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I became a natural-deodorant user in 2017, when I accidentally bought Arm & Hammer deodorant at the local drugstore thinking it had aluminum in it. As a heavy sweater, I was unimpressed with the results, switched back to antiperspirants, and that was that. Admittedly, back then, my options were limited, but in the years since, it seems like nearly every personal-care brand has released its own natural deodorant. There are deodorant sticks from Native, roll-ons from Real Purity, and even an acid-based deo from beauty brand Kosas that’s supposed to make you smell like nothing at all.
But the one thing you need to know about all of these natural deodorants is that they won’t stop you from sweating. That’s because natural formulas lack aluminum, the ingredient in conventional antiperspirants that plugs up sweat glands. As the name implies, antiperspirants work to block sweat ducts, while deodorants are meant to oust any odors, says dermatologist Dr. Shari Sperling. Natural deodorants utilize alternative ingredients like glycerin, which can absorb moisture to help you stay dry and may make you feel as though you’re not sweating, though they are not as effective as aluminum.
Finding one that works for you is a very personal process that will likely involve a fair bit of trial and error. One person’s favorite natural deodorant may not work for someone with more sensitive skin or a heavier sweater (guilty as charged). And there are so many factors to consider (do you want a charcoal-based deodorant or one with arrowroot powder? A gel or a cream?). Since natural deodorants are really not my thing (I need the sweat-blocking power of aluminum), I polled a handful of clean-beauty experts, dermatologists, and Strategist staffers to find the best natural deodorants for all types of sweaters.
Update on August 16, 2024: Named Salt & Stone Natural Deodorant Stick the best-smelling natural deodorant; updated prices and checked stock for all products.
What we’re looking for
Scent
Is it earthy? Floral? A mix of both? Is it made of synthetic fragrance or scented with essential oils? Fragrance can be an irritant, so I’ve kept that in mind when considering a formula’s merits.
Longevity
Unlike traditional antiperspirants that promise 24-hour protection (and deliver), natural deodorants don’t last quite as long. Some need to be reapplied throughout the day to keep you smelling fresh, while others only need touching up after a particularly strenuous activity, like working out. Realistically, no natural deodorant is going to be as effective as an antiperspirant when it comes to keeping you dry, but it will help your sweat smell better or, in some cases, eliminate the smell altogether.
Format
Natural deodorants come in a range of formats, from sticks to creams to roll-ons. Sticks are most similar to traditional deodorants like Dove and Secret and thus can be ideal for newbies or anyone who likes the ease of use of a stick. Creams are an OG format in the natural-deodorant world but tend to be messier and a bit more difficult to apply. They’re the most interactive and often require you to smear the product into your pits by hand or with the help of a tool. Then there are roll-ons, which are compact, easy to apply, and — because they’re clear — don’t leave marks on your clothes. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. Format doesn’t necessarily mean better or worse, but it can have an impact on ease of use.
Ingredients
Natural deodorants use a variety of ingredients to keep you smelling fresh and somewhat dry. Baking soda is a well-known odor absorber. The drawback of baking soda, though, is how irritating it can be for people with dry or sensitive skin. This is because baking soda is alkaline (meaning it has a pH above 7). When it comes into contact with your skin, with its natural pH around 5, baking soda can cause dryness and irritation. For additional sweat absorption, some brands mix in other ingredients like activated charcoal (known for its ability to absorb bacteria). Other popular ingredients include magnesium and arrowroot. Magnesium behaves similar to baking soda but without the same levels of irritation, and arrowroot both thickens and absorbs moisture. Magnesium and arrowroot are popular substitutes in baking-soda-free natural deodorants.
Regardless of which deodorant you choose, you should probably patch-test it first. Dr. Heidi Waldorf of Waldorf Dermatology Aesthetics recommends swiping on a little for a few days on a small area of your inner upper arm before using it on your pits.
Best natural deodorant overall
Scent: Earthy scent | Longevity: Long-lasting | Format: Roll-on | Ingredients: Contains baking soda and tapioca starch
While some natural deodorants can have a gritty feel, Ursa Major has a smooth, gel-like consistency that glides on the skin like a conventional deodorant. Its easy-to-use stick, sweat-absorbing ingredients, and clean, unisex scent makes it my best overall pick. It’s good for both suppressing odor and absorbing moisture, so I think it will work well for most people. According to Jacqueline Jones, natural-beauty writer at the Beauty Proof, it’s a game changer in comparison to other natural deodorants she’s tried that were messy, stain-producing, and otherwise ineffective. “No matter what the weather’s like or how crazy my day gets, the Hoppin’ Fresh deodorant gets the job done without screaming ‘dirty hippie.’”
