After buying a spray-on deodorant, I got home and realised it was intended for women. Nevertheless, not wanting to waste money I used it anyway. Nothing untoward happened and I received no strange looks from colleagues or friends. So what are the differences between deodorants meant for men and those that are meant for women? How might using the “correct” deodorant for your sex work better than using one meant for the opposite sex, and what are the pitfalls of applying a deodorant intended for the opposite sex?
• The primary function of all deodorants is to inhibit growth of bacteria which feed on secretions from sweat glands. Deodorants are most often differentiated, if at all, by strength. But sex sells, so we have men’s and women’s. They have only three differences: advertising, packaging, and fragrance. Remove fragrance and there are only two differences: advertising and packaging.
Formulations for both sexes contain such things as flowers, herbs, spices, fruits and woods, and are judged as suitable entirely by personal and cultural taste. For example, one upscale new fragrance contains citruses, herbs, ylang-ylang, jasmine and tiare flowers, musk, tropical woods and coconut – and it’s for men. And many women buy men’s fragrances, because there is none of the social embarrassment that the reverse carries. A fascinating discussion about fragrance sales and attitudes is online at
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Toshi Knell, Nowra, New South Wales, Australia
