I have only myself to blame. Nobody made me buy this deodorant, Secret Platinum Invisible Solid in Vanilla Chai. But some perverse curiosity made me reach for it, put it in my cart and then actually use it. The result, learning that I really don't want my underarms to smell like pudding, was predictable.
While I adore many gourmand fragrances, this is no Serge Lutens. And certain body part should never omit this kind of scent. Or any scent, actually. What I want from my antiperspirant is that it would ensure that neither I, nor anyone else in proximity, would smell anything that comes from my underarm. Instead, what I get from this product is a strong artificial pudding odor. It actually has a sillage, which I can't even begin to tell you how wrong it is. It's so strong that it competes and clashes with my perfume of the day. I also made the brave (but gravely wrong) experiment of wearing it while working out. Use your imagination.
That said, while this Vanilla Chai thing is clearly not for me, I can see how it can be a hit at middle schools across the nation. It blocks BO, stains clothes no more and no less than any other deodorant and lasts all day. But I'm back to using my favorite, a masculine one, Gillette X3 in Storm Force, which is effective, smells faintly of cedar when applied but can't be detected unless your nose is firmly stuck under my arm.
I buy my deodorants at Target, but they are available everywhere under the sun for less than $5.
While I adore many gourmand fragrances, this is no Serge Lutens. And certain body part should never omit this kind of scent. Or any scent, actually. What I want from my antiperspirant is that it would ensure that neither I, nor anyone else in proximity, would smell anything that comes from my underarm. Instead, what I get from this product is a strong artificial pudding odor. It actually has a sillage, which I can't even begin to tell you how wrong it is. It's so strong that it competes and clashes with my perfume of the day. I also made the brave (but gravely wrong) experiment of wearing it while working out. Use your imagination.
That said, while this Vanilla Chai thing is clearly not for me, I can see how it can be a hit at middle schools across the nation. It blocks BO, stains clothes no more and no less than any other deodorant and lasts all day. But I'm back to using my favorite, a masculine one, Gillette X3 in Storm Force, which is effective, smells faintly of cedar when applied but can't be detected unless your nose is firmly stuck under my arm.
I buy my deodorants at Target, but they are available everywhere under the sun for less than $5.
Oh dear! Thank you for being brave and perverse -- this post is hilarious. I like chai (and, to a certain degree, pudding), but "pudding armpits" does not sound like something I want. At all.
ReplyDeleteOh I can imagine how 'off' it must have smelled! I love drinking starbucks chai tea lattes but sweaty chai...ouch! Glad to know that I'm not the only one who get myself into these type of situtions!
ReplyDeletex, Grayburn
I wish that I had read this about a week ago. I've been stuck with this horrible pudding smell since I, too, decided that this chai business was a good idea. What a mistake. I'm going back to Arm and Hammer - manly or not.
ReplyDeletebut which one smells of nothing?
ReplyDeleteJeanne- Indeed, Pudding armpits are not nearly as desirable would hope ;)
ReplyDeleteGrayburn- I love chai the drink and also chai in perfume (Kenzo Elephant, dubbed by Chaya as "the big chai"). Just not in my pits..
ReplyDeleteBailey- I know. It looked like a good idea at the time, but.. Ugh. I'm with you on the manly deodorants. So much better.
ReplyDeleteTom- For some reason, deodorant makers are more into "smells like teen spirit" than smells of nothing.
ReplyDeleteQuite an amusing review. I wonder how the chai product would work on those with underarm odor problems to begin with. Nonetheless, if you have problems of that sort you can't trust just any other brand of deo. There are herbal body deodorizers that won't mask bad odors (like regular deos); to instead support sweat glands and liver functions which could trigger excessive underarm sweating and body odor as well.
ReplyDeleteYou should not have been wearing perfume when you used Secret, it is it's own perfume. Next time try it without the perfume and you might not find it as nauseating as you did. It might have been the combination of smells that made you feel disgusted. I like the whole line of scented antiperspirants, especially Jasime Orient. Anyway, to ach their own.
ReplyDelete