The Best Deodorants For Summer

best natural deodorants

 

Deodorant is typically one of the first items that people switch out when cleaning up their personal care products. I often tell people who are interested in healthier products—if nothing else, change your deodorant. Most conventional deodorants contain aluminum and parabens, among other undesirable ingredients. Aluminum is what traditionally makes deodorants “antiperspirant”, but aluminum stops the sweating by way of clogging up your sweat glands. Now, I don’t want to sound too crunchy, but sweating is part of your body’s natural detoxification process, and in addition to sweat glands the underarms are full of lymph nodes that work as filters for harmful substances. Seems to me that clogging up your underarms and not allowing these important processes to function normally is a bad idea. That doesn’t mean you have to go about your day stinking and sweating, though. There are clean deodorants that WORK.

First, here’s a little personal background on my relationship with deodorant. I spent my younger years believing that I needed the most powerful antiperspirant I could find. When I started dipping my toe into more natural products via Whole Foods and other health food stores, I tried deodorants from brands like Toms of Maine. These didn’t work at all for me and left me feeling slimy and sweaty (and by the way, most of those formulas at the grocery stores aren’t all that clean). Finally, I just quit using deodorant. Yep, I quit cold turkey. When I did, I went through an adjustment period of a few weeks before I realized I was hardly ever sweating under my arms unless I was exercising, and I wasn’t having much of an issue with stink at all. Go figure, the aluminum-filled, sweat-gland blocking deodorants were making my situation worse, not better.

I had already been going without deodorant by the time I really began exploring clean beauty. Soapwalla was the first truly clean deodorant I came across, and then followed brands like Meow Meow Tweet, Schimdt’s and more. The beauty of these clean deodorants is that rather than trying to block your body’s natural detoxification processes, they use moisture-absorbing ingredients like baking soda, clays, and arrowroot powder to keep you dry. They also use antibacterial essential oils to keep stink at bay. (Did you know that sweat doesn’t actually smell? The smell comes from bacteria on your skin that breaks down the sweat.) Now I have an arsenal of high-powered, all-natural super-effective deodorants that I use. While I still don’t reach for deodorant daily, I am happy to have the additional protection when I’m going to an important meeting or event or attending a yoga class. I get nervous sweats easily in high-pressure situations, and these natural deodorants save my pits every time.

Here are three fabulous options for natural deodorants that will keep you fresh and dry all summer long…

Soapwalla — This deodorant cream comes in two versions—the original Soapwalla (a blend of lavender, tea tree, sweet orange and peppermint) and the Citrus Deodorant Cream (a blend of 5 citrus oils plus vanilla absolute). Both are highly effective and long lasting. The formula is a soft putty that is easy to spread under your arms. After testing this out this summer, I now understand why Soapwalla is a longtime cult favorite among clean beauty enthusiasts. It works!

Meow Meow Tweet — The Baking Soda Free Deodorant Cream from Meow Meow Tweet is perfect for those with more sensitive skin. Some people have very sensitive armpits, especially after shaving, and the baking soda can be irritating and cause discomfort and rashes. This deodorant cream is gentle, but very effective. It uses arrowroot powder and dietary magnesium to keep you dry, and it smells like pink grapefruit, a.k.a. heaven. It is also a soft putty that comes in a jar and spreads easily.

In Love with Body Care — The All Natural Soothe Deodorant is what you should reach for if you want a more traditional deodorant experience in terms of application. The formula is packaged in that familiar roll-up stick and it glides on without pulling. The blend is silky soft and literally melts against warm flesh, making it easy to apply. I tried the Greece version, which has a subtle citrus scent that is pleasing and fresh.

With options like these, there’s no reason to keep using your old deodorant. Give one a try this summer!

One thought on “The Best Deodorants For Summer

  1. I have not switched to a natural deodorant. I tried a Meow Meow Tweet one last year and I was sweating so much. It was disgusting at work having wet pits. It was totally obvious and gross. That just won’t work for me. Not to mention that about a week into using it, I developed an extremely painful rash. It was red with huge welts and they ached. Wearing a shirt for work was painful. I don’t know if it was the baking soda or if it was a heat rash from all the sweat, but after that experience, I have no interest to try again. I sweat all the time, and live in humid Florida, so this is not something I can go without.

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About Susannah Compton

Susannah Compton is the founder and formulator behind Florescent, a line of 100% botanical perfumes she blends in small batches from organic and wild crafted aromatics. Plant-based skincare and cosmetics are a way of life for Susannah, who writes about clean beauty and the benefits of botanical ingredients for No More Dirty Looks, Thoughtfully Magazine and Integrity Botanicals. Florescent, however, is Susannah’s personal expression of healthy beauty. Susannah has been working with botanical aromatics for years, blending first for therapeutic purposes before delving into the art of perfumery. Having rarely experienced the depth and complexity of true botanicals in conventional perfume, she learned the art of blending and created what her heart desired — a scent that would move her the way perfume should. In search of those elevating, ethereal bouquets of scent, Susannah honed her skills behind the perfume bench. She launched Florescent in the spring of 2015 to share the lush experience and pleasing ritual of real perfume.