These Deodorants Are Just OK
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
Kopari Performance Plus Deodorant for $19: This deodorant smells great—like a floral, beachy coconut. It’s more fresh than sweet, and I’d say it’s unisex-leaning-feminine. It goes on clear and smooth, and it didn’t stain my clothes at all. However, it didn’t last me through a workout without reapplying, unlike some other brands I tried. I think it’s fine, but I wouldn’t call it a “performance deodorant.” If you’re looking for a clear formula and you don’t mind reapplying, it might be worth a shot.
Fur Ingrown Deodorant for $18: My relationship with this deodorant is as complicated as my relationship with my underarm hair. Sometimes I don’t shave it for months; sometimes I shave it every other day. This deodorant contains ingredients like willow bark (to prevent ingrown hairs) and niacinamide (to brighten underarms). It did both of those things very well. But it didn’t do a great job at preventing odor throughout the day, and the smell is very green and earthy, which didn’t agree with my body chemistry. It might really appeal to some people though—online reviewers seem to love it or hate it—so I recommend smelling it in a store before purchasing.
Curie Clean Deodorant (two-pack) for $28: This formula smells good when first applied, but quickly fades away after an hour or two. It also stained my clothes more than some others I tried. During my second use, it caused some irritation, so I discontinued it. I didn’t notice myself sweating more or less compared to other kinds of natural deodorant. However, the brand does have a great Detox Mask that can help with the transitional period when switching to natural deodorant. It’ll be featured more prominently in an upcoming guide.
Dove Aluminum-Free Deodorant for $11: Dove’s deodorant is mostly fine, and I like how affordable it is. But the texture is really smooth and leaves my underarms feeling strangely sticky, even after letting them dry. The fragrances aren’t powerful or long-lasting enough for my own personal preference. They also all have a powdery undertone that I was not a fan of. I did notice some BO partway through the day during my testing. Since this is so subjective, your mileage may vary. The packaging also came taped shut, and the tape left behind sticky residue on the outside of my deodorant that was impossible to remove without rubbing alcohol.
Lume Whole Body Deodorant (three-pack) for $40: This pricey deodorant smelled terrible to me. I received the Invisible Cream formula in Minted Cucumber, which smelled like pool chlorine and hand soap. I refused to put it on my body. I also received the Clean Tangerine Smooth Solid formula, which initially smelled marginally better but still had a weird hand-soap element to it. It left white marks all over my clothes and oddly smelled like cheese once applied. I washed it off and called my testing done. Reader, I love you, but I’m not going to smell like cheese all day just to see if the smell magically transforms after a few hours. Senior commerce editor Kat Merck also tried the Lavender Sage Invisible Cream, and she said it reminded her of laundry that was left overnight in the washing machine—and that the deodorant made her smell worse than she would have had she not worn any in the first place. Lume does have many fans across the internet, so again, this may be something that can be boiled down to personal preference. I suggest smelling it in a store before purchasing.
