Scientists have discovered that a gene called ABCC11 determines whether people produced wet or dry earwax. What is even more curious is that people who produce the “dry” version of earwax also lack a chemical in their armpits that bacteria feed on to cause underarm odour. And it seems that this gene is the single determinant of whether you do produce underarm odour or not.
Strangely while only 2 percent of Europeans lack the gene for smelly armpits, most East Asians and almost all Koreans lack the gene.
From: Tia Ghose, “People without Gene for Underarm Odor Still Wear Deodorant” at www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-without-underarm-protection/.