If you haven’t tried a natural deodorant in a while you may have dim memories of less than efficient odour control, staining and piling. It may be time for a redo. Natural deodorants have come a long way in recent years with much cleverer formulas, leveraging the latest enzymatic and prebiotic ingredients to control the bacteria levels that cause odours in the first place. Not only are natural deodorants non-aerosol (big climate-friendly tick) but they are aluminium-free too, an ingredient commonly added to deodorants which simply clogs sweat ducts to stop odours being omitted and can cause blocked pores and irritation. Natural deodorants are also commonly free from parabens, alcohols and phthalates, which can cause redness post-shaving and in-grown hairs.

When thinking about your choice of deodorant it’s also important to think about your lifestyle and the level of odour-control you really need (especially heading into the cooler months). Are you working out a lot? Do you have a long commute to work and need to arrive feeling fresh? Or do you live in a mild climate and rarely sweat heavily? Wearing natural fibres, showering regularly and staying hydrated can all help reduce your natural odour levels, without the need for heavy-duty deodorant.

If you want to make the switch and want to road-test one of the new breed of natural deodorants, here are twelve to try.

By Lydia Mansi
October 2023