Combat bad odors, absorb humidity or bring freshness… Faced with successive waves of heat and the (excessive) perspiration they can cause, choosing the right deodorant can be essential. Top Santé shares its favorites with you.
They prevent the formation of odors
Perspiration itself is odorless. It’s here encounter with bacteria present in the armpits which gives it an acrid smell. The solution for deodorants without aluminum salts – which themselves block sweating – is to use antibacterial active ingredients to neutralize these bacteria. Essential oils often play this role (sage, mint, tea tree, etc.). But for care formulas and for sensitive skin, they are avoided in favor of triethyl citrate, zinc, baking soda or magnesium oxide.
They absorb moisture
Unlike aluminum salts, which block the flow of sweat through the sweat glands by reducing the size of pores, these new deodorants limit moisture by absorbing it, thanks to minerals (tapioca starch, kaolin or oxide magnesium), which act both as mini-sponges and odor absorbers, as they degrade perspiration.
They respect the skin microbiota
Like the rest of the body, the armpits have their own microbiota, a set of bacteria, beneficial or pathogenic. The latter, by oxidizing the fatty substances of sweat, cause the appearance of odorous molecules and yellow stains on clothing. Some deodorants include in their formula pre (inulin, trehalose) or probiotics that rebalance and cleanse the skin flora and eliminate the risk of bad odors. Even without these active ingredients, to respect the flora of the armpits, we avoid the alcohol/essential oils cocktail.
They hydrate and soothe
For sensitive skin, we favor short formulas – there are more and more of them – with moisturizing and softening active ingredients (glycerin, panthenol, aloe vera, chamomile, witch hazel). Avoid alcohol and propellant gases which can irritate, especially on injured skin or with a porous skin barrier.
What are the right steps to take?
- It is applied after the shower, on clean, well-dried skinbecause humidity and deodorant do not mix.
- If you have chosen a deodorant in balm or cream, which you put on your finger, you wash and dry your hands just before applying it.
- It is sprayed or applied to the entire armpit and not just in the center to prevent bacteria from growing beyond the treated area.
- If it’s a solid deodorant, moisten it very slightly so as not to irritate your skin when passing it.
- If you have perspired and an odor has formed, do not reapply deodorant over it, thinking in this way to mask the odors since the mechanism is not perfuming, but antibacterial. Better to wash your armpits first.
Our shopping selection:
- Douceur de coton 24-hour deodorant balm, €5.95 (40 g), I Love organic;
- Gentle care deodorant, €5.50 (50 ml), Coslys;
- Organic Gentle Spray Deodorant, €8.90 (100 ml), Body Nature;
- Editor’s favourite: Natural & sensitive deodorant cream €6.50 (50 ml), Lavera;
- Naturally Good Ecodeo deodorant spray with organic aloe vera, €3.95 (125 ml), Nivea;
- Sensitive skin deodorant, €11.50 (50 ml), Melvita.