Not only can they prevent perspiration, but they can combat the odors our bodies naturally exude. The key ingredient is aluminum sesquichlorohydrate, which is safe on sensitive skins. It shouldn’t dry out your arms which could cause irritation and rashing. Instead, it’s good for comfortably neutralizing odors. No matter what I'm doing, whether I'm going for a walk or sitting at my desk at work, odds are, I'm sweating. And I've tried plenty of different products, from prescription-strength deodorants to ones designed for men, to try and help cut down on some of that perspiration. And I honestly say that none have worked as well as this formula from Carpe. Doolittle, J., Walker, P., Mills, T., & Thurston, J. (2015). Hyperhidrosis: An Update on Prevalence and Severity in the United States. Archives of Dermatological Research, 308(10), 743-749. Take the quiz. If you’re unsure which Carpe products might be right for you, the easiest first step is to take The Sweat Quiz. Answer a few yes or no and multiple-choice questions about why you sweat and how concerned you are with your sweat situation to get matched with products that can help. It only took us a couple of minutes to complete the quiz, and the results were immediate. Carpe products are all paraben-free, but some contain potentially concerning ingredients like talc and fragrances. Some people believe talc is a potential carcinogen, but this is a misconception. The risks associated with high-profile class action lawsuits centered on Johnson & Johnson baby powder and other talc products have to do with asbestos contamination. Talc often forms alongside asbestos in the earth, and mining operations in the middle of the 20th century were not well-regulated enough to prevent contamination of talc products with asbestos. Today, there is more stringent oversight and testing to ensure that talc products do not contain any traceable asbestos.

Drysol products can only be used on the underarms, torso, feet, and hands, so they don’t offer products for the face, scalp, thighs, and groin as Carpe does. Carpe has two strength options formulated with different active ingredients, so you can’t simply try a stronger version of the same Carpe antiperspirant. Drysol has three strength levels of the same active ingredient: Carpe’s sweat-absorbing lotions and powders help soak up sweat that has already exited your sweat glands. When you apply them before you start sweating, they’re ready and waiting to absorb moisture. You can then apply them to dry skin as needed throughout the day. Corkins, M., Abrams, S., Fuchs, G., Goday, P., Hannon, T., Kim, J., Lindsey, C.W., Rome, E. (2019). Aluminum Effects in Infants and Children. Pediatrics, e20193148. 10.1542/peds.2019-3148. Thianboonsong, T., Kanokrungsee, S., Paichitrojjana, A., Udompataikul, M., Kamanamool, N., & Rojhirunsakool, S. (2020). Efficacy and Tolerability of 20% Aluminum Sesquichlorohydrate vs 20% Aluminum Chloride for the Treatment of Axillary Hyperhidrosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Dermatologic therapy, 33(6), e14354.National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2023). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 1292, Mandelic Acid. During the last couple of months, I've really put the deodorant to the test, too. I'm in the process of training for a marathon, and as someone who hates running long distances on the treadmill, I've recently had quite a few days where I've been running outside in the 85+ degree Fahrenheit heat. And while there's no question that I've still been profusely sweating, I've noticed that my armpits stay much drier than the rest of my body. Certain Dri is a popular OTC brand for antiperspirants. They are one of the only antiperspirant companies to offer three strength levels, each with a different active ingredient, and all three are alcohol-free. Direct competitors don’t sell sweat-absorbing face lotions, and we found Carpe’s face lotion effective, giving skin a sense of cleanliness. Carpe has not yet tested its face lotion for comedogenicity, but the customer service rep we talked to indicated it is something Carpe plans to do soon. Until that testing is complete, we can’t recommend this product to people with facial acne. Underarm Antiperspirant Aluminum Sesquichlorohydrate at 15%, Water (Aqua), Glyceryl Stearate SE, Silica, Silica Silylate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Fragrance/Eucalyptus Oil (excluded in Fragrance Free), Isopropyl Myristate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide

If you’ve got hyperhidrosis, look for phrases like “extra strength” or “clinical strength” to get the highest concentration of ingredients allowed OTC by the FDA. These statements aren’t regulated in any way, however. You might find a product marketed as “clinical strength” that has less ACH in it that another marketed as an everyday product.

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Because all of Carpe’s antiperspirants are sort of wet, you’ll need to apply them to dry skin and give them a few minutes to dry before getting dressed. But they didn’t leave behind a visible residue in our testing experience. Carpe’s sweat-absorbing products Drysol is a Canadian topical antiperspirant brand with aluminum chloride hexahydrate as its main active ingredient. A prescription for Drysol is required for customers in the U.S. because the active ingredient isn’t approved by the FDA for OTC antiperspirants. 9 So, you can’t buy it from retailers as you can with Carpe. Each of these products uses a different formulation, and none have scent options, but they’re used in places you typically wouldn’t want a fragrance, like on the face.

Antiperspirants are nothing new, and their ingredients haven’t changed a ton over the past few decades. The active ingredient in antiperspirants is typically a form of aluminum salt because it’s cheaper and more readily available than other metallic salts. Prescription antiperspirants tend to use aluminum chloride hexahydrate, which the FDA doesn’t allow in OTC antiperspirants, or high percentages of aluminum chloride (ACL). 9 Most OTC antiperspirants use other forms like aluminum chlorohydrate (ACH), aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex glycine, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex glycine, or aluminum sesquichlorohydrate. Many will also use lower concentrations of ACL than would necessitate a prescription. Zirwas, M.J., & Moennich, J. (2008). Antiperspirant and Deodorant Allergy: Diagnosis and Management. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 1(3), 38-43. I will say, I felt like it got more effective the more I used it (the brand says for best results, you should use it consistently for four weeks). The one thing I didn't love about it was the application process. It took a while to figure out how much to use, and sometimes it would dispense more than I wanted, so it would go on goopy. But for the impressive results, I'm happy to deal with that." Fran Sales, associate SEO editor The summer sweat struggle is real. Especially right now, as temperatures reach all-time highs, it seems like just the thought of stepping outside already has us perspiring. And for many of us, when it comes to preventing the dreaded pit stains and odor, the first line of defense is an antiperspirant.Sweat Absorbing Face Lotion: Water, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Isododecane, Alcohol Denat., Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Caprylyl Glycol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Glycerin, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Disodium EDTA, Niacinamide, Squalane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract Learn More about Aluminum in Antiperspirants Despite common concerns, the scientific consensus is that the forms of aluminum used in Carpe’s antiperspirants do not cause breast cancer, 5 kidney disease, 6 or Alzheimer’s Disease, 7 but more long-term studies are needed. In general, OTC antiperspirants are considered safe for adults and children to use. 20 They added one caveat though. “Only big thing to consider is that the scent is a strong Eucalyptus small (some may not enjoy) and it does not really control for odor. I typically don’t have an issue but if I’m going to do a hard workout or know I’m going to be sweating then I would pair it with another scented fragrance.” I've been using it consistently for a couple of months now and have noticed a big difference in how much my armpits sweat. It doesn't necessarily stop me from sweating altogether — I truly think that would require some sort of medical intervention — but it has seriously helped cut down on the amount of sweat under my armpits. Meaning, fewer sweat stains. Big win!