April 18, 2026
Talking B.O.
Body odor is one of those things everyone experiences, but a lot of shame and misunderstanding still surrounds the topic.
Sweating isn’t the problem. It’s a sign your body is doing exactly what it’s meant to do—cooling, regulating, releasing. Odor, on the other hand, tells a more specific story. And it’s not the sweat itself, but, rather, what happens when it meets the bacteria that live on your skin. This is where things get interesting!
Sweating isn’t the problem. It’s a sign your body is doing exactly what it’s meant to do—cooling, regulating, releasing. Odor, on the other hand, tells a more specific story. And it’s not the sweat itself, but, rather, what happens when it meets the bacteria that live on your skin. This is where things get interesting!
So, c’mon! Let’s get smarter about B.O.
IT’S BIOCHEMICAL
A shift in odor isn’t necessarily a problem, but it is information.
Often, it reflects a change in the skin’s microbiome, or in how the body is processing and releasing compounds. You see, sweat is mostly water, with trace minerals, urea, and other compounds your body is clearing. On its own, it’s nearly odorless. What we recognize as “body odor” happens after the fact, when sweat meets the bacteria living on your skin.
Those bacteria break down components of sweat (especially proteins and fatty acids) into smaller, odor-carrying molecules. Different bacteria produce different byproducts, which is why scent varies so widely from person to person.
Not all sweat is the same. Eccrine glands (found all over the body) produce a watery sweat for temperature regulation. Apocrine glands (underarms, groin) release a thicker fluid rich in proteins and lipids—making it more reactive, and more likely to develop a noticeable scent.
That’s why odor tends to concentrate in certain areas, but it can happen anywhere the conditions are right: warmth, moisture, and a thriving microbiome. From there, variables stack:
Often, it reflects a change in the skin’s microbiome, or in how the body is processing and releasing compounds. You see, sweat is mostly water, with trace minerals, urea, and other compounds your body is clearing. On its own, it’s nearly odorless. What we recognize as “body odor” happens after the fact, when sweat meets the bacteria living on your skin.
Those bacteria break down components of sweat (especially proteins and fatty acids) into smaller, odor-carrying molecules. Different bacteria produce different byproducts, which is why scent varies so widely from person to person.
Not all sweat is the same. Eccrine glands (found all over the body) produce a watery sweat for temperature regulation. Apocrine glands (underarms, groin) release a thicker fluid rich in proteins and lipids—making it more reactive, and more likely to develop a noticeable scent.
That’s why odor tends to concentrate in certain areas, but it can happen anywhere the conditions are right: warmth, moisture, and a thriving microbiome. From there, variables stack:
- Diet (sulfur-rich foods, alcohol, spices)
- Hormones (puberty, stress, cycle shifts)
- Stress (which activates apocrine sweat)
- Medications & health conditions
- Clothing & fabric breathability
Remember: Sweat is constant. Odor is dynamic. And that’s where care, not control, comes in.
IT’S NATURAL
Most conventional products focus on stopping sweat altogether.
Antiperspirants use aluminum salts to block the sweat glands. Less sweat, less opportunity for odor. Simple, but not necessarily aligned with how the body is designed to function.
Deodorants take a different approach. They don’t try to stop sweating—they work with the body, managing odor by shifting the environment on the skin. Because again, sweat isn’t the issue. Bacteria is.
How Smarter Deodorants like Monks, works
Newer formulations, like Monks Natural Deodorant, are less about masking scent, more about changing conditions.Ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) help lower the skin’s pH, making it harder for odor-causing bacteria to thrive. Others ingredients like probiotic ferment, mandelic acid, niacinamide, and pure aloe vera support both the skin barrier and microbiome directly.
Antiperspirants use aluminum salts to block the sweat glands. Less sweat, less opportunity for odor. Simple, but not necessarily aligned with how the body is designed to function.
Deodorants take a different approach. They don’t try to stop sweating—they work with the body, managing odor by shifting the environment on the skin. Because again, sweat isn’t the issue. Bacteria is.
How Smarter Deodorants like Monks, works
Newer formulations, like Monks Natural Deodorant, are less about masking scent, more about changing conditions.Ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) help lower the skin’s pH, making it harder for odor-causing bacteria to thrive. Others ingredients like probiotic ferment, mandelic acid, niacinamide, and pure aloe vera support both the skin barrier and microbiome directly.
The result is not the absence of sweat—but a different relationship to it. And we just added a new scent to our Monks collection. Alongside Boketto favorites Yuzu Santo and Copal Green is, now, Atlas Rose. And BONUS! All Monks scents are designed for all-over use, not just underarms—and comes in stick and spray.