From DIY face masks and body scrubs to overnight towel curls and the best drugstore dupes money can buy, TikTok has forever changed the hair and skincare industry. Tutorials and product reviews are at users’ fingertips—and those of us who use the app have been inundated with info about more hygiene products than ever before. Some of these products have even been shown to have more than one use, like PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash, which isn’t only good at treating blemishes, but can also work in place of deodorant, according to TikToker Hailey Keenan.
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While stocking up on hygiene essentials at Target in her TikTok video, Keenan makes a pitstop in the skincare aisle to alert her TikTok followers to one of her favorite products: PanOxyl. The brand’s Acne Foaming Wash “clears and treats existing breakouts and helps prevent new zits from forming in one step,” per the company’s website. At Target, a 5.5 oz. bottle of the daily face wash costs about $10.
Keenan praises the PanOxyl facial cleanser for its acne-fighting properties, while also calling attention to one of the formula’s key ingredients, benzoyl peroxide. The ingredient is primarily used for targeting pimples and other forms of mild to moderate acne, but Keenan claims it can be used as a secret weapon for fighting BO.
“OK, I’m in Target, and I wanted to show this tip ‘cause not a lot of people know,” she says, before bringing a bottle of PanOxyl into the camera’s view.
“If you use PanOxyl, which you should, it's just 10 percent benzoyl peroxide face wash, use it in your armpits. It kills any and all bacteria so that the bacteria doesn’t make you smell bad," she explains. "So like, use it as a mask when you shower, you’ll never smell bad again."
@haileykeenan24 If panoxyl has 1 million fans, I am one of them. If panoxyl has 100 fans, I am one of them. If panoxyl has 0 fans, I am dead. (generic 10% benzoyl peroxide fashwash will do the exact same thing) #panoxyl #facewash #hygeinetips
The video has earned nearly 2 million views and over 1,400 comments, with many TikTok users sharing that PanOxyl helped clear up their body odor, and is now a product they “swear by.”
“miss hailey keenan let me tell you. my armpits smell like soap rn. you are a hero,” one person wrote.
“Yesss it works. Leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing,” commented a TikToker.
Another person who tried the body odor hack said PanOxyl had an added benefit: “It helped lightened my dark underarms too. 100/10.”
Meanwhile, several were quick to share helpful tips based on their own benzoyl peroxide experiences. One person recommended rinsing your face twice when you use it as a face wash, since the ingredient can bleach towels or clothes upon contact. Someone also said it’s best to wait 15 minutes after shaving before applying PanOxyl, or else “you’re in for an experience.”
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While many on TikTok are pro-PanOxyl and other similar formulas for treating body odor, there were a lot of naysayers in the comments—including someone who said the method gave her “under the skin acne.”
“Literally did nothing for me,” one wrote.
Another asked, “Am I the only one this doesn’t work on?”
A fellow TikToker warned users that the 4 percent formula is safer for the armpits than the 10 percent.
Others shared their own benzoyl peroxide horror stories, even when using it as intended.
“Peroxide literally burns my face off every time I try to use it in a face product. Literally 2nd degree burns on my face,” commented one person, to which someone else responded, “Same! Swollen face for a couple days I was so red and still have red spots on my face now that won’t go away.”
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Although benzoyl peroxide is considered essential by many, the ingredient is known to have significant side effects, especially for those with reactive or sensitive skin. Some of these include skin irritation, itching, burning, redness, peeling, stinging, and dryness, per the Mayo Clinic.
Benzoyl peroxide can also make your skin more susceptible to sunburns, so be sure to apply a copious amount of sunblock if you plan to be out.
As far as body odor goes, there does seem to be merit in Keenan’s suggestion.
“Yes, benzoyl peroxide can help prevent body odor,” Zeena Nawas, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Dermatology at Baylor University, said in an interview with the school’s College of Medicine.
“It is a bactericidal agent, meaning that it kills bacteria. The bacteria on the surface of our skin, especially in the armpits and groin, break down sweat and can produce a foul odor,” she said.
