There are a lot of things you expect to happen in a marathon. Blisters. The loss of another toenail. Chafing. That moment at mile 22 when you start questioning all your life choices leading up to this moment. But one thing that was a surprise was not to cross the finish line smelling like a running sock that’s been left in the boot of my car for a month.
And that was partly down to a deodorant.
Now before you roll your eyes at me and think “Great. She's trying to talk me into some miracle deodorant that costs £50 and comes in packaging made out of compostable bean sprouts and smells of kale” hear me out. I’ve been using a natural deodorant called Fussy and it’s honestly impressed me. And I don’t impress easily (see: my daughter’s drawing of a person last week that looked suspiciously like a potato. Love you, Lily).
Running the Stink Test
I didn’t start using Fussy because I wanted to start my eco-warrior era or join some kind of deodorant cult. I literally started because I'd been considering a more natural alternative for a while and Fussy dropped me an email asking if I wanted to try it. That's basically it. I'd like to say it's because I'm in my Body-Is-A-Temple phase but I'm currently eating pick'n'mix while writing this. (I bought it for my long run, honest ;)
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| How the first pack comes |
I was a bit dubious about starting it because apparently there can be an initial period of 2 weeks where your pits get used to a natural deodorant and you can be a bit pongy. I did NOT want to be known as The Stinky One at work although the thought of getting a seat (or better yet – a carriage) on the train to myself sounded pretty decent. However (and my work colleagues might disagree) I didn't notice this at all and the switch over was pretty seamless for me even though I went from a spray to a roll-on deodorant.
But Isn’t It Expensive?
Yes and no. The initial outlay costs more than grabbing a supermarket spray. You buy a reusable case (mine is of course BRIGHT pink) and then you just swap in refills. Once you’ve done that, it actually works out cheaper in the long run. Which is handy, because I’d rather spend my money on new trainers and snacks.
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| The top is the new refill packaging, the bottom one is the refill out of the pack and the far left is what's left of my current refill! |
The Smell Factor
This is the fun bit. Fussy smells nice. Like, properly nice. Not “artificial pine trees that hang off car mirrors” or “that weird blue smell that reminds me a bit of a portaloo” nice but a subtle, clean “I’d sit next to me on the train” nice. But if you see me on the train, please DON'T sit next to me. Unless you have snacks.
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| Practising my grumpy face for people who want to sit next to me on the train without snacks |
Doing Your Bit for the Environment
The refills come in plastic-free packaging made from waste sugarcane (they just look and feel like card) but decompose in the garden or the bin. And you only need ever buy one case as you just pop the refills straight in. The deodorant is also certified carbon-neutral and each one supports gold standard green energy projects. They're also vegan and cruelty free and are Leaping Bunny approved.
Convenience
I get refills sent to me every 3 months with my flexible subscription. Plus the boxes the refills get posted to me in are made from cardboard – easily recyclable.
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| The deodorant with the refill in |
Final Thoughts
Look, if you want to run smelling like the inside of my gym bag post-intervals, you do you. But I’ve been properly surprised by this stuff. It’s effective, it’s kinder on the planet than the usual spray cans and I haven’t had to apologise to anyone in a post-race pub for smelling like compost.
I’ve tested this stuff in the worst conditions: marathons, ultramarathons, training runs where I came home looking like I’ve fallen in a ditch (I have). And… it works. I still smell vaguely nice afterwards.
So yes, I’m supported by Fussy. But I’m also fussy. And if it didn’t work, I wouldn’t still be using it.
If you fancy trying it I’ve got a discount code of 15% off for you: SARAH15FUSSY
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