Light, neutral scented, men's deodorant for hot yoga?
August 21, 2013 2:38 PM Subscribe
I'm a guy. I do yoga in a heated room. I don't want to want to bother others in class with massively perfumed deodorants, but I also don't want to have bad body odor. Which deodorant do I want?
I sweat a lot in class. I don't want to smell like "black ice" or "wolfsbane" or similarly Axe Body Spray-style pungent deodorants for guys going out to clubs. But I don't want to smell bad either.
A friend's Dove Cucumber and Green Tea anti-perspirant/deodorant smelled light and not too bad, but I KNOW I'll be sweating, so an anti-perspirant seems silly (maybe even unhealthy as my body tries to cool itself?)
I've tried several natural unscented deodorants (like Tom's of Maine Unscented) but either hot yoga was too much for them or they weren't right for my body chemistry.
Do you have any recommendations?
I sweat a lot in class. I don't want to smell like "black ice" or "wolfsbane" or similarly Axe Body Spray-style pungent deodorants for guys going out to clubs. But I don't want to smell bad either.
A friend's Dove Cucumber and Green Tea anti-perspirant/deodorant smelled light and not too bad, but I KNOW I'll be sweating, so an anti-perspirant seems silly (maybe even unhealthy as my body tries to cool itself?)
I've tried several natural unscented deodorants (like Tom's of Maine Unscented) but either hot yoga was too much for them or they weren't right for my body chemistry.
Do you have any recommendations?
You might try on of these Arm and Hammer products. I have been very satisfied for many years--no complaints either.
posted by rmhsinc at 2:57 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by rmhsinc at 2:57 PM on August 21, 2013
an anti-perspirant seems silly
Not necessarily. You'll still sweat (lots!) but you won't sweat in your pits which means less bacteria house party in there which will help with the stink problem. Not trying to dissuade you from deodorant options but if you have the scent you like but are only staying away because it's an anti-perspirant I might reconsider. But in most cases, having a clean shirt and clean pits will go a long way towards keeping the stink off of you for the length of a class.
posted by jessamyn at 3:05 PM on August 21, 2013 [5 favorites]
Not necessarily. You'll still sweat (lots!) but you won't sweat in your pits which means less bacteria house party in there which will help with the stink problem. Not trying to dissuade you from deodorant options but if you have the scent you like but are only staying away because it's an anti-perspirant I might reconsider. But in most cases, having a clean shirt and clean pits will go a long way towards keeping the stink off of you for the length of a class.
posted by jessamyn at 3:05 PM on August 21, 2013 [5 favorites]
I sweat a lot and crystal deodorant usually lasts a couple days, it should last for a yoga session - just make sure you apply it to a clean pit. Oh, and you won't run out of it for years.
posted by thylacine at 3:14 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by thylacine at 3:14 PM on August 21, 2013
The mainstream brand "Sure" has an unscented version. Please buy it so they don't stop making it.
Dry Idea has unscented also, definitely in the "gel" formulation and probably others.
Unscented. It's the future of politeness! Good for you. Thank you.
posted by amtho at 3:30 PM on August 21, 2013
Dry Idea has unscented also, definitely in the "gel" formulation and probably others.
Unscented. It's the future of politeness! Good for you. Thank you.
posted by amtho at 3:30 PM on August 21, 2013
I'd skip it entirely. If someone does not like the smell of sweaty people, doing yoga in hot room loaded with other folks is just a bad idea.
posted by H. Roark at 3:44 PM on August 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by H. Roark at 3:44 PM on August 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
If you do choose an anti-perspirant, I use Dove Sensitive Skin, which is moisturizing and doesn't have any scent whatsoever. It keeps the bacteria thing to a minimum, so no nastiness.
posted by stoneandstar at 3:45 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by stoneandstar at 3:45 PM on August 21, 2013
I work in the natural health industry and have had the chance to try several different brands of uni-sex deodorants. As a guy, my 2 faves are Nature's Gate Fruit Blends Mandarin Orange & Patchouli and Desert Essence Tropical Breeze Deodorant. Neither have an overpowering or super-strong scent and come with the added bonus of being free of harmful additives (such as aluminum).
