The Case for Situation-Specific Deodorant

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and the subject of deodorant came up (as it does). She told me she’d just tried a new one that she’d liked, so she put it in permanent rotation in her deodorant wardrobe. “Wait, what do you mean deodorant wardrobe?” I asked. The idea is simple: She has multiple deodorants that she uses based on what she’s doing or how she wants to feel. The catchy name surprised me, but the idea didn’t. I realized I’ve been doing the same thing for years.

For me, it started with the natural deodorant explosion a few years ago. I’m a fan of natural deodorants. I like the idea that I’m not slathering my pits in harmful chemicals (“harmful” being a subjective word here) and I do find that natural deodorants tend to smell better. But let’s get real: I’m a sweaty guy and sometimes I need a little extra sweat protection that a natural deodorant just can’t provide. So, I started switching up my deos depending on what my body needed.

You probably switch up your cologne depending on where you’re going, what you’re doing, and who you’re going to see, right? The idea of a deodorant wardrobe is the same—except with the added element of functionality.

There are no hard and fast rules to creating a deodorant wardrobe. Everyone’s body and olfactory tastes are different. Most of it comes through trial and error. I mostly think of what I’m going to do that day and whether I need sweat protection or not. Then I think about the scent and whether it’s going to compete with the cologne I’m going to wear. I also think about whether I need to take the deodorant with me or if I can get away with a one-and-done application. How you build your own deodorant wardrobe is up to you, but if you’re curious about where to start, here’s a peek at what I’m currently working with.