Staying Fresh: Pros and Cons of Top Men’s Deodorant Brands

Nobody needs to tell you how essential it is to keep clean and smelling great. Whether you’re trying to impress in your professional environment, show up in style to a first date, or just provide a pleasant experience to everyone you pass in your day-to-day, mastering your scent with the best men’s deodorant is critical.

Unfortunately, the options in the deodorant aisle may already be throwing you for a loop. We’ll get you started here with an overview of some of the top-selling brands so you can keep yourself smelling fresh.

Gillette Clear Gel

Active Ingredient: Aluminum Zirconium Octachlorohydrex (17%)

Gillette is primarily known for their razors, but that doesn’t stop them from being one of the top-selling options for men’s antiperspirants. What makes Gillette’s deodorants stand out from their competitors is their use of gel rather than a drier deodorant stick. Their Power Rush style of antiperspirant is recognized for nullifying scent and sweat, but reactions to the gel itself are mixed.

Keep in mind, this will feel much different than your typical stick deodorant. Despite drying quickly, some find the reaction to the wet gel to be counteractive to their goal of achieving underarm dryness.

Dove Men+ Care

Active Ingredient: Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex GLY (14.8%)

Dove may always be known primarily for their soaps and women’s beauty products, but in recent years they’ve made great strides to establish their Men+ Care brand. Much like Dove soaps and body washes, the biggest draw for many with the Men+ Care deodorant is the smell.

Unlike some of the more odor-neutralizing options, Dove is notable for its variety of distinctly pleasant scents. It claims 48-hour protection from sweat as well, though reactions to this are inconsistent.

Old Spice High Endurance

Active Ingredient: Aluminum Zirconium Trichlorohydrex (17%)

Famous for its over-the-top advertising, Old Spice easily holds the title for being the most though of men’s deodorant. Everything from the taglines to the packaging screams “men.”

While most of this list focuses on finding a balance between scent control and sweat protection, Old Spice goes all in on the former. It stands out for its comparatively massive selection of smells and styles. They also have many aluminum-free options available, so if it’s variety you’re after, Old Spice is likely the way to go.

Mitchum Advanced Control

Active Ingredient: Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Gly (20%)

Unlike Gillette and Dove, Mitchum is a brand specifically geared toward deodorant. The Mitchum Men line has both stick deodorant and gel versions, both of which tout 48-hour protection from scent and sweat.

The reviews back this up, making them one of the highest-rated brands for perspiration protection. Mitchum Advanced Control does run on the pricier side compared to others on this list. Keep that in mind when shopping around.

Degree Men

Active Ingredient: Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex GLY (18.2%)

Founded in Australia as Rexona, Degree has been a top option for men’s deodorant for years now. Much like Mitchum, Degree specializes in deodorant first.

In recent years they’ve introduced several different lines. Their Degree Advanced claims up to 72 hours of odor protection, while their newer Unlimited by Degree touts up to 96-hour protection. Still, the most popular line remains the Essential line due to its balance of effectiveness and affordability. 

Arrid XX Extra Extra Dry

Active Ingredient: Aluminum Chlorohydrate (16%)

Easily the simplest brand on this list, Arrid doesn’t make any specific claims as to how long its product lasts. The big argument of Arrid is made obvious by its name. while it’s certainly not as much of a household brand as Dove or Old Spice, Arrid’s reviews speak for themselves.

Their antiperspirant sticks are relatively inexpensive and draw acclaim for their effectiveness. In addition to the stick deodorant, they offer aerosol spray-on deodorant that is similarly well-received. 

Choosing What’s Best

With the vast and ever-growing selection available, deciding what works best for you is a matter of knowing yourself and what you need. Are you highly active and want to stay dry throughout your day? Do you want to give yourself a signature scent for people around you to recognize you by? Either way, there are hundreds more options available beyond what’s listed here. Whatever direction you choose to go in, the most important thing to do is own it. Keep yourself consistently fresh and people will notice. Forget to and they’ll notice even more.