Have you ever raised your hand in a meeting, or leaned in for a hug, only to catch an overpowering whiff of your own body odor?
Do you keep active or have lots of life pressure, and experience this stressful odor-related issue fairly often?
If that is the case,it may be a good choice to add a clinical strength deodorant into your self-care routine.
Today we will discuss various product options, including dipping into the anit-persipirant vs deodorant debates, and give you our top recommendations for clinical results.
The Selection Process
We've gone out and found the best clinical-strength deodorants. We began by looking at some of the best selling options on the market, then branched out to more niche brands. We then pooled and analyzed reviews from people who have actually tried them.
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From these products with the stamp of popular approval, we whittled down the best options possible considering dermatologist-approval, scientific and lab processes, and the contributions towards both one's own health, and that of the environment.
The factors we found the most important were:
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Mechanism of action
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Length of protection
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Texture
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Scent
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Transfer resistance
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Body-symbiotic factors
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Active Ingredients
We also took into consideration scientific backing and protective environmental efforts.
Antiperspirant
Pros
Most people looking for a deodorant product with clinical efficacy instinctually reach out for an antiperspirant. Antiperspirants typically directly stop sweat being released in the first place, by depositing aluminum plugs into the sweat glands.
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Cons
Antiperspirants can have three main issues -sensitivity, adaptation and naturalness. Antiperspirants can be harsh and stripping, causing skin issues especially into those with sensitive skin or who shave frequently.
Our sweat is also functional and adaptive -when we attempt to block this process our body may overcompensate and produce even more sweat to overcome the blockage. In this way many people who already sweat excessively find these products to stop working with time.
Some people find this process of fighting our bodies cleansing process as unnatural and take particular issue with the use of aluminum as an ingredient.
Deodorant
Pros
Deodorants instead work with the body to restore imbalances that produce excessive sweating or work on the scent profile of the sweat. Much bad odor can be attributed to bacteria that can be eradicated with time with deodorant application.
Deodorants are also acute products that can be applied on sweaty areas for immediate absorption, and deposit a fresh and pleasant scent over top. Many deodorants can also be highly natural formulations.
Cons
Deodorants often take time to work, especially if transitioning from an antiperspirant. It may take up to four weeks, including a period of increased sweating, to get your body back into balance.
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Some people would prefer to eradicate sweat release completely rather than work with it, preferring antiperspirants. Others are put-off by trialing early generation deodorant products that often had strange textures and ingredients.
Combination Products
There are also options on the market that use aluminum to block sweat, and also provide longer term action on the bacterial profile of sweaty areas, and acute scent management.
These can also be a great option for someone after a clinical-strength approach to odor management.
Best Clinical Strength Deodorants
Product Type: Deodorant
Our top pick for the best clinical strength deodorant action in 2023 is the powerful yet naturally-derived classic deodorant from Blu Atlas.
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This product is perfect for the consumer looking to get in tune with their natural body rhythms, whilst using scientifically-backed and clinically-proven ingredients that keep odor at bay and reduce sweat. It is great for men and women alike.
What it contains
This is a minimally-invasive formula, powered by a highly effective earthy blend of volcanic ash and cornstarch. These are supported by two powerhouse plant extracts; bamboo powder and horsetail.
These ingredients work together in both battling sweat and soothing the skin, with powerful anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial actions and heavy-duty sweat absorption. This is rounded off with the sweet and fresh scent provided by sage leaf extract.
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Coco-caprylate in this solution provides a thin layer of moisturizer to your skin resulting in skin that is smooth, calm, and nourished.
Blu Atlas also uses only scientifically-vetted, natural ingredients that pass through their board of certified dermatologists for maximum health and efficacy.
What it does not contain
This product is free from aluminum, which makes it perfect for those who may have metal allergies, or anyone with sensitive skin. It also contains no sulfates, phthalates, parabens or synthetic fragrances, for maximal skin safety.
Blu Atlas is also committed to products that are vegan & cruelty free, for those with concerns about furry friends in the cosmetics industry.
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What we love
There are three different scents options on offer. If sage is not your style, there is the sweet and warm coconut-apricot option and a fragrance-free option, that may suit those that regularly wear cologne or perfume.
Blu Atlas offers a money-back guarantee for anyone hesitant to give a deodorant option a try, to meet their clinical odor battling needs. The reviews on their website and various accolades speak volumes.
2. Jack Black Pit Boss Antiperspirant & Deodorant
Product Type: Combination
Jack Black’s Pit Boss gets straight to the point- or straight to the pits. It is with good reason that this refined and minimalist antiperspirant deodorant is second place on our list of the best clinical strength deodorants in 2023.
