Secret vs. Native: Which Whole Body Deodorant is Better at Fighting Body Odor?

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. 

• Delia Curtis is an assistant editor at PureWow, who is trying whole body deodorant for the first time. Their goal is to reduce their excessive body odor and sweat, especially since they’re working out more frequently. They rely heavily on reapplying deodorant throughout the day, which is an overall pain point in their life. 
• Chelsea Candelario is an associate editor at PureWow, who often tests the latest beauty and wellness products. She is looking for a whole body deodorant that can mask her body odor and combat boob/thigh sweat. She doesn’t necessarily need to use deodorant throughout the day but would love a product just in case she needs a pick-me-up. 

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. 

The brands have a few differences, so let’s take a look based on our criteria.

• Value: Both brands average around the same price of $13 for the stick and spray respectively. We both agree that the value is worth it based on it being for the whole body. 
• Functionality: Both products were durable, easy to use and provided a clear finish on our skin. We also appreciate the duality of using the spray or stick for certain areas of our bodies.
• Quality: Both brands are dermatologist-tested, though Secret is also gynecologist-approved. Both are free of parabens, aluminum and baking soda. They also have similar ingredients such as capric triglyceride (an emollient derived from coconut oil and glycerin), ozokerite (a wax derived from petroleum and minerals) and shea butter. 
• Aesthetics: Secret’s collection comes with a stick, spray and cream. It’s available in three scents: Lilac & Waterlily, Peach & Vanilla Blossom and an unscented option. We liked that each product displayed small visual instructions on where to apply it. Meanwhile, Native’s collection comes with a stick and spray with four scents: Coconut & Vanilla, Cucumber & Mint, Lilac & White Tea and an unscented option. They also offered information on the back (sans visuals) on how and where to apply. 

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. 

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.