Keep Your Crown Jewels Fresh With These Expert-Backed Ball Deodorants

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ANY MAN CAN tell you that the groin area can get a little funky, especially when you start factoring in intense workouts, high heat indexes and, well, just daily life. It’s one of those places on the body that tends to get sweaty quickly and with that sweat comes odor. “It is already a warm and often moist environment that is friendly to bacteria and yeast,” says dermatologist Robert Finney, MD, founder of Soho Skin and Hair Restoration in New York City. “Overgrowth of both can contribute to odor.” Even though sweat and odor down there is a fact of life, it doesn’t mean that you have to just accept it. To help control both, ball deodorants are one of your most effective solutions.

Best Ball Deodorants

“Deodorants are designed to neutralize body odor,” says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research, Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City. Completely separate from antiperspirants, which use aluminum to stop sweating, deodorants “are aluminum-free products that contain a variety of different ingredients to mask odor and lower levels of bacteria on the skin that break down sweat causing a foul smell,” he adds.

Many deodorants these days are formulated to be safe to use on all parts of your body and some are even designed specifically for your groin. Using one can help keep your balls feeling (and smelling) fresher, cleaner and more comfortable throughout the day.

“Anyone who has odor they are concerned about” can benefit from a ball deodorant, says Dr. Finney, who advises applying it in the morning and letting it dry before getting dressed. Whether you use a spray, lotion or stick, a ball deodorant should go to work immediately and keep you fresh all day.

What To Consider

We road-tested dozens of whole-body and ball-specific deodorants to find the very best and freshest on the shelves. To narrow down the best option for you, here's what to keep in mind.

Ingredients

In a deodorant, you’ll want to look for two main things: odor-fighting ingredients and moisture-absorbing ingredients. On the odor-fighting front, this could be anything from zinc neodecanoate, magnesium hydroxide, plant starches and some pre or probiotics.

Other ingredients like arrowroot powder, tapioca starch and baking soda will also help absorb moisture (if you have sensitive skin, avoid baking soda since it can cause skin irritation). You’ll also want to stay away from talc, which has been linked to certain types of cancer. In addition to those, Dr. Finney says to look for natural ingredients that benefit your skin like vitamin E and aloe vera.

Format

Deodorants come in a variety of formats like sticks, lotions, balms and sprays. Which form you choose is more of a personal choice. Sprays are often easier to use and don’t require you to rub them in, unlike creams and lotions, but if you get irritation from chafing, you may want to avoid them, says Dr. Finney, since they will “not be as helpful [at minimizing chafing] as a cream.”

Scent

Of course, a big part of deodorant is odor control and along with that comes the scent. Many deodorants use scent to bolster any odor-controlling ingredients and help keep areas fresh and smelling good. What scent you choose, naturally, is a personal preference and you should always pick a deodorant with a scent you like. If you have very sensitive skin, fragrance may cause some irritation, so consider a fragrance-free option.

Size

Does size matter? It can! Of course, the size of a deodorant is going to depend on the format and how much you’re required to use, but if you’re going to use a ball deodorant often (like every day) considering cost per use may be important since you’ll be replenishing it fairly often. Opting for a larger size may be a good idea.

How We Selected

In addition to the input of expert dermatologists Dr. Zeichner and Dr. Finney, we road-tested as many total body and ball-specific deodorants we could get our hands on (and there are more out there than you’d expect). We tested them for odor control, sweat control, ease of use, longevity, scent and more to find the very best on the market.

Whole Body Deo Spray

Sure, you can use this whole body deodorant anywhere on your body (it’s specifically designed and tested for anywhere below the neck), but we found that it really shines when you use it on areas like your groin, that can get not just smelly but sweaty too. Even though it’s not an antiperspirant, it’s still adept at helping control moisture the entire day and helped keep our crotch feeling fresh even in the height of summer heat. There aren’t any cooling ingredients in the formula per se, but the spray format does have a cooling effect that feels refreshing when you spray it on.

Where it really gets top marks, however, is in the odor control department. Not only is the aloe and bamboo scent fresh and clean smelling, without that overly synthetic vibe that you get from many deodorants, but it also contains zinc neodecanoate, which does double duty by both trapping existing odor and getting rid of it and forming a protective barrier that helps prevent more odor from forming later on. We found that even after the initial scent wore off, this deodorant kept our bits smelling way fresher for the entire day than many other deodorants we tried, especially if we didn’t use one down there at all.

Also included in the formula are niacinamide and vitamin E, which help to soothe skin and minimize irritation. Compared to other deodorants, especially powders, our skin never felt dry after using this spray. Instead, it felt moisturized and clean. Plus, we love the spray format for areas like our groin, since it provides great coverage without the need to use your hands to rub it in. Just a few sprays and you’re good to go. It’s so easy to use and effective, that this innovative spray earned a permanent spot in our morning routine and we even keep an extra bottle in our gym bags for additional touch-ups after a hard workout, though it’s effective enough that you probably won’t need it. But it’s so good that you’ll want to use it anyway.

Read More: Best Deodorants for Men

All Body Deodorant

The word “natural” gets thrown around quite a lot these days, especially when it comes to deodorant. Well, this one actually is natural. With ingredients moringa seed oil and oat kernel flour, this baking soda-free deodorant controls odor for hours–longer than almost any other natural deodorant we’ve tried, especially on our groin. Part of the secret is the prebiotics in the formula, which help to balance your skin’s microbiome, which can contribute to body odor when it’s out of balance. It’s specifically designed to use on all parts of the body and the balm-lotion texture is easy to apply and rub in without much residue left behind. It’s not a powder finish like some others we tried, but the final texture isn’t greasy either.

