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,
Thank you for all these great suggestions!! I’ve been using Toms and it works…most of the time, but I’d love to find something that works…all of the time. I’m absolutely going to try some of these wonderful suggestions. 🙂
The best one I have found so far and it works for everyone I know who has tried it is Braggs Apple Cider vinegar. Dab or spray it on and the smell dissipates in minutes and keeps you dry and odor free. I have been happy with it for over a month now.
Hi Kris,
That video was great!! I just started using natural deodorant and I am loving it. I use the Norwex Crystal Deodorant. It works so much better than my old chemical kind. The crystals are sometimes supposed to take a few days before they work for you but this one worked the very first day for me. So happy to be using a natural product now!!!
Kris
I am a practising pharmacist who has been researching cancer for 15 years now. All I can say is WOW..That’s how I came across your name and purchased your book, Great book by the way. Best natural deodorant: steam room. Amazing, no body odor. I realize it’s pricey and time consuming but well worth the effort. Great way to detox for cancer as well. If you have not already, please read “The PH Miracle for Cancer” by Dr.Robert Young. A must for any cancer patient. Just released but old version “The PH Miracle” is just as informative. Have a grrreat dayyy….
Carmel
I love Arbonne’s Pure Mint Deodorant 🙂 It’s certified Vegan and formulated without Gluten. And it’s aluminum-free, paraben-free and instead full with goodies like lemongrass and ginger. Check it out on http://www.livelifenow.myarbonne.com or http://www.arbonne.com
Happy day! 🙂
I’m so surprised you didn’t include Primal Pit Paste! It’s great!! Works great, smells great and I believe would meet your high standard. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. Thank you!
I make my own. Equal parts of baking soda and arrowroot with a few drops of essential oil. Shake it up in your container and use a blush brush to apply. First I smear on a little coconut oil to my pits and the powder sticks wonderfully!!
I tried what I’m pretty sure was ALL the natural deodorants on the market, and they ALL got a thumbs down from me 🙁
I started making my own a few years ago, now I’ll never go back! It’s also much much cheaper!
I’ve been using the Crystal Stone for Men for a while now and was totally shocked at it’s effectiveness! I saw it in the store, decided to give a try, and have not been disappointed. Ladies, share it with your men…there’s no perfume nor flowery scent.
I’ve been using lime juice as deodorant for some time now. It definitely works for awhile. For most typical days it is all I need. If I am going to be exercising or doing something where I sweat more then it wears off pretty quickly. But for me it’s the most natural deodorant option out there so I stick with it. I do have a back up natural deodorant stick for those days when I need a little bit more.
Kris,
You mentioned that you you liked Herban Cowboy and it had a great smell. The bottle shows that it is unscented. Is the unscented the one you are speaking of? or another?
I really like, and have had much success with, Kiss My Face roll on. It’s vegan approved, goes on smooth and even and dries quickly without any residue. I use unscented because any sort of scent just messes with my mojo, but there are several scents in the roll on and solid that smell divine.
Both my husband and I quit wearing deodorant many years ago and found out that we actually let our glands breathe and we have no problems at all. It just takes a few weeks to get rid of the habit and letting yourself breathe. When one has some cancer, why would we put more garbage on. And when we do not want cancer, why would we add to the chemical bucket. Just try going with out and save that money.
I really love how well Funk Butter works. Kept me smelling good through heat waves and hot flashes! What I don’t love is using my fingers to spread it around. Thanks for giving suggestions for new things to try.
I use just plain coconut oil. It works better than any deoderant I tried before.
It doesnt prevent the sweating but even if you sweat,no one would notice any smell. All day long 😉
I use Crawford Street Lemon Deodorant. Hand made in Canada in small batches. AMAZING!
I use a homemade deodorant, with coconut oil, baking soda, arrowroot powder, and essential oils, and I LOVE it – I will never go back to those unhealthy deodorants! It has a gritty, creamy texture, but it really works! You still sweat, but at the end of the day, you still smell “delicious.” It is SUPER cheap and one batch has lasted over a month. I don’t put it on right away if I’ve just shaved (causes a slight burning/itching sensation.) I also use it under my girls, because after having babies, they seem to perspire more than my pits! It doesn’t leave any kind of white residue; the mixture starts off solid, melts a little with friction, allowing an easy glide, and then dries somewhat powdery. Definitely worth a try (got my recipe from Crunchy Betty, one of my favorite bloggers.)
Both of the crystal salts deodorants have worked well for me in the past. However, I found that while I’m detoxing my overloaded lymphatic system and extremely high mercury level, I found that I needed more help. “Insta-Stank,” I call it. I’ve been using Adama Minerals Clay Dry and I really like it. It has plenty to kill germs, and the clay is absorbant, without being goopy. The Citrus Blossom scent is nice and fresh, but my favorite is the lavender, which is actually a nice, warm scent (with my body chemistry). Two arms up! (cause I can, without stinky pits killing my friends)
Thanks Kris! I just started trying deodorant again after 6 months of not using it….I know my poor coworkers. I’ve just started using Earth Science Liken Plant, it has a decent smell, seems to work ok, and doesn’t have any of those nasty chemicals in it. Not sure if you’ve heard of this one or not? I’ve also tried Tom’s but I had this horrible reaction, though it could have been the heat of Montana and Sweating a lot while hiking, but I would get really horrible rashes under my arms from it. Was wondering if you had any suggestions on other beautify products, shampoo’s conditioners, body wash, lotion? Started switching over to organic and better for me products but I’m having a hard time finding stuff I like, thank goodness for travel sizes!!!
I really like Lavanilla!