Ads for whole-body deodorants are everywhere, telling us to spray our necks, legs, backs, chest, and even our privates. And people are listening. Brands like Lume have made hundreds of millions in sales. So do we all stink more all of a sudden?
The truth is, most of our sweat glands don’t even produce odor. The real culprit is bacteria mixing with sweat, mostly in places like our armpits. Still, people are now convinced that they need deodorant everywhere. Why is that?
Industry insiders say the sales boom is fueled by aggressive advertising, as well as a delayed effect of the pandemic. It seems we got used to our own smells during the lockdown, and now that we're back together with other people – especially at work – the smells are different. That sensitivity to these new smells is causing people to spray up and make sure they're not the stinky person in the room.