Here's How To Naturally Get Rid Of Body Odor
Body odor is the kind of thing that none of us really want to talk about, yet that doesn't mean it doesn't need to be addressed. While it's true that some people have a more intense bout of it than others, the reality is that all of us have apocrine glands (the glands that typically secrete this odor out of our underarms, genitalia, breasts and even our eyelids). And when those glands aren't kept under control, the bacteria within them can create a smell that is, unpleasant to say the least.
The thing about body odor is, no matter how much deodorant and perfume that you try and mask it with, the odor still usually has a way of overpowering your "diversion tactics". That's why, aside from good hygiene practices, it really is best to take a more all-natural holistic approach to body odor. If you're looking for a few effective suggestions, I've got 10 of 'em.
1. Eat Some Chlorophyll
You probably learned in an elementary level science class that chlorophyll is responsible for giving certain foods their natural green color. Well, when it comes to foods like spinach, kale, parsley, spirulina and wheatgrass, it's the combination of chlorophyll and sunlight that give these types of foods the nutrients that they offer. As far as the benefits that chlorophyll is able to offer you, it contains properties that can reduce the signs of aging, fight acne and even build up your red blood cells.
What makes it top this list of ways to reduce body odor is, chlorophyll's considered to be a natural deodorizer too. That's actually why, if you happen to read the ingredients on the back of many deodorants and mouthwashes, you'll see chlorophyll on the list. Interesting, huh?
2. Eat (More) Citrus Fruit Too
Lemons. Limes. Grapefruit. Oranges. Kumquats. All of these qualify as being citrus fruit. It's a good idea to eat these, at least a couple of times a week, because they are loaded with antioxidants, fiber, potassium, magnesium and even copper (which is a mineral that combats premature greying). Citrus fruit is also good for you because it can help to raise the citrate levels in your system (which reduces your chances of getting kidney stones), contains cancer-fighting properties and even has flavonoids that will reduce bodily inflammation. And just how can eating an orange or drinking some homemade lemonade fight against body odor? It's because citrus fruit is highly acidic, so it has a way of altering your pH balance to make it more acidic as well, so that odor-causing bacteria isn't able to stick around for very long.
3. Apply Some Witch Hazel
Sometimes, when I think about all of the ways that witch hazel has had my skin's back, I'm shocked by how inexpensive a bottle of it is (you should be able to find a great brand for less than three bucks). Witch hazel is basically a medicinal plant that is able to relieve skin irritation, tone your skin, fight acne, protect your skin from free radicals and reduce scalp sensitivity that either comes from getting a new set of box braids or from a flare-up that eczema or psoriasis has caused. Because witch hazel is also considered to be a natural astringent that contains a fair amount of alcohol, if you dab some of it onto a cotton ball or washcloth and then rub it onto your armpits after bathing, not only will it reduce how much you perspire, it will decrease odor-causing bacteria as well.
4. Try Some Baking Soda and Lemon Juice
We've already touched on what lemons can do, so let's explore baking soda a bit. Ever since I was a little girl, I was used to seeing boxes of baking soda in the house. Mostly, I used it for brushing my teeth (it's gritty texture can remove plaque and tartar like nobody's business), but it can be beneficial in a lot more ways than that. Because it is able to neutralize stomach acids, some people use it to treat heartburn. If you apply baking soda directly on a canker sore or pimple, the antibacterial and antimicrobial properties in it can help to speed up the healing process. The lactic acid in baking soda can balance out the pH in your system so that you can workout longer on the days when you're tired. Some people even take it to slow down the progression of kidney disease. You can also use baking soda to eliminate your body odor issues because it can also help to make odor-causing bacteria to be less acidic; this ultimately means less sweating and less smelling too. Just mix one-part baking soda with one-part lemon juice and wipe your underarms down at night. You'll have less odor to worry about, the following day.
5. Drink Green Tea
There are dozens of reasons why green tea is good for you (check out "You'll Totally Fall In Love With These Green Tea Beauty Hacks"). As far as drinking it goes, green tea contains natural compounds that are able to reduce body inflammation; the catechin epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) that helps to reduce cell damage; properties that are able to increase your metabolic rate (so that you're able to burn body fat), and antioxidants that can help to prevent the growth of cancer cells while also slowing down the aging of your brain. Something else that green tea is able to do is help to keep body odor at bay. That's thanks to the antioxidants that help to remove toxins from your system and tannins that help to slow down sweat. Drink tea to detoxify your system. Put a couple of tea bags into your bathwater to get most out of the tannins that are in them.
