7 Natural Deodorant Ingredients that Work! (Aluminum Free)


natural deodorant ingredients

If you’re searching for natural deodorant ingredients that work, I’ve done some research and found what works great for me. I was pleasantly surprised that these all-natural ingredients totally work!

When combined in the correct proportion, I found the following natural deodorant ingredients to be the most effective:

  1. Arrowroot Powder
  2. Baking Soda
  3. Organic Beeswax
  4. Coconut Oil
  5. Jojoba Seed Oil
  6. Shea Butter
  7. Essential Oils

If you want to jump straight to the best natural deodorant that I personally use (the only one), click here to see my recommended deodorant page on this website. Make sure to browse all the different fragrances this company makes. You might prefer a different scent. They’re always coming out with new ones! I LOVE THEM!!!

Disclaimer: Always ask your dermatologist before using any of the above ingredients or natural deodorant on your skin. Some people have allergies or unwanted reactions, even to natural products. This article contains NO medical advice or beauty advice and is for informational purposes only. Only follow the skin care advice of your doctor. This is an opinion article and the products may not work for everyone.

Here are some details as to why these natural deodorant ingredients are so effective:

1. Arrowroot Powder

What does arrowroot powder do in deodorant? Arrowroot powder has a powerful ability to absorb and draw moisture from the skin. It helps thicken the formula while leaving the skin soft and silky. The starch is soothing to the touch and helps the deodorant glide with ease. It absorbs oil and perspiration.

Arrowroot powder is a natural starch that comes from the root of the plant maranta arundinacea. It grows really well in tropical climates such as the Caribbean.

Arrowroot powder contains the following minerals:

  • Iron
  • Copper (copper kills bacteria and viruses upon contact)
  • Zinc
  • Calcium
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium
  • Phosphorus

As a natural alternative, many cosmetic companies use arrowroot powder instead of talc. Unfortunately, some talc has been known to contain asbestos, so many people want to steer clear of that.

Arrowroot powder is very safe to use. So safe, in fact, you can eat it! Many people use arrowroot powder as a natural thickener for their recipes.

Many people are searching for gluten-free cosmetics these days. Arrowroot powder is naturally gluten-free and a wonderful option for skin care.

Odor: Arrowroot powder doesn’t have any odor! So it’s a great base for natural deodorants.

2. Baking Soda

baking soda in natural deodorant

How does baking soda deodorant work? Baking soda is an ultra powerful odor absorber. It kills bacteria that cause underarm odor. Because it’s highly absorbent, baking soda draws moisture away from your body, helping to soak up perspiration and toxins. It kills the smell.

Caution: Some people report underarm rashes with the use of baking soda. It’s a common ingredient in many natural deodorants. Just because it works miracles for some people doesn’t mean it works miracles for everyone. Make sure your doctor does a skin patch test using baking soda before trying. Some people have allergies and unwanted reactions.

I personally don’t have any allergies, so baking soda in deodorant works extremely well for me. It completely eliminates my smell. Sorry if that’s TMI, but we are talking about deodorant, after all. If you want to know the deodorant I use that contains baking soda, see my recommended natural deodorant article.

Some people have allergic reactions to baking soda because it’s more alkaline than the natural pH of skin. But for people who don’t have any reaction, they swear by baking soda as a natural deodorant!

Using more arrowroot powder than baking soda reduces the risk of rash and allergy. The combination of these two makes a powerful odor fighter and moisture absorber! The secret to making your own natural deodorant is NOT to use all baking soda. Use more arrowroot powder, and you have a better chance of winning.

3. Organic Beeswax

Beeswax for skin is a common ingredient in natural deodorant. It’s a wax that comes from the natural secretion of honey bees. This amazing product has been used for thousands of years and is still used in natural beauty products today.

Beeswax has a lovely golden color.

This is how organic beeswax makes a great ingredient in natural deodorant:

  • If you prefer a stick deodorant for convenience, beeswax helps give the stick a sturdy shape with reliable firmness. No one wants deodorant to be a drippy slimy blob when applying in a hurry.
  • It’s 100% natural.
  • It helps to thicken the formula, so it’s not as messy.
  • Beeswax helps enhance the moisturizing properties of natural deodorant.
  • It’s often used as a substitute for artifical waxes.
  • It helps to make the formula smoother.
  • Beeswax helps keep moisture locked in, so it may reduce the amount of perspiration.
  • This wax is softer than carnauba wax, so it’s softer and glides better in a deodorant.

4. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is an amazing ingredient in natural deodorant. It has many properties that make it an ideal oil for this purpose.

