I want a black loofah. It would match my bathroom much better than the light blue one.

So long as they use the manly loofah to wash off the stink of the Axe, I'm good.

Oooo, I've been DYING for a black loofah. I hate the pastel ones, they start fading and start looking nasty. I just hope it doesn't come scented.

I'd take a black loofah over one of those dumb pink ones any day.

The black ones are especially good for cleaning off that last thin layer of dignity before you apply the Axe body spray.

It's probably just my inner goth talking, but I'd like a black loofa.

Provided it doesn't reek of Axe, that is.

My boyfriend actually hates/resents/boycotts such stereotypically "manly" packaging. He HAD to buy deodorant one time that had -no joke- a rubber grip on the sides. For that burly, athletic man who applies deodorant whilst rappelling down a cliff... HA!

That's not a loofah. That's a nylon mesh bath "poof" or "pouf".

A loofah is specific plant, something like a cucumber, but with an internal "skeleton" of fibers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loofah

Haha! This is the first time I've become aware that some people have such a disdain for Axe. Does it really smell that shitty?

Marc, Axe smells shitty and the boys who use Axe are shitty.
Still cracking up at Kaichester's comment.

I use Exfoliating gloves. Also unscented speed stick deodorant on days where it's mandatory that I don't smell like a human being.

Men who use axe are tools.

Aaron Denney - When I spent a summer working at the Bath and Body works in my local mall, we called them mesh sponges. But let's keep it real: The misnomer is way worth it for the sentence "the manliest of loofahs." That totally has me laughing out loud.

That was probably just the store's idea. Anyways, I love my black loufa- which was with all of the other loufas when I got it. I also love the smell of Axe. there, I said it. I love it on guys, I love it on me, sometimes I just spray it in the air to smell it. I get the feeling that alot of people here just don't like 'the smell' because they don't like the ad campaign. Although it's probably just too damn strong for some people as well.

I also find it funny that apparently all guys who wear axe are jerks,pigs, or douchbags. Nice steorotype there girls, good job.

Um, hello? If it was pink or even white, they would immediately catch TEH GAY!!!1!! Wouldn't want that.

Also, the black loofas match the black bottles. Come on.

I agree say what, I think it smells good, too. My boyfriend wears it, and I'm pretty sure after dating him for 2 years that I know he's not a tool. But I don't think he really cares what he uses. He used my Victoria's Secret body wash the other day because he ran out of his own soap. It too smelled very nice on him.

"Also, the black loofas match the black bottles. Come on."

but then how come there aren't pink, yellow and white bath puffs next to the pink, yellow and white bottles?

I have a blue nylon shower poof, and I was a bit amused that when I bought it, it was specifically labeled as a "men's" product.

I'm probably going to get yelled at for this, but...
I use Axe deodorant. I cringe whenever I see their commercials, because they're so awful, but it's the only deodorant I've found that actually works. So-called "women's" deodorants don't work for me. Anyone have any advice?

(I can't believe I just asked for deodorant tips on the internet.)

I can't help you with that one. I've been buying special kinds all my life to keep me from sweating under my arms so rapidly. It's really ridiculous, I sweat for no reason. It won't even be hot and I'm sweating. But anywho, Curtain Dry was the best for a while, but I think I became immune. :(

I don't know, Lauren, the 'Manliest of Shower Poufs' is pretty good, too.

There are matching black and white shower poufs at my parents' house. I'm not sure if they are his and hers, or if it's just that they match the bathroom.

A loofah is specific plant, something like a cucumber, but with an internal "skeleton" of fibers. - Aaron Denney

And, at least for some varieties, before the fruit ripens enough to develop those fibers, it's most yummy.

Nic and Lindsay -
If you go to drugstore.com you can read people's reviews of products, including deoderants. There'll probably be people there who have similar issues and found something that works. Also, I think there are supposedly Rx strength deoderants out there now.

My loofah/sponge/poof is dark blue? Am I secretly a man?

The two hanging shower poofs bring to mind a pair of balls. As someone who works with independent wrestling, I gotta say, sometimes the sickening scent of axe is a breath of fresh air in a sweaty locker room.

My two cents on Axe: The ads suck, the products don't all stink. Some varieties actually smell ok to me (although there was one I can't remember the name of that was horrid). And I am going to go with LindsayPW and say that a lot of men in my circle don't care what they use as long as it's something. Imagine my surprise when I saw that my 65 year old dad had a bottle of that stuff...
As for good deadorants, Ban is a keeper.

This is one of the more asinine threads I've encountered on this site.

I've seen black loofahs before. I remember finding a bunch of black ones mixed in with the more common pastel colored ones in a big bin at the local drug store once.

