These deodorants are OK
Photo: Louryn Strampe
Kopari Performance Plus Deodorant for $20: This deodorant smells very fragrant, like the fragrance of flowers, beach coconut. It’s fresher than sweet ones, and I would say it’s slanted f-eminine. It was transparent and smooth and didn’t stain my clothes at all. However, unlike some other brands I’ve tried, it doesn’t work out without reapplying. I think this is good, but I won’t call it a “performance deodorant”. If you’re looking for a clear formula and don’t mind reapplying, it might be worth a try.
$19 for Furry Deodorant: My relationship with this deodorant is as complicated as my relationship with armpit hair. Sometimes I don’t shave for months. Sometimes I shave every other day. This deodorant contains ingredients like willow bark (to prevent hair from growing ingrown) and nicotinamide (to make the armpits bright). Both of these things are good. But this does a great job of preventing odors throughout the day, the smell is very green and dirt, which is not consistent with my body chemistry. It may really attract it to some people (online reviewers seem to like or hate) though – so I recommend smelling it in the store before buying.
Curie Cleansing Deodorant (Two Packs) for $28: The formula smells very good when used for the first time, but it will quickly fade away after an hour or two. It also dyed my clothes more than others I’ve tried. On the second use it caused some irritation, so I stopped. I didn’t notice myself sweating more or less than other types of natural deodorants. However, the brand does have an excellent detox mask that can help transition when switching to a natural deodorant. It will be even more prominent in the upcoming guide.
$11 Pigeon Aluminum-free Deodorant: Dove’s deodorant is mostly good and I love how affordable it is. But the texture is really smooth and even after letting them dry, my underarms are shocked. These perfumes are not enough to make my own personal preferences powerful or last. They also have powdery backgrounds that I don’t like. During the testing period, I did notice some BO parties all day long. Since this is so subjective, your mileage may vary. The packaging was also bonded, and the tape left the sticky residue on the outside of my deodorant, which was impossible to remove without the alcohol being rubbed.
Lume whole body deodorant (three packs), priced at $39: This expensive deodorant smells bad to me. I received the invisible cream recipe for mint cucumber and smelled like pool chlorine and soap. I refuse to put it on my body. I also received a clean orange smooth solid recipe that tasted slightly at first but still had a strange handmade soap element. It left a white mark on my clothes, strangely the cheese I used to coat. I washed it off and called my tests. Reader, I love you, but I won’t smell like cheese all day, just to see if the smell changes magically in a few hours. Senior business editor Kat Merck also tried the invisible cream of lavender sage, which she said reminded her of the laundry room she left in the washing machine all night, and that the deodorant made her smell worse than she did not wear any clothes at the beginning. Lume does have many fans throughout the internet, so it might be something that can be boiled down to personal preference. I recommend smelling it in the store before buying it.
$44 for bite refilled deodorant: I love the minimalist aesthetic of this redetectable deodorant. The smooth metal case is almost micro, and the entire setup is completely plastic-free. However, it is easy to stick to the deodorant too high, which can be messy if the temperature is warm. Actually, I found the formula to be too soft overall, and it tends to get clumsy and glue all day long, both in my armpits and in the case. I also don’t like the smell of Nirole. I think if you want the most minimalist, non-described natural deodorant, but there are other fillable options that can be better and last longer.
Photo: Louryn Strampe
Saltair AHA deodorant for $12: Initially, I was impressed by the smell I tried from Saltair. The pink beach smells like summer day on the ocean. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts to get it working, I can’t apply this formula and my armpits feel tacky and irritated. I use it on clean, dry, hairless skin and let my armpits completely dry before putting my arms down. However, I’ve been cheesy, sweaty irritation that ends up causing a rash, so I stopped testing.
How do I test and next
I have been wearing natural deodorant since 2020. I wore these deodorants at least three times – once a quiet day at home, twice in the gym. I also tested whether they were stained by applying a black t-shirt. I’m currently testing deodorants for jukeboxes, as well as other odors from Megababe, as well as various liquid AHA deodorants.
