# Unscented antiperspirant/deodorant. Why the rarity? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 22, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738 "2014-07-22T14:30:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/1 "2014-07-22T14:30:27Z")
I’ve used Sure solid invisible/unscented for a long time. I like it. I usually buy 6 or 8 at a time, then I don’t have to think about it till I’m down to my last one. Since I’m buying in bulk anyway, I looked at Sam’s Club for a similar product. They had Degree (in a few different awful scents), Secret (for the ladies), Axe (blech), and Old Spice (in OldSpice scent). Not a single unscented product. Why would someone want to smell like their antiperspirant/deodorant? Is unscented uncommon because of consumer preference (am I an outlier)? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/2 "2014-07-22T14:41:23Z")
Same reason it’s hard to find laundry soap and dryer sheets in unscented. (I buy unscented everything; in my case it’s Almay gel because the aluminum-based deodorants give me a rash. I have to hunt it down in drugstores unless I remember to order it from Amazon in bulk.) I am not 100% sure what that reason is, but I assume that a good part of it is that we have been conditioned that a strong “pleasant” scent screams “clean” more loudly than the lack of odor. Tide, with its overpowering Scent of Clean! seems to be the original offender and trailblazer. Smell is a powerful memory/association/trigger, and marketing can’t sell a generic like “odorless” as well as it can sell formulated and trademarked scents… and it can’t sell those scents until it pounds the notion into our heads that those scents mean really clean while odorless - unscented - just means, well, I guess you washed it, huh? Hey… you \*axed. \*🙂 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/3 "2014-07-22T14:42:10Z")
My cynical guess is that it’s more obvious when it doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![MrsTime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@MrsTime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrsTime)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/4 "2014-07-22T14:47:37Z")
I try to buy everything unscented, including our Ban deodorant because I am allergic to most perfumes and most chemical smells too. I remember once on a 5 hour plane trip I was not allowed to smoke (when I was a smoker), but there was a woman somewhere on the plane who had bathed in cheap perfume. I got off the plane with sore throat, running nose and eyes and a hell of a nicotine fit! I did let the stewardess know how I felt about it. Here many Doctors offices now have signs up asking people to not wear perfume because some one in the office is allergic. YAY! ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/5 "2014-07-22T14:49:23Z")
Secret comes in an unscented/inivisible solid. Sure is still around as an unscented/invisible solid, they just gave it girlier packaging since apparently that’s their majority market now. My husband still uses it because it’s just packaging. I noticed that since they redid the formula for Secret, even their unscented has a stronger smell than it used to. Drove me batty for a few days as I could smell it all the time but thankfully that’s worn off. We can’t be that much of outliers if the unscented still exist, but I imagine they’re around more for the people who have bad reactions to scented chemical compositions. For that reason I don’t think all of the unscented brands will go away. Thankfully Gillette also makes an unscented shaving cream as well. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/6 "2014-07-22T14:56:52Z")
Mitchum (at least the last time I bought it) has an unscented version. I think a lot of it has to do with retail marketing. While some stores like to offer awide selection, others - especially discount and big box stores - limit the selection and keep larger quantities in stock. If Old Spice outsells unscented Mitchum, then Old Spice gets the shelf and Mitchum gets the boot. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/7 "2014-07-22T15:23:04Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Is unscented uncommon because of consumer preference (am I an outlier)? Sad to say, I think this IS the reason. I have been a longtime Arrid unscented user, and now have a really hard time finding it. First Wal-Mart stopped carrying it, then my local CVS stopped carrying it (at 2X the price), etc… So I have been switching to other unscented brands. But the realization is that these retail stores only carry what sells and moves off the shelves fastest. And the rate of sales for my anti-persp just isn’t making the cut. I hadn’t considered it before, but anyone know of a good online resource for buying stuff like deodrant ? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/8 "2014-07-22T15:28:20Z")
> [@cormac262](#): > > I hadn’t considered it before, but anyone know of a good online resource for buying stuff like deodrant ? [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). I buy Almay unscented gel, T/Gel shampoo, boysenberry jam, Woody’s Cookin’ Sauce and a dozen other “grocery store” items from Amazon that are either expensive or hard to find here. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/9 "2014-07-22T15:29:42Z")
> [@cormac262](#): > > I hadn’t considered it before, but anyone know of a good online resource for buying stuff like deodrant ? Just searched on Amazon and they have plenty. I’m beginning to wonder why I buy things anywhere else. I needed something the other day, and my local WalMart had it in stock according to the internet. When I couldn’t find the item, an associate told me they never had it and that the webpage was never accurate. So I got it from Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/10 "2014-07-22T15:31:30Z")
Amazon and/or [drugstore.com](http://drugstore.com) depending on what’s in stock when and where. I buy my Neutrogena products at [drugstore.com](http://drugstore.com) and Ban Clear Gel deodorant from either Amazon or [drugstore.com](http://drugstore.com) depending on what the current price is. I buy a couple dozen deodorants at a time. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/11 "2014-07-22T15:32:56Z")
[Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dhpc&field-keywords=Antiperspirant+unscented&rh=n%3A3760901%2Ck%3AAntiperspirant+unscented) ---
