I put $3 Suave and $16 Secret deodorant to the test, and I'll be wearing the pricier option for the rest of the summer
Jen Glantz
- I compared Suave and Secret powder-scented deodorant to see which price point was worth it.
- The Suave deodorant had a strong smell, and it didn't leave me feeling fresh at the end of the day.
I've always been self-conscious about how much I sweat. For as long as I can remember, I've made it a point to avoid wearing gray or colorful T-shirts because of armpit stains.
Nothing is worse than the warm summer months when I have to change my top at least three to four times a day. But this year, I decided to go on the hunt for a new deodorant.
After scanning the shelves at my local convenience store, I found two similar ones to try — at two very different price points.
Both the Suave antiperspirant deodorant and the Secret Clinical Strength invisible-solid antiperspirant and deodorant market themselves as being invisible and providing long-lasting protection. But Suave's deodorant is $3 and Secret's is nearly $16.
Here's what I liked and didn't like about each one, and ultimately, which one worked better.
I was drawn to Suave antiperspirant deodorant because of the price.
At least once a month, I usually spend anywhere from $10 to $15 on a new deodorant. So when I found this inexpensive option, I was excited to give it a try.
The $3 deodorant says it's invisible and provides 48-hour protection.
Every deodorant I've ever worn has left white marks on my clothing, so I was looking forward to testing out whether or not the "invisible" claim was true for me.
The smell overpowered my first impression.
Right when I opened up the stick, I was hit by a very strong fragrance. The powder-scented deodorant was very poignant and left a lingering smell in my bathroom.
It glided right on with a smooth but moist texture, and I didn't see any white residue at all.
The first couple of hours were a little smelly.
During the first three hours, I spent time indoors writing emails and outdoors running a few errands. But I noticed that I started to perspire.
The outcome wasn't great when the deodorant's strong powder smell mixed with my body odor.
I came home, cleaned my armpits with soap and water, and reapplied. Even when I wasn't moving around too much, I felt like I had to reapply the deodorant every three to four hours.
Working out with the Suave deodorant wasn't entirely comfortable.
I went for a 3-mile run in the hot sun while wearing the deodorant. The deodorant's almost moist texture made me feel like I was sweating more than usual during the workout.
I had to reapply the deodorant before my run — for the third time that day. When I came home, I still felt like I needed to wash my armpits and reapply for a fourth time.
I was ready to retire the deodorant by the end of the day.
When the day was over, I found myself eager to shower and use a different deodorant.
It didn't leave any stains on my clothing, which was nice, but it didn't stop me from perspiring and the strong scent was too much for my nose.
This might work better for someone who doesn't sweat too much, but I likely won't repurchase it. Instead, I'll keep this in my to-go bag or car for emergencies.
Secret Clinical Strength is a much pricer option.
Secret's deodorant was very similar to Sauve's. It promised to provide 72 hours of protection, go on invisibly, and leave a powder scent.
The main difference — other than the high price of $16 — is that the packaging says it provides "clinically proven prescription-strength wetness protection" that was designed with the help of dermatologists.
It glided on nicely, but I was left with a little white residue.
The deodorant went on nicely and had a very smooth texture. The scent wasn't as strong as Suave's, but it was noticeable, and I still didn't love it.
Even though it was hard to see, there was also a little white residue on my armpits, so it didn't feel truly invisible.
It lasted longer than I expected it to.
I wore this deodorant during a very active Saturday that included grocery shopping, a 1-mile walk with my family, and cleaning up around the house.
After three hours of wear, I didn't feel the need to reapply. I also didn't notice any body odor or perspiration.
It survived an intense 45-minute workout.
I headed to an indoor, 45-minute boot-camp-style workout about five hours after applying the deodorant.
By the end of the workout, I was sweating in pretty much every area of my body — except my armpits. I also had very minimal sweat and no white residue on my sports bra.
My armpits still smelled like the powder scent, and I didn't detect any body odor.
At the end of the day, I felt fresh.
I didn't have the urge to rush home and take a shower at the end of the day. My hair and forehead were sweaty, but my armpits weren't.
The Secret deodorant certainly seemed to provide me with long-lasting protection from both sweat and body odor.
After speaking with a dermatologist, I feel good about the results of my experiment.
When I asked Allison Leer, a board-certified dermatologist, to share her thoughts on both deodorants, she said the main difference comes down to the active ingredients.
She told me that Secret's aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly is "more effective and less irritating" than Suave's aluminum chlorohydrate.
"Additionally, the ingredients in the Secret deodorant tend to cause less staining than those in the Suave deodorant," Leer added.
Because of that, she said, she'd pick the Secret deodorant over the Suave one.
I pride myself on being a budget shopper, but the $16 deodorant was worth the money.
After testing out both deodorants, I found myself excited to wear the $16 Secret Clinical Strength one.
Even if it wasn't my favorite, the smell wasn't overpowering. And it didn't require constant reapplication even on a hot, sweaty day.
As a budget shopper, I was shocked that I liked the more expensive option. But it ultimately worked better for me, and I plan on wearing it for the rest of the summer.
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