Sports deodorants are a kit bag essential. These unsung underarm heroes fight sweat and smells as we power through to beat our PBs, but they’re not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ buy. Finding the best deodorant that can do it all is no simple task. So, we got testing!
There are many formats and formulas available, from traditional sprays to quick and easy roll-ons, so if your go-to active antiperspirant keeps letting you down, it may be time to switch it up.
What is the best deodorant for women who do sports?
To help narrow down your choice, our testers put a range of sports deodorants through their paces. Our full verdicts are below, but if you’re dashing off to training, here’s a quick look at the top ones to buy now:
best deodorant
1
Best deodorant overall
Mitchum Women 48HR Protection Roll-On Deodorant & Antiperspirant
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2
Best deodorant for sensitive skin
Vaseline Aloe Antiperspirant 24 Hour Protection Deodorant
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3
Best gel deodorant
Gillette High Performance Sport Triumph 48 Hours Antiperspirant
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4
5
Best roll-on
Simple Soothing Anti-perspirant Deodorant Roll-On
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6
7
Best quick-drying deodorant
Right Guard Women Sport Antiperspirant Deodorant
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8
Best for instant freshness
Dove Advanced Care Invisible Dry 72h Antiperspirant Deodorant
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9
Best for combatting odour
Dove Go Fresh Cucumber & Green Tea Antiperspirant Deodorant
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10
Best for combatting sweat
Triple Dry Fresh Active Antiperspirant Roll On
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Is it better to use deodorant or antiperspirant?
These terms are often used interchangeably, but there’s an important distinction between the two.
Deodorants keep you smelling fresh by killing the bacteria that causes odours, while antiperspirants go one step further and block your sweat glands, meaning no more soggy armpits.
The ‘sports deodorants’ on our list are all antiperspirants, so you can go hard in the gym and still feel clean and dry.
How we test
To find the best deodorant, our team of writers and editors trialled a range of sports deodorants over a two-week period to determine how effective they were during light and heavy exercise. They judged each product on how well it combatted sweat and masked odours, as well as its design and ease of use.
These are our testers' pick of the best deodorants to buy now.
1
Best deodorant overall
Mitchum Women 48HR Protection Roll-On Deodorant & Antiperspirant
Now 34% Off
Our Ecommerce Editor spent an age trying to find a deodorant that really worked and once she found this Mitchum deodorant a couple of years ago, she never looked back.
She's introduced the powerful roll-on to plenty of friends who have also found this is the only anti-perspirant that really works for them too, so we're fairly sure it's no fluke.
This is a deodorant that only needs to be applied once in the morning, and you can enjoy the rest of the day protected from BO - no matter how warm it is.
Key specifications
| Type: | Roll-on |
|---|---|
| Size: | 100ml |
| Suitable for all skin types: | No |
| Fragrance free: | No |
2
Best deodorant for sensitive skin
Vaseline Aloe Antiperspirant 24 Hour Protection Deodorant
This gentle, yet effective, deodorant could be just the ticket for those of you with sensitive skin. Its soft, sting-free formula protects your underarms while providing a durable barrier against sweat and smells.
Easy to apply and not at all greasy or sticky, it dried quickly and proved effective even during intense exercise. It comes at a bargain price, too!
Key specifications
| Type: | Spray |
|---|---|
| Size: | 150ml |
| Suitable for all skin types: | Yes |
| Fragrance free: | No |
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3
Best gel deodorant
Gillette High Performance Sport Triumph 48 Hours Antiperspirant
Best known for its shaving products, Gillette’s innovative gel-based formula is quick-drying, non-greasy and promises to last all day.
This transparent shield felt refreshingly cooling to apply, masked odours brilliantly and successfully combatted sweat during light exercise. However, it let us down when we ramped our workout up a gear, leaving us with wet, slightly whiffy armpits, so save it for Pilates sessions.
Key specifications
| Type: | Roll-on |
|---|---|
| Size: | 70ml |
| Suitable for all skin types: | No |
| Fragrance free: | No |
If you’re after an affordable yet effective antiperspirant, this roll-on has got your underarms covered, promising long-lasting protection. However, it didn’t combat sweat that well during exercise and it took longer to dry than we would have liked. That said, we loved how well this budget buy kept body odour at bay, even when we were putting in a heavy session.
