Collage: Paula Balondo; Source images: Courtesy of brands Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story No matter the time of year or occasion, sometimes your pits simply stink—but it’s nothing the best antiperspirants can’t handle. Sweating is a natural bodily function , but these products can make it (and the accompanying B.O.) more manageable and, in turn, keep your confidence up as you move through steamy, humid days.
It’s true that deodorants have significantly improved in recent years to minimize odor from building up in your pits, but antiperspirants go above and beyond. They utilize aluminum compounds like aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly and aluminum chlorohydrate (which vary in their intensity) to control how much you sweat, says Erica Dommasch , MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “When antiperspirants are applied to the skin, they are dissolved by sweat and pulled into the pores,” she explains. “This forms a superficial plug that sits below the surface of the skin and reduces the flow of sweat.” That plug usually stays intact for 24 hours, and can eventually curb the overall amount that your underarms sweat over time, says Michael Tassavor , MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York and New Jersey.
Those aluminum salts are the star ingredients in antiperspirants, but that’s not where their formulas end. Many contain fragrances to keep your pits fresh, moisturizers to keep your skin healthy, and even soothing ingredients to minimize irritation. Because the last thing you need during a sweaty workout or busy shift is a pair of distracting pits.
So, which ones are actually worth swiping on? These expert-approved and editor-tested antiperspirants held up through heat, sweat, and serious sniff checks.
What are antiperspirants? What are deodorants? Are aluminum deodorants safe? What is the most effective underarm antiperspirant? Why am I still sweating even after using antiperspirant? What is the best deodorant for hidradenitis suppurativa? Meet the experts How we test and review products Our staff and testers Best Overall: Secret Clinical Completely Clean Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Secret
Why we love it: Secret's Clinical Strength Completely Clean Invisible Solid antiperspirant has taken home multiple Allure Best of Beauty Awards for its bevy of soothing and hydrating ingredients, genuinely lovely scent, and plain old effectiveness. Our testers put it through the paces during HIIT classes and heat waves, and it held up through it all. Experts say the proof is in its clinical-strength formula: It "provides higher concentrations of aluminum-based ingredients that are very effective for moderate to heavy sweating, while remaining gentle enough for daily use,” Dr. Tassavor says. And New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Hadley King , MD, gives it bonus points for its nourishing ingredients like castor oil and vitamin B5.
Tester feedback from beauty director Sarah Kinonen
“I recently wrote about my departure from deodorant , and since then, I’ve never been happier (and, most importantly, drier). But because this is my first official summer with antiperspirant, and with temps hotter than ever, I need a few tubes of the sweat-stopping stuff to keep my underarms as dry as possible. I’m currently using a strawberry-scented stick and will likely restock because it keeps me dry during humid commutes, super-sweating workouts, and Very Important Presentations™—withou…