Any guy who has experienced swamp crotch knows the value of a deodorizing product down there. Things can get extremely musky extremely fast, so keeping things dry and fresh is essential. But moisture accumulation isn’t always the issue. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of odor from things like stress sweat—and for many of us, it’s not just our thighs and groin that we’re concerned about. Maybe it’s your feet, your backside, your under-butt, or under-boobs—any place where sweat and bacterial-induced odor can accumulate.

These body parts are the prime targets for full-body deodorant, which is exploding in the grooming marketplace right now. Brands like Dove, Old Spice, Degree, Native, and SheaMoisture are all jumping on board the full-body deo train along with the brands that helped define the category: Lume, and Mando.

The Main Brands Behind Full-Body Deodorant

Dr. Shannon Klingman, CEO of Lume and Mando, built her brand on the notion that women experience odor in many places besides the pits, so it was important to launch a product that targets odor while honoring the sensitivities of places like the groin, feet, breasts, and so forth. So, no harsh ingredients like baking soda (a favorite for pit-targeting deos) are found in the products. In Lume’s case, the formula is powered by mandelic acid, which is an exfoliating alpha hydroxy acid that also keeps skin looking bright and feeling smooth.

The Lume line includes creams, sticks, and wipes, and led to the subsequent launch of Mando to target men. (The main difference is the scents ICYWW.) Key ingredients in these recipes include corn starch, tapioca starch, and arrowroot powder, depending on the product—all common ingredients in natural deodorants and swamp-crotch stiflers that focus on absorbing moisture and preventing chafing.

Lume and Mando are owned by Harry’s now, which has built out a formidable roster of grooming products beyond just razors, including body wash, dandruff shampoo, and deodorant and antiperspirant—so don’t be shocked if Harry’s soon launches a full-body deodorant, too, given the way the industry is trending.

Can Any Deodorant Be a Full-Body Deodorant?

The rise of full-body deos begs the question: Can’t we just use regular deodorants everywhere on the body, both synthetic and natural? And the answer is a very murky maybe.

“While a deodorant may be repurposed for the full body, it is very important that the company has done safety testing to confirm appropriateness for other, particularly sensitive, areas of the body and include proper warnings,” says Kelly Dobos, former president of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists and current chair of the SCC’s Ohio Valley Chapter. "These products contain—or should—a warning that they are external use only, which means they should not contact any mucosa.” (A.k.a.: the urethra, vagina, and anus.)

Dobos says to double-check the roster of ingredients any time a brand says its product is “safe for every single part of the body,” because it’s likely that you need to avoid those particular orifices. So here’s the general thinking: If a brand says its product is good for the whole body, then that probably means it’s good for everywhere except near your mucus holes. It also probably means the product won’t feel tacky on the skin or leave any streaks.

At the same time, if you have a regular armpit deodorant and want to use it in other parts of the body, chances are you’ll be totally fine doing so in terms of safety (so long as you follow the golden rule above), but that doesn’t mean you won’t experience some stickiness or white streaks. Your more sensitive groin area may also not be happy with an ingredient like baking soda. So, if the core problem is odor down there, you can always go with an anti-odor product like Happy Nuts’ Comfort Cream or Comfort Powder. Yes, it leaves skin white, and the cream leaves it chalky, but it will solve the problem for that specific part of your body—and probably better than a stand-alone, all-over deodorant. (They’re great on the feet, too, assuming you’re going to wear socks.)

Other Full-Body Deodorants to Consider

That brings us back to the boom of full-body deos of late. Some brands have had a product or two for a few years now, like Hiki.

But the noticeable change is that the mass-market heavy hitters have entered the chat. Again, that roster includes Dove, SheaMoisture, Old Spice, and Native, as well as Hume Supernatural. They’ve got creams, sticks, and sprays to consider. Of these new ones, I’ve only tried Dove Men+Care’s trio, which smells great, wears light, and doesn’t feel sticky on the skin. (My partner tried them, too; neither of us felt particularly stinky throughout the days, either, even on sweaty gym days. So, that’s a success.)

While these all-over deos land someplace in between body sprays and armpit deodorants, I think this category of products may blend in with the rest of the deodorants in time; to be honest, it’s easy to prevent stink by taking regular showers, wearing clean clothes, and using standard-fare armpit deodorants (and antiperspirants, for those who need it). However, if the stress sweat of the year ahead has you worried about your odor, by all means, keep scrolling to shop below.

Shop Full-Body Deodorants

Dove Men+Care

Whole Body Deo Cream$12 $10

Amazon

HIKI

Deodorant Lotion (Full Body)$16

Amazon

Mando

Whole Body Deodorant Wipes (15 count, 3 packs)$22 $20

Amazon

Old Spice

Gentle Man's Total Body Deodorant Stick$13 $12

Amazon

Lume

Whole Body Deodorant$20

Amazon

Happy Nuts

Comfort Powder Anti-Sweat and Anti-Odor$18

Amazon

Hume Supernatural

All Body Deodorant$18

Amazon

SheaMoisture

Whole Body Deo Invisible Stick$11

Walgreens

Native

Whole Body Deodorant Spray$16 $14

Amazon

Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagram