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’ve been using Crystal roll on and I LOVE IT! It’s the best I’ve ever used and so happy that I switched to it a year and a half ago!
oh, and it takes only 10 minutes to make and it lasts months…at the cost next to nothing 🙂
Hi, Chris!
I make my deodorant myself using shea butter, cocoa butter, bees wax, olive oil, vitamin E, baking soda and potato starch. I add some tea tree oil and I get a great odor fighting stick. I also use magnesium salt dilluted in demi water and it not only neutrlizes my odors, but also provides my body with magnesium which is so essential. xoxox
I’ve tried so many natural deodorants and haven’t found ANY that work -until now. I just tried one called Green Tidings, unscented. I am so thrilled that it really works. I live in Texas and other brands like Toms just don’t work at all for me (not to mention they were bought out by Colgate so will never support them)
Great advise on the reality of most recent of the ingredients we find, and should avoid, in deodorants. Thank you Kris.
Thank you so much for the 411 provided Ms Kris. I lersonally been using DOVE powder deodorant stick & so far its worked for me. But im always looking & willing to try natural products when i can. Ill look for the deodorant cream featured in your video. Thank you again for your sweet & honest tevirws. I truly enjoy all that you share with the public. Once again thank you darling.
I got a sample of Primal Pit Paste from Annmarie Gianne. It works!
Purely great is really nice it is from canada and it works really good. Maybe you should give it a shot!
Toms is my favorite! <3
Schmidt’s deoderant is my fav natural deodorant and the the ONLY one that keeps me smelling nice, even after 24 hrs of yoga, rock climbing, and other activities. And they now have a stick!! So you don’t have to apply it with your fingers anymore. 🙂
https://www.schmidtsdeodorant.com//?gclid=CO2WvP7W7McCFY2RHwodIgcMqg
I was using Lavalin roll on which I did like & it worked fairly well. I didn’t really like how wet it was though. I switched to it from Mitchum & had a week or 2 of sweating extra getting used to not having the antiperspirant but after that no problems with it at all!
Now I am using Ava Anderson stick deodorant because it does not have “fragrance” in it like Lavalin does. I like that it goes on dry, the smell isn’t the greatest but I don’t mind it, kind of peppermint mixed with earthy, and per the ingredient list is free of toxic ingredients. And it works! I think I will keep using it.
I like the smell of Ava, kind of pepperminty.. Lasts all day, too!
Hey, great review. 🙂 I really love your videos. Definitely going to try out some of these.
We do love toms!
That is a good tip especially to those fresh to the blogosphere.
Simple but very accurate information… Thanks for sharing this
one. A must read post!
I just switched to Native Deodorant. It’s fantastic. All the ingredients are listed right on the website so it’s really clear that it’s aluminum-free, etc. It also works so well. I never feel like I smell anymore.
Check it out here: https://www.nativecos.com/
Using Tom’s extra Strengeth -so far No P. U.
What does that stand fo anyways?
Know that Parabens are carinovenic!
& Methylparaben is as dangerous
I used to use Toms. I never loved how it worked but it was the only thing that I could get easily and I knew didn’t have aluminum. Switched to Native and will never go back to Tom’s: https://www.nativecos.com/
Toms is my old time favourite!
Natural Deodorants don’t work!!!! Seriously I have tried them all at a great expense and I don’t understand how we can put man on the moon but can not create a deodorant that doesn’t poison us and works at the same time. If it wasn’t for Rocky Mountain Botanical’s All Natural Deodorant I seriously would have lost my mind. Don’t even waste your time. You have to order it on line but I order in multiples and a small jar lasts you a month easy.
I’ve been using Schmidts Deodorant for the past half a year. Love it. It works much better than conventional deodorant. It is also safe and natural, so i let my kid use it too!
Thank you for writing this very informative article about Natural deodorant. Healing Herbs By Rene’ Mystic Moon Natural Organic aluminum free deodorants, have been a lifesaver for our friends & family. They are available @ https://www.healingherbsbyrene.com/store/p114/Mystic_Moon_100%25_Natural_Aluminum_Free_Deodorants.html
Love the article! Its great to see that more people are becoming aware of the harmful chemicals in commercial deodorant. Another great simple natural deodorant is SIGLARR VIKING NATURALS http://www.siglarr.ca