Best Natural Deodorants (THAT WORK): The 2023 List

Looking for the Best Natural Deodorants that work in 2023? Well you came to the right place! Here’s the deal traditional deodorant (aka the stuff from drugstores) almost all have really crappy ingredients.

Wondering why you should use natural deodorant? Traditional deodorant has aluminum (known neurotoxin connected to Alzheimer’s), parabens (connected to hormone disruption & cancer), and synthetic fragrances (known endocrine disruptor amongst long list of risks). Ewwww!

Despite numerous laws designed to protect human health and the environment, no law in the US requires the disclosure of all ingredients in fragranced consumer products (Steinemann 2009).

Ok, now that we got that out of the way, lets chat about the best natural deodorants for 2023! Consumers have way more choices for their natural deoderant needs these days, with the rising profile of natural living and popularity of reducing the toxins and chemicals we’re exposed to companies are starting to jump on board with more toxin free, natural deoderants.

My Experience with Natural Deodorants

I started using natural deodorants about 4 years ago. Back then there weren’t that many options so I had to make due with the basics lol.

I tried the crystal, but didn’t like it. Its supposed to kill bacteria so that you don’t stink, but I didn’t find that it worked.

Then I used Toms Deodorant for a couple years, and its ok, but the deodorants in this list are waaaaay better, both ingredient wise and performance wise. I stopped used Tom’s natural Deodorant because it scores a 4/10 for toxicity on ewg.org because it contains talc (no beuno) and fragrance.

In fairness, i’m pretty easy to please when it comes to natural deodorants because i’m just happy to be using a product that doesn’t contain any nasty chemicals, but my partner loves his deodorant. The true test was finding a safe natural deodorant that he would happily use, and it took a couple tries but we found one!

Best Natural Deodorants for 2023

Native Deodorant

Native Deodorant is the ONLY deodorant that my non crunchy, anti perspirant loving, Boyfriend will use. I bought him 3 different natural deoderants before trying Native, and this is the first one that ‘got him through the day without stinking’. WIN (He uses the citrus & herbal musk one) . For that reason alone I give Native a 5 star review! He also tried Tom’s Natural Deodorant for men, which he thought it felt ‘wet’ and didn’t like it. The 3rd natural deodorant for men my partner tried was Dusk by Herban Cowboy, which didn’t provide all day odour free results, so didn’t like that one either.

Native Deodorant Pros

✔️Aluminum Free

✔️ Paraben Free

✔️ Sulphates Free

✔️ Goes on Smooth

✔️ Vegan

They also have a sensitive skin line for those that react to baking soda in natural deodorant. The sensitive skin Native deodorant is made without baking soda.

Native Deodorant Negatives

Native Deodorant comes with ALOT of packaging. I love natural products, but I also love the earth and am trying my best to reduce the amount of waste I produce. The amount of packaging this is shipped in does not lend itself well to that goal. Native: if you’re reading this cut the packaging! On the flipside, if you are buying this as a gift, it is impressive to open.

EWG lists Native Deodorant as a 3/10 (with 10/10 being the worst ingredients). This is because fragrance is listed as an ingredient and since brands do not have to disclose fragrance formulas EWG always assumes its bad/synthetic. Synthetic fragrances are known to be endocrine disruptors, cause irritation or immune issues. The Native website says they only use safe ingredients, so its up to you to decide if you want to give them a go.

Where to Buy Native Deodorant

Native is an American Brand, and easily available in the USA via Amazon or their website. At the time of writing this blog, Native deodorant is now shipping on amazon in Canada! I’ve also seen native deodorant at Walmart in Canada.

Native Deodorant Final Verdict: Definitely Better Than Most, 1000’s of 5 star reviews and my Boyfriend Personally Loves it. Recommended.

Native Deodorant Ingredients

CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, TAPIOCA STARCH, OZOKERITE, SODIUM BICARBONATE, MAGNESIUM HYDROXIDE, COCOS NUCIFERA (COCONUT) OIL. CYCLODEXTRIN, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, FRAGRANCE, DEXTROSE, LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS

Schmidt’s Deodorant

I’ve been using Schmidt’s deodorant for about 2 years now. (I’m on my 4th stick). I’ve been using the Bergamot + Lime deodorant and it is crisp, fresh and keeps me smelling great until bedtime. Unlike Native Deodorant there is no ambiguity about the fragrance used in this formula, it is natural fragrances from essential oils, so much safer than possible synthetic fragrance used in Native. EWG scores this as a 1/10 which is basically as good as it gets in terms of the safety of the ingredients. Click here to read the full report.

They have a sensitive skin option that is baking soda free (but i’ve not tried it). It is formulated with magnesium, which is a mineral most people are deficient in and has great health benefits, so i’m super tempted to try it on my next buy!

Schmidt’s Deodorant Pro’s

✔️All Natural Ingredients

✔️ No Artificial Fragrances

✔️ No Aluminum

✔️ No Propylene Glycol

✔️ Cheaper than Native

✔️ Vegan & Cruelty Free

What I Don’t Like about Schmid’t Deodorant

Schmidt’s Deodorant has less packaging than Native, but still comes in a plastic container. I would love if it came in a reusable non plastic tin or glass jar. I’m trying my best to reduce my plastic footprint, so a non toxic product in a glass jar would be the gold standard for me 🙂

Some people have reported getting a ‘burn’ or rash from this deodorant, which is likely a sensitivity to the baking soda. I’ve never had an issue with this, but if you are worried i’d recommend the sensitive skin formula which is made without baking soda.

The texture of this deodorant isn’t as nice as some of the others i’ve tried, like Routine or Native. It has a slightly grainy texture going on. It smooths out as soon as its on your skin – i’d guess its not smooth until warming up because of the coconut oil in the formula.

Where to Buy Schmidts Deodorant

In Canada you Can buy Schmidts at Amazon.ca, Walmart, Superstore & Shoppers Drugmart! I even found it at Costco last year, but haven’t seen it since 🙁

In the US you can buy Schmidts at Amazon.com, Walmart, Sprouts, Target etc. Its fairly widely available which is great.

Final Verdict of Schmidt’s Deodorant: I love it, it has great ingredients and i’ve been happily odor neutral everyday for the last 2 years due to this so love it!

Schmidt’s Deodorant Ingredients (Bergamot + Lime)

Maranta Arundinacea (Arrowroot) Powder, Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Fractionated Coconut Oil), Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Magnesium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E, Sunflower Derived)

Routine Natural Deodorant

I recently tried Routine because it is available at my local natural foods grocery store and is an item to buy in bulk (without packaging!) YAY. The texture is smooth, it provided all day great smelling vibes and the ingredients are ace. The ONLY Reason I gave this product 4/5 stars is because it is pricey. I expect to pay a bit of a premium for good quality products, but this one is a premium price on the premium priced items lol. Coming in at $28 cdn vs $12-$13 for Native & Schmidts, this one is a premium product.

They also offer a natural deodorant formulated without baking soda which is amazing for sensitive skin. (The Curator).

Routine Deodorant Pro’s

✔️ 100% Natural Ingredients Deodorant

✔️ Canadian Company

✔️ Plastic Free Packaging

✔️ They Give Back To Community

✔️ Super Smooth

What I Don’t Like about Routine

The Price is higher than the other option, but you get what you pay for. It’s a high quality 100% natural deodorant that works all day long without plastic packaging, so its worth it!

Where to Buy Routine Natural Deodorant

I bought this at Earth’s General Store in Edmonton, AB (Canada), but it is available in the USA on Amazon & across Canada on Amazon.ca. They list all the stores you can buy it at here. Another great feature of Routine is they offer a refill program to cut down on single use waste!

The Final Verdict for Routine Natural Deodorant: If you can afford it, its the best natural deodorant of the bunch! I love the plastic free packaging, and it works ALL DAY Long.

Routine Natural Deodorant Ingredients

Sweet Jane: A clay and beeswax formula that smells like vanilla, pear and riding bikes with your best friend.
Ingredients: cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, magnesium hydroxide, kaolin, zea mays (corn) starch, maranta arundinacea (arrowroot), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), cera alba (beeswax), theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, calendula officinalis (marigold) infused olea europaea (olive) oil, tocopherol (vitamin e), cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, brassica glycerides, flavor (organic vanilla, pear), vanilla planifolia fruit oil, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract.

LUME Deodorant

I decided to add Lume Deodorant to this round up of best natural deodorants because it had taken the amazon and TikTok by storm. I tried out the solid bar because I hate the wet feeling of creamy deodorants. It’s a great option for people wanting to use an aluminum & baking soda free deodorant.

It was created by an ob-gyn for women because she wanted to give women the confidence of knowing they smell great, everywhere, and when I say everywhere I mean EVERYWHERE. The brand says this is gentle enough to use on your private lady parts. They also give the go ahead to use Lume while you are pregnant and breastfeeding, which is a relief as those post-partum sweats can be INTENSE.

The price of Lume is more than Schmidt’s and Native but less than Routine. Lume Deodorant is made in the USA if you’re curious. Does it work? Yes, Lume deodorant works, but I prefer other options. Keep reading to find out why!

LUME Deodorant Pros & Cons

✔️Gentle enough to apply to any part of your body.
✔️Created by an OBGYN
✔️ Has the fun fragrances
✔️ 72 hour odour control

❌ Can stain clothes
❌Has PEG & Corn ingredients
❌ Lots of people report getting yeast infections from using (under armpits or in private parts 😬)

What I Don’t Like about Lume Deodorant (Negative Lume Deodorant Review…)

While Lume has lots to like, for me it’s not a great fit because I have a food sensitivity to corn and corn starch is one of the ingredients in Lume deodorant. While corn starch is natural and safe, it’s just not a great fit for me. I wonder if the cornstarch is contributing to the yeast infections people are reporting (check out the comment section on this blog) since corn has natural sugar and that could feed the fungal overgrowth.

