Sweat-Proof Confidence: Unleash Your Best Self Daily

Finding and living as the best version of yourself can take years to finesse — and some get there quicker than others. No matter how long it takes you, everyone deserves to live their lives confidently, and there are some quick fixes to help you get there faster. Our favorite solution is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand but offers a big confidence boost. Can you guess what it is?

Deodorant, of course!

Did you know that 2 out of 3 Americans experience heavy or stress sweating? And this sweat can lead to shame and insecurity. But it doesn’t have to — it’s time to drop those negative feelings and show sweat who’s boss!

Below, we explain the tricky relationship between sweat and self-confidence, and what you can do to make sure you stay confident, no matter what life throws your way. Plus, our spokesperson — R&B star Ciara — shares how she stays confident in the face of sweat.

WHY DO WE SWEAT?

There are two to four million sweat glands distributed all over the human body.1 They’re everywhere — from the surface of your scalp to the soles of your feet and (almost) everywhere in between. And they’re there for good reason.

Sweating helps our bodies regulate temperature. When your body overheats, sweat helps cool it down to a safe body temperature.

Various factors can cause sweating, including the weather, physical activity, spicy foods, and certain emotional states — like stress. It’s normal and everybody experiences it.

WHY DOES SWEATING CAUSE ODOR?

Sweat is your friend, but it has a ‘smelly’ reputation. This seems pretty unfair considering most of the sweat your body releases is odorless. It’s called eccrine sweat and it’s made up of water mixed with tiny amounts of salt, other minerals and natural compounds.1

However, there are some sweat glands (known as apocrine glands), found in the armpits, and genital region, that release a thicker, more viscous sweat.2 These glands are larger and open into hair follicles. When this sweat touches the bacteria on the skin’s surface, body odor starts a-brewing.1

THE LINK BETWEEN SWEAT, BODY ODOR AND SELF-CONFIDENCE

Body odor is a normal result of sweating — but it doesn’t mean we have to like it...

Certain types of foods can also alter and exacerbate body odor. For instance, cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli, as well as things like onions and garlic cause the body to release a sulfur-like compound while breaking down these foods.3

But while sweat and body odor are natural (and nothing that a quick shower can’t fix!), they tend to really get to us, changing the way we perceive ourselves and others.

Ciara told People Magazine that as a young girl, she was self-conscious about having sweaty hands, so she relates to anyone who feels insecure about the subject. "Just being conscious of [the fact that] you're sweating is a real factor — there is something about how you move if you feel you're sweating or you don't feel so secure," she says. "We want to feel confident in our daily activity — feel fresh, ready and prepared."

Which is why she loves Degree. And from the new Unlimited range, she gravitates towards the Marine scent — Unlimited By Degree Marine Antiperspirant Deodorant Dry Spray — because "it smells airy, like the ocean," she explains.

HOW SWEAT IMPACTS SELF-CONFIDENCE

Sweat serves as a visual cue about a person’s physical or emotional state. And that isn’t always helpful. For example, if you are nervous about public speaking, giving a presentation will naturally make you sweat. And having sweat stains on your clothes will only make you feel more anxious about the presentation, making you sweat more — even if you totally smashed it.

In a study that investigated the impact of hyperhidrosis (a medical condition that makes people sweat more than normal), researchers learned that excessive sweating impacted patients’ quality of life on various levels — from their choice of clothing (people shied away from bright colors in favor of safer blacks and whites) to where they chose to go on holiday (they avoided hot, sunny locations).4

HOW BODY ODOR IMPACTS SELF-CONFIDENCE

The way someone smells can affect how we perceive them, both consciously and unconsciously. One study even correlated the scent of a person with how confident others perceived them to be. The researchers concluded that “fragrance can have a substantial impact on how chemical cues are perceived by others. The results suggest that applying a fragranced olfactory layer onto one’s body odor...alters the social impressions we make on others.” 5

But more importantly, body odor can affect our perception of ourselves. No one wants to be the smelly one in the room, and even the slightest suggestion that this may be the case can make us awkward and self-conscious.

The good news? There’s an easy solution.

HOW ANTI-PERSPIRANT CAN HELP

Sweat-related self-consciousness is completely avoidable. All you need is a good antiperspirant deodorant that will do the heavy lifting for you as you go about your day. The benefits of a deodorant include:

neutralizing body odor
keeping armpits dry
leaving behind a pleasant, fresh scent
making you feel more confident and comfortable in your skin

But you don’t just want any old antiperspirant; the Degree Unlimited range takes tackling sweat to a whole new level...

BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE WITH DEGREE UNLIMITED

Goodbye sweat, hello confidence. Unlimited by Degree Fresh Antiperspirant Deodorant Dry Spray is our newest antiperspirant that keeps you dry, protected and smelling great for up to a whopping 96 hours! What makes it unique? The breakthrough SmartAdapt™ technology creates a flexible micro-barrier that, together with its dual-activated fragrance release system, adapts to your body and responds to stress sweat, heat and movement — whether you use spray or stick. It’s also dermatologist-tested and won’t irritate your skin or stain your clothes.

To launch the Degree Unlimited range, we partnered with R&B legend Ciara. It’s a perfect collaboration, if you ask us, as the singer is known for staying cool, calm and collected while she juggles her various roles as a singer, entrepreneur and mom of three.

The singer believes that everyone should feel confident in who they are and what they believe in. And that confidence takes time to build.

"I'm being intentional about just really fully embracing myself and all the parts of me, even down to the impact that my three precious babies have had on my stomach," she says. " My stomach will never be the same. And you can't go backwards once you had the experience of the stretch and what babies do to your body. But I've really been doing things like reminding myself of how it's a beautiful thing, and that all the parts of me are what make me who I am and make me uniquely me."

So, remember that sweating is a normal bodily function, and nothing to be ashamed about. And any unpleasant side effects of sweating can be easily remedied — just leave it to your new favorite deodorant.

FAQs

CAN AN ANTI-PERSPIRANT MAKE YOU CONFIDENT?

A good anti-perspirant deodorant will check many boxes: it will neutralize unpleasant odors and leave you feeling fresh and smelling great for longer. This can instantly boost confidence and help you live your best life without feeling self-conscious.

HOW TO BE MORE CONFIDENT?

There is a wide range of methods to help improve confidence. Long-term solutions include being kind to yourself, becoming more assertive and avoiding negative self-talk. But there are also a few things you can do in the short term. Dressing in clothes you feel good in, wearing a deodorant that makes you feel less self-conscious, correcting your posture and smiling are all ways to give yourself an instant confidence boost.