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Jack Black is all about simple formulation and even simpler design for its spray. The scent is gentle, easily paired with other products and provides 24-hour antiperspirant action.
Ingredients
The active ingredient in this deodorant is aluminum chloride, a salt that blocks the release of sweat from the sweat glands directly. If you suffer with slimy films on the skin, or frequent stickiness, this should help alleviate some of your symptoms.
To counteract some of the skin harshness associated with aluminum, this product has been layered with moisturizing and restorative compounds. Aloe Vera juice is naturally hydrating. Vitamin E is a powerhouse antioxidant that protects against future damage.
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This product provides an excellent, consistent and subtle scent that calls to mind a fresh stroll through the woods. Jack Black utilizes a proprietary technology in this formulation that helps keep the scent muted rather than overwhelming, with gentle musks underlaid.
These ingredients will give a new meaning to the concept of forest-bathing.
What we love
This formula actively prevents your clothes from staining, leaving no discoloration or yellow stains from either your sweat or the product itself. This allows you to enjoy smelling sweetly like a champ all day, while protecting you and your favorite shirts.
If you fall in love with the scent of this deodorant, a matching, stronger cologne spray can be purchased - Jack Black's All-Over Body Spray.
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3. DERMAdoctor Total Nonscents Ultra-Gentle Antiperspirant
Product Type: Antiperspirant
Number three on our list of the best clinical strength deodorants in 2023 is the premium and thoughtfully crafted Ultra-Gentle Antiperspirant from DERMAdoctor.
This is a great formula for those who like their products clean, minimal and luxurious. It is also a great pick for those who really desire the sweat plugging action of aluminum, but are looking to minimize the impact of this molecule with clever clinical design.
What it contains
The active ingredient in this antiperspirant is an aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex glycine complex. This form of aluminum is a superior alternative to the aluminum chloride found in many other antiperspirants. It is well tolerated by those with sensitivity and allergies.
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This means you can experience reduced production and release of sweat right at the source, and with many fewer side effects. This is bolstered by a gentle water based-formula, with strict clinical regulations on which compounds cannot enter a DERMAdoctor product.
What it does not contain
On this note, this antiperspirant is free from an impressively exhaustive list of the well-known skincare nasties as well as some more obscure compounds known only in the dermatological world. We recommend checking out their website for a full list.
These do include no parabens, phthalates, oils, synthetic fragrances and dyes along with many others. This product is also vegan and cruelty-free.
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What we love
We love that this product applies smoothly, requiring only the lightest layer for instant protection. This is a truly clinical formulation, and is proudly designed and filled in the USA.
This is another antiperspirant product that is careful not to leave any staining on your clothes. The clinical protection against heavy or odorous sweating will also reduce any marks on your clothing from your own sweat.
4. Kosas Chemistry AHA Serum Deodorant
Type: Deodorant
Number four on our list of the best clinical strength deodorants in 2023 brings us back to the more natural approach of clinical deodorizing, with the Kosas Chemistry AHA Serum Deodorant.
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This is unlike any deodorant you’ve tried before, packed with clinical skincare must-haves that provide a deep spa-like nourishment to your underarm skin, through an innovative and powerful gel formulation, whilst also transforming your relationship to your sweat.
What it contains
If you’ve been keeping an eye on the skincare trends and scene, then no doubt you’ve heard about AHA’s. Along with their plethora of benefits for all sorts of skincare outcomes AHAs are also a fantastic way to keep odor at bay.
This formula boasts four actions on the skin - odor protection, brightening and exfoliating, softening and smoothing, and nourishment. The first two actions come through shikimic acid and mandelic + lactic acids. Pure aloe vera juice and hyaluronic acid nourish and smooth.
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What it doesn’t contain
For all those sensitive pits out there, this product contains no aluminum and no baking soda, an irritant often found in early generation deodorant formulas.
This product is also clean, and free from any animal products, with a vegan certification.
What We Love
Despite what you may expect from a gel formula, this glides on as a very lightweight serum, that dries quickly, and as is paramount, does not stain.
Many people looking for clinical deodorizing might fear that deodorants only work on those with minimal sweat issues to begin with. Kosas proudly tests their deodorants on people who truly sweat!
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5. Vanicream Anti-Perspirant Deodorant
Product Type: Combination
Number five on our list of the best clinical deodorants in 2023 is the Clinical Strength Antiperspirant Deodorant from Vanicream, provided in the classic twist-pop application style.
