This article was taken from the August 2011 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
How we tested
We assembled a group of popular body sprays that contain antiperspirant and deodorant to assess both aspects of their performance -- their suppression of sweat and of the body odour it causes. To do this, our tester treated one armpit with a three-second spray from one of the aerosol cans, and left the other natural, as a control. We then measured the level of moisture and the level of smell from each at the end of the day. This was repeated until results from all five products could be compared.
Blotting paper provides a useful way to compare sweat levels after exercise. We used an olfactometer (pictured) to measure the strength of the perfume (dilution-to-threshold ratio -- D/T) at the beginning of the day and the odour at the end of the day. Residual stickiness, scent and value for money were also considered.
The sweet smell of data
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This article was originally published by WIRED UK
