£11 Boots face wash to stop smelly underarms so ‘you won’t need deodorant’

Boots sells a face wash that’s usually used to alleviate acne, but according to a beauty enthusiast on TikTok, it can also serve as a solution to underarm odor in the summer months. Acnecide Face Wash 5% w/w Gel 50g, priced at £11 in Boots, is popular with acne-fighting customers but appears to have other unusual uses.

Boots shares on its website that the product is created to fight the bacteria responsible for acne and blemishes. Propionibacterium acnes, one of the main culprits behind acne, is effectively tackled by this face wash’s active ingredient, benzoyl peroxide, which kills breakout-causing bacteria.

However, TikToker Bambi Does Beauty revealed that while the product is intended for facial application, it can also be used as a nifty hygiene trick for an underarm odor-free summer. Last week, on her TikTok page, she proposed using this face wash as an underarm mask to eliminate odor-causing bacteria.

Going further, Bambi suggests that this hack eliminates the need for deodorant. In her clip, Bambi touts this as the “hygiene hack” for heavy sweaters who want an odor-free summer.

This advice was met with enthusiasm from other TikTok users, with one stating: “Tried as Bambi mentioned in a previous post. I can confirm that it works 10/10”.

An expectant mother who was dealing with excessive sweating due to her postnatal hormones commented: “Thanks for the great advice! I’m about to have a baby and I’m after the first thanks for the postpartum hormones.”

One loyal follower expressed, “I’ve been doing this religiously since I started following you and it’s actually the best thing ever!”

If your local area doesn’t have a Boots outlet, or you’re looking for a cheaper substitute, a dermatologist-approved alternative is Hibiscrub Solution, available to buy on Amazon for £6.39. Similar to Acnecide Face Wash, this product helps remove bacteria from the skin and has the bonus benefit of helping to manage ingrown hairs and breakouts.

Detailing what’s in the product, Amazon notes that there’s “4% w/v chlorhexidine gluconate in an aqueous base” and a “broad” range of activity that lasts up to 6 hours. It also contains a combination of “dermatologically tested emollients that help care for skin, even with frequent use, by replenishing oils and drawing water into the skin.”

PanOxyl, another option suggested by one of Bambi’s followers, can be compared to Acnecide Face Wash. While UK shoppers can’t get their hands on this product in person, it’s available on Amazon for just £7.