Best Deodorants & Antiperspirants

Deodorant vs antiperspirant

While most of us know what deodorant is used for (a way to show that unwanted guest with the initials B.O. the back door), you may not know how deodorants and antiperspirants are different. In a nutshell, while deodorants reduce odour, antiperspirants eliminate sweat and odour altogether.

Deodorants

These aim to reduce the number of odour-causing bacteria that form when you sweat. They do this by adding a layer of product on top of the bacteria, to mask the smell. Deodorant contains antibacterial ingredients and usually fragrance, to assist with achieving a more pleasant smell.

Deodorant can be better than antiperspirant if your main aim is to stop odour caused by sweating.

Antiperspirants

Antiperspirants prevent you from sweating altogether, by blocking sweat glands and pores with aluminium compounds, which include other chemicals like zinc.

This keeps you dry, and eliminates the bad-smelling bacteria that shows up when you sweat. Antiperspirants, like deodorants, often contain fragrances.

Antiperspirants are the best option if your main priority is to stop excessive sweating. However, some research has shown that there may be health impacts of using antiperspirants.

Types of deodorants

Deodorant sprays

Sprays release a misty spray from an aerosol can, which you direct towards your armpit to apply. This is usually the preferred type of deodorant for most people.

Roll-on deodorants

These are applied using a rolling ball. When you roll the ball onto your armpit, it releases a thin layer of liquid or gel deodorant or antiperspirant.

Stick deodorants

In terms of packaging, these look similar to roll-on deodorants, but their shape is usually less circular and more oval and wide.

Deodorant sticks are made with a solid deodorant inside them. They’re kind of like a soap in deodorant foam, with a creamy texture that you rub onto your skin. This forms a layer that is meant to keep sweat at bay.

Natural deodorants

These come packaged in plenty of creative forms. You can get natural deodorants in a spray bottle, but these are less common. Roll-ons, stick deodorants and the types of deodorants outlined below are more common when it comes to natural deodorants.

• Powder deodorants look similar to a little bottle of talc powder, with little holes at the top like buttonholes. You tap some powder onto an outstretched hand, then pat it under your arms.

• Solid deodorants are most common in stick form. Some other, less common forms of packaging include solid deodorants in tubs, which you scoop out with your fingers and slather onto your underarms, or in deodorant bars, which look a bar of soap that you rub onto your underarms.

• Crystal body deodorants contain one ingredient - potassium alum, also known as natural mineral salts. These have antimicrobial properties, and are known to kill underarm bacteria. While crystal deodorants contain aluminium, the molecules of alum are too large to be absorbed by skin. This means they don’t block pores, making them different to the aluminium used in antiperspirants.

Things to think about when choosing a deodorant

Allergies or Sensitivity

It’s not uncommon to experience reactions to deodorants and antiperspirants. These come in the form of mild irritation, sensitivity, or allergies.

It’s often a good idea to inspect the ingredients list of a deodorant before buying. Common irritants include chemicals used in heavy fragrances, parabens used as a preservative, propylene glycol - which gives deodorant an adhesive quality, and lanolin - a moisturising ingredient.

It’s not just chemicals that can cause reactions - natural ingredients can be the culprits, too. For example, lanolin is a waxy substance from sheep’s wool that can cause contact dermatitis, and bi-carb soda causes skin reactions in some people.

Longevity

If you don’t want to worry about re-applying throughout the day, nabbing a long-lasting deodorant is the way to go. Brands make claims about the longevity of their product, such as 24-hour or 48-hour antiperspirant protection.

It can help to do independent research by reading reviews, which can either support or contradict these marketing promises of a high-longevity product.

Drying time

Most people apply deodorant after showering, just before they’re about to race out the door and begin their day. If you’re often in a rush or don’t have the time to wait around for your deodorant to dry before dressing, choosing a deodorant with a quick drying time can be useful.

Some deodorant types are naturally more quick-drying, such as dry sprays, as well as stick and solid deodorants.

Fragrance

Most deodorants and antiperspirants have at least a small amount of fragrance in them, which can be strong or subtle on the nose.

Choosing a deodorant with a noticeable fragrance can go some way in saving you from sourcing a separate perfume. If you’re someone who appreciates respecting your signature scent, you can choose a deodorant that complements your favourite perfume. This makes it easy to layer them.

For those who experience skin irritations or allergies, choosing a fragrance-free deodorant can go some way in preventing discomfort caused by scents - especially the chemicals in synthetic scents.

Size and packaging

The packaging of a deodorant includes considering a few things. Firstly, the size of the product can aid in its convenience or hinder it. For example, a small 50mL bottle of roll-on or an aluminium tin of solid deodorant is easy to cart around in a small handbag. A large can of spray deodorant or a deodorant bar may be more tricky.

Other considerations include the transparency of packaging. Is it see-through or opaque? This can help you know how much product is left before you need to re-stock. Last but not least, the eco-friendliness of packaging is something to consider, as the use of plastic vs biodegradable packaging ingredients adds up over time in terms of environmental cost.

Is deodorant bad for you?

Aluminium in deodorant

There have been many claims that deodorant - or, to be more accurate, antiperspirants - are bad for your health.

This is because most antiperspirants contain aluminium salts. Aluminium is the active ingredient in antiperspirants that plugs up pores or reduces their size - which stops sweat being released through the sweat glands.

Aluminium is effective for this purpose, and is often used in clinical strength antiperspirants. However, there has been some scientific research to suggest that ongoing use may be a contributing factor in causing breast cancer. This research states that aluminium can leach from the skin into breast tissue.

The research is currently inconclusive, with the Cancer Council Australia refuting the link between antiperspirants with aluminium and cancer.

However, for some people, this is enough of a reason to switch to aluminium-free deodorant. The surge in popularity of natural deodorants is a testament to this.

Armpit detoxing

Advocates against the use of antiperspirants state that blocking the sweat glands (the purpose of antiperspirants) means the body no longer has a natural way of cooling itself down. This causes the sweat glands to become stressed, and chemical residues and other toxins to build up under the skin.

Detoxing armpits can be a way to release these toxins.

This involves going cold turkey on your chemical deodorant, allowing toxins to freely leave the body. Odour will spike in the second week of the detox, but then should gradually decrease, until you end up after 5 weeks with no odour.

While some ex-antiperspirant users might think enduring this malodorous state of affairs for 5 weeks is not worth it, an armpit detox could be something to consider if antiperspirants have given you reactions like skin irritation, redness or allergies.

Benefits of completing an armpit detox include less smell when you sweat, and less sweating overall. It should also make it easier to switch to a natural deodorant, with less reactions.

Wrapping Up

Finding the right deodorant can be a fun discovery when you take the time to think about a few things before buying. Consider first what you value most in a good deodorant or antiperspirant - protection from odour, preventing excessive sweating, a natural ingredients list, that dry underarm feel, smelling lovely… or all of these! Along with reading reviews, weighing up these priorities can help inform your choice and leave you smelling and feeling fresh all day.