It’s smart that Hume made this into a balm rather than a stick because the balm is super easy to apply, even though you still need to use your hands. A little tiny bit goes a long way and spreads easily over skin, even if there is hair. We have to say, we prefer more of a dry finish to this sort of product, but the finish isn’t goopy or greasy. The scent is pleasant and fresh and helps to control odor without being super overpowering. We also like that there is a fragrance-free version that works just as well. Out of all of the natural deodorants we tried, this one stood up best against more traditional deodorants in terms of both sweat and odor control and really, that’s what you want in a natural product.

Gentle Man's Total Body Deodorant

This odor-squashing stick is billed as an all-over deodorant but, let’s get real, besides your pits, what do you most often want to deodorize? If you’re like us, it’s definitely your groin. And since this deodorant is specifically formulated for all parts of your body, you don’t have to worry about possible irritation on your balls or thighs. The deodorant is soothing and moisturizing on your skin thanks to the coconut oil and shea butter in the formula and glides over your skin smoothly. We especially love that it can double as an anti-chafe stick for areas that tend to rub, like your thighs.

While it’s not an antiperspirant, it does help control sweat with the help of tapioca starch and its odor control is bolstered by the rich, warm vanilla and shea scent that lasts for hours. We will say, in our testing, this scent was one of the nicest we tried and it really does stick around. On the other hand, the stick format can be tricky to apply to your actual balls, but it’s great if you’re applying it around the area like your inner thighs. It’s bonus that it helps prevent chafing, too. In fact, we found that we used this most often as an anti-chafing product that just happened to deodorize.

Ball Spray

If you’re anything like us, you may use a ball deodorant regularly (we reach for ours pretty much every day, especially in the summer), so finding one that fits your budget can be a top priority. But, you know, you also want one that actually works. This deodorizing spray from Dollar Shave Club is exactly that. It comes in a multipack, which we always love, and you can even set up a subscription so that you never run out (or have to remember to reorder). But more important than that, this stuff really works. It has a slight cooling sensation and minty scent and is packed with arrowroot powder and tapioca starch to help absorb sweat and thus curb odor. There’s also aloe in the formula to help soothe and calm skin, which can be important when we’re talking about an area prone to chafing.

Sprays are one of our preferred formats when it comes to body products like ball deodorants because they’re just so darn easy to use–and this one is no exception. A few sprays is all you need for all day odor and sweat protection, but we like how it feels so much we often spray a few more times after a workout or if we’re heading out straight from the office. It’s great as a little refresher even if all you’ve done is sit at your desk all day (which, let’s get real, can be almost as sweaty as a workout).

Powder

Sometimes you have to pull out the big guns and in the case of ball deodorants, that often means a powder. We generally prefer easier-to-apply formats, but you can’t argue with the effectiveness of a good powder. In this case, that comes from the combination of corn and tapioca starches that work overtime to absorb moisture as it develops. And we all know, half of the battle of odor control is soaking up moisture. This powder also addresses odor control with carbon and silver in the formula, the latter of which is an antimicrobial that helps stop odor-causing bacteria. Add in some soothing aloe and cooling menthol and you have a superpowered deodorizer.

We meant it when we said we typically prefer other formats to powders, but once we put this one to the test, we couldn’t deny how well it works. Not only does the cooling factor go a long way to help make your groin feel fresher, it actually lasts a fairly long time rather than just giving you a burst of cool at the first application. In terms of deodorizing and sweat-absorbing power, this powder was at the top of the list. The corn and tapioca starch combo is key here and we venture to guess the silver makes a big difference for odor control. Whatever it is, it works–and keeps working all day.

Ball Barrier Dry Lotion

One of the reasons we love this ball-specific deodorant is the texture. It rubs on like a lotion and smooths over your skin with ease, while drying to a light, powdery finish that keeps your groin dry for hours on end. It’s all thanks to the arrowroot powder and tapioca starch that are behind the moisture-absorbing power. But really, what makes this deodorant so powerful is the odor control. It’s really thanks to the scent, which if you’re familiar with Dr. Squatch’s other products, is one of their most popular. The woody scent is perfect for your nether regions and strong enough to effectively control odor all day long.

Honestly, we tend to prefer fresher scents in our deodorants, but once we tried this one, it made us question our preference. The scent is masculine and woodsy and smells more like a fancy soap than your classic deodorant. It’s really the secret behind the odor control with this deodorant. Yes, there are odor controlling ingredients in the formula, but the scent of this one takes it even further and really extends the longevity of this one. Applying just a little bit in the morning kept us feeling and smelling fresh all day long without the need to reapply, even in the height of summer.

Talc-Free Body Powder Spray

Chances are you know Gold Bond already–it’s a classic solution for undercarriage sweat, odor and chafing and there’s a reason it’s been around for years: it really works. However, the classic powder is super messy to apply (remember those clouds of powder in the locker room?) and can get everywhere. Luckily, Gold Bond has entered the 21st century by offering the same sweat and odor protection as the original powder in a spray form that is infinitely easier to apply. With the spray you can target the exact areas you want to cover and apply it hands-free.

The formula has been updated, too. Instead of talc, it now contains a combination of corn and tapioca starchs that help to absorb moisture and keep your undercarriage dry. There’s also zinc oxide and aloe in the formula, which helps to soothe irritation and keep your skin calm. Keep in mind that the fragrance is strong, so if you have very sensitive skin you may want to approach with caution, but we found in our testing that the soothing qualities of this spray were very effective at keeping irritation at bay. Plus, compared to the powder, this application is way easier. So easy, in fact, it’s our preferred format. In terms of longevity and moisture control, we give this one top marks as well.

Meet the Experts

• Dr. Robert Finney, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Soho Skin and Hair Restoration in New York City

• Dr. Joshua Zeichner MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. He is the associate professor and the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital.

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