Sweat Like A Lady

OK, so I think we can all agree that most women perspire more than the dainty misting shown in Secret ads. And with a heat wave set to rock the city this week (Thursday temps potentially pushing 100 degrees), those ever-so dainty sweat glands of ours are certainly going to be put to work.

So I decided to turn to various Web articles (even a few geared towards men) for the best ways to keep pit stains from destroying your summer clothes:

1. Buy the right shit.

Just in case you didn’t know, antiperspirant and deodorant are not the same thing. And while most women’s deodorants claim to also be an antiperspirant, I swear to God they’re about as effective as spraying perfume under your arm. Of all the drugstore brands I’ve tried (which is all of them), I’d say Dove Clinical Strength is the best. Not great, but worth the extra $$. AskMen.com also recommends rock crystal, which naturally protects against bacteria (without all the chemicals found in commercial brands), thus neutralizing odor from sweat (note: removing odor, NOT sweat). The biggest plus is that a stick lasts forever and you apply it to any part of your body. These magic crystals can be found at most health/natural food stores. There’s also the brand, Crystal® which sells it in various forms at most local drugstores.

2. Pad your pits.

If you really struggle excessive perspiration, apparently Rachel Ray is a big fan of Sweat Block—soft cotton pads that are presoaked in some sort of super-strength antiperspirant that you dab the pad under your arms once a week before bed. You can get a two-month supply online for $15.99, which isn’t really that much considering each pad is suppose to work for an entire week. There’s also basic underarm pads (available at most drug stores for roughly $5), which adhere to your either your skin or clothing and absorb sweat while also shielding your shirt from nasty pit stains. Unfortunately however, they will show through a thin or white shirt.

3. Salvage your shirts.

Though perhaps unavoidable, pit stains are removable. Here’s how: soak your shirt in cold water and apply a stain remover to the armpits (important: make sure to turn your shirt inside out and apply the stain remover to the inside since you’re actually trying to lift the stain out of the fabric rather than rub it into the fibers). Let it sit for about an hour and then wash in cold water with detergent. Also, apparently Oxiclean works like a charm.

4. Go light and natural.

While this one is kinda obvious, it doesn’t hurt to reiterate: stick with billowy, pale colored garments made of natural fibers like cotton, silk or linen. Anything too tight or too thin will be sure to put any and all sweat stains on display. So I don’t care how cute that vintage dress is that you just bought because chances are, it’s at least 50 percent polyester and should therefore be avoided like the black plague. And speaking of black—don’t wear it. Save it for 80 degree weather.

5. Ditch the sleeves.

Just let your pits breathe! Oh, and throw a cardigan in your bag in case the tank isn’t exactly work-appropriate.