Deodorant: The Verdict

Well, since we’re all social distancing, who needs deodorant anyway??

I’m kidding, please wear deodorant. Now is actually the perfect time to try it out!

I was much more nervous about trying out deodorants than shampoos. I mean, the consequences of using a bad one are stinkiness and resultant repelling of people — but maybe that sounds ok to some of you.

I have to emphasise at the start of this, as with shampoos, there is a deodorant chemical detox period. This happens when you switch from any chemical to natural product. Most antiperspirants work because of chemicals (often aluminium) that block your sweat glands, therefore stopping the sweat. Your body is designed to flush out toxins, part of that happens through the sweat glands. Sweat doesn’t actually stink, but the bacteria that grow in it does. When you stop using the products that block the sweat glands, odour-causing bacteria will initially increase. But, persevere — this will pass. For most people, it takes about two weeks to get to the other side of the Stinky Phase. It may take a little longer, but you will get there.

It’s also worth noting that natural deodorants are just that — they block the odour, but they are not antiperspirants, so you will still sweat.

Another thing to be conscious of is that many natural deodorants contain bicarbonate of soda — this is one of the main ingredients that mops up the smells. If you have sensitive skin, be cautious about using this. You can get a nasty rash, which can develop even after some time of using it. Having said that, I have a few skin allergies, but haven’t had a problem with any of the deodorants I’ve tried.

I’ve spent the last couple of months trying out different natural deodorants in (mostly) plastic free packaging and here’s what I’ve learned.

1. Nuud

£12.95 for 15ml

Nuud was the first one I tried, so I have to acknowledge that my detox period happened while I was using it. I’d seen a whole load of advertising for it and mostly good reviews — looking back, I didn’t really look into the source of these reviews and I now wonder if they may have been targeted ads. Now, when I look at reviews, they’re very mixed.

Because of the good reviews, I didn’t mind that it was a bit more expensive than most. If the claims about how well it worked and how long it lasted were true, I thought it would be worth it.

Nuud comes in a little pink tube made of sugar cane — a bioplastic. There seem to be mixed messages over whether or not it is biodegradable. Some places say, yes it will break down in 3-6 months, some say it is recyclable but not biodegradable. It’s a bit of a grey area.

The deodorant itself is a white, kind of sticky paste, similar in consistency to toothpaste. They say that once your body is used to it, you can use it as little as every 3-4 days, but recommend you use it more frequently for the first couple of weeks. I started by using it once a day.

It doesn’t feel particularly nice to apply — it’s sticky, so you have to wash your hands really well after applying it. The first few days, I stank, like really badly. I was so paranoid, especially in work, and kept my arms firmly glued to my sides. After a couple of weeks, I was beginning the think that natural deodorant wasn’t for me. The stink was no better, but, knowing about the detox period, I decided to keep going. After week 4, I gave up on nuud. I didn’t notice any difference from week 1 to week 4 — same stink.

Now, there are reviews online from people who say it really works for them, so perhaps it’s just a body type thing. I’m not telling you not to try it, I’m just telling you, it did nothing for me.

Good points: Seems to have some good reviews, so works well for some people

Bad points: I’m not one of those people, very pricey, unconvinced on the packaging

1/10

(PS. I have have a tube left if anyone want to see if it works for them — let me know!)

2. Zero Waste Path £5.50 for 60g (I got mine from doyourbitni.com)

Thank goodness I tried this one next!

ZWP deodorant comes in a tinplate tin, which is reusable or recyclable and there are two scents — Lavender & Teatree or Grapefruit & Lemongrass. I love love love citrus scents, so it was an easy choice for me.

It’s almost like a balm, the consistency is similar to some lip balms (I can’t think of a better comparison!) so I found it a bit difficult to know how to best apply it. I’ve since worked out that it’s best if I scoop a bit with the back of my nail, warm it up in my hands and then get into that armpit!

I first tried this one out on a work trip to Copenhagen. It was very handy to have a non-liquid deodorant to travel with and I was very pleasantly surprised. It’s impossible to travel without getting a bit sweaty and stinky, especially when you’re in and out of airports and trains and walking around foreign cities. By the end of a long day of travel, I still smelled of lemongrass. Hooray!