General ingredients, explained
Here are some of the ingredients you might see in your research.
aluminum: Natural deodorants (usually) mask the odor and do not emphasize reducing sweat. Antiperspirants (usually) mask the odor and prevent sweating. Prevention of sweat comes from aluminum salt, which blocks sweat under your arms. There are some studies talking about increased risk of breast cancer or Alzheimer’s disease using aluminum, but there is no clear link between them (according to the FDA, the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute). It may be possible to use anti-spirochetes therein. Some people with kidney disease are advised to avoid aluminum, while others want to “play safely” and avoid aluminum. As for me, do I feel better when I sweat? Anyway, this is the low point of aluminum. TL;DR: Science says it is good for most people.
Parabens: Parabens are preservatives that have been shown to mimic estrogens in the body, but are much lower than the natural estrogens in the human body. Parabens are some common ingredients in food, medicine, and beauty products, although they are less common as more people try to avoid them. Some parabens are banned in the EU until more research can be done. The FDA concluded that parabens are safe. It is relatively easy to avoid parabens if you prefer. Most antiperspirants do not contain parabens; neither do most natural deodorants.
Phthalate: Phthalates make the plastic softer and more durable and can also be used as a stabilizer for certain beauty products. Some studies concluded that they are safe. Others suggest a link between phthalate and skin irritation, cancer or early death. But these links are not causal. Phthalates do have California’s proposal 65 warnings. The following recommended deodorants are phthalate-free. Many antiperspirants do contain phthalates, but not all.
baking soda: Some natural deodorants use baking soda as an absorber to prevent sweating and act as an antibacterial agent to prevent odor. Due to the reaction between baking soda and the body’s natural pH balance, some people can develop rashes from using a small oxidant-based formula. It’s hard to tell if you’re sensitive to baking soda before trying it, but if you usually have sensitive skin, you may want to try a recipe that doesn’t use baking soda. We have some suggestions.
Transitional period explanation
When you switch from an antiperspirant to a natural deodorant, you may experience a transition period that lasts for four weeks. Long story short, after years of not sweating while using antipsychotics, you may find yourself sweating more as your body adjusts when switching to a natural deodorant. Eventually it will upgrade, but to me personally, I smell like a gym full of teenage boys. Some people have no transition phase at all. I also sweat a lot in the middle of the summer and my skin is very angry, which means I can’t use deodorant at all, so the odor system is added. However, now, I sweat less than when using antipsychotic hands.
Be ready to stick it out. I have a problem with the term “detox” because our body already has a detox process (called the kidneys). However, a clay mask like Curie Detox Mask may help pull out excess moisture and calm the irritating skin you may encounter during the transition period. Otherwise, just keep your armpits dry and gentle on your skin. It won’t last forever.
It’s hard to test deodorants empirically. Odor preferences vary from person to person and can vary according to your body chemistry. Some people may prefer a different formula, some shave, some don’t, and some care more about sweat absorption than scent. Do you take a shower every day? Do you exercise regularly? Do you naturally sweat a lot? All of these things can be considered if you like deodorants. This is what the following table means.
Available odors: As of press time, you can choose how many scents you can choose.
free: These ingredients are not in the deodorant.
Odor intensity: “Strong” lasts all day. “Medium” disappears all day. “Weak” means it gradually disappears or is almost no obvious in the first place.
Sweat level: “Low” means I didn’t notice any sweat. “Media” means that I noticed some sweat, but did not require re-applying the deodorant. “High” means that I sweat a lot and feel the need to reapply throughout the day.
Clothing stains: “None” means it didn’t stain my clothes. “Rare” means it may appear on black t-shirts. “High” means it will definitely appear on your clothes regardless of the color.
Functional ingredients: List of main ingredients that help absorb sweat and prevent odors.
Formula details: Vegan? Is it a stick, cream or roll? I’ll tell you here.
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