Woman looking at her underarm.

With everyone claiming to know how to brighten underarms, differentiating between fact and fiction can be difficult. How do you know if this too-good-to-be-true DIY treatment will really work, or more importantly, won’t leave you with irreparable skin damage? The good news is that you don’t have to take unnecessary risks just to get brighter underarms, not when there are tried-and-true methods you can rely on. Read on to find out more!

Use Nourishing Products After Shaving or Plucking

While your preferred hair removal method might be responsible for your underarm’s hyperpigmentation and rough appearance, they'll be fine as long as you back things up with a nourishing deo (think armpit moisturizer). Key ingredients to look for include vitamin B3 to help prevent dark marks, omega-6 to help keep skin smooth, and vitamin E to help reduce the appearance of pores and scars.

Include Your Underarms When Doing Your Skincare Routine

Cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize—armpit skin care is how you would take care other parts of your body. While cleansing and moisturizing are daily practices, the amount of times you exfoliate really depends on the kind of product you’re using. Our tip: Always use gentle products, though, as underarm skin is delicate.

Use a Deodorant That Helps You Control Sweat

Sweating is a legitimate underarm concern not just because it can lead to body odor, but because it can actually cause darker underarms. When you sweat too much, you produce more "food" for bacteria to feed off of, leading to infections that eventually cause underarms to darken. Using a brightening antiperspirant that protects you from excessive sweating can prevent that.

Another tip if you want to know how to brighten underarms: Look for a deodorant formulated with ingredients you'd normally find in facial care products, so you know that your underarms are getting the right treatment. This is where Dove Intensive Renew Deodorant Dry Serum comes in. Apart from functioning as a skin-brightening deodorant, it also works as a serum with skin-loving ingredients. It's no wonder that influencers and consumers alike have declared this deo a favorite.

It doesn’t just get absorbed into the skin; it’s also formulated with collagen boosters that help keep underarm skin smooth and bright. There are three different variants and each one corresponds to a specific underarm concern. You can choose to make pores appear smaller, minimize lines, or firm underarm skin. It even comes in fresh scents that’ll keep you smelling fresh and feeling dry all day.