If you really want a mens-specific deodorant...Burt's Bees makes a Natural Deodorant for Men that's great---just pricey.
posted by stubbehtail at 3:51 PM on August 21, 2013
If you really want a mens-specific deodorant...Burt's Bees makes a Natural Deodorant for Men that's great---just pricey.
posted by stubbehtail at 3:51 PM on August 21, 2013
Anti-antiperspirant works really well. Sadly the two times I tried it I had clogged pores within a week, and holy crap the pain.
posted by MillMan at 3:57 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by MillMan at 3:57 PM on August 21, 2013
As someone who also does sweaty yoga and also is smell-sensitive:
01) thank you for even thinking about this and being considerate BUT
02) I personally would rather smell someone's healthy sweat than a heavily perfumed deodorant SO
03) you could probably get away with just having a shower before class using a mildly scented soap
To answer the actual question, I really like the cucumber/green tea one you mentioned. Also, anti-perspirant isn't going to be unhealthy in a sweat-prevention way unless you apply it to your entire body.
posted by elizardbits at 4:03 PM on August 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
01) thank you for even thinking about this and being considerate BUT
02) I personally would rather smell someone's healthy sweat than a heavily perfumed deodorant SO
03) you could probably get away with just having a shower before class using a mildly scented soap
To answer the actual question, I really like the cucumber/green tea one you mentioned. Also, anti-perspirant isn't going to be unhealthy in a sweat-prevention way unless you apply it to your entire body.
posted by elizardbits at 4:03 PM on August 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
In all seriousness, make your own, either unscented or with whatever essential oil you like. It really does work, and is even dead cheap. No natural deodorant ever did for me, but this does (a friend emailed a bunch of folks raving about it, and pretty much all of us have switched at this point).
posted by susanvance at 4:06 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by susanvance at 4:06 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
You do need anti-perspirant. "Dedodorants" don't do anything, they just mask smells with other smells. It's not unhealthy as long as you are not coating your whole body in it. It blocks the sweat from the areas that make body odor.
posted by radioamy at 4:17 PM on August 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by radioamy at 4:17 PM on August 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh also you can just go with unscented anti-perspirant instead of worrying about "unoffensive" scents. Personally I like Sure unscented.
posted by radioamy at 4:18 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by radioamy at 4:18 PM on August 21, 2013
Sure unscented solid works best for me. Sure unscented aerosol also works just as well.
Alum "crystal" deodorants do pretty much what they're supposed to do. I occasionally get eczema breakouts where my skin gets sensitive, however, and during such times, crystal deodorants prove too irritating to use.
I've tried baking soda based DIY deodorants. They generally work, though if anything, they seem to make me perspire more. My pits get downright soggy. Though they don't get smelly like BO. Just sort of "damp" smelling.
BTW, unscented deodorants don't mask smells with other smells. It seems they simply discourage normal skin flora from forming BO smells in the first place.
posted by 2N2222 at 4:26 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Alum "crystal" deodorants do pretty much what they're supposed to do. I occasionally get eczema breakouts where my skin gets sensitive, however, and during such times, crystal deodorants prove too irritating to use.
I've tried baking soda based DIY deodorants. They generally work, though if anything, they seem to make me perspire more. My pits get downright soggy. Though they don't get smelly like BO. Just sort of "damp" smelling.
BTW, unscented deodorants don't mask smells with other smells. It seems they simply discourage normal skin flora from forming BO smells in the first place.
posted by 2N2222 at 4:26 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you're open to it, shaving your pits may make a tremendous difference in your body odor. I would personally love to skip shaving entirely, but oh my GOD can I not get away with it.
posted by restless_nomad at 4:27 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by restless_nomad at 4:27 PM on August 21, 2013
I live in Florida, where sweating is pretty much the state past-time. Most deodorants I'm familiar with are also anti-perspirants, and that's a good thing. They aren't intended made to keep you from sweating all over; as jessamyn points out, they keep your armpits dry, so the deodorant doesn't have to work harder to keep you smelling fresh and clean. I can tell you sincerely that no one down here would even think of going outside without applying anti-perspirant deodorant. It is very, very obvious when someone forgets, too.
Even if you are nice and clean before yoga, I don't think you really want to go au natural.
In my experience, crystals just do not work, either. I am not trying to be offensive, but crystal users, even though you may think you have no smell? When it gets hot and the sweating starts? The rest of us can smell you.
A couple of recommendations:
Clinique has an unscented anti-perspirant deodorant that's effective and hypoallergenic. At $12, it's also pricey, but the reviewers say it's definitely worth it. Sephora carries it.
Dry Idea is cheaper, really does go on nice and dry and is available in an unscented version.
My spouse, who has an allergic reaction to some deodorants, swears by the Ban roll-on in the green container, which has a very light scent, but it is getting difficult to find these days (I think they may be changing the formula).
