Dr. Keaney: “The challenge with antiperspirants is that they can be irritating. That’s why I oftentimes recommend products from Dove Men+Care. Their whole brand is based on their moisturizing technology, which they apply to their antiperspirants. So, they’re taking something that may be potentially irritating and using their foundation of moisturizing to provide an anti sweat effect without irritation. Irritation is a big issue with men.”
MAN’edged Mag: So, a guy goes into a store and is faced with that giant aisle of products and asks himself “what do I choose”? What tips can you give guys that just need to pick out a simple deodorant?
Dr. Keaney: “Deodorants and antiperspirants are two different categories, which is not always clear when you go that aisle. Every brand has their formula, but what it boils down to is that antiperspirants are products that have a salt product in them that helps block the sweat. Those are usually the white applicators, but Dove Men+Care has a spray on that is a step up in delivery. The deodorant category is more for odor protection. That’s where you see the different colors for the different scents associated with it. So, there are two different categories, even though we all call it the deodorant aisle.”
Photo source courtesy of Amy Torres @treeeyes
MAN’edged Mag: Perhaps we (men) don’t know how to properly apply deodorant. Is that such a thing? Is there a proper technique? How many swipes? Are we applying it correctly?
Dr. Keaney: “A lot of men don’t know what they don’t know. They’ll come in complaining about sweat and they’re using a deodorant. So, it’s like the fundamental basics. You’re using a product that’s designed to mask odor, not necessarily prevent sweat. So, I boil it down to what exactly are you using. Are you using the appropriate category? How are you using it? Most men, in general, are a bit more aggressive in their application. Most skin care products you don’t need to go overboard. You don’t want a white cake under your arm.”
Key takeaways
To sum up and help get the edge above the sweat, here are the three main takeaways MAN’edged Mag gathered.
- Understand the difference between Anti- antiperspirant (prevent sweat, usually white) or deodorant (mask odor, usually opaque colors)
- Identify what problem you want to fix. If odor, we’d want a deodorant. If sweat is an issue, then use an antiperspirant.
- If irritation underneath the arm is an issue, we may want to consider using a product that has a solid moisturizing component as mentioned above.
Now go live life.
Graphic Courtesy of Dove Men+Care