Your Questions Answered: What’s the Best Natural Deodorant?
One of the problems with a blog like ours—where there’s a lot of content but an admittedly imperfect tagging system—is tracking down specific info. As such, readers often write us emails asking questions about things we’ve already covered. So, while we do plan to attack our content organization in the coming months, we thought it would be fun to start a new series based on these inquiries! These will offer you guys some quick roundups, and point you to the right posts if you’re a newbie! Let’s start with an important one…
Deodorant is a topic we’ve covered extensively, both in the book, and here. While at first, this was the hardest products in our arsenal to replace, we now boast better results from a natural brand. You heard us.
One of our first favorites was from Weleda—this convenient little bottle is available at most healthfood stores and if you’re not a heavy sweater (or stinker), it’s a good option.
Then we met Lavanila, and fell for it hard. Sure it costs $18 bucks, but feeling fresh is non-negotiable, and we love the citrus-vanilla smell and the fact that you can find this brand at Sephora. Recently, it came under attack for a certain questionable ingredient—but we still think it’s one of the (much) better options on the market. As we’ve said in the past, one dirty ingredient in an otherwise clean product is not necessarily a deal breaker for us. We understand that there are going to be some missteps in the clean revolution and certain kinds of nitpicking can be counterproductive to change.
That said, there’s a relatively new favorite in town—and this one contains no questionable ingredients and costs a reasonable 10 bucks. Siobhan reviewed it here, and also gave a testimonial on Soapwalla’s site. We can’t say enough good about this stuff. It works. It smells fresh and minty (totally gender-neutral enough for men). It keeps us dry. It lasts. We love it.
We’d also like to add a new one to this list. A while back a company called Bubble and Bee sent us some samples, and by golly—while their overall vibe and packaging seems a little more suited to kids and teens—their Pit Putty works like a charm. Not entirely dissimilar to Soapwalla in texture but with a strong citrus scent, it represents another good and affordable option.
So while we still have some dirty products hanging around in our cabinets, we no longer need to turn to aluminum-filled antiperspirants—even on super hot, sweaty days. Clean or not, what’s deodorant/antiperspirant do you use?
Soapwalla 4 Evah! I recently discovered that a local health store started carrying it so it’s definitely worth checking around before you buy online. My first jar has lasted me a little more than 3 months so it’s a pretty good deal.
I haven’t tried any of these natural brands mostly because a make-it-yourself-at-home remedy fits the bill for me.
Coconut oil and baking soda is an amazing deodorant! I have never found a deodorant that works better (I’m with you ladies on natural deodorants far surpassing mainstream chemical brands in performance!). I even ride my bike 5 miles to and from work and I still don’t stink at the end of that.
When I get out of the shower at night, I put a little bit of coconut oil in my hand and then a little baking soda, mix it together so it’s not too abrasive, and press it on. It soaks in while I sleep and I don’t have to reapply in the morning.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a cheaper or more effective deodorant, in my opinion. I try not to proselytize when it comes to natural beauty/lifestyle, but I do like sharing helpful info. In that vein, both my brother (who was totally skeptical at first) and sister-in-law now both use this deodorant, too. They mix it up ahead of time and put it into old deodorant containers so they can apply it much the same as normal deodorant. My brother said none of the other brands worked for him (he rides his bike, too), and go figure, coconut oil and baking soda keeps him smelling fresh.
There’s my two cents! Off my soap box now. :)
I can’t say enough about Soapwalla’s deodorant! I was a bit turned off by Bubble & Bee’s vibe too, but they are now making a cream deodorant (consistency similar to Soapwalla’s and packaged in a small circular container) and I had a chance to try a sample of the spearmint. For anyone looking to experiment with different brands, it seems to work as well and smells great.
I use the deodorant from Soapwalla. It’s the best deodorant I’ve EVER tried, even better than the conventional ones. Yesterday it kept me odor free for about 24 hrs!
Awesome topic, especially since it’s finally warming up in norCal and I actually sweated just sitting in my living room yesterday.
I’m a Soapwalla girl. I don’t know watcha talkin about on the mint though – it smells like tea tree to me. But the smell does not continue after it’s on. I end up smelling pretty much like me, but without stink. Wonderful texture, my underarm skin feels soft and healthy. The cream thing seemed weird to me at first, but now I actually prefer it.
