Deodorant Reviews

Types of Deodorant

Deodorants

Antiperspirants

Natural Deodorants

Deodorants

Despite popular belief, sweat doesn't actually cause body odor; the odor is produced when bacteria breaks down sweat. That's where deodorant comes in. Applied to the skin (typically the underarms), deodorant contains antibacterial and other ingredients that hinder the bacteria that break down sweat and cause the odor, effectively stopping body odor before it starts. Some deodorants also contain scents to help mask body odor. Deodorant does not, however, prevent you from sweating.

Antiperspirants

Antiperspirants use aluminum-based ingredients to create temporary plugs in the sweat ducts, reducing underarm sweating. They don't mask or reduce odor directly. However, because body odor is caused by the bacterial breakdown of sweat, you may experience less body odor as a result of not sweating as much. Antiperspirants are often used by people who sweat profusely and want to avoid the embarrassment of sweat-soaked armpits. Most, but not all, mass-produced products include both antiperspirant and deodorant ingredients for maximum odor- and sweat-fighting protection.

Natural Deodorants

These products don't contain aluminum or other chemical ingredients found in traditional deodorants and antiperspirants. Some people opt for natural deodorants because they want to avoid aluminum and other chemicals, while others find that they're sensitive to certain ingredients commonly used in traditional deodorants/antiperspirants and turn to natural deodorants as a result. Natural deodorants won't stop you from sweating, but they can help to reduce odor.

Types of Deodorant Applicators

Using deodorant to mask odors isn't a new concept for most, but hundreds of years ago, before regular bathing became commonplace, people used heavy colognes to mask B.O. It wasn't until the early 1800s that chemists began making products that could prevent body odor and sweating. The earliest manufacturers of antiperspirants made extremely messy pastes and creams that were difficult to apply. Mass-produced aluminum-based products came about more than 100 years ago. They came in the form of creams, solids, pads, dabbers, roll-ons and powders. Over time, the popularity of some of the application types waned. Today deodorants come in a variety of forms and formulas:

• Solid sticks are the most popular form of deodorant/antiperspirants. They typically don't leave the skin wet after application, and usually come in a solid white or clear formula. Some solid sticks tend to leave white residue behind on clothing.

• Gels are applied in a similar way to solid sticks, but they go on clear. The gel formula is generally pushed up through holes or slits in the applicator. Gels are wet when applied and require a few minutes to dry.

• Roll-ons feature a ball at the top of the bottle that can be rolled to evenly distribute the product, which is usually light and gel-like. 

• Creams and lotions must be applied with the fingertips to the underarms, although some lotions come in spray bottles. These usually require a few minutes of drying.

• Deodorant sprays come in aerosol cans and typically go on dry.

What's in Your Deodorant?

Sweaty -- and stinky -- pits at the gym are commonplace, but sweaty situations can occur anytime and anyplace, whether you like it or not. Believe it or not, perspiration is actually good for you; it's a natural function that cools the body down. Although it is blamed for foul body odor, normal perspiration itself doesn't have much scent at all. Bad odors are usually produced by bacteria living on the surface of the skin, which thrives on sweat.

However, sweat from stress is a different matter. It comes on fast, can be hard to control and does give off a foul odor. That's because, when you're nervous or excited, you sweat from apocrine glands located in your underarms and pubic region. Secretions from normal sweat glands (eccrine glands) are watery and mostly odorless, but apocrine secretions contain 20 percent fat and protein; bacteria thrive on the stuff, and you're left dealing with the pungent odor. 

There are two key factors that affect people's favorability when it comes to deodorant: One is performance, and the other is feel and smell. Most over-the-counter antiperspirants/deodorants contain an aluminum-based active ingredient that blocks the pores to stop sweat. Some of the most common active ingredients you'll find when browsing for antiperspirants in the supermarket include:

• Aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex glycine
• Aluminum zirconium octachlorohydrex glycine
• Aluminum chloride
• Aluminum chlorohydrate
• Aluminum hydroxybromide

Most over-the-counter antiperspirants contain between 10 and 20 percent of their active ingredient; FDA restrictions cap that level to between 15 and 25 percent, depending on the specific type of active ingredient. Clinical strength formulas stay within over-the-counter guidelines but aim to provide comparable wetness protection to prescription products. Certain Dri Clinical Strength Roll-on, for example, contains 12 percent aluminum chloride.

Most of the deodorant/antiperspirant lines we reviewed come in a wide range of scents; there is usually more variety among women's deodorants than men's. It's important to note the distinction between "unscented" and "fragrance-free": unscented products do contain fragrance additives (to mask the chemical smell of other ingredients), while fragrance-free products do not.