Ever notice how many products it apparently takes?
Body wash, then the 'clinical strength' deodorant, then something to sort out what the deodorant did to your underarms, then a fragrance to cover the fragrance. Every bottle promises a transformation. Most are plastic, and most of the smell is 'parfum', a word that means we're not telling you.
I'm Chara. I'm over 40 and my skin's changed. I don't want transforming. I want to get clean, smell better and get on with the day.
It turns out that's two things, not seven.
Two things, in the right order.
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Soap first.
Cold-process soap, so the glycerin stays in. It cleans without stripping, which matters more as skin gets less forgiving. A bar lasts about four weeks.
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Then deodorant.
No aluminium, so nothing's blocked. It stops the smell, not the sweat, and it's gentle on underarms that have had a hard time from the 'clinical' stuff. A stick lasts two to three months.
Sweat doesn't smell. Bacteria do.
Sweat is mostly water. The smell is bacteria breaking it down. So the job is to deal with what's already there, and stop the rest building up.
Soap does the first bit, if it's real soap. Body wash is mostly synthetic detergent with parfum added. Ours is cold-process, so it keeps its glycerin and your skin doesn't feel tight afterwards.
Deodorant does the second bit. Ours has no aluminium, so it isn't an antiperspirant. You'll still sweat, which your body is meant to do. It just won't smell. If you're coming off an antiperspirant, give it a week or two to settle.
No serum, no primer, no 'underarm care routine'. Two things.
How long do you want to be sorted?
The Essentials Set is two soaps and a deodorant: two months, no gap, free delivery. £34, which works out at £4.25 a week. About a flat white.
Out Out is floral but grown-up, for evenings or for making a Tuesday feel like one. Day Trip is bright citrus, for daytime, outdoors and getting on with it.
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Day Trip Essentials Set - two soaps, one deodorant. Two months.
Regular price £34.00Regular price -
Out Out Essentials Set - two soaps, one deodorant. Two months.
Regular price £34.00Regular price
The honest bit.
Made in small batches in the UK by people who've been making soaps and deodorants far longer than we've been selling it.
No plastic: the soap comes in a cardboard carton and the deodorant in a cardboard tube. No SLS, no parabens, no parfum. Vegan, and not tested on animals.
If it doesn't suit you, tell me. I'd rather know.
Questions women actually ask:
Will it stop me sweating?
No. Nothing here blocks anything. It stops the smell, which is the bit you'd notice.
Is it strong enough?
It's a deodorant, not an antiperspirant, so strength means how well it deals with the bacteria that cause the smell. If you've used a heavy-duty antiperspirant for years, allow a week or two for your body to adjust.
Isn't bar soap drying?
Cheap soap can be. Commercial soap makers strip the glycerin out to sell separately, which is what leaves a bargain bar feeling tight and chalky. Ours is cold-process and keeps its glycerin in. Body wash usually isn't soap at all. It's a synthetic detergent base, with foam and fragrance doing the rest.
How long does it last?
Soap: about four weeks, used daily. Deodorant: two to three months. That's why the Essentials Set is two soaps and one deodorant. The soap runs out first.
Can I just buy the deodorant?
Yes. It's half a routine though. Soap deals with what's already on your skin, and deodorant stops the rest building through the day. That's why the pairs exist.
Which scent should I pick?
Out Out is floral but grown-up, and suits evenings. Day Trip is bright citrus, and suits daytime. If you can't decide, go with the time of day you'll use it most.
What's in it?
Plant oils, essential oils and not much else. No aluminium, SLS, parabens or parfum. Full ingredients are on each product page.
Sorting the whole house?
There's Smelly Men for the man in your life, and Teen Spirit for a boy who's just started to smell.