
Lizzo Says She ‘Smells Better’ Since She Stopped Wearing Deodorant

Adding a new layer to this never-ending chat about celebrity hygiene, Lizzo has revealed in her Instagram Story that she no longer wears deodorant. She took to the net to piggyback on Matthew McConaughey's recent comments, famously saying that he gave up wearing deodorant 35 years ago, and that he hadn't "worn deodorant in 20 years." Despite him making this revelation in 2005, because folks love bringing up old shit these days, his revelation to PEOPLE has made their rounds.
Anyway, back to Lizzo: upon reading about McConaughey, she took to social media revealing:
""Ok I'm w him on this one. I stopped using deodorant and I smell BETTER."
And listen, as it turns out, what she's saying, is facts.
There's no secret that typical deodorant has been linked to cancer and other internal wellness illnesses, due to their content of aluminum and other potentially harmful chemicals (I only say potential because not everyone's bodies respond to these toxins the same way, but we all know how deodorant gets down). Rapper Saweetie detailed that she uses lemons instead, which she credits for her smooth and clear pits.
"A lot of people don't know this, but when you use deodorant, it traps the toxins in there, and that's why you always be musty. In order to alleviate that, put lemons instead of deodorant under your armpits."
She explained:
"It also lightens it. So dark marks, and all the funk, that's caused by bacteria. So, instead of putting that nasty, unhealthy deodorant that blocks your pores, get you some lemons."
Zoe Kravitz is also an advocate of finding more natural ways to cleanse your armpits, versus traditional deodorants.
She revealed to Vogue that instead, she swears by Milk + Honey natural deodorant.
"I've been on quite a journey with natural deodorants in general because a lot of them don't work, but I don't want to put aluminum near my lymph nodes and breasts, and this is one of the only ones that works--truly works. Lasts all day, and smells delicious."
Of course, the conversation is largely in part to Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher starting this massive avalanche of conversation about not routinely bathing themselves and their kids, a conversation that just won't quit. And just like that conversation, dermatologists are weighing in here too and advising against the hygiene staple. In fact, if you quit using an antiperspirant altogether, your skin's natural microbiome can potentially reset. Dr. Joshua Zeichner tells Well + Good:
"Antiperspirants work by blocking wetness from reaching the surface of the skin. These contain aluminum salts that form a plug or blockage within the sweat glands to physically prevent sweat. Despite the popular belief that discontinuing antiperspirant use will detox your underarms, the only detoxifying organs in your body are your liver and kidneys. Without antiperspirant, perhaps your skin may better clear dirt, oil, and debris that accumulate on the skin and within the sweat glands."
Additionally, just as Saweetie said, he agrees that antiperspirants use antimicrobial agents to kill bacteria and other ingredients to block your sweat glands; however, antiperspirants actually affects the bacterial balance in your armpits. He also notes that ultimately, their use can actually create an even greater odor-inducing sweat problem. Chileeee.
Let me find out Saweetie is a whole MD out here!
For now, Lizzo hasn't gone into detail about her armpit cleansing routine but we'll keep out eyes open about whatever tea she has on how to stay fresh. In the meantime, although everything we may have ever been taught about hygiene may be a whole ass lie, at least the conversation is...happening.
Watch Lizzo's latest video "Rumors" below:
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
- Here's How To Naturally Get Rid Of Body Odor - xoNecole: Women's ... ›
- How To Detox Your Armpits (And Why You Should) - xoNecole ... ›
- Why Saweetie Chooses Lemons Over Deodorant To Stay Fresh ›
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
Self-Validation, No Meals After 5 P.M. & The Wellness Rituals That Helped Lizzo Take Her Power Back
Don't let the "weight release" fool you, Lizzo's transformation wasn't just physical. It was spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal. In her Women's Health cover story, the "Good As Hell" artist opened up about the low point that became the catalyst for radical change in her life, inside and out.
In the summer of 2023, Lizzo found herself at the center of what she calls painful allegations when some of her former dancers filed a lawsuit against her. The 37-year-old singer has denied their claims, and though she has experienced "backlash my entire career," going through such legal woes coupled with public scrutiny proved to be detrimental to her mental health, leading her to one of the darkest periods of her life.
She told Women's Health, "I got very paranoid and isolated. I wasn’t even talking to my therapist. I wasn’t present. I wasn’t open. I wasn’t myself anymore."
After spending months in isolation, Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, decided to go to a tour stop on the Renaissance World Tour. She was nervous that the public would shun her, boo her, or reject her, but instead, she was embraced. It shifted something in her and after feeling so in the dark, she saw the light again. "It made me feel like, wow, maybe I don’t want to die," she shared with Women's Health.
"That was the kick-starter to me being like, ‘Okay, Melissa, get your ass in gear and take your f*cking life back.’"
Her first step in Operation Get Your Life Back? Cutting out the external noise. She gave her team total control of her social media and stopped looking at comments. "My validation was from external sources, people telling me they loved me, or that I look good, and accepting me," she explained. "But if that’s all I’m getting my validation from, when it changes—and it will, because people are not always going to like you—what happens? Where are you going to get your love from?"
Lizzo continued, "I can convince myself that I’m beautiful, my body fine, no matter how big or small. But reminding myself that you can’t let others tell you who you are—that was hard work."
Lizzo started going to therapy again, she started practicing quigong meditation, reading books, journaling, and doing sound baths. She released unhealthy relationships, drank echinacea tea, and began incorporating Pilates as a means to "feel sacred" and "be gentle" with herself.
But what many have interpreted as a "weight loss transformation" after she popped out sharing she met her "weight release" goal earlier this year, Lizzo has clarified that it has been something deeper for her than the aesthetic of a smaller body. "I wanted to be big-girl skinny," she told the mag. "Every big girl knows what I’m talking about. Big-girl skinny is 250 pounds." According to her, it was her back issues that inspired her to take the physical part of her wellness journey seriously.
I DID IT! #weightrelease
@lizzo I DID IT! #weightrelease
Through her friend Kelly Rowland, she linked up with her now-trainer Marvin Telp and developed a fitness regimen that prioritized strength and intention. Her weekly schedule now includes moves like single-leg deadlifts, reverse flies, and lateral lunges, along with infrared sauna sessions and cardio. Add to that a change in eating habits after realizing her vegan diet no longer served her (to be fair, she wasn't doing the vegan thing the "healthiest" way).
All the meat substitutes, bread, cashew cheese, and soy left her bloated and lightheaded, so now she's switched things up a bit to fill the nutritional gaps. When it comes to diet, it's heavy on the protein and vegetables for Lizzo. A typical day eating looks like scrambled eggs and cauliflower hash browns for breakfast, Thai chicken salad or lettuce wraps for lunch, and turkey meatloaf with greens for dinner.
She also has a strict cutoff of no meals after 5 p.m. to support her GERD and give her body the time it needs before bed to digest her food sans the acid reflux. Of her relationship with food and wellness, she told Women's Health, "There's a balance. I think that's what true health is."
Read Lizzo's full cover story with Women's Health here.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock