Disclosed are anhydrous antiperspirant cream compositions that are substantially free of polymeric or inorganic thickening, and have improved product stability and spreading performance. These compositions have a rheology profile characterized by select product hardness (from about 75 gram force to about 500 gram force), delta stress (from about 300 dyne/cm.sup.2 to about 8,000 dyne/cm.sup.2) and static yield stress (at least about 1,000 dyne/cm.sup.2 ) values. The new rheology profile is preferably applied to antiperspirant cream compositions comprising from about 0.1% to about 20 % by weight of a crystalline gellant, from about 10% to about 80% by weight of an anhydrous liquid carrier for the crystalline gellant having a solubility parameter of from about 3 to about 13 and, from about 5 % to about 35% by weight of a particulate antiperspirant active. Also disclosed are methods of using and making the compositions, and packaged compositions having a shear force delivery means for applying the composition to the axilla or other area of the skin. The disclosed compositions are especially effective at minimizing or eliminating solvent syneresis during packaging, storage, transport or during extrusion through a perforated mesh cap or other shear force delivery means.