Deodorant vs. Antiperspirant: Which One’s Right for Me?

When you live in a hot, humid country, your first roll-on marks your transition from child to self-aware child. We take a closer look at anti-odour options to help you make grown-up choices for your underarms.

It’s there when you need to make a quick lunch run under the midday sun. It keeps you smelling fresh all day and through your afterhours Muay Thai class. It helps you make brave decisions, like wearing that tight polyester shirt under a blazer while street shopping.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimised by pit stains. Okay, maybe don’t.

Deodorants contain ingredients that kill the bacteria responsible for making you stink; they may also contain fragrances to mask unpleasant body odours. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, block your pores so you don’t sweat at all.

These can come in sticks, roll-ons, sprays, gels, and creams. There is no clear “winner”. However, products which last longer and are more effective at curbing perspiration also cause more issues. We look at some of these problems to help you make more informed choices.

Scientific reports are not conclusive on whether the chemicals in deodorants and antiperspirants are harmful in the long run. Having said that, most of them contain parabens, fragrances, talc, silica, aluminium compounds, and other ingredients that often appear on industry watch lists (in short, might not be very good for you).

In the short term, these may cause dermatitis and allergic reactions. Aluminium compounds – the active ingredient in antiperspirants that blocks your sweat glands – can aggravate your lymph nodes and cause them to become swollen and painful.

• Always check the list of ingredients on your products. You can also refer to online buying guides such as EWG’s Skin Deep which offer ratings on a product’s usage safety.
• You may be using your antiperspirant wrong – 24- or 48-hour antiperspirants should be applied the night before when your skin is dry. This gives them time to “set” into your pores. Antiperspirant applied in the morning may be washed away by the sweat you’re already secreting. Correct application ensures you’re not using more than you need.

SOURCE: walmart.com

• Do not use a stronger antiperspirant than you need “just in case” – clinical or extra strength antiperspirants can contain up to 25% aluminium compounds.
• Opt for deodorant-only products or natural rock salt deodorants if you are a light sweater or do not mind going au naturel. You can also limit your use of antiperspirants to times when you know you’re going to sweat a lot, like gym class or your golden retriever’s weekly bath time.

• Aluminium compounds – especially in sticks, which are stronger than roll-ons and sprays – leave behind an unappealing chalky, white residue. Cosmetic companies often use solvents to counter these, which in turn can make the area feel wet. (Take note that these solvents also make your antiperspirant less effective.)
• These can leave you feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable, while staining your clothes in white streaks.

SOURCE: beautymarksthespotreviews.weebly.com

• Look for ‘clear’ or ‘invisible’ versions of your product when shopping. Alternatively, look for products that advertise themselves as ‘dry’ if that is a bigger priority – sprays are surprisingly quick-drying compared to their counterparts.
• Take care of how you put on your clothing to avoid contact with your underarms. You can also invest in underarm pads if you’re not going sleeveless.
• If it’s the icky residue that bothers you, look for an underarm cleanser which gets rid of build-up.

Those yellow stains you find in the deep pits of your favourite white shirt? Not completely caused by sweat. They’re caused by the aluminium compounds in your antiperspirant bonding with your sweat.

• Don’t wear white clothes with sleeves, or use underarm pads when you do. You can get those from Daiso stores.

SOURCE: ebay.com

• Remember to put on your antiperspirant the night before! If you forget, allow it to dry before wearing your clothes.
• Avoid roll-ons or gels which have a wetter consistency and are more likely to transfer onto your outfit.

In addition to deodorants and antiperspirants, you can also keep your underarms fresh by taking warm showers or baths and cleaning your pits thoroughly with antibacterial soap.

Wearing natural fibres and removing underarm hair which allows sweat to evaporate faster also help alleviate odours. If these tips don’t help, we recommend seeing a specialist who might be able to prescribe further treatments.