Deodorants vs Antiperspirants: What’s The Difference?

While body odor may be natural—no shame here—it doesn’t mean you have to be okay with it! Thankfully, staying fresh is as simple as adding a simple product to your self-care routine: a deodorant or antiperspirant.

While both work to keep BO at bay, they have some fundamental differences. To put it simply, deodorants mask sweaty smells, while antiperspirants stop sweat itself. So, whether you’re new to the world of underarm products, or are looking to be more intentional about the products you use on a daily basis, we’re here to do a deep dive.

From aluminum to essential oils, let’s take a look at the way that these products work, and the ingredients that you’re likely to find. But first, a refresher on the issue at large: body odor.

How BO happens

Body odor occurs when certain bacterias naturally found on the skin break down sweat from the apocrine glands—a thick, milky sweat secreted mainly in the underarms and groin. Apocrine sweat contains proteins and fatty acids that are metabolized by the bacteria. The result? A distinct, unpleasant smell, characteristic of body odor.

Body odor is totally normal, but there are some factors that can influence its intensity. Stress, hormonal fluctuations, hygiene, genetics, and even diet can all affect how funky you get. Thankfully, there are products out there to keep BO at bay, because there’s no need to be emergency sniffing!

What’s the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant?

When you’re perusing the drugstore aisles or shopping online, it may be confusing to choose the right product for you. But before we get into it, it’s worth noting that “deodorant” often gets used to describe anything we put on our underarms—deodorants and antiperspirants alike. But in this case specifically, it refers to aluminum-free formulas.

Let’s break down the differences between deodorants and antiperspirants, and examine how they work:

Deodorant

Deodorants are products that are designed to mask or neutralize body odor caused by the bacterial breakdown of sweat, but not stop sweating altogether. They can come as a stick, spray, roll-on, or, as has gained popularity recently, deodorant creams. 

They may contain starchy ingredients to absorb sweat (like corn starch or clay), soothing ingredients to moisturize (like jojoba or coconut oil), antibacterial ingredients to kill bacteria (like aloe or glycolic acid), and fragrances or essential oils to help you stay fresh.

It’s worth noting that you should generally opt for deodorants free from baking soda. Baking soda can be a major irritant because of its alkaline pH. The skin’s natural pH is between 4-5, while baking soda has a pH of around 9, which can disrupt the skin’s acid mantle and weaken your skin barrier. 

Antiperspirant

In contrast, antiperspirants work by temporarily blocking the apocrine sweat glands to reduce sweating, and prevent body odor. These products come in sprays, roll-ons and sticks, and contain aluminum-based compounds, such as aluminum chlorohydrate and aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex GLY. 

When antiperspirant products are applied topically, they interact with the sweat coming out of the glands. This perspiration dissolves the antiperspirant particles, and pulls them into the pores to form superficial plugs just below the skin’s surface. As your body senses that a sweat duct is plugged, it stops producing perspiration.

These “plugs” can remain for up to 24 hours, which is why so many antiperspirants are marketed as long-lasting. There are even clinical strength products available, which have a higher concentration of active ingredients. However, it’s worth noting that research indicates that these aluminum-based antiperspirants can significantly reduce sweating within just one week of nightly usage. Thereafter, only weekly or twice weekly applications are sufficient to maintain the results.

Stay fresh, naturally

While finding the best product to prevent BO is a personal journey, deodorants have gained popularity, particularly those formulated with natural ingredients for consumers seeking cleaner options. And when it comes down to it, the efficacy of deodorants and antiperspirants hinges on their active ingredients. Opt for an alcohol-free formulation with a pH of 5-5.5 for the most gentle yet effective underarm care, and better yet consider one that contains salicylic acid.

The Original Underarm Brightening Deodorant Cream is a clean, gentle formula that is created with sensitive armpits in mind. As well as containing salicylic acid to unblock pores and boost efficacy, it contains aloe to kill odor-causing bacteria, vitamin C to even out skin tone, and jojoba oil, squalane, and avocado oil to moisturize sensitive underarms. 

While tackling body odor may feel overwhelming—or even embarrassing— this simple, effective solution can help you feel more confident in your skin. Apply a pea-sized amount of The OG to your underarms morning and night, and banish BO, naturally!

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to check out the rest of the Forgotten Skincare line of natural, effective products, to take control of all those forgotten places!