Why the order matters
Fresh sweat hardly smells. The glands in the underarm release odourless precursors. Only bacteria of the skin's natural flora turn these into the substances that smell, mainly volatile acids and sulphur compounds (James et al. 2013; Natsch & Emter 2020). The underarm offers them a lot: it is moist and densely covered with glands.
A deodorant works on odour, not on the amount of sweat. That is the difference from an antiperspirant, whose aluminium salts reduce the flow of sweat to the skin surface (Teerasumran et al. 2023). The terms are explained in Deodorant or antiperspirant: what is the difference? In a deodorant cream, baking soda binds odour compounds; the review cited lists it among the odour absorbers. Starch takes up a little moisture. So you keep sweating as before.
This gives the order: wash first, then dry, then apply. Washing with soap alone measurably lowers underarm odour (Lanzalaco et al. 2016). If you apply the cream over old sweat, it sits on top of what already smells.
Step by step
- Wash: Wash your underarms with water and soap, for example with a bar of Aloe Vera Soap – Rosemary & Lemon, and rinse off the lather thoroughly.
- Dry: Pat dry and, after a shower, wait a moment until the skin fold is dry as well. A water-free cream is hard to spread on damp skin.
- Take some out: With a clean, dry fingertip or a spatula, take roughly a pea-sized amount from the tin.
- Warm it: Rub the portion between your fingertips until it is soft and smooth.
- Spread it: Spread it thinly over the whole underarm without scrubbing. In the end nothing white should be visible.
- Let it absorb: Only get dressed once the skin no longer feels greasy. Then wash your hands so that nothing gets into your eyes.
The short version is in the guide Deodorant without aluminium: how it works and switching. How water-free creams behave in general is shown in How do I apply a solid cream correctly?
How much, when and how often?
Amount: Roughly pea-sized per underarm is a good starting point. It was too much if something white is still visible after rubbing in, if the skin stays greasy for a long time or if your top shows marks. What helps then is described in Does deodorant cream stain? Prevent and remove.
Timing: The usual time is in the morning after washing. If you shower in the evening, you can apply it in the evening; what matters is clean, dry skin. Whether applying in the evening has an advantage for a deodorant without aluminium salts has, to our knowledge, not been studied.
Frequency: Usually once a day. How long that lasts depends on how much you sweat, how warm it is and what you wear. A number of hours cannot be given reliably. If you want to reapply, for example after sport, wash and dry the underarm first.
Everyday situations: what to do
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| After sport | Wash or shower, dry, reapply. Do not apply cream over sweat. |
| On the go without a shower | Wipe the underarm with a damp cloth, let it dry, then apply a small amount. |
| Freshly shaved | Wait. The easiest way is to shave in the evening and apply the deodorant cream the next morning. |
| Underarm hair | Spread the cream down to the skin, not just into the hair. Shaving is not a requirement. |
| Dark or tight top | Use less and let it absorb for longer. |
| Hot day, cream soft | Use sparingly; soft cream quickly becomes too much. Store the tin somewhere cool and in the shade. |
| Cold room, cream firm | Warm the portion between your fingertips for longer before it goes onto the skin. |
| Skin turns red or stings | Pause use. You will find pointers under Baking soda in deodorant. |
Too firm, too soft, grainy
A deodorant cream made of shea butter, oil and wax responds to temperature: it is firmer in winter and softer in summer. Take firm cream off with a fingertip or a spatula and warm it for longer. The tin does not belong in the sun or in a hot car; more under Storing solid cosmetics: heat, summer and winter.
Baking soda and starch are fine powders that do not dissolve in fat. That is why the cream can feel grainy or crumbly, more or less so depending on the temperature. Rub the portion soft between your fingertips first and then apply it, rather than crushing the grains on your skin.
No water belongs in the tin. Take the cream out with dry, clean fingers or a spatula and close the lid again straight away. More on this under Hygiene and Water-Free Cosmetics: What to Watch.
Common mistakes
- Too much cream: The excess stays on the skin and goes into the fabric.
- Damp skin: The cream spreads unevenly, and wet fingers bring water into the tin.
- Over old sweat: Wash first, then apply. The cream does not replace washing.