I'll admit that I don't hate the smell of Axe. I'm mostly indifferent, unless I come into the vicinity of a young lad who has gone a bit overboard in the body spray application. I will admit that the advertising is atrocious. And I think that vein of advertising is contagious. The other day I saw an ad for Irish Spring body wash with a bunch of buxom lasses in renaissance-type corset dresses springing from the bottle. Egads.

CDob - interesting comment on the ridiculousness of 'manly' advertising. I'm trying to think of more instances of this. I've never really thought about the opposite of the 'pinkification' of products and packaging.

Nic,
You might look into a prescription called Drysol.
It's a liquid that comes in a little bottle; you pour some on a cotton ball and dab your underarms with it once a week or so. It really does help w/ the excessive perspiration. I still use regular deodorant/anti-perspirant every day but the Drysol once a week or so is that extra protection.

the headline is great.

if only my bf could find a black loofah! he usually has to go for a pastel green or blue, which is clearly not manly enough.

I noticed that a lot of soaps have been slapped with the blue or black "for men" label, and they're basically the same exact product as the "regular" thing. My guess is that men were afraid to by "beauty" products before, thinking they were exclusively for women or gays, so the companies came out with products specifically (but not really) for men to entice them. Poor dears!

I know that last time I showered at my boyfriend's I noticed that his new soap was some "for men" soap and I smelled like a guy when I emerged from the tub. Some very strong fragrence.

...um? what? i guess this is amusing? kinda? bath care for the uberdarkness lovin types...? and men, I guess...possibly even male gothy types?
huh. I am glad you found this funny, funny is good. funny is better than some of the things that make me cry on here...but I'm not quite sure how this is feminist in mocking...maybe if they had a "MENS ONLY KTHX" rule about buying the black pouf? and axe does smell icky, but i don't think broad generalizations about axe wearers being douchebags are really the way to go...

also: not a loofah. I believe this has been gone over above. Still. Not a damned loofah.

Nic - I use Degree "for men" (invisible solid, dark green container; never the silver! That one is awful.). Just one swipe per pit and I covered for 24 hours+

This is one of the more asinine threads I've encountered on this site.

I guess my point was, people buy whatever the hell they want, "for men", or no. Or at least I do...women's deoderant blows something fierce and "men's" razors are usually burlier than the "girly" ones. and don't women do most shopping? supposedly? this was weird, i need a nap.

VT Idealist: I don't see it as nearly as prevalent as the "girly" packaging plague, but it's there. I do think it's because some men might not want to buy something that smells like flowers, has glitter, etc: shocker!

Going back to the Dove thread earlier, this is why I like their stuff! It's pretty neutral. Aforementioned boyfriend doesn't hesitate to use my Dove soap/shampoo when he is at my place.

Interesting.

I have a black shower pouf! And as a few people already mentioned, the benefit is that it doesn't get dingy. And it looks pretty sharp with the pink and white bathroom accessories I have!

My shower pouf is tri-colored - yellow, pink, and blue. My wife's is dark purple.

I'd say this proves who wears the pants in the family, but neither of us wear pants in the shower.

hey fishwithfeet, if you find it so asinine how about you refrain from commenting on it?

I haven't read the directions on the back of an Axe bottle yet, but I can guarantee it doesn't instruct the user to squeeze a glob of the product onto a pouf. They probably follow the lead of Lever2000--when they came out with body wash for men several years ago, their TV commercials touted the pouf as a "high-tech lather generator." There you have it.

I'm glad for the baby step that is men using body washes, and openly (I know it's a small thing, but it has to start somewhere). I do HATE the axe ads, and I'm amazed that they keep getting dumber. I was insulted when I saw that all of the colors of the mesh sponges that I like were labeled for men. But I don't actually use one (irish spring, baby), and my boyfriend's is blue (and he doesn't use axe).

"I'm glad for the baby step that is men using body washes" - Staar84

Isn't body wash basically just liquid soap (possibly scented), or is there something I am missing?

My favorite color: Black..I still would use a loofah, but now it comes in my favorite color to wash the smelly axe away.

Some of the Axe fragrances don't smell bad, some actually smell really good on my boyfriend. But after working at a sleep away science camp for sixth graders that reeked of Axe, I had to get my boyfriend to stop wearing it. Every time I smelled him I was reminded of sixth grade boys that didn't really shower but sprayed that Axe stuff on instead. Ugh.
Besides, the ads are horrible.

"I'm glad for the baby step that is men using body washes" - Staar84

For the record, it would probably be better if we all went back to bar soap-- it is better for the enviroment, generally speaking, assuming equal distances to ship from the factory to your grocery store- because then you aren't paying for plastic bottles or the shipping of products whose first or second ingredient is water.

