Breaking up with Body Odor for Good
My mom took me to the pediatrician at seven years old because I had body odor. She was convinced something was wrong with me. Perhaps I was suffering from Trimethylaminuria (fish odor disease), or starting puberty very early. The doctor, who always handled my mother’s anxiety and late night phone calls with grace and gentleness, assured her that I just needed to scrub better under my pits because I was a bit smellier than the other kids.
Obviously, the problem got worse once I hit puberty. No kid’s body odor situation deescalates from seven to thirteen. Plus, living in Central Florida isn’t exactly conducive to not sweating. The only time I got a break was one week in January when temperatures dipped below seventy degrees. So, instead of stuffing my bra, I stuffed my armpits with folded up paper towels to create a buffer between them and my light yellow uniform shirt.
Middle school was hard enough, especially when you’re two heads taller than all the boys - and most of the girls. I had to get pit stains out of the mix if I was to survive. Eventually, the doctor put me on a prescription deodorant, of which 20% was aluminum. It was the early aughts-- tanning beds, Furbies, and Limewire were popular. No one knew any better.
Fast forward to adulthood. My braces and nail biting habit were gone, but my body odor was here to stay. My friends (God bless them for their honesty) never failed to let me know that I needed a little refresh. I stashed deodorant sticks in every bag and would frequently visit the bathroom for a little bird bath when on a date. I could not get away with a natural deodorant product, despite my best efforts.
I needed the chemicals and I needed them badly. Moving into a van didn’t help the issue. Roaming around solo for a year with no running water got me super comfortable with my body odor, but I can’t speak to how the gas station attendants, campground hosts, and unassuming baristas felt. I tried several popular natural brands, lemon wedges smuggled away from the bar caddy, and face toner. Nothing worked. At least I was never truly alone, with my armpit bacteria along for the ride.
Like all of the best things, Pit LIquor came into my life unexpectedly. And honestly, I didn’t believe it would work for me. I mean, alcohol and some essential oils? Couldn’t I just concoct this by myself with a bottle of rubbing alcohol from the drugstore for $0.99 cents? Nevertheless, I tried a few sprays of my boyfriend’s Whiskey Vanilla. It killed my odor instantly, which was a pleasant surprise. But I wasn’t sold.
I continued to use it over the next few days but returned to my regular travel size powder fresh (yuck, I know, but powder fresh was the only thing that smothered my typical lox-bagel-extra-red-onion scent). Like earworms and chia seeds, something about Pit Liquor was sticking with me.
Then my deodorant spirit guides stepped in to facilitate a slow stroll past a shelf of Pit Liquor at the local market. Compared to my $2.99 travel size conventional stick, it was certainly a splurge. However, my pits had been drinking aluminum for the past seventeen years and I wasn’t a stranger to splurging on fun items that caught my eye - 4th of July costumes, a surfboard I’ve used once, etc. After a first, second, and maybe third thought, I grabbed the Coconut Lime variety and plopped it into my basket.
To say I’ve never looked back wouldn’t be entirely true. I forgot it last time I traveled and used a conventional roll on in a pinch. But 99% of the time, the pretty glass bottle comes along. I’m still genuinely surprised that it works so well, doesn’t make me smell like booze, and doesn’t stain my shirts. On particularly sweaty days, I’ll need a refresh toward the afternoon. But other than that, my pits are just good to go. I get to let my body sweat, like nature intended. I get to put healthy, effective ingredients on my body and rest assured they are doing no harm. I get to smell like real lavender, real oranges, or real vanilla. But most importantly, I get to do the wave at large events without assaulting neighboring nostrils. It really was that simple all along.
But hey, Pit Liquor is all about transparency so I want you to know that I write for this company. You’ll see my name on some other blog posts, although none as personal as this. However, I started writing for them because I love their products so much. If I can shepherd others down the path to healthy, odor-free armpits, confidence in their bodies, and pride in the way they show up in the world, then hell yes—my English Lit degree wasn’t a waste afterall! I’m changing the world, Mom, one pair of pits at a time.
