The Best Men’s Deodorant for Every Kind of Stink and Sweat

Finding the best men’s deodorant is doubly important: For one, the right deodorant should neutralize your body’s signature scent (musky top notes, with lingering base notes of beer and cheese), and in turn, assure that any lingering strains of BO aren’t interfering with your carefully-selected cologne. (It’s curious that we spend so much time finding a fragrance—or building out a dependable skincare regimen—yet so little effort picking a product that counteracts the opposing smells in its way.)

But not all deodorants are created equal, let alone of the same quality. Some embrace aluminum and promise a two-day-long zero-sweat streak. Others are formulated using all-natural ingredients and offer more of a…complement to your everyday aroma. And that’s precisely why you should research your products before you buy them.

Some considerations when selecting a deodorant:

• How much do you sweat?
• If you sweat a lot, are you willing to go the aluminum antiperspirant route?
• Does your current deodorant cause irritation or a rash? (If so, you may need a product formulated for sensitive skin.)
• Do you want a mostly natural lineup of ingredients, or an entirely natural roster?
• What smells the best? (But of course.)

These are all things to consider when picking your next deodorant, and the criteria our editors factored in when testing dozens of the best formulas on the market. (Along with odor protection, moisturizing properties, and a whole host of others.) To make things easier in your own testing-and-selection process, we’ve rounded up our favorite options—the best men’s deodorant, period—at least one of which is sure to meet your specific needs.

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The Best Natural Deodorant for Men

Most pits will tolerate baking soda, a terrific deodorizer, which takes center stage in this all-natural formula from Pretty Frank. It also absorbs moisture with arrowroot powder, and nourishes skin with shea butter, coconut oil, Vitamin E, and beeswax.

The Best Natural Deodorant for Men (Without Baking Soda)

The Best Classic Deodorant for Men

Hume’s fragrance-free deodorant clears every checklist of a fully safe, sensitive-skin deodorant: a recipe that skips baking soda, but rich in pre/probiotics for balance and odor mitigation, plus soothing aloe, as well as diatomaceous earth, kaolin, and tapioca starch to absorb stank and sweat.

The drugstore staple Old Spice has always offered some of the best deodorants—and the most affordable. You can buy two of their signature sticks for half of what a single stick from a boutique brand will set you back. If it kept you from reeking like a dog in eighth-grade gym class, it can sure as hell keep you fresh now.

The Best Antiperspirant for Guys Who Sweat Buckets

Profuse sweaters like me require aluminum cover up—knowing full well that it will eventually turn our white t-shirts dingy. And this spray from Dove Men+Care is the one I keep in tow. The spray hits my skin easier than a roll-on antiperspirant, which minimizes stains on shirts. It lasts well into the next day (two full days, if needed), and keeps me oh so comfortably dry.

The Best Gentle Deodorant for Sensitive Skin

If your skin reacts negatively to a deodorant, it might be a result of the product’s ingredients. Things like chemicals and perfume can give you a gnarly rash, which is precisely when you should start shopping for something less sciencey. Schmidt’s fragrance-free natural deodorant packs gentle but effective ingredients like magnesium and arrowroot powder, which together neutralize odorous bacteria. It also has coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, and Vitamin E, which leave skin extremely nourished and soothed.

The Best Deodorant Cream

Some folks prefer a finger-applied paste, cream, or balm, especially on trimmed or shaved pits. AKT’s chemical-free, natural formula is good on your skin, and its plastic-free packaging is good on the planet. The odor- and moisture-mitigating ingredient hard at work is diatomaceous earth, while coconut oil, calendula oil, and she abutter nourish the skin.

The Best Deodorizing Wipes

Art of Sport’s mint-tingly wipes aren’t just for your pits: They also work on the body—after a workout or particularly punishing workday. (Goodbye swamp ass!) These cloths are individually packed, so that you can tote one in your pocket or gym bag for whenever they’re needed, and so they don’t dry out before you need them.

The Best High-Strength Deodorant for Men

“Clinical” is the key here: Gillette’s antiperspirant gel lasts two days and is a remedy for seemingly unstoppable BO. Its “prescription-strength” blend is 6.25 percent aluminum chloride, compared to the typical 1-3 percent in other antiperspirants. So, its odor shield is significantly stronger than the competition.

The Best Probiotic Deodorant for Men

Probiotic products like Native’s deodorant help the good bacteria keep bad cultures at bay (especially in the underarm where bacteria festers and creates body odor). This one also uses baking soda to further thwart odor, and tapioca starch to soak up moisture, which also prevents the proliferation of bacteria in the first place.

The Best Smelling Deodorant for Men

Oars + Alps’ natural, aluminum-free deodorant smells as refreshing as it feels. It soothes skin and calms the senses all at once, and might even turn a few heads for the right reasons. No, it’s not a cologne. It’s my deodorant. This is a roll-on you’ll proudly boast about.

Plus 9 More Deodorants We Love