No pungent pits here.... (Palmolive Soft & Gentle Eden Wild Orchid Deodorant)

Member Name: hypno06

Product:	Palmolive Soft & Gentle Eden Wild Orchid Deodorant
Date:	31/05/09 (77 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Keeps me fresh and dry!

Disadvantages: None!

I work in an office.....well, actually, I work in a cupboard without air conditioning, and a window that doesn't actually provide any ventilation due to the close proximity of the wall that I overlook......

Work is often stressful, and I wear a suit....we have quite a strict "clothing policy" and whilst the secretaries might be able to get away with floaty strappy dresses or t-shirts, I can't. That means on a hot day, with stress, and restrictive clothing, we all get a bit sweaty around the edges.

As a result, things can get a bit whiffy in the armpit department.....not a good look, smell or feeling. When pong takes over, I am very conscious of it....I can almost hear the other girls talking about it. And of course, once you have the dreaded damp patches under your arms, you cannot hide.....you might as well have a neon sign above your head saying "sweaty betty lives here". Even if those sweat patches dry, a tell tale salty tide mark remains. All in all, a look to be avoided if possible.

Everyone sweats, though, we have to accept it as inevitable - our body's own detox system. Some sweat more than others, some are more smelly than others.....there is no getting away from it! Some people say we should let it happen - Sting, for example claims not to use deodorant....and I've not seen newspaper headlines along the lines of "Stinky Sting" so perhaps we should just let things take their course.....but the that would also mean never shaving our legs or plucking our eyebrows either....

So, over the years I have tried numerous anti-perspirants and deodorants. Now, you should be aware, that a deodorant is not going to stop you sweating - it is simply going to cover up the smell with another, hopefully nicer smell. An antiperspirant aims to reduce or stop you sweating......and an antiperspirant deodorant should do both - stop you sweating, and make you smell nice too!

I've tried roll ons, gels, solid sticks, aerosols.....I've tried branded versions and cheapie versions.....I've tried triple action, 24 hour protection, even products that claim they work for 48 hours......(no, they didn't work) I've tried washing more, washing less......and finally, I have found a few select products (all of which will be reviewed eventually) that have lived up to their claim.

One of these is the Palmolive Soft & Gentle eden range - I have tried the Passion Flower version and the Wild Orchid version. Check out Boots - they often have them in on BOGOF, so you can try both without it costing you extra!

This is an aerosol (but does not contain CFCs) and I buy the 150ml can, although I believe they come in a bigger can too. I like to have a can of deodorant at home, one in my bag, one in the ladies loo at work, etc, so I don't want anything too big to lug about.

It is alcohol free and claims not to sting, even after shaving - I have to agree with this, and have never had that eye-watering few seconds after defuzzing my armpits, with this product! (although, as with all products, don't apply to damaged or broken skin, as this might hurt a lot!!)

Soft & Gentle claims to leave you with a fresh, carefree feeling of summer paradise, and tells you that you will feel extra fresh and dry, even when things are hotting up.

And I am happy to tell you that it lives up to these claims. This is an antiperspirant deodorant that I have been happy to use - it smells fresh, but not sickly. The scent is indeed of orchid, a slightly unusual but very feminine smell. It is not strong, so you won't be constantly getting comments about your scent, but it certainly smells clean and fresh and not "eau de chemical". As for the feel, well it doesn't feel powdery or claggy on my skin. It is a very light spray, and so I feel comfortable when I have had a quick squirt! And it stops me from leaking buckets full of sweat from under my arms.....phew!

The can claims that it has 24 hour protection - I'm not sure about this, because I never rely on a spray to last for so long. I am more likely to "top up" throughout the day, just to be on the safe side.....so I can't vouch for the longevity of this product. I can, however say that I don't feel the need to have a quick spray every hour or so like I have done with other products!

As a very positive side note - I have not experienced the white marks on my black work clothes that I have frequently had from other products......maybe this is because over the years I have worked hard at perfecting the "no touch" method of getting dressed in the mornings, or maybe it is because this product doesn't leave the same white marks....either way, it's all good to me!

Available at Boots and most other chemists and supermarkets, often available on offer - Currently £1.85 per can or 2 for £2.50 at Boots. For more information, go to www.softandgentle.co.uk

Summary: Definitely one to look out for.