The Best Deo For Your Summertime B.O.
Yesterday, via Instagram stories, I asked my loyal, informed, extremely helpful following to help me smell better.
Allow me to explain.
I'm hairy. And I'm Jewish. I also sweat like a 300-pound, male, weight lifting champ. No, really. Ask any of my friends and they'll tell you; I have sweat through JEAN SHORTS before, and I have eye-witnesses. Basically, it's very attractive. During the cooler seasons, my sweat is odorless — disgusting, yes but smelly, no. However, as soon as summer rolls around, my body chemistry turns on me. Suddenly, my once odorless yet disturbingly heavy amount of sweat actually smells. At once, I learn how gross I can truly be.
I've been using Dove Clinical Strength deodorant for a while now, but these past few weeks of 90º and 100º weather have already shown me how much it DOESN'T WORK against what I'm putting out there. So, I need something stronger. Better. Useful.
That's where y'all came in yesterday with your RECS ON RECS of deodorant. I lost track along the way, but you guys seriously came through with new deo suggestions, and I am forever indebted. What you're about to see is the final list. Deodorants that were suggested multiple times will be at the top, and the ones that got one or two mentions will be toward the bottom.
Truly so excited to take this betterment journey with all of you and your respective armpits. I haven't decided what I'm going to go with yet, but obviously I'll let you know when I do and if it works, and hey — you do the same!
Schmidt's Natural Deodorant
From my readers:
“Usually with natural deodorant, you can smell my stench coming from five miles away, but this one ACTUALLY works! My pits smell delicious even after hard workouts! It’s life changing.”
“My doctor told me to avoid deodorants that have aluminum because they have been suspected as a cause of breast cancer. Coming from a girl who lost her mom to non-genetic breast cancer, I was immediately on board with avoiding it. Schmidt’s works!”
Schmidt's was suggested over and over and over again. It comes in various scents, plus they have a sensitive skin line. Also, for any natural deodorant you see on here, I was told by several followers that the switch from non-natural to natural takes about two weeks. It gets worse before it gets better sort of thing. Just an FYI.
Megababe Rosy Pits
From my readers:
“It’s expensive, but it’s aluminum-free, has antibacterial ingredient to fight the smellies, and it smells good.”
“Ok, I have been wearing Rosy Pits and wow that shit works. I’ve worn it for two weeks now and packed it for Bonaroo.”
I just ordered Megababe's anti-chaffing stick and cannot wait to try it. If it's good, I am exceptionally intrigued to go for the pits next.
Old Spice in "Fiji"
From my readers:
“It works fabulously, you get more for your money, and it doesn’t smell too ‘manly.’”
Dude. An unreasonable amount of you recommended this exact deodorant! Like so many that I was sort of taken aback. I'm usually very opposed to deodorant meant for men, but with so many of you suggesting it, I think I might reconsider my stance.
Dove Dry Spray
From my readers:
“Smells fresh for literal days in case you forget one morning and doesn’t stain your clothes!”
“It works wonders.”
This one was also wildly popular amongst my DMs. I think I'm a little opposed to Dove deo because my clinical strength crapped out on me, but I'm also simultaneously intrigued by this supposed miracle spray.
NATIVE
From my readers:
“I finally made the switch to natural deo and LOVE Native. Their men’s scents are amazing. It takes some time to transition but now I’m just slightly damp under there instead of wet.”
So, I actually tried Native a year or two ago and I'll be honest — I didn't work for me. HOWEVER, I might've just been impatient with the switch to natural deo that I talked about up there ^ I'm very willing to try again and suffer for two weeks to see if I notice a significant difference in the ol' pits.
Secret Clinical Strength (CLEAR GEL)
From my readers:
“I sweat A LOT and swear by this. It has to the gel kind though, not the powdery stuff. 24 hours later, I still can’t smell the B.O.”
“My ride or die.”
Before Dove Clinical, I used Secret Clinical but in the invisible solid form. CLEARLY, I was doing it wrong. It seems clear gel is the only form to take this in, and I am once more intrigued.
Donna KarAn
From my readers:
“It’s pricey, but the best I’ve tried.”
“It smells good and it lasts!”
This has been around forever, but I don't typically relate designers to deo so I've never really noticed it. Nevertheless — I see you, Donna Karan. V interesting.
PRIMAL PIT PASTE
From my readers:
“After a year of researching natural deo (and a really bad case of folliculitis), I found this and LOVE it. They have delicious scents and different levels of protection to meet different needs.”
Primal Pit Paste. Honestly, the name alone does it for me. And I love the idea of there being varying levels of protection for varied levels of "gross." I wonder what I would need if I'm "seriously really fucking sweaty and it smells very bad in the summertime"?
DEGREE MOTIONSENSE ULTRA CLEAR
A few readers swore by this stuff. It also is very highly-rated on Amazon and Target, so that's something to think about.
GILLETTE CLEAR GEL
Another men's deo! I find it surprising so many of you smear meant-for-men deo in your pits. Whatever works, ya know? I just feel like the few times I have, ESPECIALLY in gel form, it's super sticky and irritating? Maybe that's just me, though.
DIAL ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP
From my readers:
“Get a bar of this shit and rub that hoe in the hot zones. It’s bacteria that makes B.O. stink.”
Damn. This reader opened up my eyes WIDE. This is one of the only antibacterial soap bars on the market, and it's even labeled "deodorant soap." I am 100% going to get me one of these and see if it further fights sweaty smells (while piling on deodorant after my shower, of course).
SO MANY DEODORANTS. I'm getting tired, so here are the rest with no witty commentary from yours truly:
SECRET OUTLAST in COMPLETELY CLEAN
MITCHEM (STICK, NOT GEL)
SO, THERE YOUR PITS HAVE IT. Out of this entire list, there HAS to be something legit — right?! I pray there is. I'm gonna start my journey, you start yours, and let's meet back here in a few weeks to discuss our findings. Sound good?
Smell ya later,
