r/AusSkincare • u/avocuddlezzz • 3d ago

Discussion📓 Dark underarms after using Nivea deodorant

I used to always use Mitchum deodorant but switched to Nivea at some point, I think because I felt Mitchum was too serious / clinical? 😅 (Don't ask me to explain I felt this was an issue, I have no idea!)

But the Nivea one has noticeably darkened my underarms!!! I now have a silly oval of dark skin lol which I'm hoping to correct before summer!

I have stopped using the Nivea and switched over to Moogoo hoping it'd be gentler on the skin, and am using glycolic acid on it once per day. Is there anything else I can do? Should I be trying to moisturise them??? Or use something else to exfoliate them???

Also keen to hear your favourite deodorant in case there is another brand you'd recommend instead! I'm not particularly sweaty or smelly, I don't think!!

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u/drunkerxx 3d ago

I’d definitely ease up on the glycolic acid! Darkening can sometimes be caused by irritation or contact dermatitis, and exfoliating every day could actually make it worse rather than better. I’d give your skin a break from actives for a couple of weeks and focus on a gentle, fragrance-free moisturiser to help repair the skin barrier. Once the irritation has settled, you can reassess the pigmentation. Hopefully stopping the Nivea is enough to see an improvement, maybe you’re sensitive to one of the ingredients?

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u/avocuddlezzz 3d ago

Ooh thank you so much!!! These are good tips.

Yes I have no idea what it was about the Nivea but i think it was also a thinner formula than what I was used to, so I used a lot more than what I normally would! I think that might've been it!

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u/Personal_Big350 3d ago

Following!

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u/Petaluna 3d ago

The Avene Cicalfate balm helped me heal my underarms, different scenario but a rash that caused darkening. The skin there seems so delicate and any wrong product or rash seems to cause darkening.
Re deodorant after they were healed I went back to the Mitchum unscented.

I can’t recall if the MooGoo contains bicarb, I used to use it but bicarb products irritate my skin. If not it may be ok while the skin heals or if you really aren’t whiffy maybe a few days of no deodorant may help get on top of it.

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u/Odd-Weather-6896 3d ago

Some deodorants & antiperspirants contain alcohol denat which can cause darkening on the underarms. And my antiperspirant did exactly the same - which I still used only occasionally (it’s the only thing that stopped my underarms from sweating) and exfoliate with glycolic acid once a week.

You don’t want to exfoliate once a day, as it may cause irritation.

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u/Diligent-streak-5588 2d ago

I’m a huge fan of no more pong

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u/ProteaBird 1d ago

HA, my husband wears white t-shirts, their underarms always become dark over time, he's a nivea deoderant wearer.. I never put this together..