Best natural deodorant without baking soda
Scent: Citrus and mint | Format: Cream | Longevity: Long-lasting | Ingredients: Contains activated charcoal and coconut oil
Although baking soda keeps wetness and moisture at bay, it can also be very irritating to some people, sometimes to the point that it turns them off from natural deodorant entirely. Dermatologist Cybele Fishman explains, “I am seeing so many armpit rashes since so many people are changing to natural deodorants, and when we check, there is usually baking soda in them, and when they stop using it, the rash goes away.” As an alternative, you can try baking-soda-free deodorants, like this option from Piper Wai. Unlike the Ursa Major deodorant above, its main ingredients are charcoal and tapioca starch, which in combination absorb sweat and control odor. It also contains essential oils like citrus and mint, which give it its light, pleasant scent. Kirbie Johnson, a beauty reporter and co-host of the Gloss Angeles podcast, swears by this Piper Wai cream, which helped her survive a hot Texas day entirely stink-free. “The other deodorants I brought felt like they were evaporating off my body the minute they were applied, but this works and stayed put. Even in 100-degree heat, I did not smell,” she says. “The key is smoothing it onto your underarm liberally with your fingers,” Johnson says, noting that a pea-size amount is plenty. If you’re sensitive to coconut oil, she recommends patch-testing and proceeding with caution.
Best natural deodorant for sensitive skin
Scent: Available in various scents | Longevity: May require reapplication | Format: Stick deodorant | Ingredients: Contains arrowroot powder and magnesium
If you’re not such a heavy sweater and would like a deodorant in a wide range of scents, then Native offers this sensitive line. To keep odor at bay, it uses arrowroot powder and magnesium hydroxide, which work together to neutralize scent and absorb moisture. It doesn’t cause redness or stinging and comes in a wide range of scents. Strategist beauty writer Tembe-Denton-Hurst is such a fan she always keeps at least four or five on hand and collects the limited-edition scents.
Best fragrance-free natural deodorant
Scent: Fragrance-free | Longevity: May not require reapplication | Format: Roll-on deodorant | Ingredients: Contains essential oils, vegetable glycerin, aloe
While the only FDA-approved antiperspirant is aluminum, there’s anecdotal evidence that this deodorant from Real Purity helps to cut down on sweat. It’s become something of a cult favorite amongst Strategist staffers since Aubrey Plaza introduced it to us in 2017. Strategist writer Lauren Ro investigated its seemingly magic properties in 2021, and while dermatologists maintain that there’s no such thing as a natural antiperspirant, some ingredients are better at absorbing sweat than others. Real Purity uses vegetable glycerin and aloe, which dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick says does not prevent the formation of sweat but can help to absorb moisture, minimizing the unpleasant feeling of wetness. Like the Piper Wai and Native deodorants above, Real Purity is baking-soda free, but unlike those two, it’s fragrance free. Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens (who has been using the deodorant since 2018) says this is the only natural deodorant she’s tried that hasn’t stopped working. It’s also odorless, which she describes as a benefit. “It doesn’t have some like cedary sagey geraniumy whatever-y smell,” she says. “It smells like nothing.”
Best natural deodorant if you’re new to natural deodorants
Scent: Various | Format: Stick deodorant | Longevity: Long-lasting Ingredients: Contains glycerin
Dove is a big player in the traditional-deodorant space, but it’s recently expanded into natural deodorants too. Its zero percent aluminum option comes in familiar scents (like cucumber and green tea) and is widely available at big-box retailers. Former Strategist writer Chloe Anello is a fan. Anello has been a Dove antiperspirant loyalist but tried the aluminum-free version in her favorite scent, cucumber and green tea. “It has that same fresh scent the antiperspirant does, so most important, I don’t feel like I smell during the day,” she writes.
