Deodorant vs. Antiperspirant: A comparison by Ishine365

Summers are just around the corner, and we are excited to welcome it. The main concern during summers is sweat and body odor. Everyone wants to smell good and avoid the uncomfortable feeling that arises with sweat. When one smells good, it not only attracts other people and increases lovely interaction, but also puts oneself in a good mood. Sweating also spoils our clothes, causing discoloration at the underarm area and leaving an odor even after several washes. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to avoid excessive sweating and odor during summers. The sweat is not smelly, it’s the bacteria that produces the smell. Sweating is a natural process and hence cannot be avoided completely. We need to take measures to kill bacteria which can be done using either deodorant or antiperspirant! In this blog, Ishine365 discusses these two summer essentials. What are Deodorants & Antiperspirants? Deodorant helps to prevent body odor. It is usually applied to your underarms to avoid smelly sweat. A deodorant allows sweating but prevents body odor. On the other hand, an antiperspirant is so designed that it prevents sweat before it starts being produced. So, without sweat, your underarms remain dry and fresh. Antiperspirants work best on dry and clean skin therefore applying them before going to sleep can help you prevent sweating the next day. It’s a misconception that sweat smells. It doesn’t! Sweat is odorless by nature. It’s the naturally occurring bacteria on your skin that produces a smell by breaking down protein in your sweat. A deodorant has an antiseptic that kills this smell-producing bacteria. Antiperspirant has aluminum salts to control sweat. The salts produce a thin layer of gel over your sweat glands which temporarily block the glands and reduce the amount of sweat production significantly. How to Choose and Apply? You can choose a deodorant over an antiperspirant and vice versa depending on your sweat situation. If you don’t sweat excessively, deodorant would be a better choice for you. However, if you plan on doing lots of physical activities or to spend longer time at the beach wearing women’s luxury swimwear, or struggle with uncomfortably sweaty and sticky underarms daily, then go for antiperspirants. They keep you dry for a longer time. Usually, it is recommended to apply deodorant every 24 to 48 hours. These can be reapplied to stay fresh. Antiperspirants are recommended to be applied at night and you’ll stay protected for the next 24-48 hours. You won’t need to reapply unless you sweat excessively. Apply a uniform layer of antiperspirant over the entire underarm for best results. Avoid applying deodorant or antiperspirant immediately after a shower. Always apply it to completely dry and clean skin. Cons of a Deodorant An aerosol deodorant can irritate if it gets into your mouth or eyes. They contain irritating chemicals like CFCs, isobutene, or butene. Deodorants usually leave white marks on your clothes. They can also promote the production of yellowish stains on the armpit area of your shirt as the chemicals in it can react with the salts in your sweat and leave these yellow stains on your shirt. Alcoholic deodorants can cause allergic reactions to some. They may make skin dry, itchy, tight, and less elastic. Sometimes after shaving, deodorants may cause the skin to sting.