the deal with French deodorant

You know the stereotype. The French simply don't wear deodorant. I'm saying that, simply, this is not true. In a blog I stumbled upon called "Ask a Frenchman!" the man made this good point:

...[Most] stereotypes about France that one can find in the US (and exported later to the rest of the English speaking world) come from right after WWII when GIs were stationed in France. And as previously mentioned, it was a time right after France had been occupied by Nazi Germany for four years, when everything was rationed and everybody was deprived of many things...

There have been moments in class where I was like, "LORD! Is that me?" only to turn around and see a middle-aged man standing behind me, wanting to ask a question. So, there are a few trouble cases in every class, but I can say that I had the same experience in college in the States. We just smell. It happens.


What seems to bother us even more than smell–that is to say the thing that drive me insane even when I smell like cucumbers–is the cloud of damp that starts to spread down your sleeve when you're, say writing on the board or holding up something to show your students. Teaching scares the crap out of me. And me makes me sweat like a sumo wrestler*. 

Since arriving in France, I've been walking around with armpits that smell like cucumbers. I'm not complaining. I mean, I don't usually seek out the scented deodorants–on the contrary, I look for the most basic thing I can find. But when Suave has a multi-pack of extra-strength on sale in "Garden Fresh" scent, it's hard to say no.

I've finally run out and purchased my first thingy of French deodorant... which is applied with this awkward rolling ball that leaves your pits smelling like fingernail polish remover. Okay, I bought it because it was cheap, but I'm getting worried about what's seeping into my body.

I've also gotten really worry about this whole sweating thing. I've stopped using antiperspirants, since I'm worried about the aluminum in them. While it's not necessarily enough aluminum to lead to the effects of aluminum exposure, it's still unknown. Research is stacking up to show a connection between antiperspirants and breast cancer as well–due to both aluminum & the toxins that your body isn't able to remove.

Look at it this way:

[Antiperspirants] blocks the naturally produced sweat and prevents those toxins from being released. After weeks of application of antiperspirant, there is a lot of toxin built up under the armpit. and as soon as you forget to apply deodorant- all those nasty toxins that had been building up for however long you applied AP deodorant- are suddenly free to be released... and it comes out smelling so awful...

Tru dat. So if anyone has a great suggestion for the elimination of pit stains while maintaining a healthy, toxin-eliminating underarm, I think that could be a great money-maker, because what I will say is this: The French are wearing their deodorant, but they're wearing their pit stains proud.

And I have to say, good on ya France, for being healthy & realizing that there isn't a thing we can do about the (mostly odor-free) wet blankets we become over a day's work.

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