Full disclosure (and perhaps a little TMI): I stopped wearing underarm protection years ago after a string of unpleasant experiences with various anti-perspirant/deodorant brands that left my pits swollen with a rash and still sweaty. I’ve been apprehensive about dipping my toes back in and since nobody has expressed concerns about me emitting noticeable body odor, I have mostly been keeping things natural in those parts. When I started getting served TikTok ads for a brand with over 22,000 followers attempting to “shake up” the anti-perspirant industry, my interest piqued. I’ve used sticks, gels and sprays throughout my life, but Carpe is a lotion that comes with a very specific set of instructions to maximize its effectiveness. My birthday trip to Florida provided the perfect opportunity to put their promise to the test.
For two weeks in early June, I used Carpe to combat underarm sweating during a trip to the Florida Keys. Most days the temps reached the low to mid-90s and some of those days saw the humidity hit 100%. As you can imagine, the sweat was plentiful. The brand’s anti-perspirant is available in seven fragrance options and one fragrance-free offering. I went with “Clean Sport” because it seemed similar to the stuff I used in my youth, like Gillette or Degree. The first and most noticeable difference between Carpe and other brands is the directions to apply at night before bed and again in the morning. (It left me wondering if I have been doing it wrong my whole life or if this is unique to Carpe – and as it turns out, dermatologists do recommend applying antiperspirant before bed, according to this 2023 Slate article.) Either way, remembering to put the lotion on before bed became the biggest challenge of this little experiment. I didn’t want to risk messing with the results, so I adjusted my nightly routine as needed. The packaging mentions it can take around four weeks to achieve full efficiency, but it only took a few days for me.
[After] wearing Carpe in the depths of Florida humidity, I can say that this viral antiperspirant is absolutely worth the hype.
There was one day of the trip, around three days into wearing the antiperspirant, where it became clear that Carpe was getting the job done. As luck would have it, it was the hottest and most humid day and also the day which required us to spend the most time walking around outside. I was taking a tour of The Turtle Hospital in Marathon (a must-visit if you’re in the area) and dripping sweat from head to toe — aside from my pits, where I’d been carefully applying the product as directed. My t-shirt was soaking through all over my torso with one obvious dry spot. It was a little jarring, if I’m being honest. It was like my underarms were caught in the eye of a storm where everything was calm but there’s chaos happening all around it.
Beyond just sweat prevention, the sport fragrance lasted surprisingly long. Even after a few dips in the pool, I still caught whiffs of the Carpe. Although my skin has reacted to similar products with aluminum as the active ingredient, there were no breakouts during my time testing out this lotion. Truthfully, I second-guessed my decision to do this experiment once I saw it was aluminum-based because of my previous experience and things I’ve heard about how safe it is. My internet research put me at ease after reading that there hasn’t been any proven correlation to cancer or other diseases for the amount of exposure the average person might have. Between that revelation and my time actually wearing Carpe in the depths of Florida humidity, I can say that this viral antiperspirant is absolutely worth the hype.
FYI, the brand also offers wipes, anti-chafing lotions, and plenty of other products for areas aside from your pits. There’s also a clinical-grade version of their antiperspirant for those who may need a more powerful option. You may not have a sweat-free summer, but Carpe can help you get pretty darn close.