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It feels like not too long ago, natural deodorants were a niche product you had to search for. Now, the choices are overwhelming.
How do you choose? Especially when you realize their effectiveness comes down to how they interact with your unique body chemistry. There’s a reason why some natural deodorants work fabulously for your bestie, but are a fail for you. Or why a deodorant you loved in the winter makes you wrinkle your nose in the summer. Changes to your hormones, to the season or even slight variations in production batches can all affect your experience with natural deodorants.
Finding the best natural deodorant for you is going to take some trial and error.
To set realistic expectations, understand first that deodorants aren’t antiperspirants. The latter is meant to block the sweat glands, preventing (or at the least, minimizing) you from sweating in the first place. These tend to contain aluminum, which some find irritating to the skin. All deodorants claim to help with body odour, but can’t help with sweating.
Sweat itself is actually odourless. The reason why we associate it with body odour is because of a naturally occurring bacteria that lives in our armpits. It loves munching on your sweat. And when it does, it creates the odour as a byproduct.
There’s also no standardized meaning for “natural”. There are no regulations surrounding its definition, so it’s going to mean different things to different people and to different brands.
For this review, we’re taking a broad approach and looking at natural deodorants that don’t contain aluminum.
It’s also worth noting that a lot of natural ingredients are actually potentially irritating to the skin. Essential oils like rosemary, lavender and tea tree are commonly highlighted for their antibacterial properties. All true. But they’re also common irritants. So is baking soda — another common ingredient in natural deodorants. But skin has a very specific pH — a touch alkaline past neutral — and the area in your armpits is even more alkaline. Adding baking soda, another alkaline product, means you’re potentially creating a very warm and inviting environment for that bacteria to settle in and create more body odour.
So, as we said at the beginning, this is going to take some trial and error. But we did the research and have this shortlist of natural deodorants that we think you should start off with.
Summary
Best budget:Dove 0% Aluminium Deodorant Cucumber & Green Tea
Best fragrance:Native Deodorant Coconut & Vanilla
Best with probiotics:Blume Hug Me Probiotic Deodorant
Best cream:No Pong Original
Best for sensitive skin:Salt & Stone Bergamot & Hinoki
Our top deodorants explained
Best Budget: Dove 0% Aluminium Deodorant Cucumber & Green Tea
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Why buy: For the natural deodorant-curious, this is an excellent gateway option. It looks and even smells like its traditional counterpart, but contains zero aluminum. What it does contain is glycerin, a natural humectant. If you’ve tried other natural deodorants in the past and found them irritating or leaving you itchy, this is nicely moisturizing. Our runner-up in this category is the Secret Aluminum Free Deodorant, which comes in under $6, too.
Where to buy: Amazon, $5.69
Best fragrance: Native Deodorant Coconut & Vanilla
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Why buy: You’re buying deodorant to smell good, so your deodorant should smell really good. Native’s fragrances have won them a diehard fan base. They regularly release limited edition fragrances to keep this mundane task fun. But their classic scents, like coconut and vanilla, have regulars coming back again and again. Their formulas also include moisturizing coconut oil and shea butter, which keep the delicate underarm area comfortable.
Where to buy: Amazon | Native, $17-$24
Best with probiotics: Blume Hug Me Probiotic Deodorant
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Why buy: It’s not proven yet exactly if and how much probiotics in your deodorant actually help. But, people who have tried Hug Me swear by it. If you’ve ever taken probiotic supplements, you’re familiar with the concept of good bacteria, which we all need. When you apply Hug Me, you’re introducing this good, healthy bacteria that will neutralize the bacteria that’s causing b.o. If probiotics work for our gut, in theory they should work for our skin microbiome too, right?
Where to buy: Sephora | Blume | Well, $16
Best cream: No Pong Cream Deodorant
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Why buy: “Pong” is Australian slang for b.o. No Pong was developed by an Aussie and a Canadian and is made in Canada. They have a nice variety of scents, but their original — a gender-neutral blend of citrus and light vanilla — is their most popular. But what makes No Pong stand apart from these other natural deodorants is that it’s a cream. It comes in a discreet round tin and you only need the tiniest pea-size amount. It might feel weird at first, rubbing your armpits, but like most other things from baking to applying makeup, your own hands are the best accessories.
Where to buy: Amazon | No Pong | Well, $10.95
Best for sensitive skin: Salt & Stone Bergamot & Hinoki
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Why buy: This is perfect for sensitive skin. The ingredient list sounds more like a formula for skincare than deodorant. It’s made with hyaluronic acid, antioxidant-rich seaweed extract, aloe vera, probiotics and an ultra-moisturizing blend of shea butter, coconut and sunflower seed oils. Equally as important, this gel deodorant is made without baking soda.
The scent is what a lot of people comment on — and there are 100 five-star comments on this item. “Hinoki” is Japanese for cypress, so the evergreen nicely balances out the citrus notes of bergamot. Like the beautiful packaging, the scent is clean and gender-neutral. Their other deodorants have equally thoughtful scents and can be trialled out with their trio sample pack. It’s a brilliant concept and the minis actually make for the perfect travel companions.
Where to buy: Salt & Stone | Well | Holt Renfrew, $25
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