Picking a good deodorant shouldn't make you break a sweat.
What's often taken for granted, rarely spoken about, but used daily by more than 300 million Americans? Deodorant. In fact, the United States uses more deodorant than any other country. With so many brands and application types — like sticks, sprays, wipes, creams and roll-ons — finding the best deodorant and antiperspirant can sometimes feel overwhelming. Factor in labels promoting different benefits — antiperspirant, deodorant or a blend of both — along with options like aluminum-free or natural formulas, and choosing the right deodorant becomes even more daunting.
There also happens to be a dirty little secret that deodorant manufacturers don't want you to know: There is generally no difference in strength between women's and men's deodorants. Dr. Samuel Hetz, medical director of Concept Medical, says, "The active odor-fighting ingredients are actually the same." He explains that the difference usually comes down to fragrance: "Men's products tend to take on a stronger, muskier scent, while women's are often lighter and offer a floral scent."
So, how in the world do you choose the best defense for your armpits? You keep reading.
The team here at Yahoo has been hard at work talking with our panel of dermatologists and skin care experts to get their take on the sea of sweat- and stink-stomping products, which ingredients to look for and which products or brands they personally recommend. We then researched and evaluated countless deodorants and antiperspirants, identifying the key ingredients our experts suggested for moisture-absorption (like aluminum, baking soda and arrowroot), along with moisturizing and odor-fighting heroes like coconut oil, aloe vera and essential oils.
We tested sticks, wipes, sprays, creams and roll-ons to find the best combination of ingredients and application methods to keep you dry and smelling fresh. Throughout our research, preference was given to cost-effectiveness, staying power and the quality of ingredients, while omitting those with harsh chemicals and known skin irritants. The following list of the best deodorants and antiperspirants for women are all expert- and Yahoo editor-approved to keep you feeling confident all day long.
Update, Jan. 2, 2025: We checked all product prices and availability. Our number one pick for the best deodorant and antiperspirant for women remains unchanged.
Cost: $16 | Active ingredient: Aluminum sesquichlorohydrate 18% | Available for men and women: Gender-neutral | Scents available: Clean, Fresh, Marine, Bold and Neutral | Longevity: Up to 96 hours
Degree is one of the most popular, well-known antiperspirant brands on the market and for good reason: The stuff works.
Unlimited by Degree is a new dry spray antiperspirant-deodorant hybrid that keeps you stink-free for up to 96 hours. That's four days! It features the brand's exclusive SmartAdapt technology, which adapts and responds to your body to create a barrier against sweat and odor. This micro-barrier responds to movement, heat and stress, activating in the process. So you'll get extra protection during moments when you need it the most (like when you're at the gym).
While Degree does have gender-specific deodorants, Unlimited is a unisex antiperspirant. Five different scents are available that range from clean and airy to bold and warm. And if you're not up for a dry spray, it also comes in a solid stick.
Type: Solid | Key ingredient: Aluminum zirconium | Scents available: Hygienic Fresh, Completely Clean, Protecting Powder | Features: Invisible, PETA-certified, pH-balancing minerals | Longevity: 48 hours
Secret is one of the most well-known names in the business of women's deodorants and antiperspirants, and for a good reason: It works. Its Outlast sweat and odor protection stick formulation boasts a whopping 19% aluminum zirconium. Dr. Amy Forman Taub, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Advanced Dermatology, says, "When treating excessive sweating, a higher aluminum concentration (12% to 30%) in antiperspirant is required."
Secret's Outlast offers 48 hours of sweat-blocking protection and comes in three scents: Hygienic Fresh, Completely Clean and Protecting Powder. The stick deodorant swipes on clear and has yet to transfer or leave marks on my clothes. It stands up to long days, and even though I sweat at the gym, I don't come out smelling like BO. It's also a PETA-certified, cruelty-free deodorant and is paraben-free; however, it contains alcohol and synthetic fragrances, so this one may not be a great fit for those with sensitive skin.
Cost: $5-$7 | Active ingredient: Aluminum (aluminum sesquichlorohydrate 25% | Available for men and women: Yes | Scents available: For women: Powder Fresh, Shower Fresh and Unscented; for men: Unscented | Longevity: 48 hours
If you're looking for serious perspiration protection at an affordable price, the Mitchum Triple Odor Defense Antiperspirant is a great option.
Formulated with over 20% aluminum, it's designed to block odor from the three most common culprits: heat, motion and stress. A solid stick or a gel version is available — personally, I'm partial to solid deodorants since they tend to dry faster and without gunky residue, but reviewers for the gel formula note that it's quick-drying and doesn't leave you feeling like a sticky mess.