For years before I found Soapwalla, I used crystal deodorant (there are a couple brands at Whole Foods) and still use it occasionally when I need a completely fragrance-free product. I like it in roll-on, spray and these really convenient individually packaged wipes that I bring camping/traveling/in my bag for emergencies. Not as reliable as Soapwalla but saved me from years of getting horrible rashes under my arms. Side note: I use the spray for my shoes, every time I take off a pair. Even my running shoes do NOT stink, like, at all.
What do people think about potassium alum (the crystal ingredient)? It’s my understanding it’s not like the aluminum chloride, etc., “bad” stuff, but I’d like to know if people have more info. I’d love a non-controversial fragrance free option.
Also, I’d love to hear more about which scents of Pit Putty people have tried and liked. I want to convert my husband and the cream type is not his thing, and my son just started using deodorant.
I totally can’t say enough about Soapwalla… This is my first jar, and I was a little apprehensive about it, because I am pretty sweaty and I live in east Texas where summers are consistantly 100° and humid. Before I moved here I didn’t really use deoderant, apart from the random ineffectual natural one for special occasions. My first summer in Texas had me running to the drugstore though, because I was pretty quickly offensive. I would try different natural deoderants during the winter, then cave once the thermometer started climbing. After reading the reviews, I tried soapwalla, and it is AMAZING. I love the smell, it keeps me relatively dry, and while, after vigorous activity, I have detected a whiff of armpit stink, I have no complaints… (when I say vigorous I mean hiking in 90° swamps sort of vigorous, not yoga before work or walking during lunch vigorous). I am very active and outdoorsy, so I’ve really put this stuff through its paces and I am a total convert. The whole “cream in a pot” thing is not at all weird or inconvenient, it hasn’t left any stains on my clothes, I’ve been working on this jar for a couple months and it’s not anywhere close to empty, and IT WORKS. I know some people have said it is irritating when used directly after shaving, and I have had that problem a couple times (though I was actually using a pretty dull razor, it doesn’t seem to happen with a fresh one) but only to the extent of being slightly itchy/uncomfortable for a couple hours. I would still unhesitatingly pay 3x the amount for this stuff. Everyone should immediately buy this deoderant.!!
I love soapwalla deodorant it works like amazing :)
Plus it’s Tata Harper’s favorite also
I tried Tom’s of Maine for awhile (another not completely clean deodorant) and on hotter days, it couldn’t entirely cover up odor so I am back to Dove speedstick. The tricky thing for me is not only finding a clean deodorant that kills odors (I don’t even mind the sweat) but also dries clear. I wear a lot of tank tops in the summertime. The Soapwalla product sounds intriguing, but the line about the frosting-like consistency makes me nervous that it doesn’t dry invisibly. Anyone out there who’s tried it that can comment on that?
Thanks Siobhan and Alexandra for all of your tireless research! Your site and book have an a huge impact on all of my purchasing choices.
Soapwalla for life. That is all there is to it!
I am also a Soapwalla fan, but Bubble & Bee works as well. Bubble & Bee has differend scents that work better for different people depending on an individual’s body chemistry. I found that the first couple I tried didn’t get rid of the stink, but once I found the right one, it worked like a charm…Bubble & Bee has a “guarantee” so you can keep switching dedorants until you find one that works.
Thank you all for your kind words. I can’t possibly put into words how blown away I am by your support. It’s times like this that I truly appreciate how lucky I am.
Rachel Winard, Soapwalla Chef
I used to be an anti-perspirant and deoderant gal, but I switched when my health started going south. With great trepidation, I decided to try plain organic baking soda (the regular kind has a bit of aluminum in it), figuring it wouldn’t do a thing. I just apply it dry in the morning after I shower. I’m delighted to report that it keeps me odor free all day, although I sometimes need to reapply after work in the summer.
Yes–what’s your opinion on the crystal deodorant? I just started using it, and it works great, BUT, what is it? Is it a “dirty” product, even though it’s “natural?” Thanks for any input, and now I’m going to have to try Soapwalla. I also bought some milk of magnesia, because someone in the comments of this thread on thehairpin.com (http://thehairpin.com/2011/05/still-hunting-for-the-natural-deodorant-holy-grail) recommended it, and it’s so cheap why not try it?
I use one of those solid crystal “rocks”–you know, you wet it, then run the “rock” over your underarm skin. It is scent free and incredibly effective and contains only potassium alum (so it’s not like the crystal roll-ons that have multiple ingredients). I used commercial deodorants until 2 years ago, and honestly they were never perfectly effective. I was shocked to find that natural ones are better!
