I was right in the Red Zone. My armpits were on FIRE!
***Quick View:*** I have used loads of deodorants and antiperspirants in my life with no problems. I have"'women's" products which I use but today, I was in a huge rush and my antiperspirant was nowhere to be found. I had bought my husband some **Old Spice Red Zone Deodorant - Aqua Reef** on sale and he hadn't opened it so I did and used it. BAD IDEA. It immediately burned me to the point of near bleeding. I have NO idea why! ***About Old Spice Red Zone Deodorant - Aqua Reef*** Of course, this is a man's deodorant; the name gives that away. I honestly never believed there was much difference between men's and women's deodorants and antiperspirants but packaging, scent, and maybe some aloe or something for women's freshly shaven armpits. I have used guys' deodorants lots of times and they worked fine. I smelled like a guy but they didn't irritate my skin or cause any issues. I was very rushed today, running super late. When my own antiperspirant seemed to have run away, I snatched my husband's unopened **Old Spice Red Zone Deodorant - Aqua Reef **and broke the seal. The deodorant is a solid with a pretty blue see through stick. The scent, Aqua Reef, is typical man scent but has a bit of a sweet fragrance that makes it less macho than some others I have smelled. I had taken a shower and shaved my armpits a couple of hours before I applied the deodorant so they weren't just freshly shaven and sensitive. I pulled off the cap and swiped the blue stick over my armpit. Immediately, I felt the burn. Not just a little sting but a really painful burn that I had never experienced before. I stood there wondering whether to even TRY it on the other side or forget it. I stupidly tried it on the other side. Immediate burn again. I had no time to do anything but whimper and run out the door. About two hours later, I was still feeling that terrible burn so I took a quick look at my armpit in the car mirror. Wow! The area was bright red and bumpy. The other side was the same. OUCH! It's been well over 12 hours and I have showered and my armpits still burn like crazy. The redness (which you can't see really well in the pics because I took them myself on a camera phone in the sun in traffic. I wasn't driving but still, not the best picture taking environment.) has only dissipated a tiny bit. Granted, **Old Spice Red Zone Deodorant - Aqua Reef** is marketed to men. I shouldn't have used it. I take the blame for that. But what is IN the stuff to cause me such distress? NOTHING has ever done this to me before. I have thrown out the deodorant. It may not have any effect on my husband's skin but it's not worth the chance that it might. He likes his Right Guard gel stuff anyway. I am speaking strictly from a woman's point of view so I can't say that men will have any issues at all with this product. I do warn you ladies out there NOT to try this stuff in a pinch like I did. Wow. Really, really painful stuff. ***My Viewpoint*** I guess some men's deodorants ARE stronger than women's but I have used plenty of others that didn't bother my skin or burn at all. **Old Spice Red Zone Deodorant - Aqua Reef** made my armpits a red zone! I am still in a lot of pain and the burn is only slightly better. Again, I am a woman so this may be the greatest thing ever for men but be careful, guys. It could burn you too. I am going with ***2 stars***. Nothing topical should cause such irritation no matter who it's marketed to.
PattyTherre
The heart of , NY