Key specifications
| Type: | Roll-on |
|---|---|
| Size: | 50ml |
| Suitable for all skin types: | Yes |
| Fragrance free: | No |
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If you like your products natural and fragrance free, this roll-on won’t disappoint. It’s handy size makes a good choice for popping into your gym bag, it dries instantly and it doesn’t stain your favourite gear.
For daily use and light exercise, it proved effective at masking odours and keeping sweat at bay, but it might struggle if you’re hitting CrossFit!
Key specifications
| Type: | Roll-on |
|---|---|
| Size: | 50ml |
| Suitable for all skin types: | Yes |
| Fragrance free: | Yes |
Formulated with an exclusive technology that claims to fight odour caused by heat, motion and stress, this spray certainly kept us smelling like roses.
Its long-lasting formula kept sweat under control during both light and heavy exercise, but some testers noticed that it left white marks on their clothing, despite its supposed invisibility.
Key specifications
| Type: | Spray |
|---|---|
| Size: | 200ml |
| Suitable for all skin types: | Yes |
| Fragrance free: | No |
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Promising a lot, this spray claims to fight perspiration, prevent odour, provide long-lasting freshness, adapt to your activity levels and leave low residue.
Overall, it delivered, leaving most of us feeling well-protected during light exercise and happy with its pleasant, feminine scent. If you’re all about a ‘spray and go’ deo, it will impress you with its quick-drying, non-sticky and non-greasy feel.
Key specifications
| Type: | Spray |
|---|---|
| Size: | 250ml |
| Suitable for all skin types: | No |
| Fragrance free: | No |
8
Best for instant freshness
Dove Advanced Care Invisible Dry 72h Antiperspirant Deodorant
This great value spray’s moisturising formula leaves skin feeling hydrated and clean. It masks all smells with its fresh scent and is the ideal product for a speedy post-workout refresh, if you don't have time to shower immediately.
Its antiperspirant qualities weren’t anything to write home about, but we appreciated feeling thoroughly protected from BO during all forms of exercise.
Key specifications
| Type: | Spray |
|---|---|
| Size: | 250ml |
| Suitable for all skin types: | No |
| Fragrance free: | No |
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9
Best for combatting odour
Dove Go Fresh Cucumber & Green Tea Antiperspirant Deodorant
A little bit of a pong post-workout is totally normal, but this fresh green tea and cucumber infused spray will help you feel fresher in seconds.
It proved fairly effective at blocking sweat and flawless at banishing odours, even during heavy exercise. Its alcohol-free formula contains moisturising cream to help underarm skin recover from shaving irritation, too.
Key specifications
| Type: | Spray |
|---|---|
| Size: | 250ml |
| Suitable for all skin types: | Yes |
| Fragrance free: | No |
This intelligent antiperspirant has been designed to protect against heavy sweating by responding to your body and working when you need it most. It’s the priciest product on our roundup, but it wowed testers by keeping perspiration to a minimum during all types of workout, while also helping to mask odours. If sweat causes you stress, it’s a worthwhile buy.
Key specifications
| Type: | Spray |
|---|---|
| Size: | 50ml |
| Suitable for all skin types: | No |
| Fragrance free: | No |
Florence Reeves-White
Senior Beauty Writer
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
Jessica O'Donnell
Ecommerce Editor
Jessica O'Donnell is Women's Health UK's Ecommerce Editor, specialising in testing the latest and greatest product releases in Beauty, Gym Wear, Fitness, Health and, as well as finding the best deals during sales events such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.
Jessica is passionate about helping women choose products that will help them look and feel their best. She looks after some of Women's Health's most important guides, including the best mattresses for back pain, the best fitness trackers, and the best bikinis for big busts (she's got range!).
Jessica has been a writer since 2018, and her work can be found in publications such as ELLE Australia, Harper's Bazaar Australia, Runner's World and Cosmopolitan UK. When she's off the clock, Jessica can easily be found either nagging her friends to join her for a long run, bragging about her Oura Ring sleep stats, trying out a new pilates studio or adding to the ever-growing stack of books on her bedside table.
You can keep up with Jessica on Instagram @jessicajeanodonnell
