Affieplaas Deodorant Stick – Women & Men – 50g

The base of this stick is rendered beef tallow, worked into a tallow balm rather than left as a hard, waxy block. Tallow’s fatty acid profile sits close to what the skin already produces, which is why it absorbs rather than coats — it moves into the skin instead of forming a film on top of it. That matters most directly under the arms, where the skin is thin and reacts quickly to friction from shaving or tight clothing; the tallow base helps the barrier recover rather than staying irritated.

Zinc oxide is the ingredient doing the odour work. It’s a naturally occurring mineral that limits the bacteria on the skin’s surface that break sweat down into the compounds that actually smell — sweat itself is close to odourless until bacteria get to it. Because zinc oxide works this way, it controls odour rather than blocking sweat itself.

Bentonite clay is included for moisture. It’s a natural absorbent clay, drawing dampness away from the skin surface through the day rather than letting it sit. Paired with the zinc oxide, this is what keeps the underarms feeling dry rather than just masked.

Olive oil is the ingredient that keeps the stick workable. On its own, a tallow-and-clay base would drag and catch on skin; olive oil softens the texture enough for the stick to glide on in one or two strokes, which matters on mornings when skin is freshly shaved and more sensitive to friction.

The scent is a fragrance oil, kept deliberately light and gender-neutral rather than built around a strong floral or spice note — it fades into the background rather than lingering as a separate smell layered over the day. Anyone sensitive to fragrance should know it’s present as a named ingredient, not left unlisted.

Apply to clean, dry skin — the stick glides on cleanly in one or two strokes, with no drying time needed before dressing. The first few days may bring an adjustment period as the body settles into a new routine; this is normal and not a sign the deodorant isn’t working. Stored in a cool, dry place, the stick holds its shape without needing refrigeration.