I hate to break it to you, but a lot of traditional beauty and body care products are seriously unhealthy — full of toxins that mess with our bodies and cause some shady side effects. One of the biggest culprits? Deodorant. So I decided to make the switch to all-natural deo.
Why? Well, commercial deodorants are packed with chemicals like parabens, which can affect estrogen. They also contain aluminum, which clogs sweat ducts and prevents them from doing their job. Though it’s a naturally-occurring, FDA-approved substance, some reports link it to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. It’s not definitively proven, but the possibility of any link at all is scary.
But perhaps one of the best reasons to go au naturel is that natural deos don’t mask odor — they actually prevent it with ingredients like coconut oil. Naturally antimicrobial, coconut oil attacks bacteria that causes stinky sweat, rather than covering it up with artificial perfumes.
Ready to give natural a try? I tested out a couple of natural deodorants to help you decide which is best for you.
Pros: Of all the deodorants I tried, this one was the clear winner. It smells amazing, glides on clear, and dries super quick. The Kopari also works, unlike many of others I tried. At $11.90, it’s way more affordable than expensive brands like Aesop, which charges $35 for a single bottle. And even though it’s affordable, it’s still risk-free — if you don’t like it, you can just send it back. This is the deodorant I chose to be part of my everyday routine!
Cons: There’s a lot of buzz around this deodorant, so I actually had a hard time getting my hands on it. If it’s sold out on Kopari’s site, be sure to sign up for the waitlist.
Freedom Natural Deodorant
Pros: I loved this deo’s lavender scent, and it wasn’t too wet when I applied it.
Cons: It contains baking soda, which was really drying on my sensitive skin. My armpits felt a little chapped, and I felt like the detox process with this one was severe (even though I switched to it from another natural deodorant). Would not recommend.
Arm & Hammer Essentials Unscented Deodorant
Pros: I liked this one was pretty accessible–they actually just had it at my local CVS. I also liked that it came in an unscented option. It went on pretty smooth, but that’s about as far as I got with this one.
Cons: I wanted to try an unscented natural deodorant. Most of the others rely on a lot of scents (albeit natural) to help mask B.O. This one’s supposed to be unscented, but let me tell you, that’s just not true. I didn’t mind the lemony smell, but it defeated the purpose of an “unscented” deo.
Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant – Jasmine Tea
Pros: I appreciated that this deo doesn’t contain baking soda. Instead, it uses the same technology as antacids to absorb sweat. This deo was less irritating than the baking soda ones.
Cons: This might be just me, but I thought this smelled horrible — almost like bug spray. I couldn’t use it for more than a few days because I hated the way it made me smell.
Megababe Daily Deodorant
Pros: This one worked pretty well, and I liked the smell, a mix of rose and sandalwood.
Cons: Not only is it hard to get, it’s expensive. One stick is $18, and I find I use a lot more natural deodorant than I used when I still buying toxic brands. And even though Megababe doesn’t contain baking soda, I still got a rash. I gave it a few days, thinking it would go away…I tried exfoliating and washing it off at night but the rash persisted. I had a wedding to go to so I stopped using this — no rashy pits when I’m out on the dance floor!
As you can see, I really put these deodorants to the test! After trying all these brands, I’m sticking with Kopari. I love the formula, the scent — and it’s baking-soda-free! I love that I can wear it all day and feel confident and fresh. If I had my way, everything in my beauty cabinet would be as effective, safe, and indulgent as my Kopari Coconut Deodorant.