Deo-Tester Only half of it actually protects against the smell of sweat

Stiftung Warentest takes 16 deodorants for men under the microscope
Unpleasant smell of sweat and sweaty T-shirts are probably for today hardly anyone as "male". That's why deodorant is now part of the normal "equipment" in the bathroom for men as well as the toothbrush and shower gel. But what the scooters and sprays promise in advertising, they often do not keep in everyday life. The Stiftung Warentest examined 16 men's deodorants and came to the conclusion that only seven of the products are really recommendable.

Advertising promises reliable long-term protection
Whether for men or women: deodorants are a practical invention, because they help against sweat odor and unpleasant dark spots under the armpits. But straight deodorants for men often promise in advertising an extra reliable protection against sweat stains and a long-lasting seductive fragrance. But that sometimes looks quite different in reality. Because, as the Stiftung Warentest reports, some products do not reach a good mark on closer inspection.

Cheap discount store deodorants protect against sweat better than expensive branded products. (Image: Klaus Eppele / fotolia.com)

Aluminum compounds in cosmetics are considered controversial
The foundation had examined a total of 16 products for men. Eight of these were "normal" deodorants and the other half were so-called "antiperspirants", which reduce the activity of the sweat glands using substances such as aluminum chloride, thereby reducing the amount of sweat. Critics have been warning for some time about a health risk from aluminum in deodorants, as it is always suspected, e.g. damage the nervous system or have a carcinogenic effect.

Classic brand sprays perform best
The testers checked how well the products worked in terms of odor and sweat, and also scrutinized the ingredients. Each remedy was used by 20 male volunteers for 14 days under the control of the testing institute. The result: After all, the experts were able to award the grade "good" seven times, five times to the antiperspirants. The test winner was the "Nivea Men Dry Impact Plus", followed closely by the discounter products from Lidl and Aldi. The antitraspirant of "L'Oréal" reached in this group, however, only a "sufficient", because it had little effect and was able to stop the formation of sweat only limited.

In the traditional deodorants without aluminum salts, the "Ax Dark Temptation Deodorant Body Spray" and the "Nivea Men Fresh Active" got a "good" from the testers, the worst cut off the "Deodorant Bio Ginkgo & Caffeine" from Logona. Even the relatively expensive pharmacy product of "Vichy" achieved only a "satisfactory" rating.

Do not use underarm sprays with aluminum salts on damaged skin
In order to reliably protect against sweat and body odor, it is advisable to thoroughly wash and dry the underarms before using a deodorant. Because on clean skin the products work best, so the Stiftung Warentest. In addition, to avoid skin irritation, aluminum-containing sprays should not be sprayed on freshly shaved or injured skin. However, if you do not want to forego smooth skin and continue to use the sweat-regulating sprays, shaving is best done before going to bed in the evening. Then the skin can regenerate overnight and is less sensitive to the ingredients. To identify underarm sprays without aluminum salts, a look at the list of ingredients helps according to the foundation. Because here all aluminum compounds such as aluminum chlorohydrate or aluminum sesquichlorohydrate must be listed. (No)