Compare our top 11 natural deodorants
We tested more natural deodorants
Photograph: Laurin Strampe
Kopari Performance Plus Deodorant for $20: This deodorant smells great—like a floral, beachy coconut. It’s more refreshing than sweet, and I’d say it’s more androgynous-leaning-feminine. It goes on clean and smooth, and doesn’t stain my clothes at all. However, unlike some other brands I’ve tried, it didn’t last through my workout without reapplying. I think it’s okay, but I wouldn’t call it a “performance deodorant.” If you’re looking for a sheer formula and you don’t mind reapplying, this might be worth a try.
Curie Clean Deodorant (two-pack) for $28: The formula smells nice when first applied, but it quickly fades away after an hour or two. It stained my clothes more than other clothes I’ve tried. During my second use, it caused some irritation, so I discontinued it. I didn’t notice myself sweating more or less compared to other types of natural deodorants. However, the brand has a great detox mask that can help in the transitional period when switching to a natural deodorant. This will be featured more prominently in an upcoming guide.
Dove Aluminum-Free Deodorant for $11: Dove’s deodorant is mostly good, and I like how affordable it is. But the texture is really smooth and my underarms feel weirdly sticky even after letting them dry. The scents are not powerful or long lasting for my personal liking. They also all have a powdery color which I wasn’t a fan of. I did notice some BO throughout the day during my testing. Since this is so subjective, your mileage may vary. The packaging also came taped shut, and the tape left a sticky residue on the outside of my deodorant that was impossible to remove without rubbing alcohol.
Lume Whole Body Deodorant (three-pack) for $40: I was smelling really bad because of this expensive deodorant. I found the Invisible Cream formula in Minted Cucumber, which smelled like pool chlorine and hand soap. I refused to put it on my body. I also found the Clean Tangerine Smooth Solid formula, which initially smelled a little better but still had a weird hand-soap element to it. It left white marks all over my clothes and had a strange cheese-like smell when applied. I washed it off and completed my testing. Reader, I love you, but I’m not going to smell like cheese all day just to see if the smell magically changes after a few hours. Senior commerce editor Kat Merk also tried Lavender Sage Invisible Cream, and she said it reminded her of clothes left in the washing machine overnight — and the deodorant made her smell worse than if she hadn’t worn anything in the first place. Lume has many fans on the internet, so again, this may be something that can be toned down based on personal preference. I recommend smelling it in a store before buying.
Bite Refillable Deodorant for $44: I love the minimalist aesthetic of this refillable deodorant. The sleek metal case is almost tiny, and the entire setup is completely plastic-free. However, it’s easy to push the deodorant stick too high, which can lead to a mess when the temperatures are hot. In fact, I found the formula too soft in general, and throughout the day it became sticky and sticky on both my armpits and the case. I also didn’t like the neroli scent. I think this might work well if you want the most minimal, nondescript natural deodorant, but there are other refillable options that smell better and last longer.
Photograph: Laurin Strampe
Saltair AHA Deodorant for $13: Initially I was very impressed by the fragrance of Saltaire. Pink Beach smells like a sunset over the ocean in summer. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts to make it work, I couldn’t apply this formula without feeling stickiness and irritation in my armpits. I used it on clean, dry, hair-free skin, and I let my armpits dry completely before moving my arms down. But I was experiencing a persistent feeling of sticky, sweaty irritation, which eventually led to a rash, so I discontinued the trial.
How does WIRED test natural deodorants?
I have been using natural deodorant since 2020. I’ve worn each of these deodorants at least seven times — including at least once during a quiet day at home and at least once during a workout at the gym. I also tested whether it stains black t-shirts when worn after application. I test each on freshly showered and shaved skin, and reapply it at least once on a day I haven’t showered. Next I’ll be testing Schmidt’s Liquid AHA Deodorant and Aluminum-Free Deodorant.
What Ingredients Make Natural Deodorants Work?
Here is an explanation of some of the ingredients you may see in your research.
