I didn’t use deodorant for a week, here’s what happened

By the time I woke up on day seven, I wasn’t as itchy, but my funk factor was off the charts. There was no disguising this odor, either. Looking back on the week, I was surprised I was able to mask it for as long as I did. I took to Google to dissect what it was I was smelling. Before long, I realized my new fragrance could be labeled “Mildewy Washcloth.” Not a best-selling perfume, to be sure. 

Scouring others’ search engine results, I found other people with weird body odors too. I’m talking weed, cat pee, onions, garlic, cumin, maple syrup, metal, ammonia, grapefruit, and yes, mildew. Armpits are a mysterious beast and one that I’ve gotten to know very well — perhaps a little too well — this week. Now that my week was almost up, I had some decisions to make. Would I go back to deodorant or would I continue living without?