Natural deodorants can still deliver the results you need—without the harmful chemicals

By Celia Shatzman

Going Natural

No one wants to be the stinky person in yoga class. And sometimes natural deodor-ants take the rap. But a new crop of natural deodorants not only work as well as the traditional versions, their appeal is that they are a healthier alternative.

“Natural deodorants without antiper-spirants allow your body to sweat and de-toxify itself,” says Melinda Olson, founder and CEO of Earth Mama. “In this case, ‘don’t sweat it’ isn’t the goal—keeping your body healthy is. Much of what goes on your skin, goes in. Think medication patches: Transdermal delivery systems are a thing for a reason! While not all ‘natural’ deodor-ants are created equally, they are almost always a better choice.” 3

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Most conventional deodorants contain potentially toxic ingredients like propylene glycol, aluminum, parabens, triclo-san or synthetic fragrance. Aluminum is often added to reduce sweating, but preventing your body from sweating means that it can’t cool itself or release toxins. “On the other hand, just because a personal care product has the word ‘natural’ on a label doesn’t mean the ingredients are automatically safe,” Olson says. “When in doubt, learn to be a label sleuth.”

When shopping for a natural deodorant, scan the ingredients list carefully. “Look for ingredients that make sense, and by that we mean they should be fully disclosed and not hidden,” Olson says. “Fragrance is a trade secret and it doesn’t have to be disclosed to consumers. Often listed as ‘parfum,’ fragrance is like a nesting doll that can hide over 3,000 different chemicals,

from parabens to phthalates to artificial preservatives. It doesn’t matter if it’s synthetic fragrance, artificial fragrance, natural fragrance, nature-adjacent fragrance, or innocent-sounding bo-tanical fragrance oils, if it says ‘fragrance’ you can’t know what it’s made of. The only way to know for sure is if the scent is listed as an essential oil, preferably certified organic, so an independent third-party has confirmed that what is in the label is actually in the product.”

Do your research to ensure your pick is as safe as you’d like it to be, then try it for a few days to see how your body reacts to it. “It’s really trial by perspire,” Olson says. “As always, we encour-age consumers to read labels on all their personal care products. Be choosy about what you’re putting on your body.”

Earth Mama Organics Its new range was specifically formulated for pregnancy and breastfeeding, proving how safe the line is for all women. Clinically and dermatologi-cally tested for irritation, they are free of fragrance, propylene glycol, parabens and aluminum, and available in four scents: Calming Lavender, GingerAid, Bright Citrus, and Natural Non-scents. earthmamaorganics.com

Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant The limited-edition Elements Collection was inspired by the elements of nature, represented in the pure essential oil blends. There’s Vanilla + Earth for balance, Vanilla + Air for creativity and Vanilla + Water for peace. lavanila.com

Shankara Pure Essential Oil Deodorants Your body’s natural chemistry teams up with these roll-on deodorants to neutralize odors. The balanced blends of essential oils are naturally antibacterial and available in two scents: Lavender & Vetiver and Geranium & Ylang Ylang. shankara.com

Thesis Natural Deodorant Organic, natural and unisex, the potent combination of fruit, herbal and flower essences is made to naturally fight odors. You can also spray it on feet to keep tootsies smelling fresh. thesisbeauty.com

Ambre Blends Ahnu Natural Deodorant One of its best-selling products, with the Ambre Blends Oil Essence that masks natural body odor. It also contains probiotics, coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera, baking soda, arrowroot, grapefruit seed extract and natural wax. ambreblends.com

Piper Wai The hero ingredient is activated charcoal, which neutralizes odor and absorbs moisture sans ingredients like aluminum, parabens or synthetic fragrances. Another bonus: The charcoal crème deodorant glides on super smoothly. piperwai.com

Puremedy Dream Deodorant All of the ingredients— including shea butter, hemp oil, pine extract, carnauba wax, coconut oil, Canadian fir extract, proprietary elder extract, eucalyptus oil and lavender oil—are 100 percent organic or wild-harvested. The vegan deodorant draws out toxins and kills odor-causing bacteria. puremedy.com

GIVE ONE OF THESE NATURAL DEODORANTS A TRY