Meow meow tweet deodorant stick
Lavanilla sport
Agent Nateur
Coconut Oil
Lush The Greench deodorant powder
“Natural” deodorants don’t work. At least I haven’t found one that works AND is convenient/easy to apply. I think actually Lush’s The Greench deodorant powder works very well, but man, it’s a pain to apply. And messy. It’s just too much to bother with sometimes.
Years ago, I made my own Coconut Oil Deodorant and thought it was pretty effective, but quit during the summer when I noticed oil stains on ALL my clothes.
Finally, I’ve settled on Lavanilla the last couple of years, specifically Lavanilla Sport lately. I don’t think it’s particularly effective, but it’s convenient (I can pick it up from Sephora) and I like that the brand also comes in tiny travel sizes. I apply it in the morning and evening, and that mostly keeps odor at bay, but not as much as I’d like. And it’s not entirely “natural.”
Honestly, I don’t mind a little odor, it’s natural to sweat and give off some body odor, and that’s all it is, just a slight natural odor, because to nix odor all together, I’d have to use heavy duty deodorant with aluminum and I won’t do that; I haven’t used deodorant with aluminum in years. So I don’t expect perfection, but I don’t know, I’d like a little something more.
So, the search continues. I pretty much take beauty reviews with a grain of salt lately, after trying things myself and thinking “meh” about things others rave about; we are all so individual and react to things differently. Especially deodorant.
Which is why I’ve been wary to try Agent Nateur, which has been much talked about lately (it seems to be Instagram’s favorite deodorant…). It gets good reviews, but it’s basically coconut oil and baking soda, which is what I used to make myself for MUCH LESS than $19. And it stained my clothes. so…
I’ve settled now on trying this new stick version by Meow meow tweet – my friend has used this brand for a long time and swears by it. And maybe because it doesn’t have coconut oil in it, it won’t stain clothes? We’ll see, and I’ll let you know what I think of it.
Have you tried any “natural” or aluminum-free deodorants that work for you? (please add your reviews/suggestions in the forums!)
Oh, as I mentioned, I’m going to order the Meow Meow Tweet deodorant from Integrity Botanicals (sign up for their site and they’ll send you a code for 15% off ), I need to order more to get free shipping – of course. Any recommendations for what else to try? I’m specifically looking for a nice non-foaming cleanser to use as my second step cleanser. Also, sunscreen.
**edited to add: I received the Meow meow tweet deodorant and LOVE IT. It works very well for me, goes on beautifully, and keeps odor at bay, even if I skip one morning. Amazing!!!
I too have tried them all (LaVanilla, Greeench, Nourish Organics, Tom’s, Jason, Alba, and on and on) and have found the same: something about them is always “off”—they have a terrible texture, give me a rash, or simply don’t work. One I tried by Zion Health worked quite well but was very rough on the underarms. I finally gave up and went back to Dove. Oh, well.
I do have an application trick for the Greeench, though: I applied it with a powder puff. I quite liked Lush’s powder deodorant, but not its staying power. If it didn’t have to be reapplied so often, I might’ve stuck with it.
The absolute best natural deodorant, bar none, is Primal Pit Paste (in the jar, not roll on). I love the lavender scented version. IT WORKS and I’ve tried them all. 10 bucks on Amazon.
oh!! good idea on the powder puff! i’ll have to try that, i have about half a bottle of that left…thank you 🙂
I came across a deodorant cream by Soapwalla on Of a Kind the other day that I am going to try. It uses clay to absorb the sweat, I think. I haven’t tried natural deodorant before so we’ll see how it goes. Have you tried this one in the past?
http://www.ofakind.com/shop/product/3142-deodorant-cream
I love this deodorant from Alvera. Its cheap, has very few ingredients, smells nice and really works. I sweat a fair amount and have body odor and no other natural deodorant has worked as well as this. I love it!
https://www.amazon.com/Alvera-Natural-Roll-Deodorant-Almonds/dp/B0014AY7M2
I tried many, many natural deodorants that didn’t work. And I am not okay with smell. After a serious google searching spurt, I found a blogger reviews a ton of natural deodorants. Based on her experience, I ordered Schmidt’s Bergamot+Lime deodorant on Amazon. I have been using it for about four months and it works perfectly.
It IS weird to apply. You dig it out of a pot with a tiny shovel, and it sits in a crumbly lump on your fingers until you mush it into a paste. Then you spread the paste on your pits with your fingers. Feels like gritty lotion. I must say that it is easier to apply now that the weather has gotten warm, lol. It is not hard, but just an adjustment compared the slick roll-ons that I was used to.
