Hiya Gorgeous,
Let’s talk B.O.!
Do natural deodorants really work? Why should we use them? Which ones are best?
As per usual, there’s more here than meets the nose! In this video and blog, I’m giving you the down and stinky scoop on deodorants and antiperspirants. Like many of you, I’ve been on the hunt for natural products that work for years, and now I’m gettin’ down and dirty to find the best natural deodorant. I finally tested over a dozen products and included the results in this (hilarious) video and awesome infographic below.
Pssst! Make sure you watch the entire video. You don’t want to miss my surprise guest—A GRIZZLY BEAR!
Your skin is your body’s largest organ and it’s really good at absorbing what you put on it.
Think about it like this: when smokers want to quit, they slap on a patch that delivers nicotine right to their bloodstream via their skin, same deal with the birth control patch. There are even vitamin B12 patches! With your spongy epidermis in mind, it’s important we do our best to reduce our chemical exposure. Which includes what we put on our pits. I can’t wait to discuss this all with you. Let’s dive in!
To clear up our stinkin’ thinkin’ about, well, stinkin’, here are a few starting points about deodorants, antiperspirants and good ole sweat:
- Why do we sweat? Sweating is our body’s cooling mechanism. We sweat when it’s hot out, when we’ve been exercising, when we have a fever or when we’re anxious and stressed.
- Why does it smell bad? Actually, sweat itself doesn’t smell. That signature sweaty odor comes from the meeting of the bacteria living on our skin with the sweat escaping from our sweat glands.
- What are antiperspirants? Some people try to prevent body odor by using an antiperspirant to stop their bodies from sweating (yikes!). Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever find a truly non-toxic anti-perspirant because of the harsh ingredients necessary to prevent sweating—more on this in a moment.
- What are deodorants? Unlike an antiperspirant, a deodorant works on top of the skin, killing off the bacteria with an antiseptic ingredient, then covering any leftover odors with a scent. As with all personal products, it’s important to be an informed consumer to select a safe natural deodorant. The good news is that it’s possible!
Conventional Deodorants & Antiperspirants
What should you be looking for when you check the ingredients on your next stick? Here are a few of the potentially harmful things found in regular deodorants and antiperspirants. These are the guys you want to avoid. Take note: Some of these ingredients will be spelled out right on the label, and some won’t be, so you might have to sleuth a little further.
Talc
What does it do? Absorbent and colorant.
Why should you avoid it? It is considered a carcinogen if it contains asbesiform fibers. But there’s no way to know if the talc in your product contains asbestos. So stay away—better safe than sorry.
Triclosan
What does it do? Kills bacteria.
Why should you avoid it? Triclosan disrupts the endocrine and immune systems, can cause allergic reactions and can also build up in your tissues.
BHT
What does it do? Acts as a preservative.
Why should you avoid it? BHT can cause allergic reactions and has also been linked to cancer.
Propylene glycol
What does it do? Keep things from drying out. Propylene glycol is used in cars as an anti-freeze and in airplanes as a de-icer.
Why should you avoid it? It can irritate your skin (and gosh knows what else).
Parabens
What do they do? Used as a preservative, containing antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Why should you avoid them? Many parabens mimic estrogen in the body, and have been found inside breast cancer tumors. The widespread use of parabens in personal care products makes their potential link to cancer especially concerning. Most experts call for more research.
Fragrance
What does it do? This one is pretty straight forward: the synthetic chemicals listed as “fragrance” are included in products to mask body odor.
Why should you avoid it? There are an alarming number of chemicals (over 3100!) that fall into the fragrance category. According to the Environmental Working Group: “The average fragrance product tested contained 14 secret chemicals not listed on the label. Among them are chemicals associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products.”
Phthalates
What do they do? These chemicals are called plasticizers—they make products more spreadable.
Why should you avoid them? Phthalates have been found to be endocrine disruptors (chemicals that can affect your hormones).
Aluminum Chlorohydrate
What does it do? Aluminum chlorohydrate is a salt that prevents wetness, which makes it a very popular ingredient in antiperspirants.
Why should you avoid it? The continued use of aluminum chlorohydrate adds to the number of chemicals your body must eliminate and to your overall body burden (see more below).
How do these chemicals impact your health?
As our friend Heather White, the Executive Director of Environmental Working Group, put it so clearly during our Chat & Chew, we just don’t know what the long term effects of the buildup of these chemicals are, and the things we do know are pretty alarming. When EWG studied body burden, (the amount of chemicals stored in our bodies), they found the average person has nearly 300 different chemicals in their system, including PCBs and DDT, which were banned over 30 YEARS AGO in the US.
Natural Deodorant
But there’s good news! Lucky for us, there are natural ingredients that can be used in place of the chemicals. Remember that we all have different body chemistry. That’s why your best friend might swear by a certain brand, but that same formula might leave you wanting (and wafting). What works magic for me may or may not work for you.
Disclaimer: Read your labels tootsies! When you test your own deodorants, keep in mind that not all natural deodorants are created equal. And just because a product says “natural” on the package doesn’t mean it’s all good in the hood. If you can find products that are certified organic (not always possible), that may be the best way to go, since the labeling has a more stringent standard than “natural.”
My Natural Deodorant Rankings
I hope you enjoy my video (watch above!) and rankings chart, which cover a slew of sticks (and rocks, and sprays, and creams—whew!). The natural deodorants I tested are all free of the harsh toxic chemicals and are cruelty-free. I ranked the deodorants a few ways: How well they worked for me, how enjoyable they were to use (sticky? chalky? silky?), and how they rated at EWG’s Skin Deep database. Though I tested over 15 products, I only included the top 9 because many of the others ranked too high at skindeep (over a 3 rating). Download my Natural Deodorant Rankings chart below!
