A Stinker? Not me!

Being that I have a highly active job which requires a highly energetic persona and brute physical strength to lift children and haul around equipment, I cannot work without sweating. On top of that, I sweat pretty easily, so from a bodily odor standpoint, I'm doomed. Thankfully, I don't get armpit stains or anything of that embarrassing nature, but I would appreciate it if, at the end of the day, I don't smell like a boy's locker room.

When HBA companies recently began offering clinical prescription strength deodorants, I was thrilled, not from a wetness standpoint, but from an olfactory one. Unfortunately, these products are not cheap. Generally, they retail for between $7-$12, an amount that seems a little steep when compared to regular deodorants that sell for between $3-$5. But in this sense (no pun intended), you get what you pay for.

I've tried 3 different clinical strength deoderents. Here are my reviews:

Secret's Clinical Strength Advanced Solid - I tried this product first. It instructs you (as most do) to apply at bedtime so your body has the maximize time to absorb into your skin, offering the greatest protection. It worked generally well. It smelled nice, like a typical deodorant. My one gripe with it is that it is not a solid. In fact, it goes on more like a cream. Kind of weird, right? It did not absorb quickly, so if I was not careful I "left my mark" on anything I lifted my arm to. If you go to Secret's website, you'll find that 33 of 46 reviewers would recommend this product to others, so for many this is a God-send. 

Nevertheless, due to the creaminess, when Dove's Clinical Protection happened to be on sale when I need to re-stock, I figured I'd "give it a whirl" (Home Alone reference). I went through two rounds of this product and really liked it. I tried both the Cool Essentials & Energizing scents. The deodorant was also not solid; it was akin to other non-solid deodorants I had used previously. The big appeal - it absorbed rapidly. No residue. No long waits for absorption. No unwanted traces left behind on my couch. For that reason, I believe it worked better for me. I would continue to use this product and definitely recommend it to anyone. 

However, when I ran out of deodorant over the long Thanksgiving weekend, I found myself at Rite Aid, unwilling to pay $10 for it. I'm not made of money, and the holidays are coming! I happened to spot Mitchum offering Clinical Performance Smart Solid for $5. I figured I had little to loose, so I bought it. However, I approached with skepticism because I had tried Mitchum products in the past with dissatisfying results. To my pleasant surprise, this is now my top pick. Unlike Secret's, there is honesty in the packaging; the deodorant is a solid. It is water based, so it goes on cleanly without any mess whatsoever. Consequently, it seemingly glides on better than Dove's, which requires several swipes to make it disappear. Additionally, although I'm unsure why, it has a cooling sensation after application that is kind of nice. It surprised me at first, but I rather enjoy it. It makes you feel a little more fresh! And for $5, who can complain? I am sure not! And after 2 long workdays that had me sweating significantly, I could not detect any stench from my underarm region at the end of the day. SCORE!

All of these products fared well in terms of wetness protection. An added bonus for me, but not a selling point because that was not why I experimented with them.

If you have tried any of these products, I encourage you to comment and post your own review. Different products work differently for different people, so don't necessarily take my word for it. "Give it a whirl" and see for yourself. Here's to no B.O.!