Although popular opinion makes us believe how antiperspirants and deodorants are pretty much the same thing, there’s a huge difference!

  • Antiperspirants force your body to stop sweating by clogging the pores of your skin with the help of harmful synthetic ingredients like aluminium.
  • Deodorants battle odor without interfering with the natural process of perspiration and act as natural fragrances that successfully battle with bacteria and cleanse your skin.

This is the key difference between the two and it was our starting point when choosing the best natural deodorants for your needs:

Our Top Choice – Citrus and Herbal-Musk by Baxter of California

Baxter of California is one of the leading male grooming product manufacturers in the US, so the fact they’ve won the GQ award for best deodorant doesn’t come as a big surprise. Their formula contains perfumes, ingredient we’re strongly opposed to when reviewing any type of product, but the deodorant itself is so good that we couldn’t afford not telling you about it.

Runner Up – Sandalwood Natural Deodorant by Bali Secrets

If there wasn’t for Baxter’s superior product we would place this exotic natural deodorant originating from Bali on the top of the list because of its unique formula that includes seaweed extract and aloe vera gel. Two ingredients that will keep your skin clean and moisturized at the same time.

Best Value For Money – Wild Lavender by Tom’s of Maine

We enjoy discovering small family businesses that create high quality products, which is one of the reasons why we fell in love with this classy Tom’s of Maine deodorant that will cost you only cents on the dollar. Don’t be fooled by the low price. This is as good of an odor repellent as any other item on our list.

This article is here to help you understand why are natural deodorants superior to antiperspirants and explain the exact natural process they both use to battle unpleasant odor.

Before we dig deeper and present you some of the top choices on the market, let’s compare the two:

What is the difference between a natural deodorant and synthetic antiperspirant? Why choose natural?

Best men's antiperspirant and how to choose one

Image courtesy: Laboko/BigStock.com

Have you ever seen your grandfather use an antiperspirant? I know I’ve never seen mine and he was working in the fields all day long, breaking a sweat under the hard sun. The only thing he used is dried lavender liefs crushed together with a little bit of sodium bicarbonate, applied right after he got out of the bath.

Much like every nosy kid I always wondered why is he avoiding modern day antiperspirants when they were clearly the more efficient choice, plus they were lot easier to find.

The answer came to me years after, when I started noticing how the skin under my underarms feels a tad dryish. This is when I began researching the Internet with the hope of finding an answer and I was really surprised with my findings.

It turns out how conventional antiperspirants, the ones you can get for couple of bucks in every store worldwide, are aluminium based.

Yes, you heard that right.

With each spray of your favorite antiperspirant on your body, you’re clogging your skin pores with Aluminium Chlorohydrate and preventing your metabolism from creating sweat, which is one of the basic natural processes acting as a natural toxin filter and cooling mechanism for your body.

Aluminium is not the only chemical found with artificial deodorants.

No siree.

Go to the bathroom and get your antiperspirant from the shelf. Check the label on the back. Look for ingredients like paraben, triclosan and MI (methylisothiazolinone).

Found them?

Now check the label of your mother’s cleaning product of choice. Some of the ingredients match, don’t they?

Think about this.

You’re using a different version of the stuff you’re cleaning the floors with on your body. It’s a bit scary to see antiperspirants in this light, but you must stay woke and learn how to protect yourself from products that can directly affect your wellbeing.

The good news is that there’s an easy way out of this situation. You’re not forced into using conventional antiperspirants.

You can switch to natural deodorants without hesitation and still get the same results.

Instead of harmful artificial ingredients combined with the “power” of aluminium, this anti-odor weapon uses all natural ingredients with potassium alum (natural salt) leading the way. The main difference between natural and synthetic deodorants is in the way they protect your body from unpleasant odor.

Aluminium based antiperspirants suffocate your pores and absorb deep beneath your skin, not allowing your body to sweat like it should and directly affect the natural perspiration process of your organism.

By doing this your body gets used to not sweating and it starts looking for different ways to regulate harmful toxins, which will eventually end up in your blood flow. Make sure you share this with your better half as both parabens and aluminium (two common antiperspirant ingredients) can mess up oestrogen levels and have been connected with breast cancer in the past. MI and Triclosan can be harmful for both genders as they’re known to cause liver toxicity, fibrosis and allergic reactions among other known side effects.

