Finding a deodorant that keeps you feeling fresh [1] all day long is one of life's most irritating pursuits. For years, it was all about antiperspirants that kept your underarms dry and body odour at bay. So, when the focus shifted towards aluminium-free versions of the personal-care product, which, for many, is essential, it brought with it a long list of challenges.
But it begs the question: do we need to avoid aluminium-containing deodorants in the first place? Ni'Kita Wilson, a cosmetic chemist and founder of Beauty Chemist [2], explained that aluminium is an active ingredient used in antiperspirant formulas to create a temporary plug within the sweat glands, which reduces the amount of sweat being released. She added that the decision to avoid aluminium-containing deodorants is a personal choice, and wouldn't personally comment on whether people should avoid these products.
"There were a couple of unsubstantiated studies that linked aluminium-containing deodorants with cancer and Alzheimer's disease [3]," cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson, of BeautyStat Cosmetics [4], told POPSUGAR. "This news went viral and many consumers became scared and opted for using aluminium-free deodorants."
For other people, the decision to avoid aluminium-containing deodorant has more to do with the dreaded yellow stains on white clothing, which is caused when the aluminium in your antiperspirant mixes with your sweat, which leads to staining. Regardless of your reasoning, there's no doubt that there's huge interest in aluminium-free deodorants, and thankfully, the formulas have come a long way in the past few years — some are even as effective as your trusty clinical-strength antiperspirant.
Keep on reading to see what we really thought of eight of the highest-rated deodorants on the market right now.
Akt London: Born to Perform Deodorant
The Akt London: Born to Perform Deodorant [5] (£18) is at the top of the list for a reason: it's damn good. Designed in London by two West End professional dancers, Akt was created to be both effective and functional — and it delivers on both fronts. The packaging feels luxe, and I especially love that it's plastic-free and recyclable, from the box it comes in to the custom-made aluminium caps on the tube.
Texture wise, Akt London: Born to Perform Deodorant is like a thick, dry-ish paste that feels creamy on application, but dries down almost instantly. Unlike any of the other deodorants I tried, Akt manages to keep you reasonably dry throughout the day (thanks to sodium bicarbonate and magnesium oxide which helps to absorb odour and wick away wetness). It comes in three scents that are suitable for all genders, and each are a mix of spicy freshness from the essential oils and flower extracts.
To use the product, you squeeze a pea-sized amount onto your fingertips and apply to your underarm (then repeat for the other side). But if you want to upgrade your experience, you can also purchase the Akt London Applicator [6] (£26), which is inspired by Gua Sha, to help you apply the product without using your fingertips — and it also has a suggested massage technique that can promote lymphatic drainage and is made of brass, so is naturally antimicrobial. In case you can't tell, I love this product, and would compare it to a clinical-strength antiperspirant — highly recommend.
Weleda 24h Roll-On Deodorant
"I was super excited to try the Weleda 24h Roll-On Deodorant [7] (£8) after falling in love with its amazing Skin Food moisturiser, and I can report that the deo is fantastic. I've tried a few 'natural' deodorants that have given me really bad, red, and itchy irritation, and Weleda is the first one that leaves my pits calm and fresh — even when applied right after shaving. It literally smells like fresh limes, and the texture is light and not too sticky, but dries quickly once applied to my underarms.
As for how it holds up, I don't sweat much but do get a bit smelly on long, hot days. I find that the Weleda 24h Roll-On Deodorant works really well for an active day of walking, biking, and chilling in the park, but by the time I get home, I definitely have a bit of natural body odour coming from my pits — I don't mind that, but if you get both smelly and sweaty, then I would use Weleda on less active days." — Kara Kia, assistant editor
Kopari Deodorant
"I've loved the Kopari Beauty Coconut Deodorant [8] (£13) since it launched back in 2018, and turns out I'm not the only one. When it became available on Amazon in the US, it sold out five times. Yup, five.
So what makes it so good? First off, for me, it's the smell. Like all of Kopari's products, it contains and smells like coconut, which I absolutely love. However, I know a lot of people who don't like the smell of coconut, so if that's you, then you probably won't be into the original formula (although, I highly recommend checking out the fragrance-free version they make now).