The Dove you liked sounds really good, though, so you might just want to go with that. I've been.a Dove soap girl forever, so I trust the brand, and they don't tend to be expensive, I haven't tried their deodorant, though so YMMV there.
posted by misha at 4:36 PM on August 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
Even if you are nice and clean before yoga, I don't think you really want to go au natural.
In my experience, crystals just do not work, either. I am not trying to be offensive, but crystal users, even though you may think you have no smell? When it gets hot and the sweating starts? The rest of us can smell you.
A couple of recommendations:
Clinique has an unscented anti-perspirant deodorant that's effective and hypoallergenic. At $12, it's also pricey, but the reviewers say it's definitely worth it. Sephora carries it.
Dry Idea is cheaper, really does go on nice and dry and is available in an unscented version.
My spouse, who has an allergic reaction to some deodorants, swears by the Ban roll-on in the green container, which has a very light scent, but it is getting difficult to find these days (I think they may be changing the formula).
The Dove you liked sounds really good, though, so you might just want to go with that. I've been.a Dove soap girl forever, so I trust the brand, and they don't tend to be expensive, I haven't tried their deodorant, though so YMMV there.
posted by misha at 4:36 PM on August 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
Tom's of Maine has a new anti-perspirant that they have been handing out samples of at my Pilates studio, which is pretty good IMO. I'm pretty sure this is the stuff. The Amazon listing says it's for women but since it's unscented I don't think it really matters.
posted by matildaben at 4:37 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by matildaben at 4:37 PM on August 21, 2013
Simply go with Coconut Oil. It smells great and it's natural. I'm pretty sure one of the points of Bikram is to sweat!
posted by linear_arborescent_thought at 5:36 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by linear_arborescent_thought at 5:36 PM on August 21, 2013
Sweat alone is usually a neutral smell; it's the resulting 'bacteria house party' jessamyn mentions that smells up a body.
I'm convinced anti-deodorants are just cheap perfumes. They always smell a bit chemically too me. If you're just looking for a mild scent, a light splash of a good cologne/perfume would be much more pleasant, and just as effective.
But if you need to stop the sweat, I agree with the others: an antiperspirant is what you need.
posted by kanewai at 5:48 PM on August 21, 2013
I'm convinced anti-deodorants are just cheap perfumes. They always smell a bit chemically too me. If you're just looking for a mild scent, a light splash of a good cologne/perfume would be much more pleasant, and just as effective.
But if you need to stop the sweat, I agree with the others: an antiperspirant is what you need.
posted by kanewai at 5:48 PM on August 21, 2013
I use the same stuff I use everyday - http://www.gillette.com/en/us/Products/deodorant/clear-gel/arctic-ice-deodorant.aspx
No smells even when really sweaty, never leaves marks on my clothes (as long as you let it dry before putting on your shirt). Very mildly scented (I think they have an unscented version, too).
posted by amaire at 6:06 PM on August 21, 2013
No smells even when really sweaty, never leaves marks on my clothes (as long as you let it dry before putting on your shirt). Very mildly scented (I think they have an unscented version, too).
posted by amaire at 6:06 PM on August 21, 2013
Agreed on trimming it up a bit. Attack the problem and not the symptom.
That said, I sweat a ton in yoga, and I find that having clean clothes and a fairly clean body make more difference in sweating smelling bad than anything. Exercise-based sweat generally isn't nearly as smelly unless it's triggered some old rancid bacteria already present.
posted by kcm at 6:10 PM on August 21, 2013
That said, I sweat a ton in yoga, and I find that having clean clothes and a fairly clean body make more difference in sweating smelling bad than anything. Exercise-based sweat generally isn't nearly as smelly unless it's triggered some old rancid bacteria already present.
posted by kcm at 6:10 PM on August 21, 2013
I KNOW I'll be sweating, so an anti-perspirant seems silly (maybe even unhealthy as my body tries to cool itself?)
Blocking pit sweat isn't going to keep the body from cooling itself.
If you want to prevent body odor in the underarm area, you should be using an antiperspirant every day. The odor comes from bacteria that are more numerous the more you sweat.
Deodorants just cover up the smell with other smells.
I find the crystal deodorant, the kind that comes as a clearish mineral and needs to be applied with water, to work better than anything else to block perspiration. Some of the same companies also sell the more familiar stick variety, but they don't seem to work as well.
posted by yohko at 6:17 PM on August 21, 2013
Blocking pit sweat isn't going to keep the body from cooling itself.
If you want to prevent body odor in the underarm area, you should be using an antiperspirant every day. The odor comes from bacteria that are more numerous the more you sweat.
Deodorants just cover up the smell with other smells.
