An antiperspirant blocks sweating, usually with aluminium salts. A deodorant does not – it addresses the smell, which comes from bacteria rather than from sweat itself. Nothing here will stop you sweating.
That is the single most important thing to know, because people switch expecting an antiperspirant and conclude the product has failed. It has not; it is doing a different job.
The crystal is mineral salts, applied to damp skin, and it works by making the surface inhospitable to the bacteria that cause odour. A single 90g stick lasts an extraordinarily long time, which makes it cheap per use despite the sticker price.
Wet the stick or apply to damp skin straight out of the shower – used dry it simply will not transfer. That is the commonest reason people think it does not work.
Give it a couple of weeks. Coming off an antiperspirant, many people go through a period of sweating more before things settle, and abandoning it after three days is judging it at the worst possible moment.
Weleda's sprays and roll-ons are the gentler, more conventional feel if the crystal does not suit you. If skin becomes genuinely sore, stop and speak to a pharmacist.
FAQ
Will these stop me sweating?
No. These are deodorants, not antiperspirants – they address odour rather than sweating itself.
How do I use a crystal deodorant?
Wet the stick, or apply to damp skin after a shower. Used on dry skin it will not transfer, which is why people think it has failed.
How long does switching take?
Give it a couple of weeks. Many people sweat more for a short period after stopping an antiperspirant before it settles.
Are these aluminium free?
Yes, the range here is. The crystal is mineral salts, which is a different thing from the aluminium compounds used in antiperspirants.
