Secret vs. Native: Which Whole Body Deodorant is Better at Fighting Body Odor?
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Like most people, we love smelling good, but sweat and body odor can sometimes get in the way of that. Sure, we can always throw an extra antiperspirant in our bags for a post-gym refresh or try to mask the odor with perfume, but sometimes we need a bit more help. Enter whole body deodorants, a new category of deodorants that’s cropping up in drugstore aisles. What exactly is a “whole body” deodorant and how is it different from our ol’ standby sticks or sprays? We decided to find out by putting two top brands to the test: Secret vs. Native to find out which one is better at fighting body odor.
Meet the Testers
How We Tested the Secret and Native Whole Body Deodorants
We both tested one deodorant stick and one deodorant spray from each brand for two weeks. During this time, we used each product on any key areas that are prone to body odor (i.e., pits, private areas and under our breasts), and documented our experiences. We also measured each product against the PureWow100 criteria, which includes the overall value, functionality, quality, aesthetics and, in this case, body odor fighting abilities.
Our Secret Whole Body Deodorant Review
CC: I love how the products were gentle and helpful in masking my body odor. The brand claims it can offer 72 hours of freshness and I think it does a pretty good job at sticking to its word. The Peach & Vanilla scent was wonderful without being too overpowering or irritating on my skin. I used the stick deodorant mainly for my pits and appreciated that I didn’t have to reapply it later in the day or worry about smelling. Since it was so gentle, I also applied it underneath my breasts, and it helped tackle some boob sweat. I was also pleasantly surprised that it went on clear, seeing as how it looks like solid in the tube.
Though I much prefer the stick, the spray was nice, too. I was hesitant to use a spray (a fragrant one at that) on my bits. However, it’s gyno-approved, so I felt more at ease about adding some freshness down there as needed. Plus, I recently started being more active outdoors and walking more, and found the spray was easier for freshening up on the go, while still being super gentle on any intimate areas.
DC: If I was already smelling strongly of sweat and body odor, the roll-on deodorant didn’t really mask the scent. It just added fragrance over an already strong smell. If I ended up washing my pits/privates/other areas beforehand and then applying the deodorant, it did the job really well and lasted throughout the duration of wear with occasional reapplication depending on what activities I was doing throughout the day.
Overall, both the stick and the spray did what they were supposed to do and helped mask odor. I didn’t expect them to reduce all my body odor because they’re not antiperspirants. However, they did add a wonderful fragrance to my body care routine so that I didn’t have to worry about smelling during the day. With the caveat of sometimes having to wash my pits before use, I thought both whole body deodorants functioned very well.
Our Native Whole Body Deodorant Review
CC: First off, the scents are amazing throughout the entire line. However, I was curious to try out the unscented version, which worked wonders under my breasts and my inner thighs, but didn’t do much for the odor in my pits. If anything, the formula made it worse, and I felt self-conscious all day. I could practically smell the weird mix of body odor and unscented fragrance. It was definitely not my favorite for the pits, but everywhere else, it gets a solid thumbs up.
Since the unscented version wasn’t my cup of tea, I decided to try out the Cucumber & Mint spray next. I found it masked odor much better, but it didn’t last as long as I would have liked. Also, the spray only worked for the pits and privates; it was slightly irritating under my breasts. I did feel like I had to reapply it later in the day, but I think I was just paranoid that it was going to be the same situation as the roll-on deodorant.
DC: Both types of deodorants helped mask odor. The spray took a bit longer to dry, so it made putting on a bra a bit strange at first because of the moisture. However, the fragrance options were wonderful. I liked that they ranged from sweeter coconut to more of a fresh cucumber mint—especially because I lean toward more gourmand scents. I didn’t have to reapply as often with the Native deodorants and they seemed to last a bit longer for me.
Both deodorants also have a pretty great masking ability. I felt like I didn’t have to apply as often with the Native as I did with the Secret. I felt more comfortable walking around knowing people couldn’t smell me.
What Are the Differences Between Secret vs. Native Whole Body Deodorant?
The brands have a few differences, so let’s take a look based on our criteria.
Which One Do We Prefer?
It’s a tie! We actually had mixed opinions on the Secret and Native collections.
CC: I enjoyed using the Secret spray, but the minty cucumber scent from Native was my go-to for my pits and bits. I found the fragrance to be more pleasant and it worked on masking odor. It was gentle on my sensitive skin, left a lasting scent and I can definitely see myself keeping this one in my collection.
As for the stick deodorant, I chose the Secret one over Native's. It was my favorite product to test out and it still remains in my routine today. It helped mask body odor for the entire day—even when I was doing a sniff test. Simply put, I was smelling GOOD and I didn’t even have to reapply. The Native one just didn’t work as well with my pH and it was a struggle to continue on with testing. I was nervous every time I applied it, so I always switched over to the spray. (I also used the Secret whole body deodorant cream and I’m hooked!)
If I have to pick one winner, I would say it’s Secret's spray and stick. It lasts longer for me and just works better for my sensitive skin.
DC: I preferred the Secret spray because I felt that it dried faster in comparison to the Native spray. I also thought that the fragrance was stronger on the Secret products, so it made me feel more confident in the underboob area—a place where I’m the most insecure about. Plus, the peachy vanilla scent, as well as the fresh lilac and waterlily were delightful.
On the flip side, I preferred the Native stick deodorant because I think it had stronger staying power on my body than Secret’s. I had to apply it less frequently and less product was being used with the Native one. I also liked the subtlety of the scents because I tend to wear strong fragrances and don’t want the deodorant and perfume to compete with each other.
If I had to choose a brand, I would pick Native. I’ve used them a lot in the past and I just like their products overall.
Bottom Line
Did either brand help fight body odor? Absolutely. Do we have a favorite? It’s complicated. But what we do know is whole body deodorant offers a nice addition to our routine, since it can help combat body odor from head to toe. We also found whole body deodorants to be gentler for sensitive skin and sensitive areas in general, given the way they're formulated. Whether we need to refresh after the gym or at work, a whole body deodorant gets the job done in one go.
Deodorant vs Antiperspirant: Are They Actually Different? We Asked a Derm
More Whole Body Deodorants
Lume
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Dove
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Why You Should Trust Us
PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.
