in my house. I don't want to be inhaling who knows what, and it would probably trigger a migraine. A cream would be ok if the ingredients were ok. I have been thinking of getting something like that for my son, or the Lume body wash. I wish I could sample the different Lume scents and the men's version they came out with. 

I agree with you. 
 

FYI, I tried Lume after coming here to complain about their gross and annoying ads. I used the body wash only. It is actually not a bad product. The tangerine smells really nice. That might be a good choice for a cream for a guy. Their scents don’t smell horribly strong. Maybe just keep away from the nether regions, lol. I mean, that’s what it’s for, but I wouldn’t put it there if it were me. 🙃

[Indigo Blue]

And now they are marketing stuff for men that specifically say that are for the um…b@llz. Now men need a special deodorant just for the Crown Jewels. It’s the same stuff as any other spray perfume deodorant. 
 

Really, I think the silly marketing is what I find annoying. Some of the products aren’t all bad. 

[SKL]

LOL I was not aware of this trend.  I do recall seeing a couple ads for Secret being used under the books, which TBH I've done with regular Secret when headed into a situation where sweat is both inevitable and unacceptable.  😛  So I thought, interesting, but I'm not the target market for that (the ~1x a year I'd need it, regular antiperspirant suffices). 

I am a person who tries to minimize chemicals in and on my body, without being completely impractical.  So no, I will not be spraying stuff all over.

I know there are exceptions, but don't showers take care of most of the concerns?  Are we not encouraging showers any more?  Help!

Another thing I have seen more in popular US usage is bidets.  Which seems better than chemicals, but what do I know?

 

 

Edited May 23 by SKL

[Indigo Blue]

6 minutes ago, SKL said:

 

Another thing I have seen more in popular US usage is bidets.  Which seems better than chemicals, but what do I know?

 

 

Now those…..

All the ones my dh has installed…the feedback is great. People love them. 

Edited May 23 by Indigo Blue

[MercyA]

I want a bidet. 🙂 

So, just so I understand correctly, all of these sprays are just basically scented? They don't actually *do* anything but cover up odors? Eww.

[SKL]

4 minutes ago, MercyA said:

I want a bidet. 🙂 

So, just so I understand correctly, all of these sprays are just basically scented? They don't actually *do* anything but cover up odors? Eww.

They go for about $50 I'm told.  Easy to install.  Go for it.

[Heartstrings]

I think there are conversations about different products going on.  
 

Body sprays like Axe are just perfume by another name and don’t help prevent anything, just cover up.  I think people have been spraying these kinds of products in various places for centuries.  
 

Anti microbial or antiperspirant  type creams or powders used in different areas are different products, with different ingredients, designed to be safer near the euphemistic areas, not in them like a douche.  Think chub rub, or swamp booty or the bikini area or under book where things rub and hold moisture.    
 

There are also refreshing wipes and sprays for those intimate areas that are designed for use there, for times when showering isn’t available.  Most are designed “to go” to be used in public restrooms or the beach or work place.  It’s not always practical to carry a washcloth or towel.  Think baby wipes or cleansing spray but for adults.  

Edited May 23 by Heartstrings

[Heartstrings]

I think body size comes into play here, a bit.  You have different sweat concerns with DDs and chubby thighs than with an A cup and a thigh gap.  
 

 

[MercyA]

28 minutes ago, Heartstrings said:

Anti microbial or antiperspirant  type creams or powders used in different areas are different products, with different ingredients, designed to be safer near the euphemistic areas, not in them like a douche.  Think chub rub, or swamp booty or the bikini area or under book where things rub and hold moisture.    
 

There are also refreshing wipes and sprays for those intimate areas that are designed for use there, for times when showering isn’t available.  Most are designed “to go” to be used in public restrooms or the beach or work place.  It’s not always practical to carry a washcloth or towel.  Think baby wipes or cleansing spray but for adults.  

Okay, but the whole body deodorants are not anti-perspirants, since they don't block sweat glands, right? They advertise themselves as being aluminum-free.

It looks like the whole body deodorants depend on three ingredients: fragrance, moisture-absorbing ingredients like cornstarch, and sometimes antimicrobial ingredients.

Back in the 1970's a lot of people used dusting powders, like Shower to Shower or scented Avon powders, to absorb moisture, so that's not a new idea. Thankfully cornstarch is safer than talc. 

These products seem like sort of a combo of old-school Dial Antibacterial soap (without the water) and powder and fragrance.

I've had some sort of wipes in my purse since DD was born. Super handy for lots of things.

To each their own.

 

[lauraw4321]

Wasn’t talcum powder found to be linked to ovarian cancer? Do these sprays include powder in them? Seems dangerous, if so. 

[dsmith]

2 hours ago, Indigo Blue said:

I agree with you. 
 

FYI, I tried Lume after coming here to complain about their gross and annoying ads. I used the body wash only. It is actually not a bad product. The tangerine smells really nice. That might be a good choice for a cream for a guy. Their scents don’t smell horribly strong. Maybe just keep away from the nether regions, lol. I mean, that’s what it’s for, but I wouldn’t put it there if it were me. 🙃

That's the one I was thinking of, thanks! 

[Heartstrings]

9 minutes ago, lauraw4321 said:

Wasn’t talcum powder found to be linked to ovarian cancer? Do these sprays include powder in them? Seems dangerous, if so. 

They might have corn starch.  The powder I use is pure cornstarch with some fragrance.  I plan to refill it with just cornstarch once it’s empty but I wanted the container.  

[mmasc]

Just now, Heartstrings said:

They might have corn starch.  The powder I use is pure cornstarch with some fragrance.  I plan to refill it with just cornstarch once it’s empty but I wanted the container.  

Are there safe powders?? I had no idea, but I’d love to have a link to the one you like! 
I live in a hot, humid area and I’m already getting annoyed about the bra sweat. 🙄

[Heartstrings]

1 hour ago, mmasc said:

Are there safe powders?? I had no idea, but I’d love to have a link to the one you like! 
I live in a hot, humid area and I’m already getting annoyed about the bra sweat. 🙄

Anti Monkey Butt

Womn

 

[MercyA]

2 hours ago, mmasc said:

Are there safe powders?? I had no idea, but I’d love to have a link to the one you like! 
I live in a hot, humid area and I’m already getting annoyed about the bra sweat. 🙄

Anything that uses cornstarch instead of talc. That includes just about all regular baby powders. 

ETA: I am always nostalgic for sweet-smelling powders. We always used them after baths in the summer when I was a kid. We didn't have air conditioning and it gets HOT in Indiana. My grandpa always bought my grandma Woodhue body powder and she kept it in a pretty "crystal" looking container with an enormous body dusting puff. And, oh, I liked Tinkerbell (not the Disney kind) Cosmetics and once I received a Tinkerbell flannel powder mitt as a gift. So fun.

Edited May 23 by MercyA

[Melissa in Australia]

There is a connection with using artificial fibres like polyester etc in clothing and body oder 

 Maybe people should get back to having cotton underclothing . Way better for the body, better for the environment, reduces oder and saves money on feeling the need to go on  spraying toxic chemicals 

Edited May 24 by Melissa in Australia

[Terabith]

Wait, who wears undergarments that aren't cotton?  That sounds horrible!!!

[lauraw4321]

56 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Wait, who wears undergarments that aren't cotton?  That sounds horrible!!!

I’ll be wearing wool undies on my backpacking trip. That sounded horrifying to me when I first heard about it but they are very soft, breathe and don’t smell. 

[Melissa in Australia]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

Wait, who wears undergarments that aren't cotton?  That sounds horrible!!!

Judging by how hard it is to find 100% cotton undies, quite a lot of people

[Frances]

47 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Judging by how hard it is to find 100% cotton undies, quite a lot of people

Do you have access to the Jockey brand in Australia? I’ve been wearing their all cotton undies for almost 40 years. They are pretty mainstream in the US.

https://www.jockey.com/catalog/all/underwear/all?fabrication=cotton

[Melissa in Australia]

5 hours ago, Frances said:

Do you have access to the Jockey brand in Australia? I’ve been wearing their all cotton undies for almost 40 years. They are pretty mainstream in the US.

https://www.jockey.com/catalog/all/underwear/all?fabrication=cotton

I wear cotton granny style undies, no problem finding those .  But the shops are full of synthetic shiny satin undies, polyester blends, synthetic boxer shorts, synthetic athletic wear etcetera . 

[Laura Corin]

58 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

I wear cotton granny style undies, no problem finding those .  But the shops are full of synthetic shiny satin undies, polyester blends, synthetic boxer shorts, synthetic athletic wear etcetera . 

I wear synthetic undies. I find they wick sweat well. They have a cotton gusset. 

[HomeAgain]

8 hours ago, Terabith said:

Wait, who wears undergarments that aren't cotton?  That sounds horrible!!!

Me.  I have issues where my skin is so sensitive it literally hurts sometimes.  Finding clothes to be comfortable in is a challenge. I haven't been able to find 100% cotton that is seamless so I go for second best.  It lets me wear "normal" pants over them that do have seams because they aren't touching my joints.

[mmasc]

1 hour ago, Laura Corin said:

I wear synthetic undies. I find they wick sweat well. They have a cotton gusset. 

This ^^^
 

Those of you in hot, humid environments—don’t your all-cotton undies get soaking wet?!! I LOVE cotton, but it’s a no-go on undies. 😳

[Heartstrings]

6 hours ago, mmasc said:

This ^^^
 

Those of you in hot, humid environments—don’t your all-cotton undies get soaking wet?!! I LOVE cotton, but it’s a no-go on undies. 😳

Realistically on the really hot days everything gets wet no matter the fabric.  Cotton shows the moisture but it’s still there with synthetic fabrics.  

[wathe]

On 5/22/2024 at 8:39 PM, Indigo Blue said:

Since Lume came out with several things intended for use on your whole body that subsequently got many people on board with using Lume that way, other companies are following suit. Now we have commercials where people are spraying themselves right into their open pants. They say things like four out of five gynecologists recommend xyz whole body spray. There are even sprays marketed toward men. This was never a thing until Lume came along. Well, there was spray designed just for women in the nether regions only, but you get the idea. 
 

What do you think about that?

I think it not best to go spraying stuff all over the place on sensitive parts. I can’t imagine a gynecologist would think this wise. Do they?
 

I’m sure many people have adopted this practice since the advent of all these new products. 
 

Surely this isn’t a good thing, in general? Or maybe if you aren’t sensitive it isn’t harmful? 
 

But geez, do these companies jump on the bandwagon to make a dollar. 

CBC ran an article on this trend today.  Gynecologists specifically recommend against.   Interesting excerpt:

"On its website, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists notes that a certain amount of vaginal odour is normal.

"If you feel that you need to cover up the odour, you may have a medical condition that needs treatment. Sprays, deodorants and douches are not recommended and may make things worse," the association says.

A 2018 study from the University of Guelph in southern Ontario found that women who use feminine hygiene products such as creams, moisturizers and wipes are three times more likely to have experienced some type of vaginal infection. This may be because these products disrupt the growth of healthy bacteria, psychology professor Kieran O'Doherty said in a news release at the time."