I find the crystal deodorant, the kind that comes as a clearish mineral and needs to be applied with water, to work better than anything else to block perspiration. Some of the same companies also sell the more familiar stick variety, but they don't seem to work as well.
posted by yohko at 6:17 PM on August 21, 2013
PLEASE try my recipe for DIY deodorant. It is super easy to make, works better than any non-aluminum, non-freaky product I've found on the market, and is hella cheap to boot. Use aluminum-free baking soda, available at Whole Foods and similar stores.
Qualifications: I am a professional yoga teacher and have done marathon training in extremely hot and humid climates.
posted by TrixieRamble at 6:41 PM on August 21, 2013
Qualifications: I am a professional yoga teacher and have done marathon training in extremely hot and humid climates.
posted by TrixieRamble at 6:41 PM on August 21, 2013
P.S. You can use just coconut oil and skip the shea butter and almond oil if you don't want to buy as many oils. The texture is ideal with the combo listed, but straight coconut oil will get the job done just fine.
posted by TrixieRamble at 6:42 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by TrixieRamble at 6:42 PM on August 21, 2013
Mitchum unscented is exactly what you want. It works and is unobjectional.
posted by tintexas at 7:28 PM on August 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by tintexas at 7:28 PM on August 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
Antiperspirant helps to control odor as well as reducing sweat. Reducing sweat helps reduce odor; plain deodorants don't really do much other than covering up odor (I've never seen one that was unscented.)
posted by needs more cowbell at 8:10 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by needs more cowbell at 8:10 PM on August 21, 2013
The kind of stink that deodorants and antiperspirants are designed to deal with is what happens when armpits are given a typical working day's worth of hours to build up a nice active colony of microflora.
If you shower before class, and during that shower you scrub out your pits with a washcloth and a little anti-dandruff shampoo (zinc pyrithione is a mild antiseptic), you're not going to smell of anything other than hot clean sweat.
Axe ought to be covered under the Geneva chemical weapons protocol. Thank you so, so much for actually thinking about this.
posted by flabdablet at 11:43 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you shower before class, and during that shower you scrub out your pits with a washcloth and a little anti-dandruff shampoo (zinc pyrithione is a mild antiseptic), you're not going to smell of anything other than hot clean sweat.
Axe ought to be covered under the Geneva chemical weapons protocol. Thank you so, so much for actually thinking about this.
posted by flabdablet at 11:43 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
If I use deodorant without anti antiperspirant, I stink. I use Right Guard spray anti-antiperspirant/deodorant that really doesn't smell like anything, but controls odor very well for me.
posted by cnc at 10:44 AM on August 22, 2013
posted by cnc at 10:44 AM on August 22, 2013
Throwing in a suggestion for Jungleman. Four ingredients, all harmless. Works way better than Old Spice for me.
However, I think I'm more sensitive than most, because it sometimes gives me a rash...
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 12:08 PM on August 22, 2013
However, I think I'm more sensitive than most, because it sometimes gives me a rash...
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 12:08 PM on August 22, 2013
Gonna nth those crystal deodorants. Not sure if different folks' body chemistries mean the crystal deodorants work differently, but I love 'em - they're super-effective. Long-lasting, doesn't smell like anything. I was cynical at first, but also tired of smelling like that gross combination of armpit and cheap perfume. Bam. Love those little rocks.
posted by all-caps relapse at 8:04 PM on August 22, 2013
posted by all-caps relapse at 8:04 PM on August 22, 2013
I'm surprised that no one has suggested the "powder fresh" scent that many mainstream deodorants come in. It is extremely unobtrusive. However, I've never seen a men's deodorant with that scent. I use Mitchum for Women gel in Powder Fresh.
posted by Red Desk at 10:21 PM on August 22, 2013
posted by Red Desk at 10:21 PM on August 22, 2013
Liquid Rock unscented, made by Kiss My Face.
(I've tried Tom's of Maine, and agree it doesn't do much. This one works really well for me.)
posted by spbmp at 11:21 PM on August 22, 2013
(I've tried Tom's of Maine, and agree it doesn't do much. This one works really well for me.)
posted by spbmp at 11:21 PM on August 22, 2013
I like Old Spice antiperspirant in the Fresh scent. It's definitely pretty unisex.
posted by cp311 at 12:29 AM on August 23, 2013
posted by cp311 at 12:29 AM on August 23, 2013
What about dusting some talcum powder on your underarms to help absorb sweat?
posted by alvin545 at 7:44 AM on August 23, 2013
posted by alvin545 at 7:44 AM on August 23, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by marshmallow peep at 2:42 PM on August 21, 2013 [4 favorites]