Antiperspirants for men performed poorly in a joint test by Austria’s VKI consumer association and Germany’s Stiftung Warentest: only two of 13 products earned a “good” rating. Most were downgraded due to potentially harmful ingredients. None received “very good”; seven were “average,” and four “poor.”

Antiperspirants—also called antitranspirants—claim to protect against odor and wetness for 24–96 hours by using aluminum salts to temporarily constrict sweat glands. “We’d have been satisfied if they lasted at least one full day,” the testers said.

Rexona Men’s stick and DM’s Balea roll-on were the only products to block sweat very effectively and control odor reliably. They scored only “average” overall because of potentially eco-damaging ingredients.

Seven other antiperspirants contained “environmentally critical” substances—some non- or hard-to-biodegrade, such as silicone D5, already banned in rinse-off cosmetics and set for a 2027 ban in leave-on products. “Even if still legal, these ingredients are a no-go,” VKI stressed.

Five products contained possible hormone-disrupting chemicals known as endocrine disruptors; such products cannot rate above “average,” the report says.

Test Winners and Method
Top scorers were DM’s Seinz aerosol and Lidl’s Cien Men aerosol—they neutralized odor without eco-critical substances but only averaged at reducing sweat volume. Testers applied products, waited 24 hours, then endured two 20-minute sessions at 38 °C and 35 % humidity with cotton pads under the arms.

Aluminum Salts Debate
Aluminum salts in antiperspirants raised health concerns over bioaccumulation. However, Europe’s Cosmetics Europe, Germany’s BfR, and the EU’s SCCS agree that regular use poses very low risk, and skin-applied aluminum contributes far less than dietary sources.