What’s the Difference Between Deodorant and Antiperspirant?

When it comes to what to use on your armpits, what is the difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant? Our sweat doesn’t actually smell, however when we sweat it mixes with the bacteria on our skin and creates an odour. Sweating is a normal bodily function and a way for our body to cool itself down. You may also find that you sweat more when you feel nervous or stressed, which is when epinephrine (adrenaline) levels increase.

The purpose of antiperspirants are to reduce sweating (and therefore odour) and use aluminium-based compounds to temporarily plug pores to create a barrier to stop you sweating through your ducts. Whereas deodorants are to inhibit odour by preventing bacteria building up. Deodorants are made to cover any smell with a fragrance to keep you smelling as fresh as a daisy! 

How to control odour from sweating?

Making sure that you have regular showers or baths, and using a natural soap is one way to keep your skin clean. After intense sweating or after exercising, by having a shower and washing, it will help to wash away the sweat from your skin, which means that the bacteria can’t mix with it and create an odour. After showering, you can apply your deodorant, just make sure that your armpits are dry.

You can also reapply your deodorant, use it as needed through the day. Our Lucy Bee Deodorant can help to combat odour by neutralising bacteria (due to the micro silver which has antibacterial and antimicrobial effect).

Which one should I use?

It depends what you’re after. An antiperspirant might be more suitable if you sweat heavily, and you want to reduce how much you sweat. Whereas a deodorant may be more suitable if you want to smell fresh, and want to combat body odour (by reducing the amount of bacteria on the skin to react with your sweat), if you want a more natural route, and if heavy sweating isn’t an issue or a concern.

Lucy Bee Natural Deodorant

Our Fragrance Free Natural Deodorant balm provides everyday freshness. Free from aluminium, it glides on smoothly, absorbs quickly and leaves no residue or stickiness. 

With Lucy Bee Natural Deodorant we don’t use aluminium to block your pores and prevent you sweating, instead we use ingredients to help to neutralise odour, keep you smelling fresh, and allow your armpits to do that natural thing and sweat!

About Lucy Bee

Founded by Lucy, a beauty therapist and mum, Lucy Bee is an independent British skincare and wellness brand dedicated to creating effective and unique formulations. Customer care is of prime importance to us and we have a V-I-Bee reward credits scheme for our account holders as thanks for their loyalty. All of our products have a focus on sustainability, organic, natural, vegan and cruelty free. Since launching in 2012 with fair trade coconut oil, Lucy Bee delivers uncompromising quality to conscious beauty. 

Any information provided by us is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. We always recommend referring your health queries to a qualified medical practitioner.