You see how important is to go with an all natural deodorant?

Potassium alum has been known for centuries as a go to choice for men and women when trying to deal with body odor problems, but where can one find this organic compound?

The answer to this question is quite simple.

Salt.

Yep, potassium alum is a fancy mineral salt, not the one you use in your kitchen (if you ever go there), which instead of clogging your skin, creates a salt based invisible protection layer over it and successfully battles the inhibition and growth of odor causing bacteria.

When using natural deodorants based on potassium alum you’re giving your body enough room to breathe while successfully battling with unpleasant odor at the same time.

Aloe Vera and antibacterial honeysuckle are some pretty common ingredients used with natural deodorants because of their renown skin calming effect.

Essential oils have became a popular option among manufacturers thanks to their ability to act as natural protectors of your skin, regulating your pH levels and protecting your body from bacteria and infections while also leaving a pleasant aroma behind them. You should be careful when diluting pure essential oils with carriers and potassium alum as they are extremely potent and couple of milliliters are usually enough per 30 ml of the blend you’re creating.

What to consider when selecting a natural deodorant

Criteria to choosing the best natural deodorant for your needs (1)

Image Courtesy: Yastremska/BigStock.com

The modern man is forced into making important decisions on daily basis. What clothes to wear to that 9 o’clock meeting? What cologne to use and avoid rashes? Should I accept that promotion and spend less time with my family?

Some choices can prove to be life changing, others are just inspired by the fast paced times we live in, so it’s always a good practice to face those mundane decisions early on and “solve” them once and for all.

You don’t want looking for the best natural deodorant each weekend. Just go through our well researched set of criteria now and you’ll be able to easily pick your next organic antiperspirant in no time.

Here are some of the most important best practices you must consider when buying your first natural deodorant:

  • Avoid synthetic chemicals at all cost – We’ve talked about this at great length in the previous section, so we’re just making sure you’ve listened. Aluminium Chlorohydrate is the main ingredient you would like to stay away from, but you should also check for different parabens, Triclosan and MI (methylisothiazolinone) among other things.
  • Fragrances are always a bad news – Literally hundreds of different ingredients hide under the cloak of the term “fragrances” and the worst part is how most of them aren’t even regulated or disclosed and shared with the wider public. They’re capable of capturing the most unique scents like the hard to find coconut aroma you always wanted, but they’re also responsible for that nasty “B.O.-dorant” after-smell.
  • Natural means NATURAL – Don’t get fooled by manufacturers trying to push a product containing synthetic ingredients as an all natural solution. Natural deodorants should be 100% organic and in most cases they’re both vegan and vegetarian friendly.
  • Control odor, not sweat – Sweat created by apocrine sweat glands located in your armpits, groin and feet is odorless by default. Write that down and underline it – SWEAT DOESN’T SMELL.
    Sounds weird doesn’t it?
    The moment sweat reaches your skin it starts interacting with already present bacteria through fatty acids and proteins. This is when you start noticing that funky odor hovering over your body.
    Antiperspirants battle this by completely blocking the sweating process. This is a short term solution that will help you go through the day, but can be extremely harmful on the long run.
    Natural deodorants on the other hand, will help you control the odor your body naturally creates by keeping your pH levels at check and acting as an antiseptic for your problematic areas, without the need to disrupt the process of sweating.

Good rule of thumb is to go with an all natural deodorant that includes ingredients able to battle the creation of bacteria under your armpits and act as strong antiseptics while keeping your skin moisturized.

How to use a deodorant

The actual application of a natural deodorant is pretty straightforward, but there are couple of best practices you should take into consideration and include them as a part of your regular grooming routine over time:

  • Always apply deodorant on clean skin – Remember how you’re battling against bacteria, so it’s quite clear your skin needs to be clean and dry before you apply any deodorant.
  • The best time is just before you go to bed – Perfectly after a shower and before you go to bed. You’re not sweating so much in your sleep so it would be easier for the product you use to create a protective layer over your skin.
  • Don’t overdo it – If you notice stains on your clothes, it’s probably a good idea to use less deodorant.
  • Shake the can before application – There are tons of different ingredients in any natural deodorant blend and it’s normal they separate from each other after staying on your shelf for a longer period of time.
  • Spray from few inches away – Just to make sure you’re covering as much area as possible.
  • Make sure you apply an even layer – In average it should take you about five seconds of spraying per armpit to create an even layer that will protect every inch of your skin.

