4 Tips For An Effective Underarm Care Routine

In our skincare routine, we often overlook our underarms and dismiss proper underarm care.

But underarms are one of the most sensitive areas on your body, so they deserve and require just as much attention. Underarms are prone to a host of unsightly or painful conditions such as armpit sweat, odor, razor burn, or ingrown hairs.

Luckily, these issues are preventable or manageable. It's easy to learn how to take care of underarms naturally. Follow these four crucial tips for underarm care to keep underarm woes at bay:

Exfoliate regularly
Shave, trim or wax properly
Keep your pits dry
Prevent bacteria buildup and odor

1. Exfoliate Regularly

When it comes to underarm care, proper exfoliation should always be the first step.

Why Should You Exfoliate?

Dead skin cells accumulate on your skin over time, creating a breeding ground for bacteria and clogged pores. Exfoliation helps clear away dead skin cells from the top layer of skin.

Exfoliation is especially important before and after any form of hair removal to prep the skin and prevent ingrown hairs. It’s an easy skincare step, and it's safe to exfoliate daily or every other day. It’s not necessary to buy any harsh chemical exfoliators.

How to Exfoliate Your Armpits

Use a mild exfoliating scrub or a washcloth or loofah with your favorite body cleanser, if you have sensitive skin. Gently clean the underarm area in a circular motion. Remember to exfoliate before hair removal, as well as several days after.

2. Shave, Trim or Wax Properly

There are numerous techniques for removing or maintaining underarm hair. Whether you prefer to shave, trim, wax, or use hair removal gels or creams, make sure you pick the method that’s least irritating to your skin.

For those of you who choose to shave your underarms at home, follow these best practices.

How to Shave Properly

First, plan your shave. Antiperspirant, deodorant and chafing can aggravate freshly shaven skin, so shaving at night is best. Your skin will have more time to heal while you sleep.

Start by exfoliating (see step one above), then apply shaving cream or shaving gel to the underarm area.

Reach your arm overhead, and pull the skin you are shaving taught. Hair grows in different directions, so to ensure a close shave, glide the razor carefully in each direction.

If you have sensitive skin, shave (as best as you can) in the direction the hair grows to minimize irritation. If necessary, reapply shaving cream or gel.

Lastly, pat dry with a towel and apply a gentle moisturizer or ingrown hair cream.

Keep in mind that shaving can irritate the skin, and improper shaving techniques can easily cause razor burn. A proper shaving routine ensures a close shave, extending the time between shaves and allowing your skin to recover.

Important: Replace your blades every seven shaves for optimal results. Sharper blades produce the best and cleanest shave.

3. Keep Your Pits Dry

Dry armpits mean less irritation and fewer unpleasant sweat marks on your shirt. To maintain dry underarms, use antiperspirant and wear a sweat proof undershirt.

Antiperspirant is a tried-and-true solution for combating sweat and staying dry. But don’t mistake antiperspirant for deodorant. Deodorants mask underarm odor but don’t block sweat, while antiperspirants contain aluminum that clogs sweat glands to keep armpits dry.

If you prefer a natural solution or deal with heavy armpit sweating, we recommend wearing a Thompson Tee sweat proof undershirt, available in men's and women's styles.

Thompson Tees feature a patented absorbent underarm barrier that prevents sweat from showing through your outer layers while keeping your armpits dry. These shirts offer complete protection and are especially effective for those with hyperhidrosis.

4. Prevent Odor

The final step in your underarm care routine is odor prevention.

Daily cleansing with an antibacterial body wash is imperative for combating odor. We recommend products that contain organic ingredients like tea tree, which fight odor-causing bacteria.

Afterward, apply a high-quality deodorant to clean, dry skin. Note that your deodorant will be far less effective if your skin isn’t completely dry.

Check out our roundup of the best deodorants for body odor.

Lastly, for ultimate odor protection, consider wearing an odor-blocking undershirt.

Thompson Tee’s Premium Undershirts boast revolutionary OdorShield technology. These undershirts are made with soft Supima cotton and are infused with a natural, hydrogen peroxide-based solution that kills 99.9% of bacteria.

Dealing with persistent armpit odor? Check out more tips on our blog here.

Maximize Your Underarm Care Routine with a Thompson Tee

Thompson Tee’s sweat proof and premium undershirts are the perfect complement to your natural underarm care routine.

Our undershirts are guaranteed to block 100% underarm sweat and odor from reaching and ruining your outer layers. Thompson Tees offer the ultimate protection from sweat marks, yellow stains and underarm odor.

Try a Thompson Tee risk-free today!