I have struggled long and hard with natural deodorant. Usually natural deodorants just plain don’t work for me. I must have challenging body chemistry, because most brands I’ve tried either do nothing at all for me, or I smell within a few hours of applying.
Even if they do work, I’ve experienced them permanently staining my clothing, irritating my armpits, having scents I don’t like, and not actually having all non-toxic ingredients.
I decided to do a search for a natural deodorant brand that works for me and share my results with readers, because I know I’m not alone in this struggle!
I contacted many natural deodorant companies and asked if they would be willing to send me a free product to test out. In order to give them each a fair chance, I tried each product for at least a week. I took notes throughout the week to remember my experiences.
I’m not going to share the names of brands that didn’t work for me, because they might work for someone else. If you would like to know which other brands I tried, feel free to message me. But I have ranked my top five in this post!
Just a heads up: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are entirely my own. Thanks for supporting me!
The Problem with Anti-Perspirants
You should know that natural deodorants aren’t designed to keep you from sweating. Sorry. Here’s why. Sweating is an essential, healthy bodily function. It enables your body to detox! When you stop your armpits from sweating the toxins are building up inside your pits’ pores.
Besides that, deodorants that keep you from sweating, aka anti-perspirants, contain aluminum, which has actually been linked to breast cancer! Many anti-perspirant deodorants also contain other harmful ingredients as well.
Tips for Successful Natural Deodorant Use
Before I share my top 5, read these tips if you’re new to natural deodorant.
1. If you are haven’t yet weaned your body off anti-perspirant deodorants, your pits may need time to detox before natural deodorant is likely to work for you in preventing smell. Prepare yourself to smell for a week to a few weeks as your pits adjust to not having their pores constantly clogged. All the toxins that were forced to stay inside your armpit pores need time to come out! It’s a healthy but smelly process.
2. You might not be able to apply it right after shaving. If you have sensitive pits, wait a while after shaving before applying.
3. If your armpits do get irritated, apply an all-natural fragrance free lotion and give them a break from deodorant. Try brands that don’t contain baking soda if you’re perpetually irritated.
4. Consider cycling through different natural deodorant brands. I’ve had the experience where one brand works for me for a few months then randomly stops working. I don’t know why that is, but if I switch to another for a while then come back to it, it usually works again.
5. Everyone’s body chemistry is different! What works for one person might not work for another.
1. Captain Blankenship Lime & Vetiver Cream Deodorant
Ingredients |
- Organic ingredients, including organic lime, vetiver, and lemongrass essential oils
- All ingredients get a 1 in EWG database (the safest, most non-toxic rating)
Experience |
- Spread with fingers
- Creamy consistency with coconut oil; does have baking soda but hasn’t irritated my skin
- Not a strong smell and gender neutral
- Lasts me all day without having to reapply!
- Doesn’t stain my clothing, but will leave white marks sometimes.
Packaging |
- Comes in a glass jar (but has a plastic cap)
- Comes in the cutest nautical packaging!
Sustainability Initiatives |
- No animal testing and cruelty-free
- Donates 1% of every sale to non-profits on a mission to protect, preserve, and conserve our environment and its resources
2. Kaia Naturals Charcoal Deodorant | Cold Pressed Rose
Ingredients |
- Safe ingredients according to EWG
- Uses the natural version of benzyl alcohol, derived from essential oils
- Contains “activated charcoal as it acts like a magnet to draw out toxins from your pores, while also fighting odor-causing bacteria”
- Baking soda free
Experience |
- Very easy to apply
- Lasts all day without reapplying most days
- Lovely smell that isn’t overpowering (I got the cold pressed rose)
Sustainability Initiatives |
- Cruelty free
3. PiperWai Natural Deodorant Jar
Ingredients |
- Completely non-toxic ingredients except one ingredient, Tocopheryl Acetate, which gets a 3 for allergies and immunotoxicity concerns
- Contains “activated charcoal, which neutralizes odor and absorbs moisture”
- Contains peppermint, eucalyptus, tangerine, clove, lavender, and rosemary oils
Experience |
- It’s a grey paste that is a bit awkward to apply with fingers; doesn’t spread as easily as some
- The smell isn’t my favorite, but it’s with gender neutral essential oils – a bit minty, a bit citrusy, and not overwhelming
- Sometimes I smell by the middle of the day and need to reapply
Sustainability Initiatives
- Cruelty-free and vegan
4. Green Tidings Natural Deodorant | Lavender or Unscented
Ingredients |
- All non-toxic ingredients
- Lavender scent is made with essential oils, but the unscented option is recommended if you have sensitive skin
- Contains baking soda, but there is a sensitive skin option without baking soda that I did not test
Experience |
- This deodorant lasted all day for me most days
- Don’t over-apply – one or two swipes is recommended
Sustainability Initiatives |
- Cruelty-free
- Made in a solar powered facility
- Made in USA
- BPA free recyclable tube
5. Primal Pit Paste Natural Deodorant
Ingredients |
- All completely safe ingredients
- Only seven ingredients, three of which are organic
Experience |
- Offers strength levels 1, 2, and 3 for intensity of product. Only level 3 worked for me and lasted decently well most days, but it isn’t recommended for sensitive skin.
- Spread with your fingers; does spread quite easily. Also another option in stick form, but I’ve not tried it.
- Many scent options from essential oils
Sustainability Initiatives |
- Cruelty-free
What natural deodorant brands have you tried? Which is your favorite? Share in the comments!
If you’re interested in toxin-free living and products, you’ll also love these posts:
Top 6 Non-Toxic Sunscreens
Best Non-Toxic Cleaning Products for the Entire Home
12 Favorite Affordable and Natural Cosmetics Products
6 comments
I have had such a tough time finding a natural deodorant that won’t irritate my skin — this list gives me hope! 🙂 I’m going to have to look into some of these — thanks so much for sharing your research!
Hey Amanda – it really can be such a struggle! Be sure to let me know how they work for you if you try any of these!
Great article, I loved soapwalla but their packaging is all plastic, it’s made in the USA and I’m in Europe so I wanted to find something more local, I have just started using a Dutch brand called nuud and I’m loving it especially with biodegradable packaging.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Love that nuud has biodegradable packaging. I’m sure your comment will be helpful to my European readers 🙂
If this helps anyone out there… I happen to have the same issue, super sensitive skin and I sweat a lot!
I was doing crossfit almost every day and I was mortified with the idea of not feeling confident but I really didn´t want to use industrial deodorants… so, for a while I used lemon wedges and it really worked for me!!!
I know it sounds a bit crazy but really worked. My skin was clear and I had a neutral perfume all day long. 😀 (Note that the skin is a bit acidic so it´s not gonna irritate you)
You can use it while you look for a natural deodorant that actually works for you 🙂 After that I studied to make my own recipe.
Wish you all the best!
Mariana
Hi Mariana! Thank you so much for sharing your experience and what has worked for you. I had no idea that lemon juice could work! 🙂