Here are the properties of coconut oil in natural deodorant:

  • Coconut oil is antibacterial. It has the power to destroy bacteria on the skin. We know that underarm odor is caused from bacteria.
  • Coconut oil is antifungal. This property helps to keep the underarm environment more sanitary.
  • Coconut oil is moisturizing. It helps keep the skin soft and can soothe irritation that may be caused by shaving the underarm area.
  • Coconut oil helps keep deodorant solid at room temperature. When using stick deodorant, this is a great property that helps the stick keep shape. Yet, upon application to body temperature skin, it melts and glides beautifully. It has a body melting temperature ideal for this situation.
  • Coconut oil glides easily. It’s wonderful to have stick deodorant melt when it contacts the skin. Coconut oil has a wonderful gliding and slippery nature when moved over the skin. This helps to distribute the deodorant evenly and smoothly.
  • Coconut oil smells refreshing. That is, if you like the smell of coconuts!

It’s probably not a good idea to use coconut oil alone as a natural deodorant, due to its oily nature. But when combined with moisture and odor-absorbing powders like baking soda and arrowroot powder, you have a much better chance at combating the smell!

Getting the perfect combination of ingredients is the magical answer to the right formula.

5. Jojoba Seed Oil

If you can find a natural deodorant with jojoba seed oil, you’re lucky to find one with this natural ingredient. It’s probably one of the best moisturizers out there for the skin.

We know that the underarm area can be very sensitive for some people, especially with shaving. So it’s important to look for a natural deodorant with soothing ingredients that reduce redness and irritation.

In natural deodorant, jojoba seed oil offers the following benefits:

  • It helps skin heal. Jojoba oil is known to promote the healing of wounds and to fortify the skin’s barrier.
  • It’s very moisturizing. In a natural deodorant, jojoba oil helps keep the skin soft.
  • Jojoba oil has anti-inflammatory properties. It’s known to reduce irritation, inflammation, and redness on the skin.
  • It works as an antioxidant. This means it can help reduce damage caused by free radicals.
  • Jojoba oil helps to stimulate the production of collagen, which helps keep the skin firm.

Why is jojoba seed oil so good as a natural moisturizer? It almost replicates the oil your skin naturally produces, which is really hard to find! The oil your skin makes is called sebum. It’s nature’s gift to us! Unfortunately, some people with dry skin don’t produce enough sebum, so replacing it with jojoba seed oil helps to restore what the skin naturally needs.

6. Shea Butter

What does shea butter do in deodorant? Shea butter is attracted to water, so it targets underarm moisture by pulling it from the pores. At the same time, it soothes and moisturizes irritated skin with anti-inflammatory properties. This is great for people who shave and wear deodorant.

Shea butter is an edible fat that comes from the nuts of shea trees in Africa. It’s a fabulous ingredient to use in natural deodorant because of its complementary mix with arrowroot powder and baking soda.

Shea butter has the following effects in natural deodorant:

  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Draws moisture from skin
  • Antioxidant
  • Soothing
  • Moisturizing
  • Skin-softening
  • Reduces itching
  • Doesn’t clog pores

Shea butter is considered non-comedogenic, which means it doesn’t clog pores. This is a great thing for deodorant, since many people shave and might be more vulnerable to clogged and irritated pores. Shea butter adds a great deal of emollient moisture to the skin while allowing the pores to breathe at the same time. It reduces the chance of getting red bumps as a result of pore blockage when compared to some other moisturizers.

7. Essential Oils

If you prefer unscented deodorant, just skip this section. For those of you who love a good fragrance in your natural deodorant, you know this is an important part of your purchase. There’s nothing worse than putting on a stick of deodorant that smells like something stale, stinky, or rotten!

Adding the right essential oils to natural deodorant is a crucial step in finalizing the perfect product. Ideally, it’s best to add an oil that naturally has antibacterial properties. This makes it more likely to kill any bacteria that create stink in the armpits.

Always ask your dermatologist what essential oils are safe for your skin type before putting any essential oil product on your skin.

But it isn’t absolutely necessary to add an antibacterial essential oil. If you prefer, just add the oil that makes you happy or feel your best (ask your doctor before trying)!

Here are some essential oils known to have antibacterial properties:

  • Hyssop
  • Lavender
  • Lemon
  • Rose
  • Sage
  • Juniper
  • Lemongrass
  • Orange
  • Eucalyptus
  • Lime
  • Tea Tree
  • Bergamot

What is the most effective natural deodorant?

In my opinion, it’s the kind that contains a combination of the 7 natural ingredients listed above. To see the kind of deodorant that I buy and use, click here to see my recommended natural deodorant article. It’s the only one that I’m comfortable using. It doesn’t contain aluminum and it’s sourced from natural ingredients. I prefer a stick formula, so I’m not interested in making my own at home. These guys have done the work for me.

