I am either thee worst person on Earth to be doing a full-on summary of natural deodorants or perhaps I'm the best because I, my fellow greenies, have something called Hyperhydrosis, which basically means that my temperature gauge in my body is off and I'm always sweating. I can be cold, but I'm still sweating. Yes, it's the bane of my existence and takes a lot of my energy, but we've all got our things, haven't we? I consider myself incredibly lucky in other areas, so that's that!
Now, as we all know very, very well, a natural deodorant that works well on one person, could make another person smell like a petting zoo after a rainstorm. So, I'm going to give you my opinion on these deodorants and you can see which ones sound like they might be something that could work for you. Keep in mind that none of these are antiperspirants. Sweating is a very healthy and normal bodily function, so we're just looking to keep the odor at bay, here. And please remember to read all labels and decide what product might be best for you and your precious lil pits!
If you are currently using or going to begin using a deodorant with baking soda, just keep in mind that some people can develop irritation under their arms. Meow Meow Tweet has recommended using Olive Oil to soothe the area and I think it's a brilliant idea. Also, some cream deodorants with baking soda can be grainy, so just remember to apply it gently. Hard rubbing won't do anything more than irritate the skin.
THE ROLL-ONS
FRESCA NATURAL DEODORANT It's not my first time writing about Fresca, so you can read my full review here. This Australian company hand makes their deodorant and it works! There's no aluminum, no parabens, no alcohol and it's blended with pure essential oils. There's also six scents to choose from: Citrus Fresh, Jaisara, Ocean, Unscented, Valley Rose, Wild Lavender and Wooden Spice. $15 - $18
How does it hold up? I found this to work wonderfully. And while it does contain baking soda, I didn't find that it irritated under my arms as much as some creams have. The scents are great, too.
Ingredients: Hand-made from food grade ingredients of purified water, vegetable gum and an aerated salt (sodium bicarbonate base mineral salt) which is then blended with the highest quality essential oils.
MILK OF MAGNESIA DEODORANT I'm always researching new deodorants and this is a favorite of mine mainly because deodorants with baking soda (and this is just MY chemistry, many people don't have this issue at all) turn my clothing temporarily yellow (insert loud groan here). So, I kept researching to find a deodorant without baking soda and I found this on The People's Pharmacy site. This absolutely works for me. Why Milk of Magnesia? Well, since Magnesium Hydroxide is alkaline, it creates an inhospitable environment for microorganisms (the little guys who feed on your sweat and create odor). So, if there's no microorganisms, there's no odor.
How does it hold up? I find that this deodorant works perfectly for me and remember, I sweat a lot. I also showed it to my homeopathic doctor and she gave the ingredients the thumbs-up and started recommending it to her patients, so I 'd say that's a pretty nice endorsement.
Ingredients: Magnesium Hydroxide, Water, Bentonite (natural clay that suspends the Magnesium Hydroxide and keeps it from compacting in container) and Ethylhexlglycerin & Capryl Glycol (naturally derived preservative system that also contributes to deodorancy).
THE SPRAY
Fresh Bod Natural Deodorant New kid on the block over here! This is working AMAZINGLY for me. I like to try out any natural deodorant I read about and when I saw this posted online recently, I was really intrigued. Being that it's a spray, touch-ups during the day are so easy and the packaging is great for just throwing in your bag. $7.99
How does it work? I've been using this everyday since I got it and it's fantastic. I don't have any irritation under my arms (even though there's baking soda), there's no odor and you can also spray this on your clothes as well. It's become a fast favorite. It's completely unscented as well, so spray away. I just ordered a few more bottles for myself!
One of the ingredients in this deodorant is Colloidal Silver. I asked Erica Thomas, the one of the founders of FreshBod, for her take on this ingredient: "Colloidal silver is a non-toxic, natural antibacterial solution. Most body odor results from bacteria mingling with sweat and oil. Our colloidal silver and hydrogen peroxide combination create a powerful “1-2 punch” in destroying this odor-causing bacteria, making FreshBod a safe and effective alternative to standard chemical-laden deodorants. We think a lot of the silver controversy centers around its internal use – those who ingest the solution for medicinal purposes. FreshBod isn’t in a position to speak (positively or negatively) about the practice of ingesting colloidal silver as our product is strictly for external use."
