NIVEA Pearl & Beauty Roll-On Anti-Perspirant Deodorant for Women 50ml

Product Overview

NIVEA Pearl & Beauty Anti-Perspirant Roll-On, 50ml, made in Germany and imported from the UAE. It is suitable for all skin types and formulated with a gentle base that looks after underarm skin as well as controlling odour.

• Anti-microbial agents that keep odour-causing bacteria down, for long-lasting odour control
• A mild, soothing fragrance rather than a strong one
• Gentle formula made for the skin of the underarm
• Skin compatibility dermatologically tested

Deodorant, Body Spray and Perfume Are Not the Same Job

• A deodorant targets odour. Odour is not made by sweat — fresh sweat is nearly odourless — but by skin bacteria breaking it down, so a deodorant slows the bacteria and masks what is left. It does not stop you sweating.
• An antiperspirant reduces the sweat itself, using aluminium salts that temporarily block the ducts. If the problem is a wet shirt rather than a smell, this is the one you need.
• A body spray or body perfume is a light fragrance for the whole body and for clothes. It smells good; it is not doing anything about bacteria.
• A perfume is concentrated fragrance for pulse points, not for underarms.

Two things matter more than which brand you buy: apply to clean, completely dry skin, and if it is an antiperspirant, apply it at night — it works far better applied when you are sweating least, and it survives the morning shower.

Why the Anti-Microbial Part Matters

This is the useful thing to understand about any deodorant, and it explains why some work far better than others on the same person.

Fresh sweat has almost no smell. Underarm odour is produced when skin bacteria break sweat down over a few hours, in a warm, enclosed, hairless-or-not space. A fragrance alone only masks the result. An anti-microbial agent slows the bacteria that cause it — which is why it keeps working into the afternoon rather than fading with the perfume.

How to Get the Most Out of It

1. Apply to clean, completely dry skin. On damp skin it dilutes and does very little.
2. Apply at night. An antiperspirant works far better applied when you are sweating least; it sets overnight and survives the morning shower. Applying it in the morning, as you begin to sweat, is applying it at the worst moment.
3. Two or three strokes under each arm. More is not better.
4. Let it dry fully before dressing.
5. Never apply straight after shaving. Freshly shaved skin has had its top layer scraped off, which is where the stinging and the rash come from — leave it until the next day.
6. Wash it off properly each evening rather than layering over yesterday’s.

On Yellow Marks in White Shirts

The yellow staining in the armpits of white clothes is not sweat. It is the reaction between aluminium salts in antiperspirant and the proteins in sweat, then set permanently by ironing. Using less product, letting it dry completely before dressing, and washing shirts before the mark sets does more about it than changing brands.

On Skin – a Few Sensible Precautions

• Patch test before the first full wear if your skin is reactive: a little on the inner forearm, left for 24 hours. Fragrance is the most common cause of contact allergy in cosmetics, which is worth knowing rather than being frightened of.
• Never spray onto freshly shaved skin, broken skin or sunburn. Alcohol on a shaved underarm or a shaved face stings for a reason.
• Some citrus oils are photosensitising. Bergamot in particular can react with sunlight and leave a lasting dark patch on skin. If you are applying a citrus-heavy fragrance before going out into the sun, put it on clothing rather than on exposed skin.
• Keep it away from the eyes and out of reach of children.
• Alcohol-based fragrance is flammable. Do not spray near a flame or a lit cigarette, and never store a bottle in a car in summer.
• Stop using it if the skin reddens, itches or burns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does 50ml last?

Two to three months of daily use. A roll-on wastes almost nothing, which is why it outlasts a spray of the same volume by a long way.

Will it make my underarms lighter?

No, and nothing in this category does. Underarm darkening is usually friction, shaving and old product build-up rather than pigmentation — shaving less often, wearing looser sleeves and washing product off properly help more than anything on a shelf.

Is it only for women / only for men?

The label is marketing. Scent has no gender — the split into “men’s” and “women’s” fragrance is a convention of the last century and it varies by country. Wear what smells good on you.

Why does it not last as long on me as on someone else?

Skin type, mostly. Dry skin releases fragrance quickly; oily and well-moisturised skin holds it far longer. Heat speeds everything up, which is why the same bottle behaves differently in December and in May. Moisturising before applying is the fix, and it works.

Is it suitable as a gift?

Fragrance is one of the better gifts and one of the harder ones, because it smells different on every person. If you are not sure of their taste, a lighter body mist or a fresh citrus is a safer choice than a heavy oriental — and keep the receipt.