It also lasts for ages. I applied it once a day and after a month of use, it looked like I’d barely touched it. Big thumbs up.

Good points: great smell, actually works, good price

Bad points: ummm, struggling here

10/10

3. Pit Putty

£9.95 for 65g £2.50 for a 15g tester pot (I got this one from earthmadeni.com)

For comparison sake, I decided to go for another lemongrass option, this time with tea tree. If that’s not your thing, there are three other scents to try.

Pit Putty claims to be the “most effective natural deodorant on the market” and I have found it really effective. In many ways, it’s similar to the ZWP one, though with a slightly softer consistency, making it slightly easier to apply. It smells good and I can usually get a day’s wear out of it. Both the tester and the larger size come in a tin, so plastic is nowhere to be seen.

It’s a good one!

Good points: it works, it comes in tester size if you want to just check it out, lots of scent options

Bad points: on the expensive side

9/10

4. The Natural Deodorant Company £12.50 for 55g

Ah, Facebook ads — I saw they were doing free samples (just paid postage) for a while, so added them to my list, without checking too many details (will I ever learn?). I ordered a 5g pot, sticking with the lemon, this time with geranium.

The Natural Deodorant Company have a huge selection of scents, from Vanilla & Manuka to Lavender and they categorise them into “Clean Deodorant Balms”, for daily use, “Gentle Deodorant Balms” for sensitive skin and “Active Deodorant Balms”, a light, quick-absorbing, powerful option.

I was disappointed when my 5g sample pot arrived and it was plastic. I had thought about not reviewing it as it seemed a bit pointless if the packaging was plastic, but decided to stick with it as the largest size they offer is completely plastic free and the 20g jar is glass, though with a plastic lid.

The consistency and effectiveness were similar to ZWP and Pit Putty, perhaps even slightly longer lasting, so I was glad I gave it a go, but if I bought it again, I’d make sure to go for the bigger, plastic-free option. I’m keen to try some of the other scents in this one.

Good points: very effective, great selection, has a sensitive skin option

Bad points: expensive, smaller pots use plastic

7/10

5. Thistle

£9.95 for 60ml (also available in 30ml and 120 ml)

I bought my mum some face cream from Thistle for Christmas, so thought I’d get myself a wee deodorant to try at the same time.

The packaging was great. It was delivered completely plastic-free and even the label on the glass jar is biodegradable. I deviated from the citrus this time and went for Eucalyptus and Rosemary, which smelled so nice and fresh.

As an aside, just after I got it, I got a stinkin’ cold, one of those ones with lots of sneezing and really runny nose that went red and raw very quickly. I was away from home and a bit desperate, so I rubbed some of this deodorant onto my nose and it felt so nice! It was really soothing and the eucalyptus smell helped clear things up. Totally not want it was meant for, but hey, it worked!

Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite as effective as a deodorant. It went on really smoothly and smelled great at first, but that didn’t last long at all. I have about a 20 minute walk to work, and usually, by the end of that, I was pretty stinky (which I wasn’t with the others). I’m now using it as a top up — if I get a bit smelly during the day, I’ll use some of this, but it’s not my go to.

Good points: great smell, completely plastic-free packaging

Bad points: not as effective as others

5/10

6. Salt of the Earth

£4.99 for 75g

I picked up this one in Holland & Barrett mostly because it was reduced. I hadn’t heard of it before. I’m still not quite sure what to make of it!

It’s essentially a big, solid salt crystal. You apply it after a shower (when you’re still a bit damp) or else wet it and apply it (it rubs on like a stick of deodorant).

It was a bit of a non-event, in that it didn’t really do anything. It didn’t feel like I had applied anything and it didn’t really smell like I’d applied anything either.

Impulse buys not for the win.

Good points: different, good price

Bad points: not very effective

4/10

So that's deodorant. There are a lot of good options out there. ZWP are my winner at this stage. Give it a go!