Feeling a little clammy? May be time to upgrade that deodorant or antiperspirant (and yes, there is a difference). Both are charged with stopping the bacteria that causes B.O.—they just go about it differently. Deodorants employ an active ingredient (usually triclosan) to stop the bacteria from growing. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, utilize aluminum salts to keep sweat glands from perspiring in the first place. No sweat, no bacteria, no stench. Got it?
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Now how do you pick from amongst the rows upon rows of stench-stoppers? Read the claims? Whip off the caps to get a whiff? Neither is too telling. We tried out the newest odor beaters—so you wouldn’t have to.
Tom’s of Maine Naturally Dry Antiperspirant and Deodorant, $5
Tested by: Laura Kenney, YouBeauty Editor-in-Chief
I’ll admit it: I don’t normally wear antiperspirant, preferring to skip it because of its aluminum content, which (for the record) is wholly unproven to harm me, but I figure, why tempt fate?
Tom’s of Maine Naturally Dry Antiperspirant seemed like the perfect product for me. It’s natural and free of artificial fragrances, preservatives, silicones and propylene-glycol.
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The claims: 24-hour odor protection and the use of aluminum chlorohydrate to reduce perspiration and wetness. The thing is—it still contains aluminum, and while the company explains it's naturally sourced, all aluminum comes from a natural source so it’s impossible to make “unnatural” aluminum.
So although Tom’s delivers wetness and odor protection in an antiperspirant that’s free of as many additives as possible, if aluminum exposure is your concern, opt for a deodorant instead.
Secret Outlast Invisible Solid Antiperspirant and Deodorant, $5
Tested by: Rachel Grumman Bender, YouBeauty Health Editor
Secret Outlast makes a bold promise—to keep you smelling fresh for 48 hours—and tries to accomplish this by packing two times the odor-fighting ingredients into one simple stick. I was skeptical about it lasting that long cause every deodorant I’ve tried to date has conked out within a few hours—especially on a warm day.
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But this one truly lived up the hype and then some. I can put it on in the morning, workout, shower and still smell completely fresh without ever needing to reapply. I’ve never found a longer-lasting, more effective deodorant. This is hands down, the best one I’ve ever used. Bonus: It goes on invisibly without leaving white residue streaks on clothing.
Guinot’s Déo Crème Epil Confort, $22
Tested by: Courtney Dunlop, YouBeauty Senior Editor
I was intrigued by the Guinot deodorant because it's a cream which seems very fancy and French to me. Although it doesn’t call itself an anti-perspirant, it does contain aluminum salts that give it sweat-wicking properties (and I hate being sweaty). But it’s the texture that’s so unique.
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You apply it to the underarm area with a tissue and wait the few seconds for it to absorb. Ét voila, it did in fact curb the sweat without getting on my clothes. It's also designed to slow hair regrowth, and while I didn't use it long enough to see if it delivered on that claim, here's to hoping that one day I can stretch out the duration between shaves.
Dove Clear Tone Skin Renew Anti-Perspirant and Deodorant, $4
Tested by: Jamie Park, BeautySage, Education Specialist
Aside from 24-hours of odor and wetness protection, Dove's new formula claims to visibly reduce the red and dark marks that appear in the armpit area due to shaving irritation. The texture itself is creamy and smooth and left my underarms softer and less rough to the touch.
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In terms of discoloration, I think you’d need to use this for at least a good 3-4 months to make an objective statement on it, though I did notice some immediate lightening. My only complaint is it did result in some residue and staining on my clothes.
For Pits’ Sake Natural Deodorant, $8
Tested by: Angelica Catalano, YouBeauty Assistant Editor
I was excited to get my hands on the 100-percent natural For Pits Sake 'cause it skips out on chemicals like parabens (an artificial preservative) and propylene glycol (helps products penetrate skin). Instead, it has the natural bacteria-blocking mineral zinc oxide along with coconut oil and shea butter to soothe skin.
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So how did it hold up? Although it felt sticky upon application, it really stuck with me 'til nighttime. Better than any other natural deodorant I've tried (and lighter on the wallet). The lime and clove scent dissipated halfway through the day, but it didn't leave me smelling bad, so that wasn't a huge bother. As an aside, if I had a super long, nerve-wracking day ahead of me, I would cheat on For Pits Sake with an antiperspirant (just to be super safe).
