Fragrance
Naturally the first characteristic that distinguishes a men's deodorant from that of women's is the scent.
Women's fragrances are lighter and more flowery. Men's deodorants have sharper and stronger smell, often resembling cologne.
A third type — unisex deodorants — is suitable for use by both sexes. These are neutrally scented in order to appeal to both genders.
Naturally, there are women who prefer to use men's deodorants and men who like women's fragrances. Forbes reported the results of a survey, according to which five per cent of men use women's deodorants.
Other ingredients
Deodorants that are produced for women sometimes have extra ingredients to deal with skin irritation and sensitivity. Some contain aloe vera and other soothing agents. These are added for a simple reason: women shave their armpits more than men do. This leads to irritation when a deodorant is sprayed. To deal with this, cosmetics companies have put in some extra ingredients to prevent skin irritation.
PH differences
The International Journal of Cosmetic Science reported that researchers have found a difference between the PH balance (acidity) of sweat of men and women. In an experiment, men and women were placed in stressful situations and the PH balance of sweat was measured. A woman's sweat had average PH of 7, while the average for men was 5.6.
Some cosmetics companies take into consideration that difference in PH levels when designing deodorants. Further, research confirms that men sweat twice as much as women; a fact that should also be taken into consideration when deo formulas are determined.
Gender-specific
Gender-specific fragrances are the newest type of deodorant products available. The aim is to disguise the smell of sweat and to make people less sensitive to specific odours. Researchers found that there is a difference between men's and women's odour. Cosmetics design.com reported that the odour of men's sweat is much harder to conceal. Scientists have come up with lists of concealing agents for men's and women's sweat. Naturally, these differences affect the formulas of deodorants made for each sex.
Vivacious, mischievous, exuberant
For men: Boss by Hugo Boss; Calvin Klein's CK One; Ralph Lauren Polo Sport and Dunhill Desire Blue.
For women: Davidoff Cool Water; Donna Karan Be Delicious; Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey.
Floral favourites for the delicate ones (esp women)
Picks: Chacherel's Amor Amor, Burberry Weekend and Carolina Herrera Carolina Herrera.
Confident and sophisticated
For men: Alfred Dunhill Dunhill
For women: Giorgio Armani Sensi, Kenzo Flower, Dior Poison.
Free-spirited yet grounded
For men: Burberry Brit For Men, Dior Fahrenheit, Carolina Herrera 212 H2O Men.
For women: Yves St Laurent's Opium, Calvin Klein Obsession
Classic chivalrous
Picks: Gendarme Gendarme, Calvin Klein Eternity For Men.
Sivagami is a III Year B.A. Journalism student at M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women.
