A Review of 7 Natural Deodorants
So many to choose from! Which one is best?
I’ve spent all of 2019 testing out various Natural Deodorants with the hope of replacing my tried-and-true, go-to deodorant - Secret Clinical Strength Clean Lavender scent. If I’m going to preach a healthy lifestyle, I need to make sure the products I’m using daily are improving my health as well.
What is the Difference Between Natural Deodorant and the Anti-perspirant I’ve been using?
First, Deodorants & Anti-perspirants have different functions: deodorants do as the name suggests, de-odorize body odor. Anti-perspirants block sweat glands from producing sweat or underarm wetness. Keep this distinction in mind when trying out Natural Deodorants. They do not block sweat (which, in my opinion, isn’t a bad thing since sweating is a healthy bodily function!)
Why go natural?
Aluminum, an ingredient found in many anti-perspirants that blocks sweat glands, is thought to be linked to Alzheimers disease and an increased risk in breast cancer; however, there isn’t enough research out there right now to fully support these claims. Check out this Huffington Post Article for more information!
Also, Natural Deodorants have, as the name states, natural ingredients. If using all natural ingredients in products as opposed to chemicals, natural deodorants are for you. Natural Deodorants also allow for healthy sweating, clear pores, less underarm irritation (especially after shaving!). The essential oils and ingredients found in Natural Deodorants also help fight bacteria while eliminating body odor (and man do the essential oils smell Ah-mazing).
What to expect:
When you first begin using a natural deodorants, know that it is a deodorant, not an anti-perspirant. You will not experience a decrease in underarm wetness or sweating as the ingredient that prevents sweating, aluminum, is missing from natural deodorants.
Expect to need to reapply often, especially during the first week or two. As mentioned, natural deodorants only eliminate odor. They do not eliminate sweat. That being said, sweating removes deodorant from underarms, so to stay completely odor free throughout the day, you’ll need to reapply often.
Get ready to smell yourself. For likely the first time in a long time, if you’ve been an anti-perspirant user for life as myself, you will smell your own body odor when the natural deodorant fades/sweats off. This was a shocker for me during my first workout. If you would like to smell fresh during a workout, reapply right before and immediately after. (I found the Lululemon Anti-Stink Spray ideal for this!
Be patient. In complete honesty, your body will take its sweet time to acclimate to ANY natural deodorant you choose. (To any new product, really…). The key is to stick with it for a few weeks - through long work days, workouts, etc. - for your body to eliminate all toxins that may inhibit deodorant effectiveness, and to really understand if that specific deodorant works for you. But, also, be open to smelling like your natural, healthy self! Especially during workouts - there is no shame in that :).
First up, stick deodorants. (Balancing this platter was a challenge).
My Experience
For me personally, only a select few natural deodorants did the trick for a variety of reasons. Below is a review of each natural deodorant I tried this past year. Keep in mind results/effects will vary depending on the person!
Stick Deodorants:
My First Stab at Natural Deodorant, Schmidt’s Charcoal + Magnesium Natural Deodorant
The Perks:
No Aluminum
No Propylene Glycol
No Artificial Fragrance*
*I’m sensitive to added artificial fragrance so this one was a huge bonus for me
Texture: 4/10
I was so disappointed to find how rough and solid the deodorant was. Although I loved the scent and was pretty satisfied with the effectiveness, the texture turned me off. It is pretty “scratchy” and difficult to glide over the intended area.
Scent: 6/10
I liked the smell a lot - very fresh but the charcoal masked boy odor very well.
Effectiveness: 7/10
I was pretty satisfied with the effectiveness of this natural deodorant! Natural Deodorants are simply deodorants, not anti-perspirants, so for a deodorant, this did the job. It kept me BO free for hours on end. I did have to reapply a few times throughout the day, but that can be expected with natural deodorants (with all deodorants, really).
Price: $6.99 / 2.65oz
Love Beauty and Planet Coconut Water and Mimosa Flower
“Refreshing Deodorant with Plant-Based Deodorizers”
Very fascinated by how soft & easy to glide this one is.
Texture: 8/10
Smooth application, but know that a little goes a long way.
Scent: 10/10
I LOVE the scent. Do I smell it sometimes for a simple mood-picker-upper? Maybe… definitely.
Effectiveness: 5/10
I really wanted this to be my go-to natural deodorant, but it just didn’t cover all bases. The scent is amazing and I appreciated the smooth texture, but the deodorant(scent) didn’t last very long. I had to reapply very often.
Price: $6.99 / 2.95oz
Schmidt’s Rose + Vanilla Natural Deodorant
I just love the smell of Roses, don’t you?
Texture: 2/10
So. Rough. I had the hardest time using this. It was not comfortable to use. Surprising, since the charcoal and magnesium deodorant was usable and had a much smoother texture.
