Antiperspirant vs Deodorant: Know the Difference Technically antiperspirants and deodorants work differently. An antiperspirant’s job is to keep you from sweating while deodorant's job is to keep you from smelling. Deodorants typically use an acidic solution to make the skin less attractive to bacteria matched with a perfume to keep us smelling fresh. Antiperspirants typically have aluminum-based compounds that block your sweat glands. I have found that regardless of whet...