I love the texture, too. The clear, solid gel glides on easily without any dragging or crumbling, and because it's transparent and aluminium free, it doesn't cause stains on your clothing. I have also never found this formula irritating. In fact, I actually think it keeps my armpit skin soft — I never knew needed to be softer until using this regularly.
As for how it works: the main reason I've used the Kopari deodorant for so long is because it works the best of any natural deodorant I've tried. It keeps me smelling freshest the longest — pretty much the entire work day — which is due to the fact it contains a combination of coconut water and sage and coconut oils, the latter of which have antibacterial properties that help kill off the bugs that make you stinky. What this doesn't do, like many of the deodorants on this list, is keep you dry, because it's not an antiperspirant. As for big events or very hot days, I usually switch to a formula with aluminium to keep from getting sweat marks under my arms." — Sophia Panych, content director
Wild Natural Deodorant
Wild Deodorant [9] (£25 for refillable packaging and three scents) is a brand you may have seen on Instagram, and it's a great option for sustainability-conscious people looking for a natural alternative to antiperspirant. The packaging is made from a combination of post-consumer recycled plastic and aluminium, is refillable, and because the casing is designed to last a lifetime, it's also waste-free. One of the great things about Wild is that you can buy multiple deodorant cartridges at once, each one lasting about four weeks. Plus, because the cartridges are made from bamboo pulp, they're biodegradable.
The deodorant itself is very good, with a texture that's similar to a bar of soap, but when you swipe it on your underarms, it feels very creamy and fairly lightweight. Immediately after application, my pits felt a little tacky — not in a wet or sticky way, but more in a paste-y way. It didn't dry down immediately and my underarms felt like they had some slip for quite a while afterwards.
For me, Wild worked really well, and while it didn't keep me feeling dry exactly, I didn't feel wet either. By the end of the day, I felt a little bit stinky, but no more than a classic antiperspirant, so it was a winner for me. It also comes in five fragrances (Rose Blush, Orange Zest, Coconut Dreams, Mint Fresh, and Bergamot Rituals), and because you buy multiple cartridges at once, you can mix it up regularly.
Nuxe Fresh-Feel Balm Deodorant
"Nuxe is a French pharmacy [10] brand is best known for its luxurious oils and lip balms, but the Nuxe Fresh-Feel Balm Deodorant [11] (£8) is worth checking out if you're looking for an organic, aluminium-free deodorant and don't mind applying it with your fingers.
The Fresh-Feel Balm Deodorant is part of five "waterless" products [12] in Nuxe's Bio Organic range that use either no water or very little water during the formulation process (the deodorant falls into the "no water" category). It has a creamy, balm-like texture that spreads easily, doesn't pill, and dries quickly so you're not left with large white marks all over your clothing. I normally hate faffing around with deodorants I have to put on with my fingers, but I was willing to give this a go as I liked the sustainability aspect to it.
I'm glad I did. This formula, which is made of coconut oil and corn starch, is one of the most effective aluminium-free options I've ever tried. Not only does it block odour throughout the entire day, but it also keeps your armpits feeling dry, even if you're doing something that requires a lot of vigorous movement (like working out, or deep cleaning your flat for an entire day, which is how I tested it out).
I've tried it multiple days in a row and every single day is the same — I don't notice myself starting to smell or feeling sweaty no matter how stressed I am or how warm it is outside. Do I wish it came in a stick form so I didn't have to get my fingers messy? Sure. But am I wiling to put up with it for a great formula and sustainable packaging that you can just throw in the recycling bin when you're done? 100% yes." — Sophia Panych, content director
Aurelia Botanical Cream Deodorant
The Aurelia Botanical Cream Deodorant [13] (£18) is a dermatologically tested and approved formula that's very effective. It comes in a plastic amber jar, and when you twist off the lid, you immediately smell the superfresh peppermint and eucalyptus scent. To use the product, you scoop out a pea-sized amount and apply to the underarms with your fingertips. I found this deodorant to have an instantly cooling effect on my pits — which wasn't painful or unpleasant — that lasted about an hour (although POPSUGAR UK's Content Director Sophia Panych uses this regularly and hasn't experienced this sensation).
