No matter how old you are, you never get over the fear of being the stinky kid in gym class. Sure, as an adult, you can swap gym class for your hot yoga studio or the office, but the sentiment never changes—at least for me. Though swapping to natural deodorants has been all the rage lately, I just haven’t been able to make the switch—and Dove and Degree have been my go-to deo brands for years because I know they won’t leave me standing alone on a crowded subway car.
“Both brands are part of Unilever’s global deodorant portfolio, which means they share certain scientific and formulation foundations,” says Ellen Shepard, R&D Senior Director, Dove Personal Care. “Common elements include antiperspirant technology using aluminum salts in patented antiperspirant formulas to help reduce sweat; long-lasting odor protection enabled by exclusive deodorant technology; dermatologically tested formulations; multiple formats, including sticks and sprays; and fragrance technologies designed to keep users feeling fresh throughout the day. Both brands ultimately aim to deliver reliable protection against sweat and odor, while serving different consumer needs and preferences.”
Though the two brands have plenty in common, they have their contradictions too. “The biggest differences lie in brand positioning and product focus,” says Bivash Dasgupta, R&D Senior Manager Dove Personal Care, explaining that Dove focuses on care and protection, emphasizes skin nourishment and moisturizing technology, and is designed to help protect delicate underarm skin. Meanwhile, Degree hones in on performance and sweat defense; it is designed for active, on-the-go lifestyles; and is known for motion-activated protection technologies, according to Megan Smith, R&D Associate Director, Degree Deodorants.
But which is actually best? To get to the bottom of it (besides my own sniff tests), I went straight to the experts at Unilever for a Dove vs. Degree deodorant face-off. The answers might surprise you.
About Dove deodorant:
Dove initially launched its deodorant line in 1997, expanding the brand beyond its Original Beauty Bar and body care products. “From the start, Dove positioned its deodorants and antiperspirants differently from others on the market,” Shepard says. “While most products in the category focused primarily on sweat and odor prevention, Dove introduced the idea of combining antiperspirant protection with skincare benefits, bringing care into a previously very functional-forward category.”
About Degree deodorant:
“Degree launched in the early 1990s, entering the deodorant category with a breakthrough promise of body heat-activated protection, designed to work harder as you move,” Smith says. “The brand focuses on performance-driven sweat and odor protection, developing technology and formulas designed to keep people fresh and confident during movement, activity, and other high-effort moments.”
Dove vs. Degree Whole Body Formulas
Designed to be used all over, in addition to being applied to the underarms like a regular deodorant, they can also be applied on the thighs, chest, and feet. “They both focus on odor protection across the body without blocking sweat glands, both formulas are aluminum-free and dermatologist-tested, and both offer up to 72 hours of odor protection,” Shepard says.
As for the differences, Dasgupta notes that Dove is skincare–inspired with perks beyond odor protection; offers a 4-in-1 formula that neutralizes odor, helps prevent chafing, absorbs sweat, and nourishes skin using pro-ceramides; and is powered by a 3.6% AHA serum to help balance skin’s pH and target odor at the source.
Meanwhile, Smith explains that Degree features new propellant technology for gentle, easy application; focuses on long-lasting freshness and performance-driven odor protection all over the body; targets, captures, and helps to block odor before it starts; and offers 72-hour protection.
In my testing, I found that the Degree formula had a slight edge over Dove when it came to odor control, but as someone with sensitive skin, I appreciate that the Dove formula was more skincare-forward.
Dove vs. Degree Clear Formulas
Shepard explains that both are designed to help prevent visible marks and staining on clothing; provide up to 72 hours of sweat and odor protection; and are available in both stick and dry spray formats.
The Dove Advanced Care Clear Finish formula includes Pro-Ceramide Technology, which helps support the skin barrier and improve underarm resilience after shaving, plus boasts invisible sweat protection, according to Dasgupta. Degree features encapsulated fragrance technology that releases bursts of fragrance with sweat to help people stay fresh, according to Smith.
Personally, the antiperspirant spray versions are my top choice of all time. As a native New Yorker, the vast majority of my closet is black, and I never have to worry about embarrassing white streaks all over my clothes with these two. Even more importantly, they actually work, even during hot and humid summers. I use the two brands interchangeably—they both provide excellent protection, so it usually comes down to fragrance for me in this category.
Dove vs. Degree Clinical Strength Formulas
Both brands offer this category in stick and spray formats and are formulated to manage a range of sweat triggers, including stress, heat, and activity, according to Shepard. She adds that both tap antiperspirant technologies reduce sweat and provide up to 96 hours of sweat and odor protection.
As for the differences, Dasgupta reports that Dove combines clinical-level sweat protection with skincare perks, and the formula is spiked with 7% nourishing serum to help support the skin barrier and keep underarms soft and smooth. Degree concentrates on maximum sweat defense and performance protection, even during active or high-intensity moments, Smith says, and provides clinical-strength sweat and odor protection with five benefits: odor control, stress sweat defense, wetness protection, lasting fragrance, and all-day freshness.
In case I haven’t made it clear already, I can be a heavy sweater, so I tested both formulas at SoulCycle, where I typically leave drenched, and both withstood 45-minute classes, leaving me far drier than a regular deodorant with no worries about stinkiness. Again, I found both brands excelled with the clinical strength formulas, so once again it comes down to fragrance preference here.
Final Verdict:
“Choosing between Dove and Degree comes down to your personal needs, skin preferences, and lifestyle,” Dasgupta says. “Ultimately, both brands offer a wide range of deodorant and antiperspirant options, so the right choice often depends on individual needs, sweat levels, and preferred product benefits.”
After years of toggling between the two brands, their R&D experts confirmed what I already knew from experience: Dove prioritizes skincare along with sweat protection, formulating to incorporate moisturizing and hydrating ingredients, making it ideal for sensitive skin. Degree, on the other hand, focuses on performance, especially for those who are more active or heavier sweaters. I have sensitive skin, and when my delicate armpit skin is irritated (shaving does that), I always reach for Dove. But when I have a tough workout or know the mercury is rising, I opt for Degree.
Meet the Experts:
- Megan Smith, R&D Associate Director Degree Deodorants
- Ellen Shepard, R&D Senior Director Dove Personal Care
- Bivash Dasgupta, R&D Senior Manager Dove Personal Care
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Celia Shatzman (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based journalist who has covered beauty for two decades and is admittedly a super sweater and has tried practically every Dove and Degree deodorant and antiperspirant over the years.
Celia Shatzman (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor who has penned stories on topics ranging from beauty to fashion, travel, celebrities, health, entertainment, finance and more. A graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, she is a beauty and style contributor at Forbes and her work has appeared in New York, Cosmopolitan, WWD, ELLE, Conde Nast Traveler, Afar, Travel + Leisure, Women’s Health, Marie Claire, Byrdie, Refinery29 and NYLON, among others.
