STOP The Deodorant Madness!!

The Joshing Gnome had a great post earlier this month re: something I'm asked about a lot: Deodorant and the "lack", thereof, in Korea. I have to check this "Rexena" stuff out myself. Here's the post!

I Hereby Declare Deodorant No Longer a Big Deal June 19, 2008 •

in Korea. As any NorAm expat in Korea will attest to, the Korea is not known for its fabulous selection of deodorants. In fact, deodorant has for many been one of those must-bring-from home items. It certainly was for me.

Actually, I always got my deodorant hookup through my parents. They’ve probably sent me a six month-supply of deodorant every four months for the last five years. I recently began to run out but I’d unfortunately just received a care package from my mom and felt it in bad form to immediately ask for another. What’s worse, I was supposed to ask her to get me some deodorant but I forgot, and nothing makes my wife more angry than when I forget something. This is a particular problem for me, as I have an awful memory. I told Miyoung I would have to go into Dongdaemun Market or Itaewon and try to find some deodorant, because I couldn’t live without it. Miyoung told me “You forgot, it’s your problem. You solve it without wasting a whole day in the process.”

After thinking for a while I realized that they do in fact sell deodorant in Korea, but until recently it’s only been branded to women. I’m talking about Rexena.

Now I pack a pretty powerful odor when given the chance, and I am not usually in the business of trusting my confidence to something that comes in soothing pastel colors. As cliche as it sounds, I need a man’s deodorant. But necessity is the mother of trying new stuff, and so I bought the first stick of Rexena I’ve seen that’s made for men.

My review: At 4,200 for a tiny tube, Rexena is somewhat expensive, but compared to the inconvenience associated with getting deodorant from back home or a foreigner market, it’s worth it. Unfortunate it seems even more expensive when you see how soft it is. It seems to run out a good deal quicker than your average stick deodorant, because it has the consistency of ice cream. Not that it melts, but if ice cream had the same consistency at room temperature as it does at its peak.

How does it work? I wanted to wait until I really got a chance to test it out before posting a positive review of it here, and I got that test yesterday. I spent the entire hot and humid day in a suit, managed to keep the sweating down and when I got home and took off the jacket found that there was no smell at all. Rexena is the real deal.

And so, my expat compatriots, rejoice, for one more of life in Korea’s little inconveniences is a thing of the past.