Have I mentioned that there’s a bear in today’s video? Don’t miss it!
Your turn: Have you found a natural deodorant that works? Share your successes (and failures) in the comments below!
Peace & healthy pits,
I LOVE Bella Organics creme deodorant in Iced Lemonade. I made my own til I found this
xoxo
I would love to send you a jar of The Fresh Factory probiotic deodorant base to try! It is fantastically effective, all natural and hand crafted down including the packaging 🙂 It is available in original as well as a sensitive version for those that are irritated by products containing baking soda. You can read reviews form customers here- etsy.com/shop/thefreshfactorydeo
I think you have recommended NYX products in the past. Did you try the NYX tinted moisturizer?
I love Funk Butter by Oyin. Sometimes I mix with a little coconut oil. I’m usually a tough case and this works for me and other family members love it as well.
Recently bought Sweet brand with Shea butter and I’m impressed. It’s a deodorant stick.
If you are looking for the perfect logo for a womens underarm deodorant I have it.
Is kiss my face products not good? I just bought their deodrant..I read in your blog it contains toxic ingredients???
Kiss my face contains Phenoxyethanol which is an damaging preservative classified as an irritant. You should try out Native Unearthed’s natural crystal deodorant instead. I think it is UK based, but they are available on amazon they have a website – http://www.nativeunearthed.co.uk which ships internationally. They are PETA approved and also allergy UK approved, so if you are looking for something natural, this is your best bet.
I’m always on the look out for natural deodorant. So far I have tried most of the ones you did, including the Crystal Essence, but have never tried the cream variety. I went out and bought the Schmidt’s brand- Lavender + Sage and it is by far the BEST one ever! It keeps me dry and fresh all day:) Thanks so much!
Hi Kris,
I would LOVE for you to try our natural deodorant. Can I send it to you?
Let’s do this!
Sarah
Hi Kris and everyone,
I make my own natural deodorant with coconut oil (3 tablespoon/35g), baking soda (2 tablespoon) and all purpose starch (arrowroot, corn, tapioca… 2 tablespoon).
You juste have to melt the coconut oil and blend it all. Let it cool in the fridge and then it’s ready to use. I put the mixture in a cupcake mould, that way it is easy to remove and use the solid deodorant. It works AMAZINGLY. It is the best deodorant I use until now.
Everyone should give a try !
xxx
Hi Kris and everyone,
I make my own natural deodorant with coconut oil (3 tablespoon/35g), baking soda (2 tablespoon) and all purpose starch (arrowroot, corn, tapioca… 2 tablespoon)
You just have to melt the coconut oil and blend it all. Let’s cool it in the fridge and then it will work AMAZINGLY! I put the mixture in a cupcake mould to remove the deodorant easily.
It is more effective than any deodorant I had until now.
Everyone should have a try!
xxx
I just wanted to come back and give my review of Primal Pit Paste. A few months ago, I made a comment here that I had tried at least 15 different recos, or maybe it was on the FB thread. BUT, nothing had worked for me, nothing! Someone then popped on the thread and suggested Primal Pit paste to me. THIS STUFF IS AMAZING!!!!!!!! Very few ingredients, it smells wonderful, it goes on like a normal deodorant, and holy cow, it REALLY WORKS!!!!!! Thank you Crazy Sexy family for helping me find something finally that not only works, but it also lasts a long time. I highly recommend it. I’m currently using the stick version of Lemongrass and Thyme.
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You must know what to choose in obtaining your goals.
I have tried literally everything, because my body basically crapped out on me and anytime I used normal deodorant my armpits would burn. Enter ozone layer deodorant. one stick lasts six months and it actually keeps my bear odor away. Thank you!!!
I would like to try this, I have baking soda, coconut oil and essential oils, but does the coconut oil cause an oil stain on your clothes? Also, will this help to reduce sweating to a great extent as well?
Hi Arnab Roy Choudhury,
I use coconut oil deodorant for a while now. It doesn’t stain clothes, all you have to do is to wipe/dry all the extra mixture you have under your armpit before putting clothes on.
I don’t think it reduces sweat, but I do assure you that your sweat doesn’t smell at all.
I’ve been using natural deodorant for over 20 years and I’ve tried them all. I always had issues with everything I tried where I’d still get wet and stinky by mid afternoon. Summertime – forget it. Then I found Verefina and their natural deodorant cream and it changed my world. I put a little bit on in the morning and I stay dry all day and night and I never stink. Even in the high humidity of the East Coast in the summer. It is the best! http://bit.ly/VerefinaDeodorant
Have you tried Ava Anderson deoderant? Works like a charm….I work do alot of HIIT, spin, distance running and sweat a great deal. I am integrative RD who sticks to a clean lifestyle and this deodetant is not leaving me stick or skinky 🙂
Tom’s of Maine is working fine for me. I am older, past menopause, and have a different ph balance and perhaps that’s why it works for me and not so much for a younger more active, fertile woman. I am trying to find Tom’s of Maine Flouride Free Tooth Paste. I used it when I lived in Los Angeles but have not been able to find it in Northern California.
I absolutely have fallen in love with this Deodorant from Healthy Home. I just wished you could have tested it!
The crystal deodorant actually do have aluminum in them. Potassium alum contains aluminum…just FYI.
Notice the crystal deodorants say they are free of “specific” aluminums.