Best-smelling natural deodorant
Scents: Neroli and basil | Format: Stick deodorant | Longevity: Long-lasting | Ingredients: Contains baking soda, probiotics, and hyaluronic acid
Strategist contributor Priyanka Aribindi strictly used Secret’s Clinical Strength until she discovered Salt & Stone’s natural deodorant in a Los Angeles shoppy-shop. “I was hunting for the perfect deodorant, but instead I found the perfect perfume,” Aribindi explains, adding that the formula is fresh and ever-so-slightly floral with notes of bergamot, tuberose, eucalyptus, and shiso leaf. Though it’s not technically an antiperspirant, this one has never failed Aribindi, whether she’s doing hot yoga or sprinting down the street to catch the subway. The formula contains probiotics, baking soda, and hyaluronic acid to neutralize odor and hydrate the skin.
Best (less-expensive) smelling natural deodorant
Scents: Various scents that use synthetic fragrances | Format: Stick deodorant | Longevity: May require reapplication | Ingredients: Contains baking soda
Native’s deodorant comes in an array of fresh scents, like coconut and vanilla and cucumber and mint. The brand also releases limited-edition scents seasonally, like coconut milk and turmeric. Its formula isn’t drying, like those of other natural deodorants, because it includes coconut oil and shea butter. “I’ve tried many other natural deodorants — they either don’t work or are irritating to my skin,” dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman explains. Native is the exception — she even recommends it to her patients, who have also come to love it.
Best natural deodorants with probiotics
Scent: Unscented | Longevity: May need reapplication | Format: Stick deodorant | Ingredients: Contains baking soda and probiotics
Probiotics have become more prevalent in the natural-deodorant space in recent years, an evolution that coincides with the rise of microbiome-focused skin care. They function in deodorant the same way they function in supplements. The probiotics introduce new healthy bacteria to your armpit, the idea being that they’ll counteract the bad bacteria that makes your sweat smell bad. It works to varying degrees, but this formula also contains baking soda, which helps with sweat absorption. Together, the two ingredients function similarly to charcoal and baking soda, but with one major difference — charcoal apparently removes the bad bacteria that make your armpits smell while probiotics introduce additional bacteria to balance your microbiome out. This deodorant has amassed lots of fans, including the likes of Vice-President Kamala Harris’s niece, author and lawyer Meena Harris, who says that it’s fragrance free and doesn’t have a super-stinky adjustment period like other natural deos.
Best AHA deodorant
Scent: Unscented | Longevity: Long-lasting | Format: Roll-on | Ingredients: Contains AHAs and hyaluronic acid
This deodorant from Kosas uses AHAs to reduce odors rather than sweat-absorbing ingredients like starch or baking soda. One of the star ingredients in this formula is shikimic acid, a natural deodorizer that typically pops up in skin-care products to help with fighting acne. In deodorants like this one, its exfoliating properties help to adjust the pH of the armpit, which makes it an inhospitable place for bacteria to thrive (in other words — no bacteria, no smell). It also contains a blend of other acids, including mandelic acid (for brightening), lactic acid (for exfoliating), and hyaluronic acid, all of which work together to brighten, moisturize, and deodorize while helping with ingrown hairs. Its serumlike texture makes it a much lighter option (very similar to the Crystal roll-ons), and once you get used to the slightly wet feel after you first apply, it dries down and disappears. It’s a great option if you don’t like the waxy feel of a traditional stick deodorant and also want to brighten and tone your armpits in the process. Hannah Baxter, a former deputy beauty editor at the Zoe Report, tried lots of natural deodorants before switching exclusively to acids for her pits. She has been using this formula from Kosas for almost a year. “It’s really easy to get ingrown hairs in the armpit area,” Dr. Alan J. Parks, dermatologist and founder of DermWarehouse, says, “so the addition of AHAs helps prevent this from happening.”
Best scented AHA deodorant
Scent: Available in various scents | Longevity: May require reapplication | Format: Roll-on | Ingredients: Contains niacinamide, PHA, lactic acid, xylitol esters and mandelic acid
If you want to experiment with an AHA deodorant but prefer something scented (the Kosas one above is unscented), I recommend Saltair’s deodorant. The serumlike deodorant has notes of coconut, almond blossom, and vanilla and contains a blend of actives, including lactic and PHA (this ingredient helps minimize discoloration and ingrowns), niacinamide (which brightens and smooths), xylitol esters (reduces how much odor-causing bacteria sticks to your skin), and mandelic acid, which makes the skin’s surface more acidic to combat odor and also exfoliates. Asia Milia Ware, fashion and beauty writer at the Cut, recently wore it to the gym, and after an intense three-hour workout, there was zero odor. “If I smelled anything, it was the scent of the deodorant,” she says.
