Does deodorant expire?

You’re a guy. Sometimes, you’re going to sweat. A lot. It can come from stress, exercise, hot weather, or any number of other factors. A change in diet can make you sweaty. Eating meat can make you sweaty. This is just life.

Unfortunately, sweat can make you kind of gross. You can feel sticky or salty, and you’ll definitely smell awful. So, on a sweaty day, you’ll reach for some deodorant. As you do, you might have a thought. How long does this stuff stay good?

Does deodorant expire?

Like that container of honey found in the great tombs of Egypt a while back, deodorant doesn’t really expire. Most major deodorants are made of things like stearyl alcohol, aluminum compounds, parabens, triclosan, essential oils, etc. And before you start Googling triclosan, we’re talking about mostly chemical compounds that are antibacterial and anti-odor. You’re not sitting in the bathroom rubbing organic lettuce under your arms or on your balls to combat that 5k you’re about to run (or at least you shouldn’t be).  

However…

You know there’s always a “however”. And even though that Egyptian honey is still edible — or at least that’s what scientists are bragging about — we’re not going to eat it. Nope. Ok, maybe just one taste.

But deodorant is a different matter. We already know what we smell like after a heavy sweat. So, even though it does not have an expiration, general hygiene 101 says you should probably replace your deodorant if you find a random container in your gym bag that you completely forgot. Or the back of your bathroom cabinet. Or in your glove compartment. Just throw it away and get a new one. So while you CAN use expired deodorant due to the fact that it "doesn't really expire", we'd advise against it. Yes, deodorant is made of pretty indestructible stuff, but it still dries out, loses its scent, melts, etc.  

Fun fact about deodorant expiration

Deodorants are actually classified as cosmetics by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means companies do not legally even need to post an expiration date on their products.

However, this does not give you an excuse to not replace your deodorant that’s been hanging around for a while. You’ll also see a lot of deodorant bars and bottles stamped with expiration dates anyway. A lot of companies recommend replacing products after 12 months, but if you use it daily, you will probably need to replace it every three months. Some say after three years, so we think it’s worth paying attention to what a company says about their product’s shelf life. 

Wait. We really need to address the elephant in the room. Why do you have deodorant that’s been around so long it could expire? Deodorant is kind of something you should use every day. Multiple times a day even.

Some deodorant science

Sweat. The human body is capable of producing a ton of this stuff, and it escapes through glands which cover most of our skin, the body’s largest organ. (That fun fact is not the effective pick up line you might think it is. Just saying.) 

We sweat (or perspire) when we’re nervous, when we get hot, when we think too hard . . . We sweat constantly. Our body is also covered in bacteria. There’s a nifty little scientific occurrence in which bacteria actually feed on the organic matter in sweat and the result is a rather smelly compound which we now dub “body odor.” The warmer the area, like an underarm or groin, for example, the more this scientific process occurs. Thus, you become smellier.

Enter the world of deodorants and antiperspirants.   

Deodorant vs. antiperspirant

We’ve all heard of deodorants and antiperspirants, but what are they? And no, they are actually not the same thing. 

Deodorant is a substance that helps prevent and mask odors due to sweating. They are made up of materials that are antimicrobial and have fragrance components. This serves to reduce the amount of bacteria feeding on your sweat which, in turn, reduces the compounds that produce body odor. Meanwhile, the added fragrance works to cover up whatever body odor is still produced.  

Antiperspirants reduce sweating. They are made up of ingredients like aluminum that actually block your body’s sweat glands, so less sweat means less material for the bacteria to consume, which means fewer body odor compounds overall. 

Many antiperspirants have deodorizing ingredients. In quite a few cases, companies will simply combine deodorant and antiperspirant into the same product, but they technically have different purposes.

Antiperspirants are also considered a drug by the FDA. This means stronger, specific antiperspirants might need a prescription and they are more subject to things like expiration dates and labels. Generally speaking, antiperspirants are not always the same as natural deodorant's either, so make sure you read those labels twice!    

How do I pick the best?

Your body chemistry, the amount of sweat your body produces, your daily routines, etc. should all be taken into consideration when you’re deciding what type of deodorant and/or antiperspirant you need. You might also have an allergy or sensitivity or want to have a more natural set of ingredients rubbed on your skin. 

If you don’t sweat that much, a basic deodorant might be your best bet. If you sweat a lot, you might need a more antiperspirant-heavy option or even schedule something with your doctor for a stronger prescription-based alternative.  

Then there is smell. Do you want freshly pressed apples, or are you a more vanilla or fresh laundry kind of guy? If you wear cologne or after-shave scents you’ll also want to think about complimentary smells. 

One of the worst things you can do is pick a deodorant that clashes with your cologne or body wash. These things might smell nice apart, but that does not mean they smell good together.

Let MANSCAPED™ help

We’ve established that deodorant can expire. Since you have a better idea of how it works and what it really does, you know that you need more than just a little deodorant to handle high-stress, high-activity and other extra-sweaty days.

For that, you need a comprehensive solution. MANSCAPED™ can help with all of it. Our brand new deodorant offers premium odor protection for your pits and upper body and is made with natural ingredients that are vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free and aluminum-free. You can combine that with Crop Preserver® for the groin region and Foot Duster® for your feet. Add in some Ultra Premium® Body Wash, and you have a suite of products that are all built from the same cologne-quality fragrance.

No matter how tough the day, you’ll smell great when you steer into the MANSCAPED™ lineup.