If you are looking for a dermatologically-based solution for sensitive skin but are really after a combination formula, then this may be a great choice for you. This is also a great option if you like no-nonsense, simple styles that stick to classic deodorant design principles.
What it contains
Similar to number three on our list, but in a combination formula, the main ingredient powering the anti-sweat action is an aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex glycine complex. This allows for gentle sweat-blocking action that is well tolerated by a wider range of skin types.
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The amino acids in this solution also make it excellent for healing dry and cracked skin, and retaining dryness in your pits. This works in line with the general dry texture of this formula. This formula also forms a microscopic gel matrix in the armpits that traps odor-causing bacteria.
All other chemical-sounding compounds in this product are de-mystified in their functionality on the Vanicream website. For example cyclopentasiloxane is a gentle emollient providing moisture to that delicate underarm cream, without the us of oils.
What it doesn’t contain
This formula is free from parabens, fragrances, and other irritants that are found in most deodorants. This includes the common antiperspirant chemical aluminum chloride, reducing painful rashes, bumps and other sensitivity reactions.
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With a modest ingredient list of seven ingredients, this product is carefully crafted without filler or junk ingredients.
What We Love
While other roll-on deodorants tend to apply like a paste, this one does not, and applies smoothly. This product has more of a consistency and texture similar to cream than to a paste. The result is a product that feels nourishing and relaxing on your skin.
We also love the accessibility of this product to most consumers, easily ordered off Amazon, whilst retaining extremely high user satisfaction for the price point.
6. Biotherm Deo Pure Antiperspirant Roll-On
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Product Type: Antiperspirant
Number six on our list of the best clinical strength deodorants in 2023 is the Deo Pure Roll-On Antiperspirant from Biotherm, taking us back into antiperspirant territory.
If you had the intuition that the elegant and simplistic appearance of this product speaks to a different kind of market than most on the list so far -mais oui - with this bespoke product being made in France.
Ingredients
The elegance and quality edge we associate with France belies the more important practical sensibility that the French wear proudly.
This means that if aluminum is going to stop the sweat right at the source, the French are unafraid to use aluminum chlorohydrate in their products. It will take some much stronger scientific evidence of harm to bring the use of this chemical to an end any time soon.
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If you had any concerns, the food and drug administration of the USA (the FDA) has declared this compound safe in concentrations of up to 25%. In this product, the density steers well clear of this guideline, used at a safe but effective concentration of 23%.
This product is filled with ingredients that are clinically effective for different purposes. For example silicons give effortlessly smooth and dry skin, whilst freshening alcohols pack a powerful punch of deep-cleaning and anti perspiration action.
What We Love
This deodorant has been around for a while now and still manages to make it the top of lists in 2023. It is no fuss, works as advertised for most people, and is one of those products you’ll default to buying time and time again.
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And who doesn't love to treat themselves to a little touch of French design in their daily life?
7. Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Deodorant Anti-Perspirant Stick
Product Type: Combination
Number seven on our list of the best clinical strength deodorants in 2023 is the Cashmere Mist deodorant Anti-Perspirant Stick from Donna Karan.
This alluring and feminine scented deodorizer oozes mystique and a delicate power. In congruence with this, the formula is lightweight and powdery, leaning into the unassuming and sensitive power of the feminine, attracting a cult following for decades.
Ingredients
We must launch a description of this product starting with the fragrance. Sweet, floral and a hint of musk permeate this experience. This is provided by a sweep of fresh floral jasmine, heightened with a dash of vanilla, and rounded out with some earthy sandalwood.
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This deodorant’s active ingredient is the now quintessential aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex glycine complex. As in the other products we have mentioned thus far, this compound keeps moisture low whilst keeping the application amount minimal.
The deodorizing properties themselves are reportedly powerful, working well even under intense heat, humidity and exercise.
The antiperspirant goes on smoothly, applying like a powder comparable to talcum; gentle on the skin, and not creating a rash. It’s also quick-drying and stain-free due to its proprietary technology.
What We Love
Another aspect of the feminine is an endurance to survive, nourish and blossom through time. This blockbuster deodorant was first released way back in 1994 and still endures to this day.
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If classic, refined and historical, with a heavenly scent calls to you, you are sure to love this offering. There is also a pure deodorant form without aluminum more readily available.
8. Simple Pure 0% Aluminum Deodorant Aerosol
Product Type: Deodorant
Number eight on our list of the best clinical strength deodorants in 2023 is the Pure Deodorant from Simple.