If you’re facing some unique issues like skin rash and dryness feel free to share them with us in our comment section and we’ll try to address your situation in as much detail as possible.

What are the best natural deodorants for men?

Now when you know why and how you should use natural deodorants and what makes them a better choice compared to synthetic antiperspirants, let’s go through some of the more popular choices you can find on Amazon:

Sandalwood Natural Deodorant by Bali Secrets

Bali Secrets natural deodorant

  • Size: 2.4 fl.oz/70ml
  • Type: Roll On

Coming straight out of Bali, this organic deodorant is packed in a small yet well designed container you can carry almost everywhere you go and the most surprising part is that it lasts longer compared to other brands.

It has alcohol inside of it, but people with extremely sensitive skin shouldn’t avoid it just because of this. It has proven to be a great tool when battling unpleasant odor and acts as a skin moisturization regulator due to the inclusion of Seaweed, Aloe Vera and Coconut Oil in its formula.

We’ve chosen the Sandalwood option because it offers a unique and distinguished smell that will make your clothes and yourself smelling fresh throughout the day.

Ingredients:

  • Seaweed Extract (Gracilaria verrucosa)
  • Distilled Water (Aqua)
  • Natural Mineral Salt (Potassium alum)
  • Aloe Vera Gel (Aloe barbadensis)
  • Alcohol (Ethanol)
  • Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera)
  • Sandalwood essential oil

Available options:

  • Delicate Rose
  • Unscented
  • Aloe Delight
  • Original Essence
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Orange Creamsicle by Primal Pit Paste

Primal Pit Paste natural deodorant

  • Size: 2 oz/60 ml
  • Type: Roll on

Primal Pit Paste is a successful niche business focused on creating some of the best natural deodorants on the market. Packed in a lip balm like container this refreshing deodorant paste will leave your armpits smelling like freshly peeled oranges.

To achieve this, the manufacturer uses essential oils for each one of its products except for the Unscented version, which is preferable for people with extremely sensitive skin prone to rashes.

The inclusion of baking soda tends to make people sceptic about this product, but you should also consider how there’s enough shea butter and Vitamin E inside this formula, which are two ingredients that will replenish and moisturize your skin.

Ingredients:

  • Organic Shea Butter,
  • Non-Aluminum Baking Soda,
  • Organic Coconut Oil,
  • Organic Beeswax,
  • Organic Arrowroot Powder,
  • Organic Orange Essential Oil,
  • Vanilla Extract,
  • Non-GMO Vitamin E (sourced 100% from sunflowers)

Available options:

  • Coconut lime
  • Jasmine
  • Lavender
  • Lemongrass
  • Royal & Rogue
  • Unscented
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Wild Lavender by Tom’s of Maine

Toms natural deodorant

  • Size: 2.25 oz/64 ml
  • Type: Roll on

I personally use dried lavender liefs tucked between my clothes, so I can keep that fresh and crispy smell and make sure moles stay away from my linen. Lavender essential oil is also used in the health and beauty industry because of its anti inflammatory and blood flow enhancing characteristics.

With the addition of glyceryl, Tom’s of Maine makes sure their natural deodorant sticks longer on your skin and creates a protection layer that won’t come off that easily.

This is a great choice if you’re looking for a natural deodorant on a budget, but still want to experience all the benefits that an aluminium free solution brings.

Ingredients:

  • propylene glycol (vegetable derived),
  • water,
  • sodium stearate,
  • organic Aloe barbadensis leaf juice,
  • glyceryl laurate,
  • natural fragrance (Lavender essential oil),
  • Humulus lupulus (hops) cone extract,
  • organic Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil,
  • ascorbic acid,
  • organic Cymbopogon flexuosus oil

Available options:

  • Unscented
  • Lemongrass
  • Honeysuckle rose
  • Fresh apricot
  • Maine woodspice
  • Soothing calendula
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Natural Skin Care by Burt’s Bees

Burt bees natural deodorant

  • Size: 2.6 oz/74 ml
  • Type: Roll on

One of the more interesting formulas on this list as it’s consisted out of nine different essential oils combined with the hydrating coconut and sesame carrier oils.

