Is there a necessity for gender-specific deodorants?

During challenging times, individuals often make sacrifices to cover essential expenses like housing and food. Imagine being on a tight budget but still willing to spend a few dollars on deodorant. This decision is understandable, as deodorant ads often highlight the social consequences of neglecting personal hygiene. These commercials depict men struggling with white stains on their shirts and women hesitating to raise their arms at weddings, fearing odor-related embarrassment.

Standing in the deodorant aisle, you aim to find an affordable yet effective product. Your attention is drawn to sale tags, but the discounted options are marketed for the opposite gender. As a man, do you invest in a pricier male-targeted deodorant, or opt for one designed for women?

The team at CBC's "Street Cents" tackled this dilemma and discovered notable price differences between men's and women's deodorants. Interestingly, for a specific brand, the active ingredient in both versions was identical in type and quantity [source: CBC]. This implies that the additional cost is primarily for fragrance and gender-specific packaging. While fragrances may vary based on cultural norms and preferences (e.g., lavender for women and leather for men), the core ingredients remain unchanged. As "Street Cents" concluded, using a deodorant intended for the opposite gender to save money is entirely reasonable.

Men might not even need a bargain to consider using their partners' deodorants. According to a 2007 Forbes report, 70% of men use antiperspirant or deodorant, with 5% of them opting for products designed for women [source: Rovzar]. This raises the question: why are deodorants marketed separately for men and women in the first place?

Selling Men and Women Different Deodorants

Manufacturers produce gender-specific deodorants primarily to increase profits. There's no inherent difference in strength or effectiveness between men's and women's deodorants. In the early 1990s, unisex deodorants comprised about one-third of the market, but today, they represent only 10% of sales [source: Howard]. Consumers are more inclined to purchase products they believe are tailored specifically for them, which also explains the rise of deodorants marketed toward teenagers.

However, men and women do have distinct preferences when it comes to deodorants. For instance, roll-on deodorants, inspired by ballpoint pens, gained popularity in the 1950s but were less favored by men due to underarm hair getting caught in the applicators. Men typically prefer solid sticks or gels [source: Ramirez]. Offering a wider range of scents is beneficial, as men and women may perceive body odor differently.

Contrary to popular belief, men don't inherently smell stronger than women, but masking their body odor can be more challenging. A 2009 study by the Monell Chemical Senses Center revealed that women are more sensitive to the scent of underarm sweat than men [source: Wilbert]. When researchers tested sweat mixed with perfume, women could still detect the body odor. Only nine fragrance chemicals effectively masked male sweat, compared to 25 needed for female sweat [source: Monell Chemical Senses Center].

Researchers suggest that women's heightened sensitivity to male odors may stem from their ability to detect mating-related information. Women might be able to sense when a man has different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes, which studies show influence sexual attraction, marital satisfaction, and reproductive success [sources: Kaplan; Bryner]. If a woman frequently suggests her partner switch deodorants, it might not be the product that needs changing—it could be the man.