Staff Picks: How we take care of our armpits
Living in a tropical country means having to deal with hot weather almost year-round, and for some of us, that means opting for sleeveless tops whenever possible. Bare skin helps to make us feel cooler, but it can also make us feel a bit conscious about the state of underarms!
I don't this necessarily means you need to remove hair, wear deodorant/antiperspirant, or have flawless white armpits - you do you, girl! I think that making sure to keep the area clean and free from bad odors is mostly all that anyone needs. But for those who do feel a bit more fussy about their underarms, please don't use calamansi to whiten them - you may cause more harm than good! Instead, check out these tips on how the PV girls care for their kili-kili!
Den: It's probably just in my head but I feel smellier when my pits are hairy, so I get them waxed every three weeks at Lay Bare. I've tried to DIY at home but going to the salon is just faster and more convenient, plus I enjoy chatting with my suki. Hair removal carries the risk of getting ingrowns though, and what has worked best for me is this "Italy viscose towel" that I got from a Korean grocery. I actually exfoliate my entire body with it, and it helps keep my dry skin from looking dull. Finally, I don't usually wear any product on my underarms but I spray the Dove Advanced Care Ultimate While on extra hot days just because I get conscious about body odor.
Claire: I've never had pits like Anne Curtiss', but the situation worsened with major hyperpigmentation while I was on my first pregnancy. My OB discouraged me from using any whitening products while pregnant and breastfeeding (for good reason), so I had to wait for what felt like forever to address the issue. Fortunately, the first product I tried worked out! VMV Hypoallergenics' Illuminants + Axilight antiperspirant/treatment is so potent, it evne came with a manual.
Advised usage ramps up from once a week to daily, over the course of 8 weeks. I prefer using it at night as I didn't feel like it controlled perspiration much (I do sweat more than average, I feel). But aside from that, my underarms lightened considerably without any irritation. It's a bit pricey, but the results have stayed even after I discontinued use.
Marielle: I shave and use whatever deodorant is available, but I can't stress enough that using shaving cream is important! I was on full kuripot mode before and thought that using a high-lather soap was enough, but I ended up with razor burns. Lesson learned.
Charlie: Dark underarms is my major pit concern, and Kojie-San Skin Lightening Soap is probably the most effective product I've tried. It actually works, albeit slowly, on lightening my underarms. I can't seem to give up shaving so this soap works well in my favor. For antiperspirants, Rexona is a long love that hasn't been replaced.
Angela: Dove is the only antiperspirant that worked on whitening my underarms. It smells so good, too, and keeps my pits fresh and free from sweat the whole day. I guess I'm just really hiyang to it. I also don't remove my underarm hair often, because I like wearing tops with sleeves on. And when they get too long I just trim them. I'm sure it's a different case for everyone but I don't mind the hair or feel itchy.
For hair removal, I prefer waxing but when I'm pressed for time or when I don't have a lot of money (waxing is expensive in where I am right now), I just shave in the shower. I make sure to use a razor with good blades and usually get ones with aloe strips. I also use shaving cream to help decrease skin sensitivity. After shaving, I usually put on CeraVe moisturizer or any emollient, wait awhile, then wipe it off before using antiperspirant. I find myself scratching my pits after shaving, so the moisturizer helps to calm skin sensitivity and irritation. I think scratching leads to discoloration as well.
Gett: I don’t really have super kinis kili-kili. I just get 'em waxed regularly, and use Dove’s scentless deodorant. I personally don’t like underarm hair because they get itchy and uncomfortable.
Crystal: I haven't found the answer to flawless underarms, but I had them lasered more than five years ago. At least this way, I'm not constantly subjecting them to hair removal methods.
I've actually heard of people using oil cleanser or micellar water on their armpits to completely remove product, and AHAs to prevent ingrown hair. That's something to consider before throwing a skincare product that doesn't work for your face!
How about you? Do you use antiperspirant or deodorants? How do you feel about having armpit hair: take them off or leave them be?