Instead of using glycerin like other manufacturers from this list, Burt’s Bees is going with beeswax when trying to create a long lasting solution that will form a protective layer that doesn’t just disappear from beneath your armpits.

The rosemary dominated scent has proven to be too potent for some users, but this can be perfect for heavy sweaters that tend to produce powerful odor.

Ingredients:

  • cocos nucifera (coconut) oil,
  • zea mays (corn) starch,
  • sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil,
  • beeswax,
  • sodium usnate,
  • citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil,
  • citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil,
  • citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil,
  • pogostemon cablin (patchouli) oil,
  • citrus reticulata (petitgrain) leaf oil,
  • abies sibirica (fir needle) oil,
  • rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil,
  • rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract,
  • canola oil

Available options:

  • Herbal deodorant (spray with alcohol included in the blend)
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Citrus and Herbal-Musk by Baxter of California

Baxter of California Natural deodorant

  • Size: 2.6 oz/74 ml
  • Type: Roll On

Baxter of California has built its reputation as one of the leading brands in the male grooming industry over the years, so the fact they’ve won the GQ Grooming Award for best deodorant doesn’t come as such a big surprise.

They’ve risked getting removed from our list because they use perfumes in their blend, but after going through the plethora of customer reviews on Amazon, we’ve noticed how this isn’t such a huge factor due to the quality of all the other ingredients.

This is their only available option and we believe the mix of forest and herbal scents will succesfully battle the nasty odor your body creates while keeping your skin hydrated at all times.

Ingredients:

  • Propylene Glycol,
  • Water (Aqua),
  • Sodium Stearate,
  • Methylpropanediol,
  • Glycerin (Plant Derived),
  • Fragrance (Parfum),
  • Allantoin (Comfrey Root Derived),
  • Ethylhexylglycerin (Plant Derived Preservative),
  • Octenidine HCL,
  • Prunus Domestica Fruit (Plum) Oil,
  • Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil,
  • Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel),
  • Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria (Chamomile) Leaf Extract,
  • Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow) Extract,
  • Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Fruit Extract,
  • Lycium Chinensis Fruit Extract,
  • Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract,
  • Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Fruit Extract.

Available options:

  • None
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Ylang-Ylang and Calendula by Schmidt’s

Schmidts natural deodorant

  • Size: 2 oz/60 ml
  • Type: Paste

We’ve chosen this unique Ylang-Ylang and Calendula blend by Schmidt’s because of its mild scent and pleasant aroma that successfully battles sweat derived odor.

It comes in a jar, so it may feel unpleasant when applying because you’ll need to use your palms to spread the product beneath your armpits.

The blend includes shea butter and arrowroot powder, which makes this deodorant perfect for individuals with dry skin. Ylang ylang is considered as an efficient anti-inflammatory ingredient on its own, so mixing it with the antimicrobial features of the Calendula essential oil, makes this combination a powerful weapon against skin rashes and infections.

Ingredients:

  • Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter),
  • Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda),
  • Maranta arundinacea (arrowroot) powder,
  • Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter,
  • Tocopherol (vitamin E),
  • Calendula officinalis (calendula) essential oil,
  • Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang) essential oil,
  • Humulus lupulus (hop) extract

Available options:

  • Rose + Vanilla
  • Lavender + Sage
  • Fragrance free
  • Cedarwood + Juniper
  • Bergamot + Lime
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Chamomile and Green Tea by Crystal Essence

Crystal essense natural deodorant

  • Size: 2.25 oz/65 ml
  • Type: Roll on

If you’re looking for a mild scented natural deodorant that will help you battle unpleasant odor, take a closer look at Crystal Essence’s chamomile and green tea blend available in a tiny 2.25 ounce container that can fit in your pocket.

Besides being a great antiseptice, chamomile is also a plant used to prevent creation on fungus and bacteria on your body. With green tea being a renown antioxidant, you’ll place your body in a position where it will be able to remove toxins both on the inside and the outside of your skin.

