Deodorant - we all use it, we all need it and we all wonder if more expensive brands are worth splashing the cash on. With the cost of living increasing and many of us cutting back, we may be looking at what budget beauty brands we can use to try and save a few pennies.
The key to a good deodorant is simple - you want it to last as long as possible. You want to be able to apply it in the morning, and before bed, knowing that no matter how hot and bothered you get throughout the day - you don't have to worry about feeling sweaty and smelly.
Another quality some of us may look for in a deodorant is what's been dubbed the "anti-white mark" effect. It's no secret that some products can be extremely powdery, and leave white marks on your clothes after you've applied them.
The perfect deodorant would in turn need to keep you feeling fresh for hours on end, while not marking your clothes. That in a nutshell is how I would rank a recommendable product.
But what is the best one I've tried? Well, I tested five well-known high street brands to find out exactly which brand is worth buying time and time again to get ultimate protection.
Nivea - £1.60
The first product I tried was Nivea's Black & White Invisible in Fresh. It smells quite nice, and the bottle would definitely last you over a week if used twice a day, but I didn't rate it well in terms of how well it lasted.
By the afternoon I could feel the affects wearing off, and started to feel a little sweaty, which is never a good sign. I think you would need regular tops up throughout the day in warmer weather.
Overnight test: It didn't last well overnight. As soon as I woke up I felt like I wanted to jump in the shower and freshen up, so I would say it definitely doesn't offer 48 protection. I'd rate it a 3/5.
Right Guard - £1
I picked up this bottle of Right Guard Extreme for a quid in Savers and, to be honest, I wasn't expecting much. Boy was I wrong.
I adored the smell of this because it has a simple, clean and fresh smell to it. It lasted throughout the day, and I never felt conscious that it was wearing off.
Even after I went for a run I (sorry to be frank) didn't smell, so for £1 you can't complain. The only thing is it does get a little powdery as it doesn't offer anti-white mark protection, but it didn't mark my clothes after it dried either.
If you're looking for long-lasting protection then this is a go-to product.
Overnight test: This kept me feeling perfectly fresh and clean overnight, and I could still smell the fresh scent of the spray when I woke up. I'd score it a solid 5/5.
Dove - £1.49
I also picked this bottle of Dove Invisible up at Savers and, to be honest, it's an excellent product. In terms of preventing white marks - it did exactly what it said on the tin, as it didn't leave a trace of powder anywhere.
The smell is more feminine than Right Guard - it offers a more gentle, soft scent. That being said - it didn't leave me feeling sweaty or hot and bothered.
I felt mostly protected all day long, but Right Guard was hard to beat when it came to ultimate protection. In an ideal world, I think I would pick up a bottle of this to use for a special occasion (i.e. when you're wearing something very nice that you don't want to get marks on), but then opt for the cheaper option for every day use to save you pennies in the long run.
Overnight test: It lasted perfectly well overnight but, because the scent was gentler, I did find that it faded slightly. None the less I woke up feeling clean and fresh the following morning, and I'd score it a 4.5/5.
Sure - £1.75.
Sure's Black & White Invisible came in at a slightly more expensive price and, to be honest, it wasn't really worth the extra pennies. I didn't really like the smell of it, and it didn't leave me feeling as protected as some of the other brands.
It was good in terms of anti-mark protection, as it didn't leave marks on my clothing, but it was lacking when it came to overall protection which to me is the most important quality.
Overnight test: It was average. I applied it during the evening, and when I woke up the following morning I didn't feel overly sweaty, but it wasn't the best either. It was somewhere in between. I'd score it a 3/5.
Sanex - £2
The most expensive of the bunch and, in my opinion, the worst. I hated the smell of this (sorry), but it just didn't have a clean scent to it. It's as though the brand attempted to create a floral scent, but it's somehow not quite right.
Maybe this contributed to the fact that I didn't think it was great, because it was all I could smell. I wouldn't say it offers 24 hour protection - you'd definitely need a top up throughout the day - and you don't really want to be doing that if you're coughing up more cash for a product.
The one plus was it didn't leave any powdery white marks.
Overnight test: It wasn't the best, and didn't leave me feeling fresh when I woke up the following morning. In all honesty, I wouldn't buy it again. I'd score it a 2/5.
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