I really wanted to title this post “The Best Natural Deodorants for Women trying not to lose their minds or smell badly with stress sweat induced by the Covid-19 pandemic”.
This year has been a doozy. A rollercoaster of emotions. And we’re still going to be dealing with the stress of the pandemic into 2021. I’m so thankful my wave of anxiety last winter – before I even knew of the virus – prompted me to find a great therapist. She’s been a huge help to me this year!
Although I was able to keep my anxiety under control in the spring, I realized I needed a new deodorant in April when my stress increased significantly with lockdowns, park closures (even grass and beaches here in San Diego), and juggling conference calls with an angry toddler.
I even went so far as to test non-natural deodorants – legit antiperspirants and deodorants with aluminum. I realized I cared more about not smelling and having one more thing “going wrong” than the chance (doesn’t seem like there have been many recent studies to warrant concern) of my body being harmed by absorbing aluminum. And maybe sweating is a good thing? At the right time 🙂
My husband still needs antiperspirant so I make him wear unscented versions for Arm and Hammer. And his version didn’t help me. So I went further and bought a few others to try for about 6 weeks. I was not surprised to find I still find the artificial fragrances in the ordinary versions too strong and noxious. But I was actually surprised to discover traditional antiperspirant deodorants didn’t work for me anymore.
For preference and obnoxious scent avoidance, I pivoted back to natural. I read back through my own advice of the 30+ natural deodorants I’d previously reviewed and tried some new ones. I’m hoping this is the last natural deodorant blog post I will ever have to write!
Primally Pure Deodorant Review
This is one of those brands I had been meaning to try for years. But then I felt I was seeing it too much that I wasn’t sure if I could trust how good it is? Isn’t that silly. I was like anti-influenced. Any after grabbing a small size from my San Diego yoga and wellness studio I got hooked and tried several variations.
I found all of these formulas very non-irritating and a nice texture due to the right mix of arrowroot powder, coconut oil, beeswax, baking soda and kaolin clay. I was surprised they also contain zinc oxide (non-nano) and tallow – which I’m just learning more about.
- Lavender – surprisingly good considering I’m very picky about lavender!
- Lemongrass – love this. Very refreshing but very strong
- Charcoal – probably my favorite and the most refreshing. This is the one I gravitate towards the most.
- Unscented – even too unscented for me 🙂 just left me smelling odd. I guess as much as I don’t like scents I need a little bit of a natural formulation :). I don’t recommend this one.
- Geranium – I don’t know why I even bought this one. I can’t handle geranium, jasmine or rosey scents. Too strong but if you normally love geranium you will like this.
Primally Pure deodorant definitely passed the husband-not-thinking-I’m-stinky-test. During more stressful times my armpits were wetter than I would have liked but they weren’t too stinky!
I’m absolutely always going to have the Charcoal natural deodorant on hand! I like that they have different sizes too. And I got a few samples of their skincare too. Sorry, you can’t currently buy these on Amazon. But I love to support independent businesses and they are located in Southern California so I feel like I’m buying local. I’m also a huge fan of their lip balms! Their customer service was also fantastic when my original lavender deodorant twist up wouldn’t work.
Kosas Sport Deodorant Review
I was SO EXCITED about this and then so let down. Now grant it I started testing this as we were moving but this formula did not agree with my body chemistry. I’d compare this to like a liquid magnesium deodorant. Or a more liquid version of Kopari and Corpus deodorants. (I’m not sure how this is a best seller on Credo beauty but I guess everyone’s body chemistry is different!) If you rarely get stress sweat and aren’t chasing frequently (good for you!) this may work. I’ve heard some people love it but I can’t say I recommend it although I do like this brand.
With a very different texture but similar non-performance, type:A deodorant was another Credo-bought deodorant that didn’t work for me. You’ll notice this creamy deodorant formula has more ingredients than most natural deodorants (not a bad thing) likely as part of their “sweat-activated technology”. Agin this could work well for you if you aren’t a high-strung 🙂 or a high energy person. This price is nice though at only $10!
Best Natural Deodorants to Buy on Amazon Prime
I love to shop local but sometimes – especially during this pandemic – I rely on Amazon for necessities. I was pleasantly surprised by Underarmed natural deodorant ($15). Or “activate botanical luxury deodorant” as they call it :). I bought the lavender + eucalyptus scent and I have to say – this is my favorite scent of any deodorant I’ve tried. Ever in my 30ish years! The performance was pretty good. Maybe not as good as Primally Pure or Noniko deodorant but not too bad. I’m looking forward to testing it with my natural deodorant secret weapon (more on that below). One of my sister-in-laws likes this Underarrmed brand as well.
I recently picked up Humble Bergamot and Ginger natural deodorant at Marshalls but its also available on Amazon. The scent is energizing but the formula transfers to my clothes more than I would like. It was a steal though at just $4 at Marshalls.
Ultimately my favorite natural deodorant available on Amazon is Noniko Magic Deodorant ($16)(which I used to buy in person at Seamakers in Lo Jolla). This is another southern California made product! It’s similar in ingredients to Primally Pure but I like the texture better and it leaves less residue on my and my clothing. I tried the sensitive skin version but that’s wasn’t powerful enough for me so I’m going back to my old favorite original formula in the Lavender Mint scent.
The best natural deodorant is actually The Underam Bar
Saving my best recommendation for last! The Underarm Bar from Kaia Naturals is the best $24 soap you will ever buy. I bought this on a whim after a long day at work and I am wowed. It extends the power of all of the above deodorants! Honestly, I’d prefer if it were in a twist-up deodorant holder and it does add 2 minutes more to my day that I don’t really have, but it’s worth it. I highly recommend using this bar as recommended and leaving the paste on for 30 seconds for maximum effectiveness. Really this is one of my best Credo beauty purchases! I love charcoal deodorant and I’ve tried swiping apple cider vinegar under my arms before but it never quite worked – so this is really an effective blend in a bar!
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