The Best Men’s Deodorants
When you were an adolescent, deodorant was more than just the thing you applied to your armpits to stop you from smelling bad after gym class. It was also meant to make you smell really good — to a thirteen-year-old's nose, that is. Good deodorant shouldn't also serve as cologne; rather, it should add a mild, pleasant scent (or none at all) and reduce the amount that your armpits sweat. As a man, you don't have to walk around smelling like a can of body spray to stop your armpits from sweating.
What to Look For
Luckily, there are tons of more natural-smelling options out there that still offer the same sweat- and stink-stopping power as your old brand. The best deodorants should offer some antiperspirant qualities, should be gentle enough to use on all types of skin, and, of course, should smell great. Our favorite stick, Dove’s Men+ Care Clean Comfort, does all of these things, making it ideal for most gents. However, if you’re looking for something more natural, we also love Arm & Hammer’s Essentials Fresh, free of parabens and aluminum. Read on to discover all of our favorite deodorants and find one that’s right for your armpits.
Dove Men+ Care Clean Comfort
Subtle scents
We could drop a cliche here about being secure enough in your masculinity to use Dove deodorant. We could attempt to appeal to you in that cheap sort of way, but we feel there’s no need. Dove’s Men+ Care has nothing to apologize for. If anything, the flamboyantly scented deodorants of yesteryear are the ones making the walk of shame as more subtle, neutral-scented deodorants take their place. This one is the perfect example. While its crisp, clean scent is slightly masculine, it doesn’t desperately shout “I have a Y chromosome” to the world like other big-name brands do. Aside from its non-offensive scent, it works well — even up to 48 hours for some people. It also boasts moisturizing ingredients that should help ward off skin irritation.
Pros:
- We love that this is available in bulk, as it saves us both time and money.
- Out of all the deodorants we vetted, this one is almost universally prized for its pleasant, mild scent.
- Its antiperspirant properties tend to last a long time.
Cons:
- While it claims to minimize white marks on dark clothes and yellow on white ones, the residue still may stain underarm shirts.
Baxter of California Citrus and Herbal Musk
Smells like money
Men have been conditioned to believe that caring about cosmetic matters is off-limits. If the average dude had his way, they say, he’d also use his deodorant as chapstick, bath soap, hair conditioner, shoeshine, and car polish. But is that really true? Increasingly, men are realizing that having sensitivity to things like scent is not a weakness but, uh, a universal human phenomenon. So why do we insist on lathering a crude, chemical-doused sweat stopper under our armpits when there are high-quality alternatives to be had? Take Baxter of California, for example. Yes, it costs a lot, and no, you don’t need to spend this much on deodorant, but it’s worth some consideration. Its herbal musk & citrus scent is truly fantastic, and it’s made of botanically-based ingredients. If you feel like treating yourself, this is your pick.
Pros:
- Unlike other deodorants, which contain loads of artificial chemicals, this one relies primarily on natural ingredients, such as tea tree oil and witch hazel.
- We love how the clear, solid gel goes on clean and doesn’t stain clothes.
- It also contains comfrey, yarrow, and chamomile extracts, helping it to soothe and hydrate sensitive skin.
Cons:
- Though it smells great, this option lacks the antiperspirant properties of other deodorants.
Mitchum Advanced Control
Stench stopper
After all of our waxing poetic, we arrive at Mitchum, which stands in direct opposition to the subtlety of Dove or the elegance of Baxter of California. Mitchum’s Advanced Control does one thing and does it well: it stops sweat. As a powerful antiperspirant/deodorant combo, it doesn’t take many words to highlight this inexpensive champion’s qualities. It lasts a long time, a little goes a long way, and it’s great for those of us with overactive sweat glands.
Pros:
- The superior antiperspirant qualities of this deodorant make it ideal for heavy sweaters or for anyone living in hot, humid climates.
- This contains aloe and vitamin E, which help moisturize and calm sensitive skin types.
- The scent of this deodorant is very light, so it’s perfect for people who don’t want to stink up a room but who still want to keep sweat at bay.
Cons:
- The stick can be kind of soft and crumbly.
Arm & Hammer Essentials Fresh
Keep it simple
Arm & Hammer boils down its stench-stopping strategy to two main ingredients: baking soda and herbal extracts. Baking soda’s antibacterial properties help mitigate the growth of bacteria that occurs throughout the course of the day. Those bacteria, in fact, are the ones that are responsible for BO—naturally, hindering their growth results in a less-smelly underarm region. Then, the herbal extracts, like coriander, rosemary, and lavender, create a fresh, clean scent that lingers without overpowering. Though this deodorant isn’t flashy or sexy, its simple ingredients function well. That’s why it has such a loyal camp of folks who swear by it.
Pros:
- This is truly an all-natural formula, free of parabens and aluminum.
- The fresh, floral scent is perfect for any gender, including men.
- It’s a great value, and the stick lasts a long time.
Cons:
- The baking powder in this deodorant may make some people itchy.
Schmidt’s Natural Cedarwood + Juniper
Easy does it
If you’re looking to go the natural route, Schmidt’s line of deodorants offers cruelty-free, vegan options that are free from all the nasty stuff, like propylene glycol, aluminum, phthalates, artificial fragrance, and aluminum. Each deodorant is derived from a blend of minerals and plant extracts. Best of all, it’s available in a variety of scent combinations: cedarwood & juniper; bergamot & lime; lavender & sage; ylang-ylang & calendula; and an unscented variety. To apply it, you dip the provided spatula into the glass container, scoop up a dollop, rub it between your fingers, and apply it onto your armpits. Though its application method is a bit strange, it seems to be one of the only natural deodorants that really work. Its proponents claim that it wards off odor for a full day with a single application and that its scents smell exactly like the ingredients of their namesakes.
Pros:
- The all-natural formula of this deodorant makes it perfect for vegans, animal rights advocates, and even those with gluten intolerance.
- Though the deep woodsy aroma is great for guys, it’s also likely to appeal to other genders.
- This is well-priced compared to other natural deodorants.
Cons:
- Unlike stick-style deodorants, this one comes in a jar, which makes the application process a bit odd.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between antiperspirant and deodorant?
Though you might not have known that there’s a difference, antiperspirant and deodorant function differently. Deodorant neutralizes and masks odor, while antiperspirant blocks your pores so that they don’t sweat as much. By sweating less, you end up smelling less, too, because sweat provides the perfect environment for odor-causing bacteria to multiply. Often, deodorant is used as an all-encompassing blanket term for both deodorant and antiperspirant. This is because they are often combined in the same product. However, in recent years, some have shied away from antiperspirants in lieu of reports that the aluminum that they often use could be dangerous.
What’s the deal with aluminum? Is it as bad for you as they say?
There are theories that aluminum-containing antiperspirants could be linked to breast cancer, though science has not proven this to be true. The thinking goes that the aluminum is absorbed by the tissue surrounding the armpit and that buildup of aluminum could, over time, mimic estrogen in the bloodstream. This could theoretically promote the growth of cancer cells. While the line of reasoning makes sense, there’s nothing to prove that such is the case. If you have healthy kidneys, they should be able to absorb and filter out the aluminum. Those with kidney problems, on the other hand, definitely should avoid aluminum-containing antiperspirants. In summary, the science hasn’t verified a link between cancer and the aluminum contained in antiperspirants, but perhaps it’s best to err on the side of caution.
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