**Author:** ![MrsTime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@MrsTime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrsTime)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/12 "2014-07-22T15:39:55Z")
> [@cormac262](#): > > I hadn’t considered it before, but anyone know of a good online resource for buying stuff like deodrant ? I don’t know if this place ships to the US, but I have found them to be very good , you can even ask about unscented products. [http://well.ca/categories/womens-deodorant\_520.html](http://well.ca/categories/womens-deodorant_520.html) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/13 "2014-07-22T15:40:18Z")
Just ordered a 6 pack from Amazon. As an Amazon Prime member it was an even better deal. One of the reviews mentioned that Sure and Secret are the same product, with Secret being the women’s version. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/14 "2014-07-22T18:20:03Z")
This is strictly my opinion, but I’m always amused by the substantial numbers of people who slather on gobs of “unscented” deodorant, and then walk around confidently assured that they aren’t offending anyone. Personally, i can detect “unscented” deodorant a mile away, and I find it easily as offensive as the scented variety — in fact, more so. And I know it’s unscented, because no manufacturer would come up with a scent as noxious as that God-awful chemical smell. Maybe it’s a matter of how much you put on, and a lighter application wouldn’t be detectable and yet still do the job. But a lot of folks apparently believe that more is better. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/15 "2014-07-22T18:23:47Z")
With the OP’s question seemingly safely answered, here’s one of my own: Why so many “baby powder” scented products for women? Does anyone else hate them as much as I do? Whenever I smell someone wearing anything “baby powder” scented I think they smell like they’re wearing a diaper. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/16 "2014-07-22T18:25:34Z")
(fucking quote function not working again) You’ve actually hit on a good point. There are indeed “unscented” products that have a noticeable odor. I don’t buy those a second time. If you can smell my Almay gel, you have a nose much more sensitive than mine, and I am acknowledged to have a more sensitive sniffer than most around me. At the risk of running the argument off a cliff, I wonder how many “unscented” products are either indifferently formulated - “Okay, okay, leave the Fresh Valley Flower scent out of it and give it a white label” - and how many might be subtly booby-trapped by leaving or giving it a slightly off chemical odor. Why? Because “unscented” isn’t brand-specific, and if you can drive your minority of unscented buyers to a scented version of your brand, it’s a win. Ghod knows, next time they might buy the other guy’s “unscented” since they don’t have any brand loyalty. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/17 "2014-07-22T18:49:17Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > This is strictly my opinion, but I’m always amused by the substantial numbers of people who slather on gobs of “unscented” deodorant, and then walk around confidently assured that they aren’t offending anyone. > > Personally, i can detect “unscented” deodorant a mile away, and I find it easily as offensive as the scented variety — in fact, more so. And I know it’s unscented, because no manufacturer would come up with a scent as noxious as that God-awful chemical smell. > > Maybe it’s a matter of how much you put on, and a lighter application wouldn’t be detectable and yet still do the job. But a lot of folks apparently believe that more is better. I noticed this too. For a while we had some hippy dye and perfume free liquid detergent we used to wash clothes. In spite of being unscented, it had a rather unpleasant chemical scent to it. You have to have a pretty hypersensitive sense of smell to be bothered by the smell of scented deodorant under a persons arms which are inside a shirt. As someone that deals with passengers that reek of B.O., urine and cigarettes frankly I wish more people wore overpowering scented products because its far better than smelling the alternative! ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/18 "2014-07-22T18:54:53Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > At the risk of running the argument off a cliff, I wonder how many “unscented” products are either indifferently formulated - “Okay, okay, leave the Fresh Valley Flower scent out of it and give it a white label” - and how many might be subtly booby-trapped by leaving or giving it a slightly off chemical odor. Why? Because “unscented” isn’t brand-specific, and if you can drive your minority of unscented buyers to a scented version of your brand, it’s a win. Ghod knows, next time they might buy the other guy’s “unscented” since they don’t have any brand loyalty. I think it’s far more likely that in order to achieve the antiperspirant effect, those products include ingredients with a chemical odor. The scent in the scented versions covers up the odor, but in the unscented version, you’re just smelling the actual ingredients. I also don’t think that unscented means no brand loyalty. I buy Bounce Free dryer sheets to avoid giving a scent to my clothes, but am extremely loyal to the Bounce brand (to the point of ordering it online when I couldn’t find it in store). There’s no way I would just buy any random unscented dryer sheet. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/19 "2014-07-22T18:57:57Z")
people just don’t want to not smell, they want to stink good. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738/20 "2014-07-22T19:03:02Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > You have to have a pretty hypersensitive sense of smell to be bothered by the smell of scented deodorant under a persons arms which are inside a shirt. When I accidentally tried Degree (scented) I could smell it all day and into the following day on myself. I ended up throwing it out. I honestly don’t mind if I smell like aluminum chlorohydrate, I just don’t wanna smell like jasmine or roses or baby powder. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unscented-antiperspirant-deodorant-why-the-rarity/693738.md?page=2)