Despite the limited scent options — three scents for women and one for men (unscented) — this antiperspirant leaves you smelling fresh and clean, and, most importantly, ensures that you stay sweat- and stink-free for 48 hours. This one is hard to beat when it comes to getting the most bang for your budgeted buck.
Type: roll-on | Key ingredient: 12% aluminum chloride | Scents available: Unscented | Features: Unscented, near prescription strength | Longevity: 72 hours
Certain Dri Clinical Strength Antiperspirant prioritizes keeping you sweat-free over all else. Its formula uses aluminum chloride, the most powerful aluminum salt found in most prescription antiperspirants. Unlike other antiperspirants, you apply Certain Dri at night rather than in the morning to allow the aluminum time to absorb into the skin and sweat ducts. Certain Dri also sells stick and aerosol antiperspirants, but its roll-on is one of its strongest products featuring aluminum chloride. I have long used Certain Dri and reach for this when I wear a shirt that can easily show sweat or I'm facing a long day of meetings and high-stress situations, and it never lets me down. If you tend to sweat through your clothes, this is well worth a try.
We do want to warn you that it can cause skin irritation for those with sensitive skin, or if it is used on damaged or otherwise irritated skin. Avoid use immediately after shaving. It's also important to speak to your doctor if you are concerned about excessive sweat.
Type: Solid | Key ingredients: Corn starch, saccharomyces ferment filtrate, willow bark extract, botanicals | Scents available: Rosy Pits | Features: Aluminum-free, water-based with skin nourishing ingredients, dermatologist-approved | Longevity: 8-12 hours before needing to reapply
Megababe's Rosy Pits Deodorant deserves an all-star spot for sensitive skin. It's loaded with gentle yet effective ingredients like saccharomyces ferment filtrate (a soothing type of fermented yeast) for odor protection, willow bark for wetness protection, and skin-nourishing colloidal oatmeal. One of my favorite aspects of this deodorant is that the water-based stick glides on smoothly without tugging and irritating the skin. It also contains vitamin E to protect against razor burn and irritation, so you can feel free to swipe it on after shaving your pits in the shower. Best of all, it's been clinically tested for sensitive skin and is dermatologist-approved.
As for keeping me dry and smelling fresh, the combination of corn starch and saccharomyces ferment does a great job of limiting wetness. That said, this product doesn't contain aluminum, so if you tend to sweat a lot or participate in high-intensity workouts, it may not be the best option.
Type: Solid | Key ingredients: Coconut oil and sage oil | Scents available: Original, Driftwood and Beach | Features: Made without aluminum, parabens, sulfates and baking soda | Longevity: 8-12 hours before needing to reapply
Kopari Aluminum-Free Coconut Deodorant is an organic, nontoxic, plant-based and all-around skin-friendly deodorant. The all-natural formula is free from aluminum, parabens, sulfates and baking soda, making it safe, clean and gentle enough even for children's skin — it's a great "first deodorant" option for preteens and teens.
The deodorant contains coconut water, coconut oil and sage oil to keep you smelling fresh. Additionally, the coconut and sage oils are antimicrobial and antibacterial, eliminating and neutralizing body odor while simultaneously moisturizing and soothing the skin.
Kopari also makes a Performance Plus 24-hour deodorant that, while not a top pick for ultra-sensitive skin, is an excellent option for those needing more odor protection and moisture absorption.
Type: Cream | Key ingredients: Mandelic acid, maranta arundinacea root powder, cacao (cocoa) seed butter, tapioca starch | Scents available: Minted Cucumber, Soft Powder, Lavender Sage, Toasted Coconut, Peony Rose, Clean Tangerine, Unscented, Fresh Alpine | Features: Aluminum-free whole body deodorant, nourishing, all-natural | Longevity: 72 hours
Lume's whole body cream deodorant rubs in like a lotion and works to keep you dry and smelling fresh for a full 72 hours. The cream formula is a doctor-developed aluminum-free deodorant that is safe for external use. It's also fortified with cocoa seed butter, so you get the moisturizing benefits of a lotion and odor control in all your hard-to-reach and sensitive areas. And for those with sensitive skin, Lume's whole body cream is hypoallergenic and baking soda-free, which is ideal for preventing the irritation some people experience with the pH effects of baking soda on the skin. It's also aluminum-free, paraben-free and safe for use anywhere and everywhere.
Our tester loved the option to put this absolutely anywhere. However, she stated that the initial scent was a little off-putting, although once it dried, small wafts of lavender or coconut came through. She also said it always seemed to work well since, at the end of the day, she could still smell light hints of the fragrance. We all agreed, though, that cream deodorants aren't necessarily something you want to slather all over your body.
