Which deodorant won't leave a nasty stain on your clothes? FEMAIL puts them to the test

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Will it come off on your clothes? Femail puts deodorants to the test

Will it come off on your clothes? Femail puts deodorants to the test

Stepping out without a decent anti-perspirant or deodorant is tantamount to social suicide. 

Yet though I pride myself on smelling as fresh as a daisy, I've lost count of the times a spritz of deodorising fragrance has left a white mark or yellow residue under my arms or on my clothes.

Even allowing it to dry before getting dressed, or holding a spray nozzle several inches from my skin to reduce the amount I use, has little effect.

Most annoyingly, the white mark on your clothes often only develops a few hours after you put on your deodorant, lulling you into a false sense of security.

However, the industry has cottoned onto the problem and launched an array of sprays, blocks and roll-ons that claim to work without leaving tell-tale stains.

But are they any good? To find out, I tested a range of the latest so-called invisible products while wearing a tight, sleeveless, aubergine-coloured top.

Nivea Invisible For Black & White 48-hour Anti-Perspirant Deodorant 40ml, £2.50

Promising white-mark protection for black clothes and anti-yellow staining for white clothes, as well as 48-hour anti-perspirant protection (although those of us who like to shower every day may wish to reapply!), the label warns that you must let the product dry completely before getting dressed.

The hard-cream block is a little awkward - you have to press hard to ensure it’s going on properly.

Despite leaving to dry for a couple of minutes, it still leaves a slight egg-white mark on my vest which deepens to mottled white within hours. This is redeemed only by the fact it leaves me smelling like freshly laundered washing. 1/5

Sure Women 48-hour Crystal Deodorant Stick Clear Aqua 40ml, £2.60

Like the Nivea product, this claims to leave no white marks or yellow stains. It’s also alcohol-free, which means it won’t sting, even when applied after shaving.

But it drags on the skin when applied and there’s no warning about leaving it to dry before dressing, so I don’t. Maybe that’s why it rubs off quickly, leaving a stark white mark that’s still noticeable after a couple of hours. And it smells like toilet cleaner. Oh dear! 0/5 

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Sanex Dermo-Invisible Anti-Perspirant 150ml, £1.99

This spray ‘provides 24-hour protection by actively working with your skin to prevent body odour and protect against perspiration, while letting your skin breathe’. Which is nice to know.

Unlike some of the other products, it warns you should allow (unspecified) drying time before getting dressed.

So I left it for five minutes, which I thought was reasonable: how long can a girl hang around in her undies?

However, it still left a slight residue which, after a couple of hours, appeared as a blotchy, off-white mark under each armpit.

And it smells like a school corridor after the cleaners have been in. 1/5

Neither Sanex dermo invisible or Sure clear pure scored well

Right Guard Xtreme Woman Invisible Antiperspirant Deodorant 150ml, £2.39

This raises the bidding to 72-hour protection — though if you’re going to go three days without a shower, I’m not sure even this could help with your body’s hygiene.

It also pledges to prevent white, yellow and oily stains on clothing. Apparently that’s due to its ‘sweat detect technology’, which anticipates sweat before it starts by reacting to the body’s temperature (though it doesn’t say what happens next!).

It’s a spray-on deodorant and delivers a lovely, lemony scent. It also sinks into the skin immediately and there’s no trace on the fabric after a couple of hours. A really impressive product. 5/5

Dove Invisible Dry Anti-Perspiring Deodorant Spray 250ml, £1.89

This unique formulation has, apparently, been tested on 100 colours. As well as offering 48-hour protection, it contains the fabled Dove one-quarter moisturising cream, which may explain the pungent floral fragrance, reminiscent of the type of thing my grandma used to wear.

That said, there was no mark on my clothes either initially or after a few hours. It loses a mark for the slightly overpowering smell. 4/5

Vaseline Double Invisible Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Spray 150ml, £1.89

Offers 48-hour protection and promises to fight white and yellow stains.

Like the other sprays, it’s easy to apply. There were no marks at first, but after an hour or so there were a few cloudy streaks on the cloth.

This product also made me feel slightly nauseous, as the smell was overpoweringly sweet. A bit like being hit over the head with a giant sherbet dab. 3/5

Sure Women Crystal Invisible Diamond Roll-On Anti-Perspirant Deodorant 50ml, £1.70

Smells much better than its block counterpart — a nice tangy fragrance. Initially, there was no mark at all. But checking later there was a slight, seemingly colourless stain. 3/5

Sanex Dermo Invisible Anti White Marks Roll-on Anti-Perspirant 50ml, £1.79

Smells as bad as its spray counterpart and leaves a transparent mark when first in contact with clothes (there’s no warning on packaging about leaving it to dry).

However as my vest dries, the material remains mark-free. 4/5

 

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