Nécessaire's Extra-Strength Deodorant Outlasts an Editor's Sweatiest Test: Fashion Week
It's officially my plus-one for every show.
Before boarding my 3,483-mile flight to cover Copenhagen Fashion Week for Marie Claire this weekend, I triple-checked my Tibi x L.L.Bean carry-on for three essentials. First, my lip and face masks (for beauty sleep); second, my Kindle (to tear through this year's best fantasy books when I couldn't actually sleep); and third, Nécessaire's new deodorant (for ensuring I stayed fresh once my feet hit the ground). That final packing list item had only been in my routine for a matter of days, but it had already earned plus-one status for my week of runways and designer interviews.
Nécessaire's entire lineup of hair, body, and skincare prides itself on "responsible luxury": formulas that look and smell like a rich-girl perfume or shampoo, but with granola, B-Corp-certified ingredients. The brand's new deodorant, released for $22 a tube at Sephora, Amazon, and its online boutique, promised to bring the same standards to the underarms department. Out with potentially harmful baking soda, aluminum, and parabens; in with gentle mandelic acid and odor-controlling vitamins B3 and B5. Plus, packaging that's sleek and minimal enough to pair with a Scandi-chic bag—not that I would need to carry it in my purse. With its promised 72-hour odor control, I could, supposedly, swipe it on once and be set for days (plural).
Nécessaire today released four new deodorants, each formulated with mandelic acid—an ingredient that smoothes and soothes sensitive skin.
The Nécessaire deodorant landed on my desk with a handful of days until my busiest season of the year. So I put it to the test before packing it in my suitcase, swapping out the run-of-the-mill drugstore deodorant I normally wear with Necessaire's for both workday morning and pre-workout application. (I'm a marathon runner; I sweat a lot even when I'm standing still, and I usually can't make it 24 hours on one roll.)
I started each day with two swipes of the Eucalyptus-scented version under both arms. The aroma is day-spa strong: It's calming and bright, but overpowering enough that I decided to skip a few wrist taps of my favorite fragrance.
The deodorant comes in a solid block that liquifies when it hits the skin. It's quick-drying and doesn't leave any residue in the immediate aftermath. I'll have to admit that there was a bit of a tingling sensation when I wore it post-shave, too. While the ingredients are supposed to be skin-sensitive, they caused slight irritation on day one. But most importantly, for my purposes, it stays put.
My travel accomplices for Copenhagen Fashion Week this season: Crown Affair dry shampoo, Tatcha rice polish, and Nécessaire's deodorant.
The deodorant's fragrance slightly lost strength by the end of each work-week day packed with meetings, deadlines, and more meetings. But there wasn't body odor in its place. What came out of the tube with the force of a Macy's perfume counter spritz eventually settled into a lighter, natural-but-better scent. I checked the insides of my winter sweaters when I changed into pajamas to see if any sunflower wax got left behind. Aside from slight marks on a dark cashmere sweater, it played nicely with my knitwear and T-shirts. That was enough for me to ditch the dubiously formulated deodorants from my nearest CVS for something that felt (and looked) more luxurious.
My cashmere Reformation sweater after wearing Nécessaire's deodorant for a 10-hour work day. There was a tiny hint of residue in the armpit region—but nothing like the transfer from my moisturizer along the neckline.
Cut to the present: I made it through my first two days back on the runway grind with clean sleeves—even when some last-minute deadlines and between-show traffic sent my cortisol spiking. Still, no one at fashion week seemed to guess I was breaking a sweat.
Shop Nécessaire's Entire Deodorant Line
For all the protection and none of the strong scent, look here. Nécessaire's fragrance-free deodorant is packed with all the same soothing, sweat-resisting ingredients as its others while staying much more discreet. (At least, that's what more than 100 five-star reviewers on Sephora say—I haven't tested this one myself.)
In the mood for a new luxury perfume? This deodorant could replace a bottle of Byredo or Bottega Veneta, with extra benefits. It blends sandalwood oil and notes of black pepper for a romantic, woodsy scent.
This one's for the Nécessaire super fans. Its so-called signature scent—a mix of olibanum oil with fig leaf and cassis buds—gets an active, sweat-proof upgrade that perfectly matches its best-selling body wash and lotion.