If you need serious sweat-blocking power, Lume also offers a cream that contains aluminum, but it may be irritating to sensitive skin.
Type: Wipes | Key ingredient: Coconut milk, witch hazel, shea butter | Scents available: Fragrance-free with a hint of coconut | Features: 30-wipes per pack, free from aluminum, mineral oil, parabens, petrolatum, phthalates and sulfate | Longevity: 8 hours
If the idea of a deodorant wipe is new to you, prepare to be enlightened! Pacifica Beauty's underarm deodorant wipes can be used to wipe away existing odors or stop future smells from seeping through after showering. Formulated with coconut milk, witch hazel and shea butter to nourish and prevent odor, the wipes are free from aluminum, parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, petrolatum or sulfates. The only downfall is that the wipes do contain a little natural grain alcohol, so they may not suit those with ultra-sensitive skin. Each pack comes with 30 wipes.
I have used these wipes to eliminate odor after a workout and after a shower and loved the results in both situations. These deodorant wipes are an official staple in my summer bag.
Type: Solid | Key ingredient: Aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex glycine | Scents available: Cashmere Mist | Features: Antiperspirant and deodorant that smells like Donna Karan Cashmere Mist perfume | Longevity: 24 hours
Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Anti-Perspirant works to reduce both odor and sweat. Formulated with aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex glycine — a gentler aluminum compound than what's used in many drugstore brands — it works to stop sweat before it starts while keeping you smelling like the beloved Cashmere Mist fragrance: light and fresh with hints of jasmine, bergamot and sandalwood.
I have long been a fan of both the Cashmere scent and this deodorant. It is my guilty pleasure, and I reach for it before going out for a date night, to dinner with friends or when I want to feel fancy and pretty. It works to keep me dry and smelling like Cashmere all day and night. It is definitely not cheap, but one tube will last me about three to four months of regular use.
There’s also an aluminum-free version available that uses cornstarch, coconut oil, and magnesium hydroxide, but it’s worth noting that the reviews aren’t nearly as good. Many fans of the original antiperspirant find that the aluminum-free deodorant just doesn’t work as well in terms of staying dry.
Antiperspirant vs. deodorant: It's important to distinguish between deodorants and antiperspirants, says Steven Prus, PA-C, a physician assistant at Advanced Dermatology in the Chicago area. "Deodorant just masks odor, while antiperspirant is a compound that decreases perspiration," he explains. Before shopping, decide if you want to stop sweat (with an antiperspirant), block odors (with a deodorant) or do both (with a combination deodorant and antiperspirant).
Ingredients:
Antiperspirants: There are 18 different FDA-approved aluminum compounds that can be used in antiperspirants, although some are more common than others. Aluminum chloride, for example, is considered the most effective for hyperhidrosis and heavy sweaters, but it's also more irritating, whereas aluminum zirconium and aluminum sesquichlorohydrate are gentler forms. "What sets different antiperspirants apart is which salt the product is formulated with and its concentration. While aluminum salts can be irritating, aluminum sesquichlorohydrate is less irritating than products that contain aluminum chloride, yet weaker," says Taub. Dr. Tushar Dabade, a board-certified dermatologist, points out that "prescription antiperspirants have a higher percentage of aluminum chloride than nonprescription. Prescription antiperspirants may work a little bit better for some people but occasionally will cause irritation."
Deodorants: Deodorants can have a long list of ingredients, so if you have known allergies to topical ingredients, make sure to read the label. Since deodorants do not contain aluminum, the majority are fortified with ingredients that absorb moisture, such as arrowroot powder, cornstarch or baking soda. When it comes to fighting odors, deodorants either include synthetic fragrances or utilize coconut milk or oil, shea butter or essential oils.
Application type: Deodorants and antiperspirants come in a variety of application types. When it comes to deciding which is best, Dr. Monika Kaniszewska, a board-certified dermatologist, says, "Aerosols and wipes may not be as effective as a thicker gel or cream that has the ability to stay on the skin and absorb better."
Solid: The most common type for both antiperspirants and deodorants. It usually has a powdery soft, solid and smooth consistency. Solid deodorants tend to dry quickly but can also leave residue behind if not formulated to be "invisible."
Roll-on: Roll-on deodorants are liquids applied using a rotating ball applicator that disperses the product as you roll it across your skin. The benefit is that they go on clear and absorb more quickly than a solid; the downside, however, is that they take longer to dry than a solid, so you may feel wet or sticky until they dry completely.
Spray: Spray or aerosol deodorants are easy to apply and dry quickly. However, their containers tend to be larger and bulkier and the product may not last as long as solids.