Ingredients: Sodium bicarbonate, magnesium sulfate, purified water, hydrogen peroxide and colloidal silver.
How does it work? I've been using this everyday since I got it and it's fantastic. I don't have any irritation under my arms (even though there's baking soda), there's no odor and you can also spray this on your clothes as well. It's become a fast favorite. It's completely unscented as well, so spray away. I just ordered a few more bottles for myself!
One of the ingredients in this deodorant is Colloidal Silver. I asked Erica Thomas, the one of the founders of FreshBod, for her take on this ingredient: "Colloidal silver is a non-toxic, natural antibacterial solution. Most body odor results from bacteria mingling with sweat and oil. Our colloidal silver and hydrogen peroxide combination create a powerful “1-2 punch” in destroying this odor-causing bacteria, making FreshBod a safe and effective alternative to standard chemical-laden deodorants. We think a lot of the silver controversy centers around its internal use – those who ingest the solution for medicinal purposes. FreshBod isn’t in a position to speak (positively or negatively) about the practice of ingesting colloidal silver as our product is strictly for external use."
Ingredients: Sodium bicarbonate, magnesium sulfate, purified water, hydrogen peroxide and colloidal silver.
THE CREAMS
Schmidt's Natural Deodorant I've already expressed the love I have for Schmidt's in my full review here. Schmidt's deodorant really does work for me. Many people that I've recommended it to have loved it. Now, it does contain baking soda, so if you're prone to irritation, I suggest that you use Olive Oil under your arms to soothe the skin. Also, apply this deodorant gently as it's texture is a bit courser than others. All of the scents are absolutely wonderful and I can't say enough good things about it. $8
How does it work? Really well. I find that this definitely keeps odor at bay. I often like to switch back and forth with my Milk of Magnesia (and now my FreshBod) just so I don't get irritated.
Ingredients (Cedarwood Juniper): Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), Maranta arundinacea (arrowroot) powder, Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, Cedrus deodara (Himalayan cedar) essential oil, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Juniperus (juniper) essential oil, Humulus lupulus (hop) extract
Osmia Organics Deodorant I'm a big fan of Osmia Organics for many reasons, but mainly because I know how much time and research creator Sarah Villafranco puts into creating all of her handmade products. This deodorant is 91.9% organic and the ingredients are stellar. It feels great going on, is very smooth and is perfect for carrying in your bag. $12
How does it work? I would recommend this to someone who doesn't sweat a lot. I used this on days when I knew I wasn't going to be in high-stress situations and it was effective and felt great. It's light, smooth and perfect for that chick who doesn't sweat excessively, and wants a well-made (and handmade) natural deodorant.
Ingredients: Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter*, tapioca starch*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil*, sodium bicarbonate, fuller's earth clay, callophyllum inophyllum (tamanu) oil*, vegetable glycerin*, and a proprietary blend of certified organic and wild-harvested essential oils
Meow Meow Tweet Tea Tree Deodorant I had tested the Tea Tree Deodorant Cream which, if you love Tea Tree oil, you're going to be in heaven. This cream is super, super soft. Probably thee softest deodorant cream I've tried yet. It feels wonderful going on.
How does it work? Again, I think this would be perfect for someone who sweats like a "normal" person (unlike myself). I like to carry around deodorants like this for touch-ups during the day, but again, you may not need that. If you're looking for a really creamy, natural deodorant, you probably are going to want to give this a try. I could wear this on low-stress days or days when I wasn't running around a lot. $12
Ingredients: *Olive oil, *virgin coconut oil, *jojoba oil, *shea butter, *arrowroot powder, baking soda, kaolin clay, tea tree OR lavender essential oil. *certified organic
Have favorites? Have some opinions? Let me hear you in the comments below, woman!
*Some of these deodorants I purchased, others were kindly and generously given to me for review. All opinions are my own. I hope you find something here that works wonders for you, stinky!
Have favorites? Have some opinions? Let me hear you in the comments below, woman!
*Some of these deodorants I purchased, others were kindly and generously given to me for review. All opinions are my own. I hope you find something here that works wonders for you, stinky!