However, like Rebecca, I wonder about the safety of the crystal ingredient, so I also use Soapwalla at times. I really hated it at first because of its scent. I put it aside for 6 months before trying it again, and have since gotten used to its scent and now find it fine. I’ll probably move over to it completely at some point–the crystal has better results on me, but as I said I do wonder about the safety of potassium alum.
Either way, it’s so cool that natural deodorants are better than chemical ones! Oh–and I’ve also tried Bubble&Bee’s Pit Putty in 2 different scents, but have yet to find a scent that works with my chemistry–I get stinky after a few hours with those.
Love the soapwalla. First read about it on the FigSage website and thought it sounded too good to be true but started to purchase it on Spirit Beauty Lounge. It smells wonderful, and helps keep me from offending. No nasty stains on your clothing either. Hurray! Used to use Queen Helene that I purchased from Whole Foods but knew I needed to find a truly clean one and now I have. Also want to mention how much I love SBL and the great samples. Really look forward to receiving a package from them. Saw your book on their site and purchased it. Thanks for doing so much research. Keep up the good work.
Okay. Not to be Debbie Downer here, but am I the only one Soapwalla doesn’t work for? I wanted to love it so, so much. Everyone loves it. It works for everyone. I love the smell. For for someone who doesn’t usually stink much at all, for some reason it made me *start* stinking. Am I don’t something wrong? How is that even possible? I thought I was making it up, but I would stop using it (I sometimes go sans-deodorant without issue) and then I would use it again and smell terrible! What the heck?! It is like I am reacting to something in it in a smelly way. Because the deodorant smells awesome and I rarely smell, so why does that combination lead to stink? Help!
I make my own deodorant as well. Basically the same recipe as Rose, except I add cornstarch as well. I love it and am amazed at how well it works. I was using the Secret Clinical Strength antiperspirant and would stink within 2 hours of showering, so I was very skeptical, but with the coconut oil/baking soda/cornstarch deo, I can now shower every other day and not stink! It was very weird getting used to my underarms sweating again, but as long as I don’t stink, I now don’t care how sweaty I am!
In response to Lynne, I think all baking soda is aluminum free and the organic ones just put “aluminum free” on the packaging as a marketing thing. The only time baking soda will contain traces of aluminum is if it leeched the aluminum out of plastic packaging. The cheapy Hytop baking soda in the cardboard box should be aluminum free. I’m not a scientist or chemist so I might be wrong, but I did some internet research on it when I started making my own deo and that is the summation of what I found.
I’ve tried a bunch, including Lavanila, which I love, but just isn’t strong enough to keep me going in the humid summers. I just purchased Green Beaver’s sport 24, which works really well. It’s clear and smells like tea tree, but the scent dissipates once you put it on. It basically keeps me from being stinky and I smell like me, which I haven’t in years thanks to all the crazy deodorants I’ve been using! Hopefully this one keeps working, but if not I am definitely going to try Soapwalla!
When I worked at Whole Foods, I tried everything on the market and nothing worked like Natural Deodorant Protection Crystal essence Lavender & White Tea and I’m no blossoming rose. I dance and sweat like the best of them and this still works. Just make sure to spray right after you give yourself the ol’ “whore bath.” Don’t get to offended ladies but this really is how people who don’t like to damage their skin with too many showers do it.
Oh no! I guess it just goes to show that we’re all so specific when it comes to this stuff. My best guess is that it’s like a perfume that can smell great on one person and then terrible on another… Seems totally plausible. But is it making you smell like BO?
Okay, okay… I’ve been stealing my husband’s Old Spice for years. (What can I say? I like the guy scent and it works better than any chick brands bc I am a MAJOR sweater.) But everyone is so excited about it, so I will give this Soapwalla business a try.
I LOVED Soapwalla. My fiance and I shared a jar of it and it was perfect. AND THEN I had the exact same experience as Sarah. All of the sudden it made me smell WORSE than if I didnt wear anything (and yes BADDD BO that I have never had before!). I have had this experience before with other brands. So I am thinking that after a month or so I need to just rotate to a different one and hopefully be able to keep going back and forth between a few. Still trying to figure it out.
i’m a soapwalla convert/devotee myself!
i’ve been using it for a while now, but yesterday i seriously put it to the test when i spent the whole day house-hunting/running errands in 90+ degree heat, and ended up at a sweaty dance party that same night with no chance to freshen up in-between.
