Aloe, Aloe, Hallo (Palmolive Soft & Gentle Deodorant)

Member Name: mattygroves10

Product:	Palmolive Soft & Gentle Deodorant
Date:	16/08/05 (143 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's a stick, it smells sweet, it works . . .

Disadvantages: . . . but only for a while . It's not so effective over long, hot, sweaty periods

Let's get one thing straight here. I am not a toiletry fanatic. I don't go weak at the knees for fancy soaps, shampoos or any other flowery smelly items. I don't wear make up. I don't wear perfume.

However, I DO keep clean. Very clean. I shower every day, and wash my hair every day. And, I like to have clean, dry, odour free pits. Yes, that's arm pits. Wet spots under each arm is just...yuck. Body odour is also nasty. Whilst I don't feel the need to smell like an orchard in springtime, I do want to look, smell and feel clean.

Therefore, an underarm preparation is in order. Again, I'm not fussed. As long as a product keeps me fresh and dry, I'm happy. My one preference, however, is for a stick. Roll-ons are sticky, and aerosols are wet. So every so often, off I go in search of an anti-perspirant deodorant stick.

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The SCIENCE
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There are two basic types of gunk you can put under your arms (well...I guess there's more. If you want to put mashed potato under your arm, feel free. Just don't come to MY house.) OK, I clearly need to clarify. There are two types of preparation you can put under your arms to keep BO at bay.

There are deodorants. These mask or suppress smell. They do not prevent wetness. They may well contain an anti-bacterial agent to kill off those little bacteria that cause the smell in the first place. They will probably be perfumed.

Then you get anti-perspirants. These mask/suppress odour AND keep you dry. The active ingredient in these (are you ready?) is usually aluminium zirconium tetrachlorhydrex glycine complex. Whew. Look in the ingredients for the aluminium bit, and you'll get the idea.

Some people react badly to the aluminium, and so want to avoid products that contain it. Thankfully, I don't.

Soft & Gentle Aloe Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Stick IS clearly a member of the latter category, so does indeed contain aluminium unpronounceable.

End of science lesson - onto the review.

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The PRODUCT - appearance
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The variant I have is labelled 'soft jasmine'. The packaging (is it a tube? A container? What do you call the packaging for a stick deodorant?) is curved, baby pink, with a knocked back darker pink outline of an aloe plant. The manufacturer's logo, Palmolive, is white in a green box, and the word Aloe is also green. Soft & Gentle is white in a kind of girly scripty font.

On the back is the directions, ingredients, blurb ('Soothes as it protects. Uh-huh), freephone number, net weight (45g) and address. There is a sticker on the clearish purple lid telling me this product is NEW! (What isn't new these days?)

Open the lid, and you find a white stick inside. The bottom of the container has the usual little dial to raise the stick.

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The PRODUCT - aroma
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Well, I don't know what natural 'soft jasmine' smells like. Soft & Gentle Soft Jasmine SMELLS pink (even though the stick itself is white). I don't know exactly how to explain it. It smells floral and slightly sweet. It's not overpowering in any way, and the smell doesn't really linger for too long after application.

I know that 'lack-o-lingering' bugs some, but it suits me. I don't want to smell pink all day!

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The PRODUCT - the test - does it work?
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Ummm...well...yes. To a point. It keeps me dry throughout the day, as long as I am not engaged in extremely strenuous activity (minds out of the gutter, guys and gals!). It's NOT a sport stick - I do find I'm getting a bit sticky if I'm helping to unload a van (yes, I do that), or if it's very hot.

Palmolive claim that Soft & Gentle Aloe Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Stick gives '24 hour protection against wetness and odour'. The odour bit I'd vouch for - I don't think it really provides 24 hour protection against wetness.

Soft & Gentle does seem to live up to its name in one respect - it does seem to be gentle. I've never had a reaction to it, but then, I don't have particularly sensitive skin. If you suffer from easily irritated skin, I'd recommend testing this first before slathering on your pits (especially after shaving). You may find you need a product that does not contain aluminium (see above).

I have lately been using a product I bought in the States - Secret Soft Stick. Soft Stick translates to a cream. I was horrified when I originally bought it, but now I'm hooked. That one DOES keep me dry all day, whatever the weather and circumstances.

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The PRODUCT - the details
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Well, I can't remember how much I paid, exactly. I mean, I went to Sainsbury's, needed anti-perspirant, and bunged something that was reasonably priced and pretty into my basket. I'm not a smart shopper!

However, in the interests of completeness, I have done a web search. Humph. Fat lot of good that's done me! Tesco sell a similar product, but in the cream (no 'soft stick' nonsense in THIS country, thank you!) for £1.98 for 40g. The aerosol is significantly cheaper - you can get that at Asda for £1.28 for 150ml. Asda's website lists the 'Aqua Cool Solid' at £1.74 for 45g - this is probably the same product, different smell.

If memory serves, I paid around about the £2.00 mark. Ouch. Whatever possessed me?

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The PRODUCT - My recommendation
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This is definitely a product aimed at women. It's pink, it smell pink, and has pretty script writing. So it's certainly not for you manly men out there!

But does it work? It's...OK. It works, mostly. But I think there are more powerful products out there. I think there are cheaper products out there.

So, I'm going to give this one a thumbs down. It's OK, and that's the best I can say about it.

Summary: A stick deodorant that works...but only to a point.