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May 02, 2006
de-odor-RANT
The other morning, when applying deodorant, I noticed the scrape of plastic edges against my armpit. This could only mean one thing: time to buy more deodorant.
I stopped at Wal-mart on my way home from work that evening. After wandering through half of the store, I finally found the deodorant section. I was awe-struck at how much shelf space was consumed by the plethora of brands, scents, and strengths. Fortunately, I knew exactly what I wanted.
First I found the Arrid section. Then I scanned it for the clear ones. Next, however, came the crisis: there were no clear solids! The solids were all white, and the clears were all gel.
After much bewilderment, I gave up and scanned for a clear solid in other brands. I ended up settling on Secret Platinum, Glacier Mist scent. It is a clear solid with the same percentage of aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex gly (the active ingredient) as my Arrid, so I could be certain that it was strong enough to be effective.
Upon use the next day, however, I discovered that the scent, though pleasant, was about 10 times as strong as my Arrid. Not only that, it wasn't my scent. I smelled strongly of something not me. I couldn't stand it.
I stopped at Hy-Vee on the way home and purchased my beloved Arrid Extra Dry Invisible Solid - Morning Clean scent. I figured that it would be more expensive since non-food products tend to be pricy at Hy-Vee, but it rang up at a buck cheaper than my Secret from Wal-Mart.
I'm now convinced that brand loyalty is a powerful thing -- and so is the scent of deodorant. Or the scent of the lack of deodorant as well, for that matter.
Posted by Megan at May 2, 2006 06:27 PM
Comments
Oh, Megan. I've missed posts like this. Don't get me wrong--I love and treasure your serious posts as well--but these ones bring me back to the more hyperactive and zany moments of Mohn 709.
Posted by: Laura at May 2, 2006 08:56 PM
aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex gly ... duly noted
Posted by: Ben W at May 2, 2006 10:31 PM
Leave it to a Blair to post about armpits in such a non-chalant manner. Actually I relate--I've invested a lot of time finding the right deodorant; if/when it goes out of production I'm sure nothing else will be quite as good. That goes for hairbrushes, too.
Posted by: Scott at May 3, 2006 09:17 AM
yuck...wal-mart. they don't have them in chicago. i knew there was a reason i moved here!
Posted by: heather at May 12, 2006 01:15 PM