Scent: 6/10
I liked the scent, but I don’t believe Rose is the best scent to mask BO. Especially when the deodorant is so difficult to apply.
Effectiveness: 5/10
I honestly didn’t feel this was as effective as the Charcoal-Magnesium Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant. Not only was the texture unpleasant (a lot more dry and rough), it didn’t last as long.
Price: $6.99 / 2.65oz
The spray was fine, but I could’ve done with less of it. My only complaint is that the spray is a bit too strong. It envelops you in a cloud of scent. I could do without the cloud (as could my fiancé and dog who have to waft in it).
Scent: 3/10
I feel horrible for saying this, but I really don’t like the scent! It smells powdery and sweet, like candy. A little immature for my liking.
Effectiveness: 4/10
I love Lululemon athletic ware and I really wanted their deodorant to be a 10/10, but it felt more like a coverup (of scent) than most. I now only use this right after a workout to freshen up before showering.
Jason Dry Spray Deodorant
Don’t mind my face…
Perks:
24 hour protection
No aluminum
No butane
No parabens
No artificial fragrances
Texture: (spray) 7/10
I am a converted fan of the spray deodorant after using this product. The spray is incredibly easy to use and covers all areas of the underarm quickly and efficiently.
Scent: “soft rose” 5/10
Again, I don’t believe Rose is the ideal scent to cover up BO. The spray covers enough, for a while, but 1 hour in and you’re in need of more.
Effectiveness: 6/10
Although the spray was easy to use, it didn’t seem to be much more effective than the stick natural deodorant. It was much easier to use, but the spray scent did not last very long.
Refillable & Recyclable:
My favorite kind for SO many reasons.
Deodorant by Humankind
I LOVE what by Humankind is about. Their mission is to help save the planet from single-use plastic. Although their product may be more expensive than most ($15 vs. $6.99), by Humankind provides refillable containers that save our planet from plastic waste. Packaging materials in that make up each shipment are all recyclable.
Your upfront cost for the refillable container is free. If the higher cost for a re-fill scares you, keep in mind you end up saving the planet from un-reusable waste each refill.
The Process:
SO easy to remove and refill!
First you select your container color. (I chose “Off-white.”)
Then you choose your scent: unscented or eucalyptus (I chose eucalyptus).
Next you choose your frequency of refills: 2, 4, or 6 weeks
Texture: 7/10
A LOT smoother than the Schmidt’s deodorant, but still a bit of a chalky feel.
Scent: 5/10
The Eucalyptus scent is very clean smelling. Very fresh. It smells similar to a “fresh linen” scented deodorant. Personally, I prefer a more of a floral scented deodorant for myself, but if you are looking for a fresh and clean scented natural deodorant, this one is for you.
Effectiveness: 7/10
This was a great deodorant, but it didn’t last very long. I had to reapply quite a few times throughout the day. It may be due to the scent I chose (more fresh and light, less perfume) but I can’t say for sure.
Price: 15.00/refill (recyclable material) + Free Refillable Container
MYRO Chill Wave- plant powered deodorant
I could smell this all day long.
Perks:
paraben free
gluten free
cruelty free
vegan
mood-inspiring scents
effective, plant-powered formula
pro-plant (and pro-you, too)
aluminum free
*refillable container!
*refill pods are 100% recyclable
Texture: 10/10
SO smooth - smoother than a typical deodorant/anti-perspirant but not as wet as the Love Beauty and Planet Coconut Water and Mimosa Flower .
Scent: Chill Wave - 10/10
I love the scent - cucumber + jasmine + spearmint. I’m OBSESSED. So fresh, floral and clean.
Effectiveness: 8/10
This one might be the “end all-be all” of natural deodorants for me. It didn’t protect against B.O. for very long at first (story of natural deodorants), but my body adjusted to this deodorant pretty quickly - within a week - so I was able to reapply less and less over time.
*And, mainly, the fact that MYRO is affordable, found at Target, has an amazing scent, is refillable and the pods are recyclable… all boxes are checked in my book. <3
Price: $9.99/2 oz starter kit (includes refillable container and one pod); $7.99/2oz refill
The Bottom Line:
The bottom line is, if you are willing to tale the time to allow your body to adjust to natural deodorant, and if you’re OK with it being a DEODORANT, not an anti-perspirant, natural deodorant is for you. If not, I recommend sticking with an anti-perspirant as there still isn’t direct proof that aluminum causes health issues.
**The only natural deodorant I did not try that appears to be popular now-a-days is Native Deodorant. Reason being: it is more expensive than most, $12.99, and I don’t approve of spending more money on single-use plastic. If you’ve found this deodorant works best for you, let me know!
What Natural Deodorants have you tried and loved?
xoxo, Rach