6. Wipe Down with White Vinegar
When it comes to skincare, something that all of us should have in our home is a bottle of white vinegar. You can use it to remove age spots, shorten the length span of breakouts, as an ingredient in your own DIY toner (because it is able to pull toxins from your pores), heal razor bumps and yes, get rid of body odor. White vinegar also contains properties that can kill odor-causing bacteria. You can either pour one-third of white vinegar into a bottle of distilled water and use the solution as a spray for your underarms or you can pour 1-2 cups of white vinegar into your bathwater and soak in it for 20 minutes.
7. Put Some Vodka on Your Underarms
Off top, vodka is a natural disinfectant and antiseptic properties. If you consume it in moderation, vodka can do everything from reduce stress (even more than red wine is able to), lower your cholesterol levels and even decrease symptoms that are directly related to rheumatoid arthritis.
The reason why you should keep a bottle of it in your bathroom is because it's also a great way to knock out underarm odor. Not only because of vodka's disinfectant qualities, but also due to the high amount of alcohol that vodka contains which is able to stop bacteria in its tracks. All you need to do is pour a little bit of vodka onto a washcloth and rub your underarms with it. You'll notice that you will smell a lot fresher throughout the day after you do.
8. Use Some Tea Tree Oil. Or Lavender.
Any time that I want a pimple to go away, virtually overnight, I'll dab some tea tree oil on it. Because of the compounds in it like terpinen-4-ol, tea tree oil is able to kill the bacteria and fungus that leads to breakouts. Plus, tea tree oil is a potent ingredient for hand sanitizers while also alleviating dandruff, cleansing minor scrapes and abrasions and treating nail fungus and athlete's foot too. Since tea tree oil is so powerful, it is also a popular ingredient in many deodorants. As for lavender oil, it's also great at killing acne-causing bacteria. Plus, it soothes eczema and psoriasis symptoms, smooths out fine lines and, when mixed with a carrier oil like coconut or sweet almond oil (because lavender oil is also quite strong), it can moisturize dry skin as well. Lavender oil's bacteria-fighting properties, along with its fresh scent, make it a perfect addition to tea tree oil should you want to make a DIY deodorant. You can check out some awesome all-natural recipes here.
9. Drop Some Rosemary into Your Bathwater
Something that I'm a huge fan of is rosemary oil. That's because its benefits truly run the gamut, from improving brain function and increasing hair growth to relieving body aches and pains, repelling insects and decreasing stress levels. While rosemary oil really does deserve its own write-up, for now, make sure to get some rosemary leaves for bath time. Not only will it increase your blood circulation (which can make it a great libido-booster) and help to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, the menthol and chlorophyll that rosemary contains can help to neutralize your body odor. (You can typically find dried rosemary leaves in the produce department of your favorite grocery store, by the way.)
10. DRINK. MORE. WATER.
Since you're made up of around 65 percent water, that should be enough of a reason to want to consume no less than eight glasses of it a day (for replenishing purposes). But if, for some reason, you happen to need a little bit more convincing—drinking water provides you with more energy, helps your brain to function at a peak level, relieves constipation, aids in weight loss, soothes a headache, reduces oral bacteria and yes, can make body odor less of a problem. Body odor is full of toxins and water helps to flush those toxins out. So, even if you're not a huge water fan, at least try to drink some infused water. It's a refreshing way to release toxins while getting some nutrients into your system at the same time. Drink up!
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Different puzzle pieces are creating bigger pictures these days. 2024 will mark a milestone on a few different levels, including the release of my third book next June (yay!).
I am also a Professional Certified Coach. My main mission for attaining that particular goal is to use my formal credentials to help people navigate through the sometimes tumultuous waters, both on and offline, when it comes to information about marriage, sex and relationships that is oftentimes misinformation (because "coach" is a word that gets thrown around a lot, oftentimes quite poorly).
I am also still super devoted to helping to bring life into this world as a doula, marriage life coaching will always be my first love (next to writing, of course), a platform that advocates for good Black men is currently in the works and my keystrokes continue to be devoted to HEALTHY over HAPPY in the areas of holistic intimacy, spiritual evolution, purpose manifestation and self-love...because maturity teaches that it's impossible to be happy all of the time when it comes to reaching goals yet healthy is a choice that can be made on a daily basis (amen?).