Last week was the first time I got the ‘baking soda burn’ that you sometimes read about. There was something strange going on in my body in general (allergies, hormones…TMI oops) so I am chalking it up to that.
Still, after years of playing trial and error with stinky mistakes, I am pretty happy. I’d love to try Agent Nateur as well…but opted for something cheaper.
Thanks for opening up this conversation. I’ve been using a low aluminum Tom’s of Maine antiperspirant that works pretty well without all the itching and sensitivity of regular antiperspirants, but I would love to get away from aluminum products. I have extremely sensitive skin, so even “natural” products can cause allergic reactions. I’m interested to know how the Meow Meow tweet works, but will look into some of the reader suggestions, too.
I make my own deodorant, and it seems like personal PH and bacteria make it just about impossible to find THE ONE that works for everyone. I have a couple of friends who use it (guys and girls) and swear that it’s the best thing ever. On me, in Texas heat, sometimes it works great, sometimes I smell like a hippie. Sometimes I feel like I need multiple showers and I cave in to the almost-extinct Dove deo in my drawer.
That being said, creamy paste deodorant seems to be the most effective and if mixed with clays and absorbent powders, has never stained my clothes. In fact, I’m natural deodoranting in part because I was tired of the goop from aluminum ones that would not wash out. If you’re having a really hard time with natural deodorants working, I’d recommend doing a scrub and an armpit mask (seriously!) and looking for one that has something in it to alter your PH, making it hard to the bacteria to do their stink-thing.
🙂
Meow Meow Tweet also makes the best soap in the most delicious scents. They also add lavender bits or lemon peel to the bars to a make a natural exfoliant, if you want to try them. 🙂
I use a Nivea roll-on that has no aluminum. You can buy it on Amazon. I started when I was living in China and ran out of my US stuff — this and some other European brands were all that was available in the shop. After moving back to the states, I got rashes when I switched back to a Dove stick, and was relieved to find that I could buy the same roll-on here. They have several scents, but the one I use is Nivea Dry Confidence Deodorant Antiperspirant Roll-on 50 ml. A smaller travel size is also available. I also switched my almost teen daughter to this one — she did not like the child-friendly natural deodorants I bought her, and is happy to use the same one as me — and I am happy she is also aluminum free.
You could also try a powder brush. Currently I’m using a mixture of baking soda and corn starch applied with a powder brush.
My fave natural deodorant is Crystal Essence Mineral Deodorant Body Spray – Lavender & White Tea. Very well-priced too – usually about $3.99. I’ve tried them all and this one works best for neutralizing odors. I used Lavanilla for quite a while, but it really wasn’t effective so I kept searching. I’ve settled happily on this pump spray which does not leave any stains and is free of Aluminum Chlorohydrate and Parabens as well as being hypoallergenic.
I’ve been using Crystal Essence Mineral Deodorant Roll-On for several years now, and I love it! I find it to be really effective for a natural deodorant, and the best of the many, many that I’ve tried over the years – (works way better for me than any of the Tom’s or Jason or Kiss My Face sticks with regard to odor). It is a bit wet when you first roll it on, but it dries down quite quickly if you flap your wings a couple of times. 😉 Two scents I love that it comes in are ‘Lavender & White Tea’, and the ‘Camomile and Green Tea’. I use them both and they’re both great.
I’ve also tried the Honest Company deodorant spray in vetiver which has a nice hippie scent, but doesn’t not work as well to fight personal odor.
Try the Crystal Essence roll-on! Most drug stores carry it and even some markets.
I’ve used Tom’s of Maine deodorant (not antiperspirant) for years and it’s always worked well for me. I think mine is the apricot scent; sounds weird but it’s very subtle. I just checked the reviews at drugstore.com and it seems like there’s a small but noticeable minority who got burning or an allergic reaction from it, but most people are like me and love it. Maybe deodorant is one of those things that’s very dependent on individual body chemistry and one brand/version will never work for everyone.
I use Primal Pit Paste. I didn’t like the stick in the jar application at first, but now it’s not a big deal. The Paste works great for me. The only time I notice odor is when I haven’t been watching what I eat as carefully (which is usually on vacation, holidays, eating out more frequently).
Are natural deodorants less likely to cause yellowing on white t-shirts? I struggle with this every year (I’ve never had the patience to experience with naturals; I still use traditional aluminum-filled deodorants). I don’t sweat much outside of exercise, so anti-perspirant quality is less important to me. But I can’t keep the armpit area of my white t-shirts white. They start to develop a faint yellow even after just a few wears. It seems like I replace them every spring, which is really frustrating when I find a “perfect” tee. I’ve read that the yellowing is caused by deodorant rather than exposure to actual perspiration.