I also don’t really trust any PEG ingredients, even when they are derived from natural sources. Lume deodorant has Peg-15 Stearyl Ether and while it’s rated safe by EWG, synthetic liquid propylene glycol is banned in Europe so I don’t feel comfortable using it. This didn’t happen to me, but I also did read a handful of reviews that mentioned Lume staining their clothes with a grease like stain. Seems to affect lighter materials like sheer/silk blouses.

You may get other side effects from Lume deodorant like an armpit rash, although some say this is just detoxing from the bad ingredients in your old deodorant. If the rash last’s more than a week it may be a yeast infection.

Where to Buy Lume Deodorant

In Canada you Can buy Lume on Amazon.ca. I haven’t seen Lume deodorant in stores in Canada yet…let me know if you do!

In the US you can buy Lume at Amazon.com, or if you want to buy Lume in stores check Walmart and Target. Its fairly widely available which is great for accessibility of natural products!

Final Verdict of Lume Deodorant: I love the smell, but it’s not my favorite. I hate giving negative reviews about brands that are doing their best to have clean ingredients, because it’s progress over conventional brands. If you don’t have access to Native or Schmidt’s Lume is a good option! Lume deodorant also a good option if you are sensitive to baking soda.

Lume Deodorant Ingredients (Lavender & Sage)
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Ozokerite, Stearyl Alcohol, Isododecane, Isopentyldiol, Maranta Arundinacea Root Powder, Lauryl Laurate, Mandelic Acid, Sorbitan Oleate, Fragrance*, Silica, Panthenol, Caffeine, Ethylhexylglycerin

Piper Wai Deodorant

I decided to add Piper Wai because it is super popular on amazon with 7909 reviews and marketed as a natural deodorant, and this is a round up of natural deodorants, so here we are!

I’ll start with the good. It smells AH-MAAA-ZING. It’s like swiping your pits with a little spa session. It’s that relaxing mix of essential oils that all spas seem to have. It’s like being transported to a relaxing place via your nose. The texture is pretty good, not as smooth as routine, but its not wet, which I much prefer. It may come out a bit thicker than Schmidts because it’s a bit softer. One of the main ingredients is coconut oil and I can feel that. I have a very moisturized arm pit right now. Even though the texture of Piper was is good I prefer the texture of native or routine deodorants better.

The price of Piperwai is comparable to the other natural deodorants, but is still more than the one I use (Schmidt’s). I won’t be switching, read below to find out why

PIPER WAI Deodorant Pros & Cons

✔️Aluminum Free
✔️Great Smell
✔️Worked all day (during summer!)

❌ Has Soy as an ingredient
❌ EWG Score isn’t that good
❌ Can stain light colored clothes 😬)

What I Don’t Like about Piper Wai Deodorant (Negative Piper Wai Deodorant Review…)

So Piper Wai deodorant smells great, the texture is pretty good and it works…sounds like a winner right? Well… not so fast because of all the natural deodorants I reviewed this one has the worst report on EWG coming in at a safety score of 4/10 (higher scores are worse). I read the report and the worst ingredient is Citrus Reticulata Leaf Oil is an oil and after researching it found it to be prohibited for use in Canadian cosmetics. 😳 You can read the full report here with the studies to back up the claims.

On a personal note, it also has Soybean oil as an ingredient which is safe, but an ingredient that I avoid due to personal allergies.

Similar to Lume, lots of reviews claimed this stained their clothing, which I totally believe as it has a slightly greasy texture and is kind of a beige/grey tone. So if you put too much on it could soak into your clothes instead of your skin. If you try this deodorant I’d recommend using sparingly so that doesn’t happen.

It also rubs me the wrong way (lol see what I did there?) that they say their mission is to honor the earth, but they use plastic packaging…

My final verdict on this one is it’s better than Lume, but not as good as Schmidts, Native or Routine. Certainly better than a conventional brand of toxic deodorant with aluminum!

Where to Buy Piper Wai Deodorant

In Canada you Can buy Piper Wai on Amazon.ca. I haven’t seen Piper Wait deodorant in stores in Canada yet…let me know if you do!

In the US you can buy Piper Wai at Amazon.com, doesn’t seem to be in the big box stores in the USA either….let me know if you see it!

Piper Wai Deodorant Ingredients (Stick)
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Tapioca Starch (Non Gmo), Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Bicarbonate (Aluminum-Free), D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Hydroxide, Activated Charcoal, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Eucalyptus Radiata Leaf/stem Oil, Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil, Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus (Lemongrass) Leaf Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Lavendula Augustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil

The Verdict: My Favourite Natural Deodorants

My top choice for natural deodorant for women: Schmidt’s 👈I linked to a 3 pack that’s on sale for $16 right now!!

My Opinion on best natural deodorant for MEN: Native 👈I linked to a 3 pack that’s on sale for $32.99 right now!!

Whats your favourite natural deodorant? Let me know in the comments!

Natural Deodorant FAQ (ps keep scrolling for an at home DIY Deodorant Recipe!)

Recipe For Natural Deodorant DIY