Gel: Gel deodorants typically come in the same type of container as solid sticks but have a thick gel consistency. Like roll-ons, gels take time to dry, but they go on clear and leave little residue behind. As such, they're less likely to leave marks on your clothing.
Cream: Cream deodorants are becoming all the rage because they're safe to apply to the whole body, not just the armpits. The consistency is comparable to that of your favorite lotion and is just as moisturizing. They are also easier to apply in the amount you want since you squeeze them out and control how much and where they go.
Wipe: Deodorant wipes are disposable, single-use wipes that are great for on-the-go use to eliminate and prevent future odors. The downside is that wipes are expensive and you will likely run through a pack of 30 wipes three times faster than a standard solid stick of deodorant.
Strength and longevity: Strength mainly applies to the antiperspirant's use of aluminum. Stronger antiperspirants, often labeled "clinical strength," have a higher percentage of aluminum. As for longevity, stronger antiperspirants will also last longer, with some even boasting 48 to 72 hours of sweat prevention. Natural, aluminum-free deodorants, on the other hand, may not last the entire day without reapplying. "Everyone's needs for deodorants and antiperspirants are different. What lasts for 24 hours for one person might not last for 24 hours for the next," says Ann Cameron Schieber, PA-C, a physician assistant at Advanced Dermatology.
Scent: Scent comes down to personal preference and your skin's level of sensitivity. During our research, we learned there is a seemingly endless range of pleasant scents when it comes to antiperspirants and deodorants, especially when you add in the versions marketed to men. This is one of those features for which you may need to spend time in the deodorant aisle of the drugstore, sniffing out your favorite scent. If you have sensitive skin, look for natural deodorants that offer essential oils and botanicals in lieu of synthetic fragrances.
Cost: As you can see from the list above, there is a broad range of prices when it comes to deodorants and antiperspirants, and it doesn't always come down to a you-get-what-you-pay-for situation. There are plenty of effective products that cost under $5. The cost rises for luxury deodorants with a brand name or all-natural formulations that offer high-quality organic ingredients. The good news is that, in general, deodorants can last a very long time, so you'll usually find that regardless of what you choose, you do get the most bang for your buck.
To find the best deodorants and antiperspirants, we first spoke to a panel of physicians, dermatologists and physician assistants to determine what to look for and what to avoid. All agreed that the most important consideration is a product's ingredients, so we spent hours comparing ingredient lists of more than 75 products and reviewing the scientific research available.
For antiperspirants, we looked at the type and percentage of aluminum salt in the formulation along with the inactive ingredients. We avoided those that contained ethyl alcohol, parabens and harsh irritants. For deodorants (aluminum-free), we looked for products with natural, plant-based ingredients, including organic ingredients where possible. We also evaluated each product's texture, application type, longevity, scent and cost.
There’s been a great deal of concern surrounding the safety of aluminum-based antiperspirants, including concerns that aluminum can cause various ailments and disorders, most notably Alzheimer's disease and breast cancer. However, it's worth noting that there is no evidence that antiperspirants cause any health problems. In fact, research has found that there's no link between antiperspirant use and breast cancer.
According to Dr. Fara Kamangar, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of DermGPT, aluminum-based antiperspirants are considered safe and effective. Dr. Zenovia Gabriel, a board-certified dermatologist from California, agrees but adds that there is a risk of skin irritation for those with allergies or sensitive skin.
It's best to apply antiperspirant at night because you'll typically sweat less while you sleep, and it gives the aluminum salt time to plug sweat glands. Even if you shower in the morning, the prior night's application will still be effective because the aluminum salts will work for the next 24 hours. However, you may want to reapply after showering if you want the benefits of the fragrance or other active ingredients like baking soda. Just be aware that applying antiperspirants directly after shaving can cause stinging and irritation, so it's best to wait a few hours if you have sensitive skin.
Kamangar recommends applying antiperspirants only once a day, adding that because of the aluminum, applying them more often can increase the risk of skin irritation.
Deodorant, however, is a different story. Since there's no aluminum to stop sweat, you can reapply as often as needed throughout the day in order to control odor. Additionally, your activity can play a role. "If you exercise or take a shower, it's advised to reapply," says Gabriel.
Fara Kamangar, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of DermGPT
Samuel Hetz, MD, medical director of Concept Medical
Zenovia Gabriel, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist
Amy Forman Taub, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist; founder, Advanced Dermatology and skinfo.com
Anne Marie Leger, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist
Monika Kaniszewska, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist
Tushar Dabade, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon
Steven Prus, PA-C, physician assistant, Advanced Dermatology
Ann Cameron Schieber, PA-C, physician assistant, Advanced Dermatology
