At The Summit, we specialize in skin care. Almost 10 years ago, we started to focus on a particular little gland in our skin - the sweat glands. This came from our relationship with Kaia Naturals of Ontario. Kaia Naturals focuses on modern solutions for intimate body concerns - like sweating!
Mary Futher, AKA Madame Sweat, founded this company after 20 years in the cosmetic formulation business with many global brands. Her focus was on clean beauty for the body. We loved what she was making - great, natural body products for every day sweat issues with great results.
We all sweat, particularly when the temperature is rising! We all want to control unpleasant body odours from said sweat and feel fresher. Here is our breakdown on the cause and the cure.
The Purpose of Your Sweat Glands: to regulate your body temperature. Sweat naturally cools your body down when needed so you don’t overheat. When sweat reaches your skin, it evaporates and this process cools your skin and tissues underneath helping to keep your body temperature at just the right level. Sweat also hydrates your skin because it contains amino acids, which lock in moisture at your skin’s surface to keep your skin from drying out. Sweat also protects your skin from infection because it contains antimicrobial peptides - natural chemicals that help ward off bacteria or fungi that might try to enter your skin.
Types and Location - You have two types of sweat glands - Eccrine- which are located all over your body and are responsible mainly for regulating temperature and Aprocine - which produce your "stress sweat" and are located mostly in your underarms and genital area and release sweat into hair follicles. Stress sweat is thicker and and stickier while the eccrine glands secrete a light watery sweat that evaporates more rapidly to keep you cool.
Sweating Disorders & Concerns
- Hyperhidrosis means excessive sweating.
- Diaphoresis means excessive sweating due to an underlying condition or medication.
- Anhidrosis is when one or more areas of your body can’t produce sweat normally. If severe this can put you at risk of serious heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
- Bromhidrosis means the body odour that happens when bacteria that live on your skin break down sweat as it reaches your skin’s surface. Common and often temporary, but if you notice a change in your body odour or a persistent unpleasant scent despite showering and changing your clothes regularly, it could be a sign of an underlying condition like diabetes, liver disease or kidney disease.
- Heat Rash is an itchy rash that forms when sweat gets trapped in the pores and ducts beneath your skin. It’s common among babies (whose sweat glands are still developing), adults who live in humid climates and people on bed rest.
- Hot flashes and Night Sweats are common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. A hot flash is a sudden, uncomfortable flare of heat and sweating. It might be so mild you barely notice or so severe that it stops you in your tracks. Night sweats are when you wake up drenched in sweat. Hot flashes and night sweats can be symptoms of many other medical conditions besides menopause. They can also occur as a side effect of medications. Talk to a healthcare provider if you’re having these symptoms and aren’t sure why.
- Possible symptom of a heart attack. Sudden, excessive sweating is a common symptom of a heart attack. Sweating and nausea can be the only symptoms of a heart attack, especially in women, or even an early warning sign. In this case, you might feel cold sweats along with other subtle symptoms like chest pressure, unusual fatigue or pain in your arm, jaw, neck or back.
Myths and Truths about Sweating
Myth - sweating is good for you to sweat out toxins. Your sweat is made up of 99% water not toxins. Be sure to rehydrate and replenish your electrolytes after a big sweaty workout, steam or sauna. Your liver and kidneys remove toxins and waste from your blood.
Myth - sweat smells. Sweat itself doesn't typically smell (unless there is an underlying medical condition or result of specific medication). Smell occurs when the bacteria on your skin starts to breakdown your sweat.
Truth - Antiperspirants create little, temporary plugs in your sweat glands to stop you from sweating. This can also contribute to ingrown hairs.
Truth - Deodorants should be applied to dry skin. If applied to damp or sweaty skin it dilutes the deodorants effectiveness and can cause irritation and stinging.
Truth - Deodorants work by killing odour-causing bacteria.
Truth - Deodorants still allow the body to sweat.
Remedies for Top Sweat and Odour Issues
Stinky Feet - the key to a remedy is reducing bacteria which means a washing feet well especially between the toes. Do not just let water wash over the feet in the shower. If you have an abundance of dead skin and callus - have this removed professionally once a month or use a foot file once every week or two to reduce calluses. Bacteria feed on this abundance of dead skin cells. Use Kaia Naturals Underarm Bar on your feet in the shower daily. The apple cider vinegar in the formula helps to rebalance the PH and reduce bacteria and therefore odour. Gehwol's Care Cream for the feet is especially great for controlling the bacteria and keeping skin fresh and smooth. Kaia Naturals Sweat Powder or Gehwol's Foot Powder are also great applied after foot cream to absorb sweat. Do not apply once feet are sweaty - it will just create a messy paste.
Gehwol Care Cream is naturally designed for sweaty feet prone to athlete's foot, itching and blisters between the toes. Perspiration is normalized and the decomposition of sweat and odour is prevented. The feet become fresh, odourless, and smooth. Also suitable for diabetics.
Gehwol Foot Powder is a special disinfectant powder that helps keep feet dry, smooth, and odourless. Great for those prone to athlete's foot. Ideal to sprinkle in dry socks and shoes to odour. If applied to sweaty feet, socks or shoes it will create a paste like texture.
Smelly Scalp - most of us try to not wash our hair daily to maintain healthy hair. The challenge is on sweaty days, odour can build up. Two easy remedies are to use Kaia Naturals Dry Shampoo BEFORE a sweaty workout or day AND/OR spray Kaia Naturals Body Refresh into the hair once sweaty.
Kaia Naturals Takesumi Detox Overnight Dry Shampoo is a talc-free, non-aerosol dry shampoo that is ideal for medium to fine hair (not ideal for thick hair as it will make it feel thicker and less manageable). It can also be applied at night for days that you are planning to not wash your hair so you can wake up to great hair.
After a Hot Flash, Stress Sweat or Workout - once you are already hot and sweaty or nervous and sweaty, now is not the time to add powder, fan yourself dry or add more deodorant. Adding powder when you are already wet will only create a paste. Fanning or waiting to dry will only mean odour in an hour. Trying to add deodorant when you are already wet will not adhere properly and be as effective. Give yourself a generous spray of Kaia Naturals Body Refresh to neutralize sweat and odour and feel like to have just had a shower!
Before Potential Hot Flash, Stress Sweat Situation or a Workout- preparing properly will help make you feel comfortable for what will come. Start in the shower with Kaia Naturals Underarm Bar to enhance the power of your deodorant to withstand even the most flashy of flashes! Use it on your bodies "smelliest" areas, by wetting the bar and creating a paste then applying in a circular motion, leaving for 30 seconds before rinsing. After the shower, dry your sweat-inducing areas well to maximize the effectiveness of your deodorant and apply Kaia Naturals Takesumi Detox Charcoal Deodorant. For complete prep, apply a dusting of Kaia Naturals Sweat Powder to be ready to absorb sweat quickly.
Kaia Naturals Underarm Bar enhances the power of your deodorant to withstand even the most active lifestyles! Specifically formulated with activated charcoal and apple cider vinegar to manage odour caused by bacteria on the skin. It also effectively removes old deodorant build-up which is key to the success of any deodorant. Get rid of the old before layering on more.
Kaia Naturals Takesumi Detox Charcoal Deodorant is a deodorant like no other. It is 99% natural, aluminum-free, paraben-free, vegan and made with activated charcoal and natural fermentation technology to fight odour-causing bacteria. Unlike many other natural deodorants made with baking soda (a known irritant), this effective formula uses bamboo charcoal as its star ingredient. Activated charcoal neutralizes odour and acts like a magnet to draw out impurities and unclog pores.
PRO TIP:
When switching to a natural deodorant from an anti-perspirant there are going to be a few issues. The first is your body adjusting to being allowed to sweat. The little plugs in your sweat glands and hair follicles created by anti-perspirants will be released. You will feel wet when you are used to feeling dry. This process can also cause more odour breakthrough. It can take 3-4 weeks before your underarms, and other body areas you are using anti-perspirant on, adjust to the change. Hang in there! It is worth it. To make the process much easier we HIGHLY RECOIMMEND using the Kaia Naturals Underarm Bar. It is a game changer!
Irritated Underarms, Inner Thighs and Under Breasts or Skin Folds - irritation in these areas results from sweat sitting on skin and friction. It can also be triggered by skin irritating ingredients in anti-perspirants and deodorants. Common trigger ingredients are baking soda, aluminum salts, heavy fragrance and alcohol in aerosol delivery systems. If you are prone to irritation in sweaty, high friction areas, start with a non-irritating, non-aerosol Kaia Naturals Takesumi Detox Charcoal Deodorant. The charcoal is gentle on the skin making it ideal for sensitive skin and an excellent moisture absorbing to avoid friction. To soothe and prevent more chafing from friction, apply Kaia Naturals The Chafe Relief balm. Once it dries down, dust a generous layer of Kaia Naturals Sweat Powder on top to lock it in and absorb excess moisture.
Kaia Naturals The Chafe Relief is an intensive balm, with 6% Squalane, that creates a protective barrier providing instant relief from chafing irritation caused by friction and heat. Squalene mimics your skin's natural oils, offering lubrication and moisture without leaving an oily residue or pilling on the skin. The 5-over-5 stainless steel applicator is, designed to provide precise application with just a pea-size amount. Fragrance-free to avoid skin irritation.
We all sweat but we hope this helps to give you tools to make sweating no sweat!