There probably aren't any pitfalls (right, your armpit won't fall off) from using a fragrance marketed for women. Some fragrances are marketed as both a men's and women's product, just under different names.

I don't know about any physiological differences that deodorants aimed for different sexes might target, but here's my guess for how the fragrance ends up in a male or female targeted product: the fragrance was formulated, smelled by a random group of men and women, and the smells that men liked on women went into a female-targeted product and vice-versa.To answer your question about how the "correct" deodorant for your sex might work better: if you use a feminine-smelling fragrance, you're less likely to attract a female!

The primary component of male and female deoderants/antiperspirants are typically aluminium or zinc, both of which are known to have antibacterial qualities. Sweat initially has no smell, however, as bacteria eat the fat and skin cells combined with sweat a smell is produced. The antibacterial qualities of the deoderant in question keeps these bacteria in check. There is no inherent difference in deoderants except for smell.The reason no other employees noticed you were wearing it may include pheromone interactions with the fragrance in questions. It is possible that male and female fragrances are "engineered" to be amplified by male and female pheromones, thereby giving it a stronger smell. By wearing the "opposite" fragrance, the smell has been dampened. For example, buying a perfume for your wife and using a tester card at a boutique gives you an idea of the smell, however when she wears it, the perfume smells better and stronger.

Smells fine to meI recently bought a spray-on deodorant. When I got it home I realised it was intended for women but, not wanting to waste money, I used it anyway. Nothing untoward happened and I received no strange looks from colleagues or friends. So what are the differences between deodorants meant for men and those that are meant for women? How might using the "correct" deodorant for your sex work better than using one meant for the opposite sex, and what are the pitfalls of applying a deodorant intended for the opposite sex?Chemically there is absolutely NO difference between perfumes / deodorants for men and women and one sex applying the same intended for the other is NO way going to cause any harm / untoward incident. Intense research over years has lead scientists ( odour experts ! ) to shortlist fragrances that appeal to women when applied by men and visa versa and it is this, that is the reasoning behind labeling them as FOR MEN / FOR WOMEN . This is in fact arrived at by having a team of men / women odour experts grading various fragrances on a scale as to which would they like to have ( appeal the most ) the women / men having on . A common photo doing the rounds is a series of 5-7 women sniffing the underarms of 7-10 males who have sprayed different deodorants and then rating them in their files The is very much like Tea Tasters doing their job .ADDENDUM:Males and Females both secrete certain chemicals – called PHREMONES ( structurally similar to “Hormones “ hence the term ) – hardly discernible to the nose but quite potent nevertheless, to attract the opposite sex. The maximum secretion of these comes from the underarms. The short listed fragrances discussed above are admixed with synthetic phremones to serve a dual purpose. Mask the foul smell and attract the opposite sex ( the fortification intensifies the effect ) .Not that a male applying a female deodorant would have men clamoring after him – but nonetheless he would smell better to males than to females !!Dr. Vivek JainA/7 Chanakya Puri,New Sama RoadPO EMEBARODA 390008GUJARAT - INDIAvivekdr@gmail.com

Fairly obviously, as others have commented, there is going to be a selection process for favoured perfume, but no one has mentioned advertising. Back in the mid twentieth century 'real men' never wore perfume and any men that did were poofters. Brut managed to break into the market using husky surfing men and calling it aftershave. That made it acceptable to the macho men. I am sure there is still a strong resistance among many men to wearing anything they think of as feminine. Probably a similar reaction among women. Hence, seperate brands.