I mean, I use body wash, so I am not pretending to be on the moral high ground. But body wash is such a scam, really.

I use a Navy loofa, because I like loofas and I don't like pastels. I don't use Axe, however.

Maybe it's just that I'm queer and British, but if these things are really called "shower poofs" I would far rather have seen the title be "the manliest of poofs".

"Also, I think there are supposedly Rx strength deoderants out there now."

I've used those. Don't believe the antiperspirant claims on the labels! They cut the odor, but unsmelly stains that stay despite washing every blouse or shirt right after wearing it are still stains (and dry cleaning is still expensive).

Since then I've switched to protecting my clothes with extra fabric (the pads get stained so the blouse doesn't have to). I got mine from http://advantagewear.com/ (and if I was any good at sewing I'd make my own instead).

That's not a loofah, it's a "felafel thing" - c'mon people, nearly fifty comments in and nobody's taken the cheap shot at O'Reilly?! This is why we can't achieve global domination! Focus!

The black ones are especially good for cleaning off that last thin layer of dignity before you apply the Axe body spray.

That is a great comment.

For the record, I don't know how to use a loofah or a body spray. I just assume they cost too much. And I smell awesome anyway.

As I mentioned in the Dove thread, aren't we trying to get away from the idea that that what brand of body wash you use says X about you as a person? The ads are stupid but it doesn't follow that use of the product makes you a bad person. That would be an unacceptable statement with almost any other product/category of people.

Also, I don't get the 'If you don't like it, don't comment' responses to fishwithfeet. Does this really want to be a site that shuts down dissent? If the the Feministing staff followed the idea that "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" the site would come to a grinding halt.

Many people object to the criticism that Feministing and feminism itself have a party line participants MUST toe, but it's exactly this kind of slap down of even trivial dissent that gives that impression. Sure, simply calling the post asinine isn't the most constructive of critiques, but we're also mocking loofahs, and the men who use them, which is a pretty fluffy post to begin with.

I love the site, and think we are better than engaging in the behavior we criticize, particularly since self-examination and acting conscientiously are such a huge parts of any social movement for change.

Oh, come now, Roni - fishwithfeet's comment wasn't dissent. It was totally unfocused criticism - the equivalent of someone stopping a conversation just to say that everything everyone is saying is stupid, then leaving. I really don't think this site DOES have a problem with crushing dissent - I've dissented and never been crushed (or deleted, or banned) - but even if it did, that wouldn't be it.

Surely a policy of "If you can say anything that means something, don't say anything at all" would waste a good deal less of everyone's time?

I agree with what iscah just said. But I wanted to chime in on something much more frivolous: the body wash vs. soap debate. Body wash is better for people who have sensitive skin with a tendency to break out, because it's cleaner. The surface of bar soap will retain a certain amount of germs, which can clog pores. But I don't think this is a problem for everyone. (Most people, however, shouldn't use soap on their face.)

Roni, the products a person uses does say, at least a little bit, something about you. I don't support Axe, b/c their ad campaign is anti-woman. I used to love Volkswagen, but then they had those anti-woman ads, and now I no longer have the urge to shell out a ton of money for that Jetta I really liked.

My brother uses Axe (he's just out of high school) and he's about as anti-jackass as they come. Using a product doesn't necessarily say something about you as a person, and it certainly doesn't say that you're a terrible person for using said product, but at the same time, it might reveal something about your particular awarenesses.

That said, not everyone is able to track down the effects of every single company they purchase products from. But, in a capitalist society, you vote with your dollars. I'm definitely not perfect. I'm wearing GAP jeans as I type this, but something is better than nothing. If everyone on this board replaced one toiletry item with a more ecologically and socially responsible product, it would make a difference. Or, it would be a place to start anyway, and we all have to start somewhere.

I'm with you Roni. I wonder why we can't just put our two cents on a topic out there without having it ripped to shreds, no matter how "asinine" it may be. Hey, at least it ain't a troll...at least we can see people want a good, open discussion on important issues, yeah? :D

I'm with you Roni. I wonder why we can't just put our two cents on a topic out there without having it ripped to shreds, no matter how "asinine" it may be. Hey, at least it ain't a troll...at least we can see people want a good, open discussion on important issues, yeah? :D
Fishwithfeet IS a troll. Her comments have always amounted to, "Jessica's book cover is wrong" & "This thread is stupid."

nic,
i haven't had the sweat problem, but my girlfriend has tried EVERY deodorant out there to stop her ridiculous amount of armpit sweat. NOTHING worked...until now.

We tried the new Secret Clinical Strength. I am shocked at how well it works. for real. it is a hundred times better than the prescription crap we paid so much for. TRY IT! :)