Not brave enough to test out what happens if I skip deodorant altogether.
I’m not sure if they’re less likely to cause yellowing … I’ve never really noticed a lot of yellowing on my white tees though- maybe that just means I have so many they don’t get worn as often though lol
I remember a reader posting about adding aspirin to the wash to get yellow out once? Or something like that? I’ll try to look for that comment.
Deodorant is sooooo personal. Toms was the first brand I tried, and I swear I smelled worse when I used it! I didn’t have a reaction to it, but I didn’t find it effective at all for me!
I’ll have to try it – it’s been mentioned here a few times when I talk about deodorant! I don’t quite get what it is though…
Oh ! Yes. Sounds lovely.
Bali Secrets is the best that I’ve found: it’s totally sold out right now, but it puts all the others (including most of the ones you reference above) to shame. http://www.balisecrets.me/
I do like a natural smell, but not really in my armpits! So I want to be clean but not perfumy. Most natural deoderants are based on a combination of vaguely effective plant anti-bacterials and a cover-up scent, which in practice I have found worse than the original smell of natural sweat. I do like the idea of baking soda and cornstarch though, although it sounds pretty messy. That said, I actually only need antiperspirant/deodorant when I get very hot, very unexpectedly, usually when I am overdressed for the room in which I find myself or on hot days outside when there is no breeze, so it is a sporadic, highly seasonal thing. One thing I have found very helpful which is safe and effective is just stick some towellets with your favourite non-rinse cleanser impregnated in them in your purse, and wipe your armits lightly as needed. (Use tissues or paper towels to dry if you like, but any cleanser that does not need to be rinsed off will not ruin your clothes.) If you keep clean, no bacteria will develop. (this is easier and less messy than it sounds.)
I’ve been using Thai Crystal Deodorant since early 2014 and love it! All you do is wet the deodorant stick with water and roll it on your armpits. At first I was very concerned it wouldn’t prevent odor but it does. It is not an anti-perspirant though so if you perspire a lot you may not like it. I’ve never had any problems with it staining my clothing either. Here’s the description:
This deodorant is aluminum free and contains no solvents, parabens, propyls or alcohol.
Can apply to face, body, underarms, feet and anywhere else to neutralize unpleasant body odors, eliminate body and foot odor, and inhibit bacterial formation and perspiration, perfect for both men and women.
Crystal deodorant roll is a natural body odor blocker and odor eliminator, packed into a convenient non-staining and unscented format.
Product does not mask body odor like other deodorants, but instead neutralizes bacteria on your skin and impedes it from multiplying. https://www.amazon.com/Thai-Deodorant-Stone-Unscented-Aluminum/dp/B00ZNT96TO/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1465858092&sr=8-1&keywords=thai+crystal+wide+deodorant
That is something I haven’t tried yet. It’s only been a couple of months but I’m already using baking soda and peroxide to treat my white tees before laundering. The upside is that I almost never have to buy tops for working out; I just transition my white tees to the gym drawer once I can see the yellow without squinting.
I had used Agent Nateur and one day the armpit area of my cotton tea smelled like I had not been wearing any deodorant if you know what I mean. Eek! Guess my body chemistry didn’t work with that one. I LOVE Schmidt’s because Alicia Silverstone had recommended it lol. I used the Lavender and Sage one in the pot which smells sooo good. Now they come in stick form, so I ordered a Lavender and Sage from Amazon but got Cedarwood and Juniper by accident…I ended up liking that one too! Overall super happy with Schmidt’s.
I use Schmidt’s stick and Stinkbug Naturals. I have alternated between the two of them for the last two years or so and had great luck. I use one or the other depending on how fast I need it and what I have stocked. I switched to Scmidts stick as soon as it came out. Blissoma is also good and I think Integrity carries that. As for non foaming cleanser. Laurel in which ever formulation works for your skin. I LOVE that line. Check out de mamiel also. Sunscreen. Body I use raw elements and face I use Josh Rosebrook’s daily nutrients. His line is awesome too. Oh and moss skincare. Sigh. I love Integrity Botanicals.
Ohh. And I always have RL Linden close to me deoderant spray w me. It’s great. I’m working currently in Dallas so I use it after I apply my deodorant. It may sound odd but I love that stuff
Have I tried natural deodorants? Yes. Do they work? Nope!