Compared to other products, deodorants from Crystal Essence lack Vitamin E and natural carrier oils like coconut and shea. That’s why it’s smart to go with a different product from this list if you’re trying to find a solution that addresses dry skin issues.

This natural deodorant is great for people that have sensitive skin and face problems like rash caused by the creation of powerful bacteria structures underneath their armpits.

Ingredients:

  • Water/Aqua,
  • Potassium Alum,
  • Hydroxyethylcellulose,
  • Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria),
  • Flower Extract,
  • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract,
  • Sodium Bicarbonate.

Available options:

  • Unscented
  • Lavender and white tea
  • Pomegranate
  • Original
  • Vanilla and Jasmine
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Sweet Blueberry Lemonade by Organic Fields of Heather

Blueberry lemonade deodorant

  • Size: 2.5 oz/70 ml
  • Type: Roll on

One of the more unique scents on this list that will leave your skin smelling like a freshly squeezed lemonade with couple of blueberries inside.

Scent that will surely make that unpleasant odor your body produces a thing of the past. With Vitamins E & C included, your skin will also receive enough nutrients so it keeps high levels of moisturization even during the hottest summer days.

Each and every ingredient used in this product is naturally derived, which makes it a great fit on the shelf of gentlemen prone to allergic reactions and common skin rashes.

Ingredients:

  • Organic Coconut Oil
  • Organic Botanically Infused Shea, Cocoa & Aloe Butters
  • All Natural Non-GMO Vegetable Wax
  • Organic Tapioca Silk Starch
  • Aluminum Free Soda
  • Non-GMO All Natural Vitamins E & C
  • Organic Lemon Essential Oil
  • Organic Extracts Of Blueberry

Available options:

  • Coconut
  • Berry Vanilla
  • Orange cream
  • Wild Portland rose
  • Mt. Spring Breeze
  • Fields of lavender
  • Silver shield (spray)
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Unscented Magnesium Deodorant by Nasanta

Nasanta natural deodorant

  • Size: 2.7 oz/80 ml
  • Type: Roll On

We avoided unscented choices on this list, but the simplicity in terms of ingredients forced us to include this Australian product on the list.

The magnesium found in this six-element blend is produced in Japan, which is one of the biggest suppliers of this natural compound in the world.

It looks like the team at Nasanta managed to create a simple yet high quality solution that will keep your underarms clean and prevent bacteria creation with the help of Xanthan gum and Magnesium hydroxide.

It comes in a spray like bottle, which is a bit larger compared to most of the choices here, but it’s still a roll on natural deodorant you can carry anywhere with you.

Ingredients:

  • Deionized/purified water
  • Magnesium hydroxide
  • Glycerin
  • Xanthan gum
  • Phenoxyethanol (0.35%)
  • Caprylyl Glycol (0.15%)

Available options:

  • None
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Lime and Sage by Mountaineer Brand

Mounteneer brand natural deodorant for men

  • Size: 3.25 oz/96 ml
  • Type: Roll On

The Mountaineer Brand is a US based company that build a name for itself in the beard grooming industry with their extensive selection of oils, waxes and balms.

The common thing connecting beard grooming products and natural deodorants are ingredients. The main difference between this roll on stick and the average beard pomade is in the production process and the inclusion of arrowroot powder and baking soda.

Everything else is the same, so if you’re a bearded brother that feels like sticking with the same scent, you can combine this lime and sage deodorant with the matching beard grooming product from the same brand.

Ingredients:

  • Arrowroot powder,
  • Coconut Oil,
  • Beeswax,
  • Shea Butter,
  • Lime Oil,
  • Baking Soda,
  • Clary Sage,
  • Grape Seed Oil,
  • Vitamin E Oil,
  • Tea Tree Oil,
  • Neem Oil

Available options:

  • Unscented
  • Cedarwood and Fir Needle
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Closing thoughts

You can’t go wrong whatever deodorant you end up using, so it all comes down to personal preferences and budget.

If you have any question or you’re facing a problem we haven’t covered in the article, feel free to fill up the comment section and we’ll get back to you right away.