18 hrs of sweating, and i was *completely* stink-free at the end of the night. AH-MAZING!
@sarah – maybe it has something to do with stress/body chemistry? when i first started using soapwalla, i had the same reaction. i left it alone for a month or two, and when i tried it again, it worked perfectly. the only thing i can think of is that i was working on my thesis at the time and thus SUPER stressed out. anyways, it might be worth another try?
Soapwalla doesn’t work for me, either. I’ve been super frustrated in my quest for natural deodorant.
At home I’ve got a tub of Soapwalla, 2 different varieties from Bubble and Bee, and a Lavanila. The Lavanila makes me smell mushroomy after a few hours. Pit Putty makes me smell sour. Bubble and Bee’s herbal spray makes me smell stinky (depending on the day), and the Soapwalla smells fine at first but later on just adds the faintest whiff of tea tree and peppermint to unpleasant smelling pits.
The only thing that works for me right now is lavender oil + Fresh cannabis santal perfume (which I am using up; also, I’m a little nervous to switch to straight patchouli…!). That combination (reapplied if necessary) has kept me fresh smelling in 95+ degree heat, for 23 hours on a train trip with no shower, and during hard workouts. The others seem to work differently day by day. Sometimes they’ll leave me smelling okay but my clothes smelling sour/stinky. This current combination, so far, leaves me and my clothes smelling just fine.
I’m so thankful for this post. I am super stinky (sorry for the tmi) and have the hardest time finding a natural deoderant that works. I will try one, it works for a few weeks and then boom, stinky. My body has a way of overriding them. I just ordered soapwalla, so I am praying it works. I also, wax my underarms, so when the hair is growing in, Im at my worst! I think I may need to buy a few different kinds and rotate them.
On a side note, I just purchased Dr. Bronner’s shave gel and it’s AWESOME!!!! I got such a clean shave and I have very sensitive skin. :)
I so wanted to like soapwalla, but like @Sarah, it just didn’t work for me. In fact, it gave me a rash and burned quite bad! I’m not a heavy sweater (unless I’m working out!), so Weleda has worked great for me. I think I’ll keep trying other brands, though. Thanks for the suggestions!
I actually don’t use deodorant anymore–I’ve stopped using soap on my pits AND stopped using deo and it seems to have stopped the viscious cycle–I don’t smell anymore!
That being said, I’ve made some badass deodorant for myself and my sweetie just in case, and it works AMAZINGLY–it’s coconut oil, baking soda, and some essential oils for good measure.
I wish I could get Soapwalla here in Europe without the ten-dollar shipping fee. C’est la vie! I’m off to try some Weleda deos!
I’m a Soapwalla lover, too. None of the natural deodorants I’ve used before have worked. I sometimes reapply if it’s an especially sweaty day. I love the smell and the ingredients in this product. I’m a believer!
@Sarah, @Cait: So sorry to hear the deodorant didn’t work well. I wonder if something funky was going on with your particular jars. I’d love to speak with you more about your experiences, to see if we can figure out a resolution and make sure it doesn’t happen again! If it’s not too much trouble would you mind emailing me at soapwallachef [at] gmail [dot] com? Thank you!
Soapwalla also doesn’t smell very good on me. I’m sticking with Lavanila. It’s funny though, the first few days I used Lavanila I reeked like a dude. It was terrible. I’d never smelled so bad in my life. But, after a few days of persistence it started to work, and now I will never go back. I thought it might be the same situation for Soapwalla, but I just kept on stankin’.
I’ve tried several things, from baking soda to a crystal, and a lot of them didn’t work for me. I found the brand that works best for me is Terra Naturals. I don’t like their packaging (the lid has this extra cover thingy, which I pop out, and it looks like it’s lost all their moisture) but it works! And that’s all that matters when it comes right down to it. http://www.terranaturals.com/
Thank you to everyone for all the ideas/advice! I’m fairly new to the clean-thing, and this is so helpful! I think I’ll try a homemade deodorant first and see if I like it and it works for me – I don’t really ever get very sweaty or smelly, so it may do the trick. If not, I’m gonna try the recommended brands here. Thanks again!
Wow.. does anyone just not use deodorant? Am I in the very weird and totally bizarre minority?