Aluminium: Natural deodorants (usually) mask odor and do not emphasize reducing sweat. Antiperspirants (usually) mask odor and prevent sweating. Sweat prevention comes from aluminum salts, which block sweat ducts under your arms. There were some studies that talked about increased breast cancer or Alzheimer’s disease risks from aluminum use, but there is no definitive link between them (according to the FDA, the American Cancer Society, and the National Cancer Institute, among others). It’s probably OK to use antiperspirants that contain aluminum. Some people with kidney disease are advised to avoid aluminum, and others may want to “play it safe” and avoid aluminum. As for me, I feel better when I sweat? In any case, it’s a downer on aluminum. TL;DR: Science says it’s OK for most people.
Parabens: Parabens are preservatives that have been shown to mimic estrogen in the body, but at a much lower rate than the body’s natural estrogen. Parabens are somewhat common ingredients in food, medicine, and beauty products, although they are becoming less common as more people try to avoid them. Some parabens have been banned in the European Union until more research is done. The FDA has concluded that parabens are safe. It’s relatively easy to avoid parabens if you want to. Most antiperspirants do not contain parabens; Most natural deodorants don’t do this either.
Phthalates: Phthalates make plastics more flexible and durable, and they can also be used as stabilizers in some beauty products. Some studies have concluded that they are safe; Others suggest a link between phthalates and skin irritation, cancer, or early death. But those links were not without reason. Phthalates have a California Proposition 65 warning. The deodorants recommended in this guide are phthalate-free. Many antiperspirants contain phthalates, but not all.
baking soda: Some natural deodorants use baking soda as an absorbent agent to prevent sweat and as an antibacterial agent to prevent odor. Due to a reaction between baking soda and their body’s natural pH balance, some people may develop a rash from using baking-soda-based formulas. It’s hard to tell if you’re sensitive to baking soda until you try it, but if your skin is typically sensitive, you may want to try a formula without baking soda. (We recommend some in this buying guide.)
What is “transition period”?
When you switch from antiperspirant to natural deodorant, you may need to go through a transition period of one to four weeks. To make a long story short, after several years of not sweating while using antiperspirants, you may start sweating a lot when your body switches to a natural deodorant. It will blow over eventually, but for me personally, I smelled like a gym full of teenage boys for two weeks. Some people do not have a transition phase at all. I also got heat rash due to excessive sweating in the middle of summer – my skin became irritated, which meant I couldn’t use deodorant at all, so the stink factor was heightened. However, I now sweat less than before when using antiperspirants.
Be prepared to maintain it. I have trouble with the word “detox”, because our bodies already have a detoxifying process (called the kidneys). However, a clay mask like the Curie Detox Mask can be helpful in drawing out excess moisture and soothing skin irritation you may experience during the transition period. Otherwise, just keep your underarms dry and be gentle on your skin. This won’t last forever.
What do the tables mean in this guide
Deodorants are difficult to test empirically. Scent preferences vary from person to person, and they can change depending on your body chemistry. Some people may prefer a different formula, some people shave and some don’t, and some people care more about sweat absorption than odor. Do you take bath every day? Do you work out frequently? Do you naturally sweat a lot or a little? All these things can depend on whether you will like the deodorant or not. Here’s what the tables in this guide mean.
Available Fragrances: That’s how many scents you can choose from, as of press time.
Free from: These ingredients are not in deodorant.
Fragrance Strength: “Strong” lasts all day. “Medium” fades halfway through the day. “Faint” means that it faded rapidly or was barely noticeable at first.
Sweat Level: “Low” means I didn’t notice any sweat. “Moderate” means I noticed some wetness but didn’t feel the need to reapply the deodorant. “High” means I sweat a lot and feel the need to reapply throughout the day.
Stains on clothes: “None” means it didn’t stain my clothes. “Some” means it may show up on a black t-shirt. “High” means that it will be absolutely visible on your clothing, regardless of color.
Functional Ingredients: A list of key ingredients that help absorb sweat and prevent odor.
Formula Description: Is it vegetarian? Is it a stick, cream or roll-on? I will tell you here.
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