I’d add “Hurraw!” lip balms to my cart if I were you. I gave different flavors to each of my 3 daughters in their Christmas stockings and they loved them. My 3-yr old granddaughter loved her mom’s so much that she ate it!
That was me! I read it in Domino or Lucky mag. I tried it and my tees didn’t overwhelm me with whiteness. Not like I needed to wear shades or anything. 😉
Soapwalla (original formula) and Meow Meow Tweet’s Baking Soda Free deodorants are two of our top selling deodorants. The Meow Meow Tweet Stick was just introduced in May and is quickly becoming a best seller too – so easy and convenient to apply and no rubbing in any excess with your fingers. My husband and I have tried dozens of different brands of deodorants in the past 5 years or so since we started our business and these two last all day without having to re-apply and you can feel confident. We lived in Houston for the past 3 years so we really got to test out several deodorants in extremely hot weather! Toms of Maine didn’t work for me at all and will have to agree with Grechen, I think it made me smell worse! (if that’s possible) People who have a baking soda sensitivity love Meow Meow Tweet’s baking soda free deodorant and while the stick does have baking soda, it’s a very low percentage and has been tested by sensitive individuals (including myself) and I haven’t had any issues. Hope you find this feedback helpful in your search for a natural deodorant that works!
I’ve found the same with natural deodorants. I like the way Agent Nateur smells and how gentle it is, but alas, I have to wear it when I don’t expect to sweat too much. (Which essentially means it’s not very effective, right?)
I’ve tried many natural deodorants but found that I dislike the act of scooping out of a jar and smearing paste in my pits. Formulations that use baking soda gave me this weird rash burn. For ease of application, I still prefer the stick form. However, the consistency and texture is hard to get right. My favorite to-date is an aloe-based version that glides smoothly from Ursa Major. It’s called Hoppin’ Fresh, and a repeat buy for me.
I’ve been happy with North Coast Organics – Naked deodorant. It does have coconut oil, but doesn’t seem to stain anything yet.
http://www.northcoastorganics.net/#!/naked-Organic-Deodorant-2-5-oz/p/27735661/category=7094980
I have converted to a similar one, Faith In Nature Unscented Crystal Stick Deodorant, just rub the crystal on to wet skin so handy after a shower. No mess. No white marks on clothes. Solid so good for hand luggage. Lasts forever. My husband also converted. The only time it “failed” was in very hot humid weather which I am not used to.
I’ve tried Ursa Major deodorant which was a major bust for me, and also Milk makeup deo, but it made me smell like old celery. My favorite is Le Couvent des Minimes
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod11021012&skuId=2276402&cmpid=PS_Non!google!Product_Listing_Ads&cagpspn=pla&CAWELAID=330000200000183273&catargetid=330000200000191114&cadevice=c&gclid=CI7cu53-qM0CFdcTgQod4tsEmA
Sorry for that long link but it’s good! I’ve used it for years. I was looking at other brands because this one is a roll on and sometimes it’s annoying to wait for it to dry. But it’s the best I’ve tried so far.
For cleanser, I recommend Glossier! I’m on my second bottle of their cleanser. It’s great since it never stings your eyes and it’s so gentle but cleans really well.
For sunscreen for face, I like this one!
https://sokoglam.com/products/neogen-day-light-sun-protection-sun-screen
It’s light and smells nice and herbally, not sunscreeny.
One more suggestion. Moss (at Integrity) has a powder sunscreen that you can mix w things. Looks amazing!!
I used to have the same issue — after just a couple of wears sometimes, I would see yellowing on my white t-shirts. I would even treat the armpits with some shout before washing, but that didn’t solve the problem. The yellowing went away immediately when I switched to an aluminum-free deodorant, however. I’ve read that sweat itself can also cause yellowing (duh), but will do so at a much slower pace than sweat + aluminum (so much so that I have not noticed yellowing on my whites in the 2+ years since I switched to non-aluminum). I’m sure it also depends on the person.
As you said, it depends on the person, but I thought I’d share my two cents. I also prioritize convenience, and the following two are my faves:
Brand: Arm and Hammer unscented , my current product
Found at: Any grocery or drug store (men’s section)
Effectiveness: There is perhaps a slight odor by evening, but nothing anyone (even me) could notice, without doing a pit-check 😉 Way more effective for me than Tom’s of Maine.
Although no fragrance is added, it has a slight lemony scent upon application. This isn’t a ‘natural,’ 5-ingredient deodorant or anything, but it is aluminum free.