I use essential oil first, then dust a layer of Lush’s powdered deodorant (coconut scented). I don’t know how clean these products are by they keep away odour and the powder keeps it dry. In fact, I use a little in my mary janes to keep the sweat at bay. :)
God, my poor armpits. I have such sensitive skin, so I really dread shaving my pits. Today, though, after I grudgingly shaved them, I put some Kahina argan oil on them before I put on my deo (Hey, Soapwalla!). They don’t hurt today, yay. This has always been a problem for me no matter which deo I was using. I must be in the mood to over-share about my armpits for some reason. ha
Ladies, I think you should also talk about removing hair from legs, arms, armpits and the face
and other body parts….
I’m wondering if the people who experience changing/increased/different bad smell with Soapwalla (or any deodorant) have paid attention to where they were in their menstrual cycle as their smell changed. It would not surprise me if this has something to do with those experiences.
@Kym, the soapwalla is perfectly clear on, no residue at all. I did have a couple experiences early on where I put on too much product and had yellowish spots on light colored clothing, but it washed right out (unlike with dirty deodorants where the stain stays forever).
Oh Soapwalla. I loved it soo much, but alas after I used it for a while I became allergic to it. Do you have any unscented (and baking soda free, because that, like most everything, irritates my skin) deodorants you’d recommend?
I switched to a mix of cornstarch and baking soda about a year ago and I don’t ever want to go back. It’s so cheap and effective! I just shake a little bit on my hand after I shower in the morning, wet it down to get an opaque liquid and apply. I never smell anymore (although I still sweat, but I’m fine with that), and even when I wake up the next day and don’t necessarily shower, I still don’t smell. I was even pleasantly surprised one day when I forgot to put it on after showering that I didn’t even develop any odor either – I think it has adjusted my ph for the better :) Only con is that you have to be careful putting on clothing afterwards, lest you get white powder (which is easily brushed off anyway)
@Sarah I don’t really! I mean if I’m going somewhere at all special I do, but I work from home and go to coffee shops to write without it. :)
I like the Crystal Mineral Spray. Very simple, but works for me! (Hope it’s clean??)
I really, REALLY want to try Soapwalla because I’ve heard so much good stuff about it, but it costs $10 to ship to Australia! I’m a student so I can’t quite justify that :\
I’ve tried making my own (coconut oil, baking soda and corn starch) but there seems to be a fine line between effective but irritating, and just plain ineffective.
Ah well, I will continue on my everlasting search!
I tried Lavanila, and although it smelled nice, it did not work at all. Then I tried Soapwalla, and it is fantastic! My only problem is that it’s very irritating to my underarms; they look all scratched up and hurt a bit. But I don’t care, because it works. Has anyone else had this problem?
For the past few months, I’ve been using Angry Chicken’s deodorant recipe (covered that here: http://jauntydame.com/2011/03/angry-chickens-homemade-deodorant/)— my version wasn’t totally clean, since I used perfume oils for fragrance. It’s been a very effective deodorant, and mixing it up was no trouble.
I love the idea of Rose’s coconut oil ‘n’ baking soda deodorant. I’ll give it a try!
I normally use a salt crystal deodorant and I find it works pretty well. Some days I thought I could smell some BO but I asked my BF for a sniff test and he said he didn’t notice anything! So I try not to worry if I think I smell a tad.
I’ve also used diluted rubbing alcohol mixed with a bit of perfume in a spray bottle. Essential oils would probably be best but I’ve never used them before. This works better than anything for me, even the salt crystal. I stopped using it though because of the perfume I had mixed in and since then got the salt crystal. And I wonder if constantly killing off the armpit bacteria would somehow lead to resistant super bacteria and I’d have super bad unfixable BO LoL
I have recently tried this: http://www.pureandnaturaldeodorant.com/item149542.ctlg
I was SO skeptical at first because it seemed a little ridiculous, but I am now IN LOVE. I haven’t had ANY trouble with sweaty/stinky pits. I am, quite honestly, amazed at this crazy little rock.
I love the ease and the aroma of the Soapwalla. I am partial to slightly medicinal odors–they seem so much cleaner than cloying floral or sweet aromas. The biggest surprise is how well this deodorant works. I switched more than a year ago and I will be sticking with this one. You said you had to get over the application with fingers. That only tooko one use and I found that not to be a problem. What I worried about more was that a “cream” would harm my pricier threads–but it absorbs so beautifully that I have NEVER had a mark on my clothing!.
another great natural cream deodorant is from Purelygreat http://www.purelygreat.com
I use lavender cream deodorant I love it and it lasts all day. It doesn’t stain clothes.
they have natural deodorants for men and teens