- Straight after shaving: Freshly shaved skin is more easily irritated, and baking soda is slightly alkaline. Why that can sting and how much of a gap makes sense is explained in Deodorant after shaving: why does it sting, and what helps?
- Applied cold: Cream that has not been warmed crumbles and stays on the skin in small pieces.
When to seek medical advice
A deodorant cream is a cosmetic product. Seek medical advice if you sweat very heavily for no apparent reason, if the amount of sweat or your body odour changes suddenly, or if a skin reaction in the underarm does not subside despite a break, gets stronger or keeps coming back. Do not use the deodorant cream on injured or irritated skin; the product pages say the same.
What customers say
A selection of verified reviews from our shop (collected via Judge.me), translated from German and partly shortened.
“The deodorant cream works well, but I find the consistency unusual when applying it. It is quite grainy and reminds me more of a scrub than a cream. A creamier texture would make the product more pleasant for me.”
Customer review of Sensitive Deodorant Cream, 2 out of 5 stars, January 2026, verified purchase
Frequently asked questions
How much deodorant cream do I need per underarm?
Roughly a pea-sized amount. If something white is still visible after rubbing in, use less next time.
Can I also apply the deodorant cream in the evening?
Yes, if you shower in the evening. What matters is clean, dry skin. We do not know of a study showing an advantage of the evening for deodorants without aluminium salts.
Do I have to apply the cream with my fingers?
You can use a spatula to take it out. For spreading, your fingertips work best because their warmth softens the cream. Wash your hands afterwards.
The cream feels grainy. Am I doing something wrong?
No. Baking soda and starch are powders in a base of fat and wax; you can feel that, especially when the cream is cold. Rub the portion soft between your fingertips before applying it. The background is explained in Baking soda in deodorant: why it's there and skin reactions.
Is one application enough for sport as well?
That differs from person to person. A deodorant cream does not change the amount of sweat. After sport, wash the underarm, dry it and reapply if needed.
Does deodorant cream work with underarm hair too?
Yes, if you spread it down to the skin. In a study with 30 men, underarm odour fell by 23.5 per cent immediately after washing with soap, and by 57.3 per cent after wet shaving and washing; clipping with scissors made no significant difference compared with washing alone (Lanzalaco et al. 2016). The study comes from a manufacturer of razors.
At forpeople
According to their ingredient lists, both deodorant creams from forpeople contain potato and corn starch, shea butter, baking soda, sunflower oil and candelilla wax, but no water, no aluminium salts and no alcohol. The Sensitive Deodorant Cream (50 g, €8.90) has no added fragrance and no essential oils. “Sensitive” is the product name and not a promise about tolerability; baking soda is included. The Deodorant Cream - Lemon (50 g, €8.90) additionally contains essential oils of bergamot and lemongrass. Any soap will do for washing beforehand, for example the Aloe Vera Soap – Rosemary & Lemon (75 g, €8.90). The Sensitive Deodorant Cream is also part of the set All-Round Set for Dry Skin (€89.90).
More on this: Deodorant or antiperspirant: what is the difference? · Fragrance-free deodorant: what to look for with sensitive underarms · Without fragrance and essential oils: ingredients at a glance
From the blog: Deodorant Cream: How Well Does Natural Deodorant Cream Really Work?
Sources
- James AG, Austin CJ, Cox DS, Taylor D, Calvert R (2013): Microbiological and biochemical origins of human axillary odour. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 83(3): 527–540. https://doi.org/10.1111/1574-6941.12054
- Natsch A, Emter R (2020): The specific biochemistry of human axilla odour formation viewed in an evolutionary context. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 375(1800): 20190269. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019.0269
- Teerasumran P, Velliou E, Bai S, Cai Q (2023): Deodorants and antiperspirants: New trends in their active agents and testing methods. Int J Cosmet Sci 45(4): 426–443. https://doi.org/10.1111/ics.12852
- Lanzalaco A, Vanoosthuyze K, Stark C, Swaile D, Rocchetta H, Spruell R (2016): A comparative clinical study of different hair removal procedures and their impact on axillary odor reduction in men. J Cosmet Dermatol 15(1): 58–65. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12197
