WHY I STOPPED WEARING NATURAL DEODORANT

A few months ago, I embarked on a journey to transition from antiperspirant to natural deodorant. Traditional antiperspirants contain aluminium which, studies have shown, builds up in the body. There is no proven connection between the level of aluminium build up from antiperspirants and health conditions however, aluminium may case disruption to your endocrine system.

I'm relatively health conscious and try to reduce my consumption of non-beneficial substances where possible, so I decided to go natural (aluminium free) with my deodorant. Smelling good is something that I'm known for and the success of my fragrance collection is dependent on a good foundation; I always apply my antiperspirant straight out of the shower, use a nicely scented moisturiser on my skin and then apply my perfumes.

I knew the journey wasn't going to be easy because a) I HATE sweating and b) I have a deathly fear of smelling bad. It may sound ridiculous but, despite understanding the crucial role of sweating and the benefits it provides, I absolutely hate the process. Can you imagine being that person that smells bad and everyone knows it, but they don't know it because they have become accustomed to their own bad smell? Nope, not me. Never.

Being the product junkie that I am, I was excited to have another product range to be able to shop for, however, after trying 5 different brands and giving the process nearly a year, I decided that natural deodorant just wasn't for me for 3 main reasons:

1) None of them kept me dry. I am very unaccustomed to having moist underarms (I've been wearing antiperspirant since I was about 9!) and I hate damp patches on clothes, so it made me feel very uncomfortable.

2) After a couple of hours, most of them created odd odours that I hated. I didn't smell bad per se, but they were all "What's that funny smell?" odours. The fact that I smell way better when I haven't showered meant that, if I really wanted to give up antiperspirant and didn't mind the moisture, I could just stop using deodorant altogether and I'd be better off.

3) I became incredibly self conscious! We were in lockdown for about 90% of my trial period (which is why I decided that this was the best time) so I wasn't as active as I usually would be, yet, when anyone came near me or I did go out, I worried that they would smell the odd odours or see a wet patch in my underarm area. I'm sure I perspired more just thinking about it! Deodorant was not worth the extra stress.

I don't sweat a lot and I have been staying in cooler climates than I would usually live in, so the fact that these didn't work, completely put me off. I also do not re-apply deodorant throughout the day, nor do I plan to. Having said all that, the deodorants I tried have great reviews and they may work for you, so I'm leaving a mini review of each one, in order of trial date, below. As for me, I will try natural deodorants again when technology has advanced and they become more effective.

Brut

This was my first foray into natural deodorant and it was gifted to me. Even though I've never been a fan of spray deodorants, it came highly recommended so I gave it a try. I used the 'Original' scent but there are a few others.

• Type: Spray deodorant

• Scent: It smells masculine but it's not overpowering and I enjoy it.

• Texture: Leaves no visible residue but there is definitely a smooth, light coating on the skin.

• Performance: Very comfortable to wear, but I didn't feel like it did anything. Also, the scent dissipates very quickly.

• Price: £2.50 - Available at Boots and Superdrug (UK)

• Overall Score: 1/5

Dr. Organic

I picked this up randomly while I was out shopping. I prefer roll-on antiperspirants, so I just bought it hoping for better results. I got it in 'Coconut' but it comes in 12 different scents.

• Type: Roll-on deodorant

• Scent: Doesn't smell of coconut at all! It has a very "Chemical, but make it nice." smell to it which I'm not a fan of.

• Texture: It has the texture of a serum and it doesn't dry down, so you're basically guaranteed a wet patch on your clothes.

• Performance: The smell definitely changed in an unpleasant way and it obviously can't help with dryness because it's so wet.

• Price: 35AED - I bought it in Dubai (Carrefour), but you can also get it in Holland & Barrett (UK) or Ulta (US)

• Overall Score: 1/5

SO'Bio étic Déo-Soin Nutrition+

I had no background on this brand or product, but I bought it because it was a natural deodorant lol. I used it while I was in Dubai and it was relatively effective in the 35ºC weather. It performed exactly the same in cooler, London weather.

• Type: Roll-on deodorant

• Scent: Shea butter (6 other scents available)

• Texture: Typical watery deodorant and it dries down quite well, but it leaves a moisturised feeling to the underarm instead of the dry feeling antiperspirants do (and that I like!).

• Performance: It stayed dry(ish) for ~2hrs, but I just don't like the smell, and once it changes, it gets worse. If you find a scent you like and don't mind reapplying, this would be the natural deodorant I would recommend.

• Price: 30AED - Another Dubai (Carrefour) purchase, but it can be purchased on the SO'Bio étic website.

• Overall Score: 3/5

Native

I discovered this brand while researching highly rated natural deodorants. I purchased a limited edition Christmas set that came with 3 travel sized deodorants (0.35oz) in the scents 'Candy Cane', 'Vanilla & Chai' and 'Sugar Cookie'. They have other travel and full sized options in a wide variety of scents.

• Type: Stick deodorant

• Scent: They all smelled of mostly of vanilla so I wouldn't get this set again. It's an unusual scent for a deodorant and I wouldn't recommend.

• Texture: Thick, but smooth.

• Performance: Left a creamy residue that didn't dry down, no matter how little I used. It did nothing for dryness, but all their scents changed in a negative way, especially the 'Candy Cane' that has a hint of mint in it.

• Price: $9 + shipping - Must be purchased on their website

• Overall Score: 2/5

Mitchum Natural Power

Mitchum is a brand I know and love. I have used their antiperspirant stick and roll-on for years, so when I saw that they had a natural deodorant I immediately wanted to try it. I got it in 'Coconut' but it also comes in 'Eucalyptus' and 'Cedarwood'.

• Type: Stick deodorant

• Scent: Coconut scent that lasts all day.

• Texture: Thin and dry.

• Performance: Feels a lot like applying a light moisturiser to your underarms. It's the only one that doesn't change in scent throughout the day, so I guess it did what it's supposed to do, deodorise.

• Price: £ 4.50 - Available in Boots and Superdrug (UK)

• Overall Score: 3/5

If you have any questions on the products or my experience, feel free to ask them in the comments section below. Although I am no longer testing natural deodorants, leave any recommendations you have for others who are still on the journey to finding the most effective natural deodorant.

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