7 best deodorants for women that keep you smelling fresh all day – tried and tested

Friends, I come to you bearing an admission – and it's one I have no shame about. I am a sweaty girl. Like, walking in the depths of winter with gloves and a scarf on, and my pits will still be damp, kind of sweaty. And the summer? Cor, well, that's another story. Drenched. Soaked. Sodden, even. TMI? I don't even know her.

That said, after many years fearing grey fabrics (IYKYK), they've now been reintroduced into my wardrobe rotation (yay for 50 shades of grey T-shirts!), and that's thanks to having mastered the art of underarm armour – AKA deodorant and antiperspirant. Consider me an expert in the field. My Mastermind specialist subject, you could say.

But before we get to my arsenal of favourites, let's debunk the not-so-obvious: deodorant and antiperspirant are very different things...

Deodorant vs antiperspirant

Although often used interchangeably in the market, ‘deodorant’ and ‘antiperspirant’ products do different jobs [insert dramatic Eastenders duff duff, here]. Deos are designed to curb the B.O. smell as you sweat, while antiperspirants help to limit sweating altogether.

So, when you sweat, it mixes with the bacteria on your skin, which releases an odour. This may be heightened if your armpits contain thousands of hairs; the hairs hold on to your sweat and the bacteria. Deodorants, then, work by killing the bacteria on your skin. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, are formulated with active ingredients to create a thick film over the skin that effectively plugs the top of your sweat glands and pores to stop sweating entirely. Comprende?

A lot of the time, brands combine both of these techniques into one deodorant-antiperspirant product, but to avoid disappointment (and uninvited pit drips), swat up on the product before investing.

What is a natural deodorant?

And then there are ~natural~ deodorants. Traditional antiperspirants usually contain aluminium, which works as a plug to stop your pores from sweating. While there are some health myths out there that suggest aluminium increases your risk of disease (which is often a reason as to why people make the switch to a natural deodorant), there’s no conclusive scientific evidence to support this.

Natural deodorants do have a load of benefits, though, such as promoting the growth of immune-boosting bacteria, which, let’s face it, we all need a bit of.

Most are also free from ingredients that cause skin to become dry, such as alcohol, parabens and phthalates, which you should try to avoid anyway if you suffer from razor burns or ingrown hairs.

Read more on our favourite natural deodorants here

Now that we're all Mastermind specialist subject-adjacent, let's get into the seven best deodorants and antiperspirants on the market.