We've broken a lot of taboos in the last decade, from menopause to gut health issues. Yet something as basic as sweating, even in summer, is still seen as an embarrassing topic and something to avoid at all costs, says Katie Piper, activist, writer, and television presenter.
"There's such a temptation to have a laugh about this, but every time I get nervous or anxious, even after 16 or 17 years of public speaking, my lower back will be sweaty," she tells woman&home.
It's just "nerves and adrenaline", she says, so why is it so embarrassing?
The same goes for sweat from a workout - and Katie's gone to great lengths to stop it from getting in the way of her day in the past. "If I have to go to the gym between events, I'll get sweat patches on my workout leggings, in the groin, that gorgeous sweat patch on the back of the bum. You have to tie your jumper around your waist! And sometimes I don't have time to have a shower. I was born in the 80s, I’m a 90s baby, we used to call it a strip wash with a flannel. Before you know it, you’re in the disabled loo at John Lewis, with baby wipes, soaking wet [trying to get rid of sweat]," she says.
We spoke to Katie at an event for Dove's new product: a whole-body deodorant range of sticks, sprays, and creams in scents like raspberry and rose, and lavender and chamomile, stocked in Boots. The presenter said it was something "that could fit into my life in the way that dry shampoo does, or the way my powder does to touch up in the day".
Unlike an anti-perspirant, the deodorant doesn't stop the body from sweating. It gets rid of the sweaty odour that comes from bacteria living on the skin.
"It's not shameful, it's not embarrassing. I think people of my age will remember that Dove talked to us about real women. This is very much about confidence," says Katie.
"Sometimes in life, there are things that we can’t change about ourselves. So this isn’t about not smelling or sweating, being perfect all the time. This is a tool to feel confident. And the way I feel confident in all areas of my life is by showing up as the best version of me," she says.
"If I’m going from here to a meeting and a talk and I’m all damp and clammy - even if people don’t know that about me - I don’t feel good. It’s like wearing matching underwear! For me, this product is about showing up and bringing our best selves."