If you have any PERSONAL QUESTIONS (please do not contact me with any story pitches; that is an *editorial* need), feel free to reach out at missnosipho@gmail.com. A sistah will certainly do what she can. ;)
This Couple Almost Let Their 8-Year Age Gap Keep Them From Finding Love With One Another
How We Met is a series where xoNecole talks love and relationships with real-life couples. We learn how they met, how like turned into love, and how they make their love work.
I’m willing to bet that this is not the first time you’ve seen this couple. Dalen Spratt is a television producer, owner of a tailored men's suit line, and creator of Ghost Brothers: Haunted Houseguests, which is currently streaming on Destination America. Stacey Spratt is also a serial entrepreneur, focusing mostly on events and the nonprofit world, and she is the owner of two award-winning craft beer bars called Harlem Hops. But their accolades are not what united them.
The couple met years ago at their alma mater, Clark Atlanta University, when they were still working to create the life they have now, and if you had told them then that they’d eventually tie the knot, the pair probably would’ve laughed in your face.
Today, they’re new parents, flourishing in their careers, and each others’ “teammates.” When desiring love, Dalen recommends not looking to other couples for advice. And Stacey advises staying true to what you want. “Don’t put age or limitations on love and children. If God could do it for me, why can’t he do it for you?”
Here's How We Met.
How did you meet?
Dalen: We met in 2005 when she was advising the Greek sororities and fraternities in college. She was old as hell in college, and I was a young buck (laughs). Everybody had a crush on her, but I didn’t think much of it. Then, in 2007, we were in the same grad school class, but she still wasn’t trying to see me then either. I had to catch her five years ago; I was very patient.
Stacey: Yeah, everybody in our grad school class called him Young, Fresh to Death because he was always dressed in B-school (what CAU affectionately refers to as business major classes), and we’d just wear sweatpants (laughs).
So, I know Dalen was always attracted to you. But what about you? Did your attraction to him develop over time?
Stacey: So 2006-2008 – all the years went by. I don’t think we were really thinking about each other at all back then. Years later, I had an event in Dallas, and I booked him to be a speaker. Then, a few years ago, Dalen posted a photo of him on Instagram, and I slid in his DMs. I remembered him being so young and handsome, and I’m like, I should hook him up with my younger cousin. His response was: "If you’re not hooking me up with you, no thank you." But I still thought he was too young at the time, and he started pulling receipts. Taraji P. Henson was dating someone young at the time, Gabrielle Union–
Dalen: First of all, I didn’t do that. You did that.
Stacey: Okay, I did. I thought he was a cutie pie, but that age thing was on my mind!
"Dalen posted a photo of him on Instagram, and I slid in his DMs. I remembered him being so young and handsome, and I’m like, I should hook him up with my younger cousin. His response was: 'If you’re not hooking me up with you, no thank you.'"
Courtesy
Talk to me about the first date. How did he change your mind?
Stacey: Our first date was at Tin Lizzy's in Atlanta. During that time, he was living in Dallas, so it was long-distance. But he came into town, and we just had a good time. We talked a lot, which we still do. It wasn’t anything fantastic.
Dalen: Don’t downplay our first date.
Then, walk me through your courtship. How did you get to the next level? What was that conversation like?
Stacey: I think he knew at age 43 or 44 I wasn’t playing around. But also, I think it just naturally progressed.
Dalen: Yeah, it just happened naturally. And I’m going to be honest, I don’t think initially either one of us thought it would be as serious as it was. She thought I was too young and I wasn’t ready for marriage, kids, and all that. I think we both thought we were just hanging out. But after spending so much time together, a lot of stuff started happening. Like, she had to have surgery early on. It wasn’t just time together; it was intimate time. Next thing we know, we just never left each other. That’s why we still don’t have an anniversary date because we never really asked.
"It wasn't just time together; it was intimate time. Next thing we know, we just never left each other. That's why we still don't have an anniversary date because we never really asked."
What made you want to commit to each other?
Dalen: The moment I knew Stacey was for me was from a phone call. I don’t really like talking on the phone, and I can be really blunt sometimes. But we were talking, and I said, ‘I don’t really feel like talking anymore.’ And she was just like, okay, and hung up. I wasn’t trying to be rude, and she understood that. It sounds bad, but that’s how I knew she just got me. I felt like she could get my random awkward moments, and she does to this day.
Stacey: For me, I liked him as a person. Even when times get rough and tough, I could still like him as a human. He is my best friend. We have time. We laugh until we cry, and it’s just always like that. Even when we get pissed at each other, something happens, and we fix it. Also, how he treats his mother. That’s a momma’s boy, but I’m a daddy’s girl – so I get it. I know how I want to be treated, and I see how he is with her and that’s beautiful.
