I tested Dove’s new antiperspirant serum to see if it worked better than regular deodorant

As a beauty writer, I’m regularly experimenting with new products from head to toe. For some beauty categories, like makeup, I’m always looking for the next best thing. However, I’m a bit pickier when it comes to personal hygiene products such as antiperspirant and deodorant.

Generally speaking, I’ve had the same brands of deodorant in rotation for years, including Dove. When it comes to formulas, my preferences are sticks and dry sprays, mainly because wetness in a deodorant makes me cringe. While I was excited about a Dove’s new Dry Serum Antiperspirant, I was also skeptical because “serum” makes me think of a watery substance. This may sound dramatic, but the very thought of anything wet touching my underarms makes me want to scream from the highest mountain.

Still, I was open to trying the Dove Dry Serum because it’s both an antiperspirant and a deodorant. Many people use the two terms interchangeably, but they are not the same. For clarification, an antiperspirant controls sweat, while a deodorant controls odor. I’m happy Dove is covering all bases with this launch. In regards to texture, I find this serum is a happy medium between a stick deodorant and a roll-on. It’s also an added bonus that the product moisturizes your underarms. Personally, mine never feel soft, so I was interested to see how this serum could help. After all, I don’t ever moisturize my underarms (nor do I know anyone who does).

Dove sent me its new dry serum antiperspirant to try.

$10.99

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The serum is available in three scents: Powder Fresh, Jasmine Touch, and Rose Silk. As with most Dove products that I’ve tried, the serum smells absolutely amazing. The formula also includes some of Dove’s famous 1/4 moisturizer. If you have rough/dry underarms, you’ll truly appreciate this. Dove also claims that the serum will protect you against sweat and odor for up to 48 hours. Though I don’t plan to go a day without applying deodorant, it’s nice to know you have a little wiggle room, just in case.

My initial impression of the deodorant serum was it felt silky af.

I expected the Dove deodorant serum to have a wet feeling, but it doesn’t at all. In fact, it reminds me of a velvety face primer. The product smoothes over skin and absorbs rather quickly. It feels like nothing once it’s on.

Here is how the serum dispenses:

The word serum immediately made me think of a dropper or pump. However, this Dove dry serum deodorant, twists (like a stick deodorant) and dispenses the product at the top. Though the product is dispensed from a small opening, when you apply it to your underarms in a circular motion it disperses rather nicely. The stick is a bit curved to fit under your arm perfectly.

My final thoughts on the Dove Deodorant Serum:

To be completely honest, I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this deodorant serum as much as I did. Also, my underarms feel incredibly smooth since I’ve been using it (about three weeks now). At this rate, my underarms will be silky smooth by the time spring officially rolls around. Usually, I have to scrub my underarms intensely to get rid of traces of worn-away deodorant. However, with the Dove dry serum, I don’t have to put in as much effort. The serum is so lightweight that it washes away easily—it’s a small detail, but I truly appreciate it. Some days, I even forget that I’ve put on deodorant because my underarms feel so bare (in a good way). But that’s nothing that a quick smell check can’t solve.

To be completely candid, I don’t shave my underarms often in the winter and it usually causes me to sweat more under all of my layers. One of the first things I noticed when I started using the Dove dry serum was its ability to control sweat without using a ton of product. When I apply traditional stick deodorant, I use a lot and still end up sweaty and with a slight odor under my arms by the end of the day. The fact that I can apply deodorant at night and head off to the gym in the morning still smelling fresh is quite impressive, to say the least. I would like to formally request that Dove makes this serum in its popular Cucumber and Green Tea scent so I can fall in love with it even more.

At around $11, the price is a bit more than what I typically pay for deodorant, but I think it’s worth it. You don’t need to use a lot and I like that my underarms are getting a skin treatment while fighting the funk.