Best natural deodorant cream
Scent: Vetiver, vanilla bourbon, cardamom, black pepper, and tonka bean | Format: Cream | Longevity: Long-lasting | Ingredients: Contains baking soda and magnesium
Combined with other powerful ingredients like baking soda, magnesium, and kaolin clay, activated charcoal makes this cream deodorant a strong stink blocker. The one downside is that it’s a cream you have to apply with your fingers, a format that was once common among natural deodorants but has mostly been replaced by tubes (like many of the deodorants recommended above). “It provides long-lasting protection, and most important, it works really well; the protection it offers is very close to a conventional formula,” according to Lee. Credo co-founder and COO Annie Jackson agrees that “the charcoal and magnesium in it are super-effective, and a little goes a long way.”
Best spray-on natural deodorant
Scent: Lemon verbena, grapefruit, eucalyptus | Longevity: Long-lasting | Format: Spray-on | Ingredients: Contains glycerin, organic aloe vera, and sugarcane alcohol
Unlike the other deodorants on this list, By Rosie Jane’s is a spray-on formula. It utilizes glycerin to absorb moisture and aloe to soothe any irritation. This is my roommate’s natural deodorant of choice, which they describe as their “forever deodorant.” I have stolen a spritz or two of this when I ran out of my regular antiperspirant, and while it doesn’t keep me from sweating, I did appreciate how fresh the energizing blend of lemon verbena, grapefruit, and eucalyptus smelled.
Best full-body natural deodorant
Scent: Available in various scents | Longevity: Long-lasting | Format: Roll-on | Ingredients: Contains mandelic acid, arrowroot powder, and tapioca starch
If you’re looking for a natural deodorant to use on other sweaty parts in addition to your armpits, Lume is a good option (and is a favorite of our friends over at the Cut). Founded in 2017 by OB/GYN Dr. Sharron Klingman, Lume’s secret ingredient is mandelic acid, which fights funk while also evening your skin tone and brightening hyperpigmentation — great if you have dark marks from ingrown hairs or chafing. While it won’t be replacing my tried-and-true Sweatblock body wipes any time soon, it’s a good alternative if you don’t want to use aluminum-based products and need to treat areas like your underboob or in between your legs.
Some more natural deodorants we’ve written about
Our experts
• Chloe Anello, former Strategist writer
• Hannah Baxter, deputy beauty editor at the Zoe Report
• Mi-Anne Chan, beauty reporter and video director at Condé Nast
• Liz Carey, Strategist contributor
• Tembe-Denton Hurst, Strategist beauty writer
• Cindy DiPrima and Kerrilynn Pamer, co-founders of CAP Beauty
• Cybele Fishman, dermatologist
• Tara Foley, founder of Follain
• Dr. Suzanne Friedler, dermatologist at Advanced Dermatology, PC
• Dr. Marisa Garshick, dermatologist
• Dr. Michele Green, cosmetic dermatologist
• Meena Harris, lawyer and author
• Annie Jackson, Credo co-founder and COO
• Dr. Debra Jaliman, dermatologist
• Jackie Johnson, host of natural beauty podcast Natch Beaut
• Kirbie Johnson, beauty reporter and co-host of the Gloss Angeles Podcast
• Jacqueline Jones, natural-beauty writer at the Beauty Proof
• Lara Kaiser, aesthetician
• Simone Kitchens, Strategist senior editor
• Dr. Jessica Krant, dermatologist at Art of Dermatology
• Dr. Angela Lamb, dermatologist
• Nicolette Mason, clean-beauty enthusiast and content creator
• Dr. Alan J. Parks, dermatologist and founder of DermWarehouse
• Doree Shafrir, author and co-host of podcast Forever 35
• Dr. Shari Sperling, founder of Sperling Dermatology
• Dr. Heidi Waldorf, founder of Waldorf Dermatology Aesthetics
• Asia Milia Ware, fashion and beauty writer at the Cut
• Dr. Josh Zeichner, dermatologist
Additional reporting by Tembe Denton-Hurst, Karen Iorio Adelson, Lori Keong, and Ambar Pardilla
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