The Ultimate Essential Oils Guide
Essential oils have gained a cult-like following in recent years, however, the practice of using these plant-based extracts for a variety of healthful purposes isn’t exactly new. For centuries, aromatic plant byproducts - like leaves, stems, roots, and flowers - have been a focal point in baptisms, embalmings, and everything that falls between.
Since modern America has fallen in love with essential oils, the scented products have essentially (see what we did there?) taken off. At Pit Liquor, we’re big fans of our fragrant friends. We put them in everything we make! Not only do they smell amazing, but they have medicinal properties created by nature herself. Here, we’ll share the most common essential oils and their respective uses.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are not deemed “essential” just because they capture the essence of the plant - or its pleasing aroma. Actually, what we deem, “essential oils” are in fact the metabolic secretions of plants - aka plant hormones, aka what brings all the pollinators to the yard.
To get the juice, you’ve got to squeeze. Obtaining a plant’s “essence” or its scent can be done in a host of different ways - cold pressing, distillation, wax embedding, expression, and more. Because essential oils are so potent, they are most often mixed with a carrier oil for topical application.
What are the most common essential oils?
- Lavender. She’s the bell of the ball in our opinion. Lavender smells so delightful, is instantly relaxing, and comes from a gorgeous purple flower. Many use lavender essential oils in aromatherapy, during meditation, yoga, and for stress relief. Lavender essential oil can also be added to laundry, room diffusers, natural cleaning solutions, and more.
- Peppermint. Ancient societies including those of Rome, Greece, and Egypt, used peppermint to quell headaches, relieve cold symptoms, and minimize body aches. Since then humans have continued to use peppermint essential oil for a variety of healing purposes.
- Rose. Like lavender, rose essential oil just smells so damn good. It’s an elegant aroma that doesn’t overwhelm the senses. Rose evokes light, bright feelings of springtime, and is actually used in aromatherapy practices to relieve stress and boost moods. Some studies show that rose essential oil can fight acne, hydrate the skin, and minimize the appearance of scars and wrinkles.
- Sandalwood. In Ayurvedic medicine, sandalwood combats a host of mental and physical problems. Using sandalwood essential oil through aromatherapy practices or topical applications may significantly reduce stress, increase libido, fight fatigue, and improve focus.
- Cedarwood. Besides transporting one to a thick pine forest, cedarwood aids in minimizing the effects of many skin conditions, including eczema, inflammation, and bacterial infections. When mixed with a base oil and applied topically to the scalp, cedarwood may prevent further hair loss and sooth itchy, irritable scalps.
- Lime and orange. These citrus fruits may be celebrated sidekicks in the artisanal cocktail world, but in fact, the essential oil derived from lime and orange peels have noteworthy health properties. High concentrations of vitamin C make each powerful antiseptic that may be used to treat gum infections. Orange and lime essential oil is also used in skincare as a brightening agent that helps reduce the appearance of sunspots, scars, and discoloration.
Pit Liquor’s natural deodorants smell so wonderful thanks to all of these essential oils. Treat your pits with fresh smelling products, instead of chemical components that our competitors love to use. Mother Nature is pretty much perfect, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
Blasting the Boob Sweat
Dear Garden, Please Grow! 🥕🌻
Your Pit Liquor Questions Answered
Share in Your Pit Perfection
It's awesome to find a truly natural deodorant that works! You kind of want to shout it from the rooftops, right? With arms confidently raised because YOUR PITS DON'T STINK!
Go. For. It. Sharing is caring because friends don't let friends stink. Here you'll find a fun launch list of 5 people in your life who need Pit Liquor in theirs!
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Pit Liquor deodorant is something like a sommelier for your pits—offering a complementary pairing of alcohol and food that really does make you smell absolutely delicious.