Tried & Tested Natural Deodorants

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We’ll admit, the struggle is real when it comes to finding a natural deodorant that works really well. But the first thing to realize is that natural does not mean weaker, it’s just a matter of finding the very best out there – and we’ve done the hard work for you!

Our selection of the best natural deodorants have all been chosen because they deliver: at the gym, on the work commute, during hot yoga. You name it. From anti-bacterial oils, natural astringents, gentle drying clays and aromatherapy fragrances, a great natural deodorant will do the job and then some, without a trace of questionable aluminium, parabens et al.

Dr Schmidts Bergamot and Lime solid deodorant is our favourite. The smell is gorgeous on both men and women (think lime sweets, but not in a sickly way) and it lasts all day; protection from moisture is excellent and the ingredients are 100% natural.

Finding a truly natural deodorant can present some difficultly as greenwashing (when brands act like they’re chemical free when really, they’re not) is rife in the cosmetics industry. The only way to know whether or not the natural deodorant you’re buying is truly non-toxic is to get clued up on ingredients that you want to avoid and read the label before you make a purchase.

But, why switch to natural now? A study undertaken at the University of California, Berkley showed that people who took just a 3-day break from using products containing some of the most common chemicals found in non-natural deodorant experience a huge 45% drop in levels of these same chemicals within their bodies.

This demonstrates that even if you have been using chemical laden products your whole life, it’s never too late to make a difference!

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Dr Schmidts Bergamot & Lime

Reasons to buy

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Zesty, aluminium-free

It’s worth getting used to applying deodorant with your fingers for this awesome product. It may be a little hard to get out, but once on it melts into your skin right away and leaves behind nothing but a sweet lime smell. There are other scents available, which we tried and also loved, but we found that this one particularly was best for beating strong odours and persistent pits! Perhaps it’s due to the odour neutralizing powers of citrus oils? 

You can get this in a rub on stick, as well as in a glass jar, but the jar wins for us for its non-plastic packaging (apart from the lid) and also, because the texture feels a little smoother somehow. An excellent choice for people who have struggled to find a natural deodorant that really does the job. This one may just astound you!

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Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Botanical Cream Deodorant

Reasons to buy

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Cream-to-powder probiotic

The experience of this product is definitely ‘luxury’. The ingredients have all been ground into a superfine powder, which makes for an almost whipped texture when it goes on. You do have to use your fingertips to apply this, but it’s not as hard as others so it’s not difficult to get the right amount out of the jar. 

Results were impressive, with dryness lasting through the day and the soft scent from a botanical blend of antibacterial essential oils lingering and deodorising beautifully. Another point which won us over was how soft and hydrated our armpits felt after use too – it really feels as though this deodorant is doing our skin some good.

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Weleda Wild Rose 24h Deodorant Spray

Reasons to buy

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A body balancing spray

The first thing we can’t help but notice about this spray deodorant is its incredible wild rose scent. It smells good enough to wear as a perfume. In fact, we are sure many people do! And before long, we discovered it lasts too. 

It does lean towards the feminine side, but there’s a more masculine sage version available too. Even strong-smelling pits were held a bay by this natural product, but it did fall a little short when it came to staying dry. The liquid formulation didn’t really lend itself here. The ingredients are top-notch natural, as expected from Weleda, but do contain alcohol which means it stings after shaving and might be irritating for sensitive skin.

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Salt Of The Earth Natural Deodorant

Reasons to buy

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Pure mineral salt

It doesn’t really feel like it should work, but somehow it does! According to the experts, that’s by leaving a microscopic layer of mineral salts on your skin which then inhibits the growth of odour causing bacteria leaving you feeling fresh and scent free. 

It’s one single ingredient: 100% natural alum salt, which is fragrance free, colour free and doesn’t block your skin's pores. Yet, we found it to be amazing at keeping armpits completely stink-free and dry and the results even seemed to improve over time. The absence of scent (both your own and fragrance) was actually quite refreshing, for a change, and welcome news for those of you with essential oil allergies.

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Ben&Anna - Natural Soda Deodorant

Reasons to buy

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Creamy, shea butter blend

After a few seconds held on warm skin to allow the product to heat up and soften, this creamy deodorant glides on easily and leaves behind a delicate, woody scent. Once on, it is instantly dry and feels comfortable on the skin.

Through the day we found the protection to hold up well under normal conditions, with that forest smell from the Nordic Timber version we tested still coming through despite being light. But performance did start to falter a little when really put to the test on some stronger smelling armpits, so not the strongest natural deodorant you can buy. 

We love that the deodorant is wrapped in paper tubes made from FSC-certified paper. (‘It’s good for your skin and good for the environment!’ as their website says) and that the brand supports environmental organization One Earth – One Ocean. Always a delight to see companies trying to do some good in the world!

Ruby Deevoy

Ruby Deevoy is a wellbeing, beauty and natural lifestyle expert. She regularly reviews innovative and natural products for her lifestyle column in Chat!, Top Sante and CBD marketplace nabino among many others.