What are some important lessons you’ve learned about yourself through loving your partner in this relationship?
Dalen: I grew up an only child and she grew up with siblings. So, when you have someone who is used to doing things by themselves, there is definitely a learning curve when you get into a serious relationship. It’s funny now, but it was definitely a process.
Stacey: I agree – definitely the only child thing. There’s times I look at him like, did you ever live with anyone else? That comes from being momma's baby, too. I have to say, my “mother-in-love” spoiled him. But also with Axel (their daughter), that brings another level of patience.
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images
What was the biggest challenge that you had to overcome together?
Dalen: We’ve gone through a lot within the years we’ve been together. We suffered two miscarriages – I’d say that’s the biggest.
Stacey: Having those miscarriages and trying to understand what’s next and what our options are was a lot. I had two myomectomies (fibroid surgeries), and he supported me through that time. Also, still, it was on my mind that he’s eight years younger than me. I was wondering if I can’t carry [a child] what that looks like for us. We had very real conversations pretty early in our relationship.
"Having those miscarriages and trying to understand what’s next and what our options are was a lot. I had two myomectomies (fibroid surgeries), and he supported me through that time. Also, still, it was on my mind that he’s eight years younger than me."
What do you fight the most about?
Dalen: Nagging. Stacey nags; she’s a complainer. She’s that momma that will look in a room and just hunt for something to complain about. Like, I’m worried for Axel when she's in high school.
Stacey: It’s because I like things to be in place. He leaves stuff all over the place. I can tell where he’s been in the house because something is left around. So he says I’m nagging – but it’s like, just get your stuff.
What are your love languages?
Dalen: Stacey is gifts all day.
Stacey: *thinks*
Dalen: We’ve talked about this. xoNecole is about to cause problems in our home (laughs).
Stacey: Obviously I love you. *thinks again* It’s words of affirmation.
Dalen: That’s it.
What’s your favorite thing about each other?
Dalen: I’ve always respected her business-mindedness. That may sound superficial, but it’s not because I’ve never been with someone who thinks like me. It’s one of my most treasured things about her. I remember one day, I was just running through ideas with her, and each time Stacey had a suggestion on how I could make it better. It’s just very comforting. She takes whatever I’m doing and elevates it – including me.
Stacey: I love Dalen’s hustle and creativity. He’s been on multiple shows, and he continues to create, produce, and reinvent himself and the product he’s putting out. I love that we can create together and bounce things off each other. Even though we may be in different arenas, there’s nothing he can’t offer me great advice about. I love that drive.
Finally, how did you know it was love?
Dalen: Well – she said it – first. (laughs)
Stacey: And he looked at me and smiled! He didn’t say it back. We were on a trip, out of the country.
Dalen: We were arguing when she said it, and she just threw it out.
Stacey: But we continue to do that. We’ve spent holidays and everything outside of the country.
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From Heartbreak To Healing: The Multifaceted Journey Of Nazanin Mandi
Nazanin Mandi is never out of options.
About a year ago, the 37-year-old life coach and actress was navigating life after divorce and determined to experience homeownership for the first time as a single woman. She’d been married to the R&B singer Miguel for three years, following a long-term relationship that started when she was 18 years old. But, in 2022, she filed for divorce. It was certainly the most public change she made but, in reality, it was just one of many decisions to refocus and reach her full potential in recent years.
“During my 20s, I was not ready for more. I was living a really crazy life. It was unpredictable. I was helping somebody else grow. It was a lot, and it was intense. I was not pouring into myself the way I should’ve been,” she says in an xoNecole exclusive.
Still, as Mandi worked to get to know herself and her needs during this new phase of life, she realized the home she’d purchased wasn’t a good fit. Overwhelmed by the echoing of her voice in the spacious home, she had a breakdown and called her cousin, who immediately suggested she lease the home and live somewhere else. “I woke up in my house, and I was like, ‘This is not it for me,” she says. “All those years, I had been accustomed to living a certain way [and] in a certain house, so I bought myself a house like [my old home]. But my family was not the same. Waking up in that house by myself, it highlighted the divorce. I was like, ‘Oh, no, we can’t do this. This is not it.’ My life has changed, so my choices need to change.” At that moment, Mandi became open to the idea that there wasn’t one set way to achieve ownership on her own.
