There are between two and four million sweat glands covering the human body—and they aren’t all in your armpits. So why do those two small patches of skin get all the deodorant attention? It’s a question that many personal-care brands have suddenly decided to answer with new lineups of something called “whole-body deodorant.”
The trend started a few years ago when a handful of niche brands, namely Lume and Hume, began offering deodorant sticks, creams, and wipes for every inch of our skin.
Now, the big guys—most likely one of the brand names printed on your current stick of deodorant—want in on the head-to-toe approach.he trend started a few years ago when a handful of niche brands, namely Lume and Hume, began offering deodorant sticks, creams, and wipes for every inch of our skin. Now, the big guys—most likely one of the brand names printed on your current stick of deodorant—want in on the head-to-toe approach., around your Unilever (the parent company of brands including Dove, SheaMoisture, and Axe) says their research found in a survey that 15% of Americans are looking for a whole-body deodorant—a finding the internet seems to support.
Spate, which analyzes consumer search trends, reports that searches for body deodorant were up over 4,000% from March 2023 to March 2024. In 2024, those inquiring minds can find a full range called Dove Whole Body Deo that can be used “from pits and thighs to toes,” and nearly identical offerings under th SheaMoisture brand name. “We developed this new line to meet the needs of those consumers and help them feel fresh, comfortable, and most importantly, confident—no matter where they are experiencing odor or friction,” says Diane Keenan, associate director of R&D at Unilever.crotch.
Secret and Native are also on board to meet Americans’ whole-body deodorant needs. “When creating Secret Whole Body Deodorant, we asked nearly 4,000 people about their body odor and we found that 50 to 60% are concerned about groin odor, 20 to 30% are concerned about chest or under-breast odor, and 30 to 50% of people are concerned about foot odor,” says Maiysha Jones, PhD, a principal scientist, North America personal care at Procter & Gamble.
Anywhere on the body where there are folds, there can be sweat, friction, irritation, and sometimes, a funky, musty scent. Most of these new products are being marketed as confidence boosters. “In my 20-plus years practicing dermatology, I’ve found that many of my patients suffer, often silently, with body odor beyond their armpits and take extreme measures to control body odor, like showering multiple times a day, changing clothes, or keeping their distance from others, which isn’t addressing the odor at the source and can impact self-confidence,” says Corey L. Hartman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama, and a former spokesperson for Old Spice. He also stresses: “Body odor is a normal part of being human, regardless of your gender or size.”