WHY I MADE THE SWITCH TO NATURAL DEODORANT + REVIEWS ON BRANDS I TESTED
Over the past 6+ months, I’ve been making the transition over to using a natural deodorant. Honestly, I’ve never really been conscious of the ingredients in my deodorant, much less beauty products in general. But after doing some research and learning more about chemicals found in everyday products, I decided it was time to start looking into incorporating some safer alternatives. And switching my deodorant seemed like a great way to start using more natural products.
I ended up purchasing four well known brands and tested each one individually over a period of time. I went based off of reviews and recommendations from friends on which ones to try. Below you will find my review of each one with a list of pros & cons. Keep in mind that everyone’s body is different and what may have not worked for me, could work for you. I highly recommend trying a few yourself in order to find the right one. I definitely did not expect for it to take months in order to find one that worked, but I’m so glad that I didn’t give up in the process and eventually found a natural deodorant that works great for my body.
A few things to know:
Most antiperspirants contain aluminum, which actually causes your sweat glands to be blocked and stops you from naturally sweating.
Natural deodorants typically do NOT contain aluminum and are paraben FREE as well. Therefore natural ingredients are better for your skin and keeps the good bacteria working even when you’re not wearing deodorant.
It is recommended to detox your underarm area prior to switching to a natural deodorant. There are a few ways to do this and honestly, I think it’s personal preference. If you literally search “how to detox your armpits” on Pinterest, you will find a ton of articles. I personally chose to use witch hazel + a charcoal scrub a few times in between testing each deodorant. I can’t really say if it made a huge difference or not, but I think it’s worth doing to prep your skin initially.
Natural deodorant is not meant to prevent you from sweating. So you may still experience some underarm wetness in the process.
Try and then try again! I say this because, I found myself frustrated in the process and assumed that certain brands should be the “one” for me based on friends recommendations. Keep in mind that your body may respond differently to certain brands. And it may take trying a few different ones before you find the one that works for you.
Schmidt’s $4.69 2.56oz
Pros
Scented with essential oils *Lavender & Sage
Available in several scents
Aluminum + Paraben FREE
Cons
Rough texture upon application (feels gritty to touch)
Caused irritation & redness after a few uses (likely due to the baking soda)
Experienced underarm wetness after application
Discontinued use within 5-7 days
Lavanila $8.00 .90oz
Pros
Light fresh scent *Vanilla
Smooth application + dries clear
Aluminum + Paraben FREE
Cons
Experienced some underarm wetness
Needed reapplying at least once throughout the day
Noticed that even with light activity, it would wear off by end of day and caused underarm odor.
Discontinued use within 2-3 weeks
Product ended up breaking off inside cap (not sure if this happens typically or if mine was defective)
Native $11.99 2.65oz
Pros
Smells great *Coconut & Vanilla
Available in several scents
Smooth application + dries clear
Aluminum + Paraben FREE
Cons
Experienced some underarm wetness
Noticed that even with light activity, it would wear off during the day.
Caused strong underarm odor by end of day within 6-8 hours (this started around week 3)
Discontinued use within 4 weeks
Kopari $14 2oz
Pros
Smells amazing *Coconut oil
Glides on skin + non-sticky application
Does not stain or transfer to clothing
Aluminum + Paraben FREE
Allure Best of Beauty Award Winner 2018
Lasts all day without having to reapply
Cons
Price
Honestly, I can’t say anything bad about this deodorant other than the price point. I’ve used it for the past month and it continues to last all day without reapplication. I haven’t tested it while working out, so the jury is still out on that. But for me, it’s been the best natural deodorant I’ve tested out by far. I’ve even had a few friends who have started to use it and they love it as well.
Have you tried using Natural Deodorant? If so, what was your experience like? Share in the comments below.