“I feel so much better. I’m in a smaller place. My best friend lives a minute from me and I can walk to her house,” she tells me during a Zoom interview from her home one recent afternoon in early February. In the past two years, she hasn’t just been advising other people on varying circumstances, she’s also been healing herself.
"During my 20s, I was not ready for more. I was living a really crazy life. It was unpredictable. I was helping somebody else grow. It was a lot, and it was intense. I was not pouring into myself the way I should’ve been."
Credit: Solmaz Saberi
If supporters began following Nazanin Mandi because of her conventional beauty or the contagious, bright, white smile she often wears in many of her photos, that’s likely not the reason they’ve stuck around. Instead, she’s amassed a following based on her transparency about her own anxiety and depression, along with the encouraging messages of self-acceptance, gratitude, ambition, and humility that are often sprinkled into her social media posts.
In an era where looking at Instagram photos of models can often lead to feelings of self-doubt and insecurity, Nazanin Mandi is determined to be more than eye candy. She’s food for her follower’s souls, too.
Since being recruited to model while dining at an In-N-Out at 10 years old, Mandi has worked in many areas of entertainment. The Valencia, California native has modeled for brands such as Olay, Savage X Fenty, and Good American. As a teen, she sang at Carnegie Hall and auditioned for season 1 of American Idol, making it all the way to Hollywood before producers disqualified her for lying about her age. (Mandi was 15 at the time, and contestants had to be at least 16 years old.) Mandi has acted, too, including appearing on Disney’s That’s So Raven as a teenager and on the BET+ series Games People Play and the Prime series Á La Carte in more recent years.
In recent years, though, she’s also expanded her professional goals outside of entertainment, too. After becoming a certified life coach in 2020, Mandi launched the membership platform You Bloome in 2022 with the hopes of providing wellness services to others, including her self-published gratitude journal. “I wish I had access to something like You Bloome earlier in my own life,” she writes on the company’s website. The actress, who has been forthcoming about her struggles with anxiety and depression, has never had a life coach, but credits therapy as a tool that “really, really saved me and it laid the foundation to who I am becoming.”
Credit: Solmaz Saberi
"I’m trying to find the balance between living life and knowing that whatever is meant for me is going to happen, but also know that I’m doing everything in my power to make those things happen and better myself."
While she’s always had a nurturing personality, Mandi says her interest in becoming a life coach was inspired by the women who would message her for advice on social media. “I would answer them back. It really sparked a fire within myself to help people,” she says.
You Bloome currently has three membership tiers, ranging in price from $2.99 to $39.99 per month. The highest tier offers a motivational text message twice a week, two live, group coaching sessions per month, and more. “We get emotional. We cry. We laugh. It’s really beautiful. I’ve built close relationships with my members through this. It’s been inspiring both ways,” Mandi says of the sessions. Still, the founder says she hopes to take on more motivational and keynote speaking opportunities in the future with the hopes of impacting as many people as possible.
And, she’s hoping to do all of this while continuing to explore a career as an entertainer.
At this point in her life, Mandi says she’s gained enough perspective on modeling, music, and acting to realize what she wants to prioritize moving forward. “We are going full force with acting,” she says, noting her goal is “to book a series regular or a film that impacts my career and the world.” She plans to continue to model, too, but has no desire to pursue music.
“I don’t want any part of that because I know what that life entails,” she says. “I don’t want to tour. I don’t want to do any of that. That is not where my heart is at.”
Credit: Solmaz Saberi
If you ask Mandi, she’ll tell you she feels most comfortable in front of a camera, but she’ll also admit that she’s recently experienced a lot of imposter syndrome when thinking about her acting career. “I think it’s a fear of not succeeding,” she says. If anything, she adds, she’s harder on herself now than she’s ever been. “There were distractions before. There’s no distractions now,” she says. “I’m putting pressure on myself for no reason.”
This is where the life coach’s own personal healing comes into play. Mandi says she’s learning recently that “slow progress is still big progress at the end of the day.”
“Currently, I’m trying to find the balance between living life and knowing that whatever is meant for me is going to happen, but also know that I’m doing everything in my power to make those things happen and better myself,” she adds.
Still, one of Mandi’s strengths is that she doesn’t feel the pressure to limit herself to just one passion. From working as a life coach to pursuing acting, she has given herself grace to explore all other dreams.
“We can be allowed to be many different things in this lifetime,” she says. “As people, our identities are allowed to expand. Don’t put us in a fucking box. I cannot live that way anymore.”
For more of Nazanin, follow her on Instagram @nazaninmandi.
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Featured image by Solmaz Saberi