What ingredients should you avoid in deodorant?

  • Aluminum
  • Artificial Fragrance
  • Propylene Glycol
  • Phthalates
  • Parabens
  • Triclosan

It’s important to always read the ingredients label when you buy deodorant. If you see the word “aluminum” in any form on the ingredient list, don’t buy it. I think the world knows by now why we don’t want it on our bodies.

What is the safest underarm deodorant?

Above and beyond anything listed below, the safest deodorant is the one that your dermatologist approves of for your skin type and overall health. Always ask your doctor before putting anything on your skin. Some people have allergic reactions, even to some “natural” ingredients, such as baking soda.

Secondarily, the safest deodorant is the kind that doesn’t contain any artificial chemicals or toxic ingredients. A good rule to follow: if you can eat it, it’s a safer bet you can put it on your skin. For people without allergies, a combination of arrowroot powder, baking soda, coconut and jojoba oils, natural wax, and essential oils works great to stop the stink and is generally recognized as safe to use topically.

But some people are allergic to baking soda or certain essential oils, so just because it’s natural, doesn’t mean it’s always safe. Again, check with your doctor before using any substance for deodorant purposes.

Can you use essential oils instead of deodorant?

It’s not a good idea to use essential oils alone for deodorant protection because essential oils without being diluted in a proper carrier oil can burn, damage, or irritate the skin in full strength. Besides that, it’s better when the essential oils are combined with an odor-absorbing powder such as baking soda or arrowroot powder to help contain the odor.

Is there a natural deodorant that actually works?

Shockingly, yes. In my experience, the 7 listed ingredients above create the magical formula that works 100% for me. To be fair, I don’t have any skin allergies. If you’re allergic to baking soda, don’t try my favorite brand! It has baking soda.

Why should you switch to natural deodorant?

Using natural deodorant reduces your risk of exposure to artificial chemicals, fake fragrance, and potential toxins. Modern science hasn’t tested every synthetic ingredient for long-term or cumulative effects. If something is safe to eat, it’s generally safe to put on skin. Natural edible ingredients are safer to absorb through your armpits into your bloodstream. We aren’t 100% sure about the synthetic chemicals yet.

What ingredient in natural deodorant causes irritation?

The most common ingredient in natural deodorant that causes a rash or skin irritation is baking soda. Baking soda has an alkaline pH, which isn’t always compatible with certain skin types.

Some people are allergic to certain essential oils. Some scents aren’t compatible with all skin types. It’s best to see a dermatologist to determine what your skin is allergic or sensitive to. Trying a different scent can sometimes solve the problem.

To reduce the risk of skin irritation, it’s best not to shave the underarm area prior to applying deodorant. Shaving can irritate the skin and make it more susceptible to stinging, irritation, and burning from products.

There are some individuals who are allergic to baking soda deodorants in the beginning, but then they adjust over a few days and their rash goes away. But don’t take a chance; go see your dermatologist before trying any deodorant, especially if it has baking soda.

Look for an arrowroot powder natural deodorant alternative and see if your doctor says that’s a safer choice for you.


Conclusion

Natural deodorant ingredients have become extremely popular in today’s world of environmental awareness and budget-friendly buyers. More and more people are taking time to make their own deodorant at home. Others are waking up to realize that their well-being is often linked to foods and products in their whole and natural state.

Our bodies function better on whole natural foods as compared to processed foods. Why shouldn’t our skin also do better when we use whole and natural ingredients as compared to fake ones? This seems like common sense. Why put junk food on our skin? Pure nature has so much to offer.

The trend today in natural products is heavily leaning towards natural deodorants, cleaning products, cosmetics, and hair care ingredients. Buyers are questioning ingredients on labels. Some companies are taking it too far and greenwashing. Thankfully, the average person can now see through lies and deceptive labeling practices. Transparency in labeling has become gold standard.

Nature has been around for a very long time. We are alive today because of it. When we draw from nature’s resources and give back in a responsible manner, we contribute to the sustainability and balance of our planet.

Carpe diem.

  • For the best natural deodorant: click here (on my recommended natural deodorant page on this website).

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Natural Universal Secrets

The author is a nature enthusiast who loves to share tips on how to live closer to nature. These gems of knowledge encourage a simpler life and cleaner way of living. Inspired by the magnificence and power of the natural world, these info-packed articles feature independent research, personal experience, and universal wisdom. Products that support natural beauty, clothing, personal hygiene, and a healthier lifestyle are explored. All natural product reviews are based on harmony with nature as the guiding principle and gold standard.

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