July 18, 2023, 7:27 PM UTC

The summer sweat struggle is real. Especially right now, as temperatures reach all-time highs, it seems like just the thought of stepping outside already has us perspiring. And for many of us, when it comes to preventing the dreaded pit stains and odor, the first line of defense is an antiperspirant.

But if you're the kind of person who feels like they sweat more than the average individual, you know that not every formula is going to cut it. Four members of the Shop TODAY team, who all self-identify as "sweaty girls," were recently talking about how hard it is to find an antiperspirant that actually helps cut down on sweat, when the brand Carpe entered the conversation.

A few of us had seen ads for the company's total-body sweating solutions popping up on our TikTok pages, and I even had a friend who recommended it to me. One dermatologist that we previously spoke to also shared that the brand has an excellent line of antiperspirants that target hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), and the lotion in particular is a great choice. It contains aluminum salts, which our expert noted help to manage sweating.

When the brand sent us its most popular formula, an underarm antiperspirant, we asked four of our sweatiest editors to try it and see if it actually holds up to its claim of "maximum effectiveness" in preventing sweating — even on the hottest days of the season. Here's what we thought.

Carpe Underarm Antiperspirant and Deodorant

Slide 1 of 4

Underarm Antiperspirant and Deodorant

$19.95

$22.95

$19.95

Dani Musacchio

"I sweat a lot, like a lot — and I have a bunch of sad, stained white shirts sitting in the back of my closet to prove it. I’ve tried tons of deodorant brands, including men’s, but haven’t remained loyal to one because they all just worked pretty meh for me. The one deodorant I found that combatted my sweat very well left me with such bad irritation that I quickly ditched it. That’s why I had to see if Carpe deodorant lived up to its claim that it can combat excessive sweating — without any irritation.

"Carpe deodorant applies like a white lotion. Since I typically use solid deodorants, this new texture took some getting used to. I learned that a little goes a long way— applying too much can leave your pits feeling a little sticky and can transfer onto your clothing. A small twist should give you just enough product. I also recommend that you let your pits dry for a minute or so before putting on clothes to avoid any transfer.

"After using this product for over two months, I can say that this is the only deodorant that has actually combatted my sweat without any irritation whatsoever. While it doesn’t stop me from sweating completely, I experience way fewer embarrassing pit stains and haven’t had to ask my friends for a 'pit check' in a long time (you’re welcome, friends!). My favorite scent is Sandalwood, but the Powder and Coconut Vanilla scents that I tried also smell great and are not too overpowering.

"At $20 a bottle, this is a bit pricier than other deodorants I’ve bought, but I will absolutely be purchasing more Carpe once I run out. For me, $20 is worth it if it means that I could avoid ruining more clothing and smelling stinky."

Audrey Ekman, production associate

"I've tried the gamut of products designed to keep pit stains at bay. At the risk of oversharing, from 48-hour, extra-strength deodorant to overnight antiperspirant wipes, nothing has ever truly stopped me from sweating under my arms. That’s why I was skeptical when I heard about Carpe’s claims of totally dry underarms. The consistency took some getting used to, but once I got the hang of application, this stuff actually really impressed me. As long as I let it dry completely (sometimes with the help of a fan or standing in front of my AC unit), this delivered on its promise of keeping me sweat-free all day. Odor isn't as much of an issue for me as just sheer sweat, but I loved the scent of the mountain breeze one — not so much the so-called 'unscented' one, which I found had an almost medicinal smell and mysteriously oozed out from the top on its own when I wasn't using it."

Emma Stessman

"No matter what I'm doing, whether I'm going for a walk or sitting at my desk at work, odds are, I'm sweating. And I've tried plenty of different products, from prescription-strength deodorants to ones designed for men, to try and help cut down on some of that perspiration. And I honestly say that none have worked as well as this formula from Carpe.

"I've been using it consistently for a couple of months now and have noticed a big difference in how much my armpits sweat. It doesn't necessarily stop me from sweating altogether — I truly think that would require some sort of medical intervention — but it has seriously helped cut down on the amount of sweat under my armpits. Meaning, fewer sweat stains. Big win!

"During the last couple of months, I've really put the deodorant to the test, too. I'm in the process of training for a marathon, and as someone who hates running long distances on the treadmill, I've recently had quite a few days where I've been running outside in the 85+ degree Fahrenheit heat. And while there's no question that I've still been profusely sweating, I've noticed that my armpits stay much drier than the rest of my body.

"I will say, I felt like it got more effective the more I used it (the brand says for best results, you should use it consistently for four weeks). The one thing I didn't love about it was the application process. It took a while to figure out how much to use, and sometimes it would dispense more than I wanted, so it would go on goopy. But for the impressive results, I'm happy to deal with that."

Fran Sales

"I'm now a natural deodorant girl, meaning I've grown to accept sweating as a constant in my life and instead focus on just minimizing odor. That said, I was excited but somewhat nervous to try Carpe, since in all my years trying out different antiperspirants, only one has worked for me (and it's not an American brand). I was surprised that it was more of a lotion, but I like that there's a knob that you twist, so you can customize how much you use per armpit.

"I was also relieved that the scent was fragrant but subtle (I have the eucalyptus scent). You do have to air your pits out before you put any clothing on, and I definitely forgot to do that some days. But when I remembered, I did indeed not have any moisture on my underarms for a good six to seven hours before I had to put it on again. [The brand] also says to put some on in the evening before bed, but on the days when I didn't, I didn't find that to make a huge difference in the results. I did, however, stop using it after a few weeks, because while it was effective in stopping sweat for longer periods (for reference, I sweat the minute I walk out the door), it didn't really work on stopping the odor. For me, the most important thing is minimizing BO, with or without the sweat. But for those who don't mind using chemical antiperspirants, this is a good choice."