Simple is dedicated to creating products that work with ease and simplicity, a breath of fresh air for those with sensitive skin and needs. After all, being able to acquire clinical protection against odor should be accessible to all, not just those who can tolerate aluminum
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What it contains
Along with powerful odor-fighting yet gentle chemical compounds, this lightweight spray also contains nourishing ingredients such as niacinamide and helianthus annuus seed oil.
Niacinamide is also known as vitamin B3, and is a wonder compound for the skin. It builds strength and elasticity, protects against environmental damage, and calms irritation. Best of all for deodorants, B3 lightens skin, avoiding those dreaded dark armpits clinical users acquire.
Helianthus annuus seed oil is also known as sunflower oil. This lightweight oil restores and rejuvenates skin, whilst keeping pores clear. It also deposits vitamin E into your skin, a powerful antioxidant for long term protection.
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What it doesn’t contain
First of all, as a pure deodorant formula, this product does not contain aluminum, providing relief for anyone sensitive to certain metals.
In addition, this deodorant contains no artificial colors or perfumes, along with no parabens, phthalates or alcohol. Truly the skin can breathe easy with this product.
What we Love
Products at Simple are tested thoroughly by dermatologists, to ensure their products are truly kind to skin.
The spray application makes it easy to apply, even to hard-to-reach places, with a smooth coating. It is also light-weight, thus is easy to take in your handbag or to the gym.
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9. DuraDry AM Deodorant & Antiperspirant
Product Type: Combination
Number nine on our list of the best clinical strength deodorants in 2023 is the AM Deodorant & Antiperspirant from Duradry.
Hyped up across TikTok and with fun bold advertising, this product couldn’t help catching our eye. This deodorant is unusual, in that it strives to be mostly natural, but also includes aluminum for that direct sweat-switching action.
What it contains
The safer and better tolerated form of aluminum heads off the anti-sweat properties of this product - aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex glycine. This is included at the maximum allowable strength of 20%, so really packs a punch at holding back sweat at its root.
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This product also contains 75% naturally-derived ingredients. For example, arrowroot extract and sage leaf oil join in the fight, providing superior moisture absorption, a fresh scent and anti-inflammatory action.
What it doesn’t contain
This product has opted to stay away from the more controversial forms of aluminum. In addition there are also no silicones or talcum in this formulation, each of which have given rise to specific healthy concerns and skin reactions.
What We Love
Many brands claim to make scents that are gender-neutral, but never quite hit the mark. This is a fresh and rejuvenating scent profile that truly can be used by any gender with confidence.
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With maximum strength aluminum used in this product, this is a great choice for anyone that lives in high stress, participates in high performance sports or lives in a particularly muggy climate.
10. Perspi-Guard Spray Maximum Strength Anti-Perspirant
Product Type: Antiperspirant
For our final recommendation when it comes to the best clinical strength deodorants in 2023, we present the Maximum Strength Antiperspirant from Perspi-Guard. Maximum strength is no small claim- this is highly concentrated, requiring application only a couple times a week.
If you’ve truly tried it all, and none of the natural deodorant options, or highly alluring fragrance options you’ve tried seem to even touch your sweat-related issues, it could be time to look at this clinical formulation from Perspi Guard. It is not glamorous - but it works.
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The Breakdown
When it comes to a clinical formula, this bottle really meets all your needs. Its high potency means users can apply this one or two times a week and see drastic improvements. It was formulated specifically to battle hyperhidrosis.
Another bonus is that this product can be applied to hands and feet as well as armpits, which tend to be extra sweaty in those seeking clinical protection.
This antiperspirant is also neutral, unscented and unisex. Despite the potency, this product tends to be well-tolerated even with the most sensitive skins.
On top of this, the product leaves no white marks, wet patches, or strange odors.
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What We Love
The environment is of deep importance to Perspi-Guard, who work hard on reducing carbon emissions, utilizing recycling programs, and minimizing the frequency with which users need to replace their bottles.
Our animal friends matter too, with perspi-guard positioning themselves firmly against animal testing and cruelty, with all their products being vegan-friendly.
Testing
Before slathering a deodorant onto your skin, it helps to do a patch test at the store. Apply some product to your inner elbow and monitor for irritation for 24 hours. Keep in mind however, that some lower-level allergies develop over time with repeated use.
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It is also a good idea to read the back label on your deodorants, as many claim to be all-natural while also having ingredients that are decidedly not so. This includes ingredients such as propylene glycol which is used as a preservative.
Whilst doing so, it is also important to look out for ingredients that can be actively harmful and cause acute damage to your skin.