Brand: Schmidt’s
Found at: Amazon
Effectiveness: COMPLETE AND TOTAL odor annihilation (for me)
I used this for about 6 months before developing a slight rash that took a couple day to clear up (though I loved it so much, I might try it again now that some time has passed!). Another commenter noted it being kind of thick to apply, for that reason I would warm a little bit by briefly rubbing it between my fingertips before application, and then it was no problem. It is easy to wash off.
Hi Grechen! Another vote for Crystal body deodarent stick and their Essence Spray as a back up or alt. It’s simply mineral salts. Get them on iherb, if you haven’t shopped them before, holy crap, it’s amazing! Great prices and shipping – I shipped to Aus and now UAE. A lifesaver for expats and my mom uses them in the US. All the best xx
I haven’t seen it mentioned here, so I’ll throw my vote in for Fig + Yarrow’s underarm lotion. It has clay mixed in for moisture absorption, doesn’t give me the dreaded baking soda burn (I’ve tried a LOT of natural deodorants, including making my own), and comes in pump form so it’s easy to travel with and doesn’t separate like some of the shea butter-based versions. It’s not cheap, but the travel size lasts me for over a year.
I have never commented on your blog, but this topic I can speak to. Not so natural, but not unhealthy: a spray bottle with 70% isoprophyl alcohol. I’ve been using this for over 10 years, now, and it’s the best deodorant I’ve tried. When we went to Italy after I’d only been using alcohol for a year, I did bring a deodorant stick, thinking that my clothes might last longer without a wash, but they didn’t, and for all subsequent trips I’ve only used alcohol. I now find it so effective that I have actually skipped a day (how I could manage to forget to spray after my shower, I cannot tell you), and it’s been fine. My husband, too, uses only alcohol, and while I find it’s perhaps slightly less effective than a really strong deodorant, I no longer have to deal with deodorant build up on his undershirts and shirts.
thanks for you input renee! i find this very intriguing….might give it a try!!
This is a great suggestion! It’s a basic keep clean/disinfect thing. Have you ever tried dabbing it on as opposed to spraying?
I’ve also done natural deodorant reviews because most of them don’t work! The only ones that work for me are: Blissoma, Schmidt’s, Soapwalla, Routine. Northcoast Organics is a backup. I think you also have to alternate them because they tend to lose efficacy if used daily.
Lavanilla, Pit Paste, Meow Meow Tweet, etc don’t work on me to varying degrees.
Another vote for primal pit paste– both my daughter and I love it! She uses the paste and I use the stick. I completely agree that there is not one size fits all for this category! Hope you’re having a good weekend.
One of my favorite topics! Ursa Major was a bust for me, Schmidt’s irritated my armpits. I am now trying the Meow Meow Tweet sticks. The jury is still out on those. Captain Blankenship Lime + Vetiver cream deodorant works great, and doesn’t have the grittiness of some other deodorants. My favorite is from C & Co in Asheville – it is gritty but if I spend an extra 5 seconds holding it in my armpit to melt it a little, it goes on smoothly. I think one of the tricks with natural deodorants is to remember that you really don’t need that much product – if you cut back on how much you put on, then there’s less clay to clump and fall off.
Another option is lemon juice (I use bottled ). Just add some to a flat cotton round and apply to pits. Also, the medical grade wash, Hibiclens, is great for keeping bacteria at bay. I use it sparingly and I have gone without the lemon juice afterwards and I did not smell. Hope this is helpful.
I can second Schmidt’s, and I can also second that it’s much easier to apply when the temps are warmer. I saw that they have a stick version now, which I may try once I run out of the cream. I bought a travel set or all of their scents to see which one works best, and I would recommend this route, because different scents work better for different people.
All of this being said, the deodorant that I consistently return to over the years (I switched over to natural about 5 years ago) is Bubble & Bee’s. They make a few different formulations of deodorants, and I have used both the Pit Putty (cream) and Pit Putty Stick (stick). The owner really will work with you to figure out the best scent and formulation for you, and they have a guarantee where if one doesn’t work out, you just need to pay for shipping to try another. When I first switched, the stick eventually gave me a rash (though they make a baking soda free version), so I went to the cream, but that wasn’t strong enough. I ended up layering them — and it worked! The cream protected me from the rash and the stick provided lasting power. After a year of that, I was able to just use the stick with no ill effects. The two scents that work best for me (I am smelly) are the original and the jasmint. In the summer, I keep the stick in the fridge which helps with application (it can get a little crumbly in warm temps).
Sorry for the very long comment, I totally empathize because I tried SO MANY in my quest for a natural deodorant and nearly gave up a number of times, and it’s so nice now to know what works. I guess that would be my advice — don’t give up! 🙂