When I put this formula to the test with a long walk on a hot day, I didn't notice that I smelled sweaty afterwards; in fact, I found the peppermint scent resurfaced the sweatier I got. The cool thing about the Aurelia Botanical Cream Deodorant is that there are a bunch of ingredients that all serve a purpose. Arrowroot and kaolin are lightweight and absorbent, shea butter hydrates, and essential oils like tea tree, eucalyptus, and peppermint all have antiseptic and antibacterial properties. While I personally didn't feel dry when using this product, that's generally par for the course with natural deodorants, and because it kept smells at bay, I didn't mind the wetness.
Schmidt's Natural Deodourant
"Schmidt's is one of the OG aluminium-free deodorants on the market, and over the years it's gained a pretty big fan base. The brand offers three different variations: the Signature Stick, the Roll-On, and the Sensitive Stick, all of which are free of aluminium, alcohol, and baking soda. Instead, they include ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and either charcoal powder or plant-based powders (like arrowroot) to absorb sweat and leave you feeling fresh and dry for hours.
In my experience, when it comes to nixing odour, I find some of the Schmidts scents work better than others. For example, I find that the Schmidt's Rose + Vanilla Signature Stick [14] (£7) is great at keeping me from getting smelly for most of the day, whereas Lavender and Sage (which is available in the US but not the UK) does not. And while I haven't tried the Jasmine Tea Sensitive Skin Deodorant Stick, a lot of my fellow beauty editors swear by that formula for keeping their armpits dry and odour-free throughout the day.
The one thing you can rely on with this formula regardless of the scent, however, is that it is great at absorbing excess sweat — something that makes it a standout amongst most other natural deodorants on the market." — Sophia Panych, content director
Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant
The Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant [15] (£19) is as refreshing as it sounds, with a clean eucalyptus scent (thanks to the 0.25 percent eucalyptus leaf oil) that isn't too overpowering. The deodorant comes in a wind-up plastic tube so, just like traditional deodorant, you apply it by twisting the base and swiping the product on your underarms, making it perfect for people who want to go the natural deodorant route, but don't enjoy using their hands to apply to product.
The deodorant itself is clear, completely dry to the touch, is lightweight, and dries almost immediately upon application. Unlike any of the other formulas, it doesn't feel particularly "dry" and actually, the gentle formula feels like I have nothing on (in a good way). I find the Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant works fine during workouts, but if you apply in the morning, live in it the entire day, and then workout, you'll definitely have a little bit of body odour poking through. It is worth noting that the Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant will not keep you dry, but I find myself reaching for it on temperate or warm days where I won't be exercising.
Drunk Elephant Sweet Pitti Deodorant Cream
Ok, so I really wanted to like the Drunk Elephant Sweet Pitti Cream Deodorant [16] (£13). For starters, it's on the more affordable end of the spectrum (by Drunk Elephant standards), and I'm a fan of the brand's masks and serums so, I expected big things. My first impression was that the packaging is cute — with Drunk Elephant's trademark minimalist style and a user-friendly design. To dispense the product, you twist the base of the tube and the deodorant comes out of four holes at the top. Then, you can apply it directly to your underarms, either straight from the tube or with your fingertips.
The Drunk Elephant Sweet Pitti Cream Deodorant is free from essential oils, aluminium, and baking soda, and it promises to "soothe and deodorise." On this point, I'll give it half marks because, while it definitely has the texture and feel of a quick-drying and soothing moisturiser, I also found it to be about as effective at keeping me dry and fresh as moisturiser would be. In short: it didn't. I applied the product in the afternoon straight after hopping out of the shower, and within two hours of sitting at my desk working, my pits were already, well, not sweet.
If you're someone with super-duper sensitive skin, you barely sweat, and your don't really need deodorant to stay fresh throughout the day, then you might like this product. It has a barely there baby powder scent (like the rest of Drunk Elephant's body range) and is nonirritating. But, it pains me to say that I found it to be pretty ineffective.