Finding hubby an all-natural deodorant for men is something I have not yet accomplished. He’s open to it, and has been very supportive of the whole looking-into-skin-care-ingredients thing I’ve been doing for quite some time now. The homemade deodorant recipe has had a fair try. At least a few times. Even though he told me he liked it, somehow I’m not convinced. He kept using the good old Tom’s of Maine stick, while the homemade deodorant was right next to it. That says enough, right?
Perhaps it’s the fact it’s creamy. As a woman, I already have a life-long love affair going on with my bottles, pots and potions. I don’t mind throwing into the mix that extra little dab to pamper my armpits. Maybe the texture of it just works better in a – ahem – ‘hairless environment’. All in all, there’s no debating that the homemade deodorant cream is slightly more messy than a store-bought one in stick form.
So this is where we’re at. He supports (actually, more like applauds – thanks love!) a toxin-free bathroom. However, he has a busy life with rushed mornings and Tom’s of Maine is still the second most ingrained presence in his morning routine (surpassed only by his toothbrush).
I take full responsibility for that. Just pointing out that the first ingredient in Tom’s of Maine deodorant is propylene glycol isn’t an actual solution. I think I need to present him with a solid alternative and pretty much place it next to the sink. That’s just how things work.
After digging through an insane amount of (pseudo-) natural organic skin care brands, this is the result.
All Natural Deodorant for Men :: the No’s
Always important to define what you don’t want!
The no’s in terms of brands, we’ll get to in a second.
The no’s in terms of ingredients are:
- Propylene glycol, and a derivative called propanediol. Both are highly processed, synthetic ingredients. After the process these substances go through (called ethoxylation) traces of the cancer causing component 1.4 dioxane may remain in the final product.
- Fragrance that is not defined as being made with natural. essential oils only. This usually means it’s either synthetic, or worse – actually toxic. The cosmetic companies are not required to tell what their fragrances are made of, because that’s considered a trade secret. As a result, something called fragrance can be and often is made of highly doubtful or toxic substances. Because those are much cheaper to use than natural, organic essential oils. Which means more profit for the company… and that’s what’s most important, right? (Whoops, sarcasm-alert!)
- Preservatives that I rather stay away from, even though they’re used in very small quantities. It doesn’t seem necessary to go for an artificially preserved deodorant, when there are all-natural ones available. (This point might tip you off on the mission being a success… 🙂 )
Tom’s of Maine.
Queen Helene.
Earth Science.
Nature’s Gate.
All have propylene glycol as their first or second ingredient.
Herbal Clear.
Jason Naturals.
Contain so much garbage, they’re not even worth mentioning.
Every Man Jack.
Zion Health.
Herbal Cowboy.
Contain propanediol, which is classified as a skin irritant and a form of propylene glycol on ewg.org, plus unidentified fragrance and a preservative.
Naturally Fresh still contains phenoxyethanol, another preservative I’d rather keep out. It used to be allowed in organic skin care, but no longer is.
Well, that’s a lot of brands ruled out right there. But hey, if it was easy to find an all-natural deodorant for men (if possible with organic ingredients) it wouldn’t be called a mission, now would it?
I did find a few brands with a much more ‘clean’ ingredient list.
Check these out:
All Natural Deodorant for Men :: Here we Go
In the main stream circuit, these are some nice picks for men. They are probably available in local organic stores. All can easily be found online, for example at Amazon. The last one is from Miessence.
Now Foods Long Lasting Deodorant Stick “Refreshing Lavender”
2.2 oz (60 gr) for around $ 5. (Find it on Amazon, right here
Ingredients: Coconut oil, cetearyl alcohol, zinc oxide, ceteary alcohol/cetearyl glucoside, lavender oil, pine needle oil, rosemary oil, a-alpha tocopherol (vitamin E), tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (vitamin C) and cedar bark extract.
Lavender is a scent I think can work for men too, but that might be a matter of opinion. Guess it also depends on how strong it is.
Honeybee Gardens for Men Deodorant Powder “Bay Rum”
4 oz (114 gr) for around $ 7. (Find it on Amazon, over here
Ingredients: Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), zea mays (corn) starch, maranta arudinacea (arrowroot) root powder, essential oils.
So lovely. So simple. Based on the power of baking soda to fight armpit odor, just like my homemade deodorant recipe. Would a powder work for Mr.? We’ll just have to wait and see. (I know Mrs. definitely wants to try the one for girls
Aubrey Organics Men’s Stock Herbal Pine Deodorant
4 fl oz (118 ml) for around $8. (Find it on Amazon, right here
Ingredients: Alcohol denat., hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) extract, arnica montana (arnica) extract, calamine, tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), calendula officinalis (calendula) oil, pinus sylvestris (pine) oil.
Aubrey uses alcohol to fight odor and germs. There’s some controversy about the use of alcohol in skin care, but I have had great results with organic skin care products made with plant derived alcohol. Guess this all natural deodorant for men is worth a try. It doesn’t specify if the alcohol is organic, but is still a much better pick than the propylene glycol sticks.
Hugo & Debra Naturals Dual Action Deodorant “Mexian Lime & Bergamot”
1.5 oz (42.5 gr) for around $ 6. (And again… Amazon has it right here
Ingredients: Copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, saccharomyces ferment, aloe barbadensis leaf juice*, sorbitan olivate, oryza sativa (rice) hull powder, alpha bisabolol, tocopherol, allantoin, citrus aurantifolia (lime) oil, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil*, olea europaea (olive) leaf extract, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil, hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) leaf extract, lonicera caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower extract, lonicera japonica (honeysuckle) flower extract, glycerin. (*Certified Organic)
The active ingredient here is the ferment, second on the list. Interesting, never heard of it! Too bad many of the online reviews for this one aren’t great. Even the people who actually like it say it’s not for heavy duty. Guess this one’s out…
Real Purity Deodorant
3 fl oz (89 ml) for around $ 15. (Still not getting tired of… Amazon
Ingredients: Purified Water, organic kosher vegetable glycerin, organic aloe, organic pure grapefruit essential Oil, organic pure olive leaf extract, vitamin E (mixed tocpherols), organic pure sandalwood essential oil, organic pure lavender essential oil, organic pure grape seed oil, organic pure rosemary essential oil, organic pure geranium essential oil, organic pure sage essential oil, organic pure rosewood essential oil, cleavers extract, organic pure apricot oil, (minerals -magnesium & potassium).
This one has a boatload of good reviews, and some real bad ones. Many people say the bottle is not practical and the dispenser, a ball, gets stuck. Not sure if I want to be struggling with that, for the price. Hubby’s mornings are often rushed, remember?
Miessence Ancient Spice Roll-On Deodorant
2.2 fl oz (60 ml) for around $10. (Find it here.)
Ingredients:
 certified organic aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice |
 Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda) |
 Non-GMO Xanthan Gum |
 citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) fruit extract |
 certified organic citrus bergamia (bergamot) essential oil |
 certified organic citrus aurantifolia (lime) essential oil |
 boswellia carteri (frankincense) essential oil |
 certified organic cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon) leaf essential oil |
 certified organic syzygium aromatica (clove) bud essential oil |
 certified organic vanilla planifolia CO2 extract |
There’s an unscented version of this all natural deodorant for men (not excluding women!) as well, and a third option called “Tahitian Breeze”. Sounds like Tahitian Breeze is more fore the ladies.
Testing All-Natural Deodorant for Men
Allright, where to start…?
The best one is obviously the Ancient Spice Roll-On by Miessence, because the baking soda as an active ingredient has proven itself to be really effective in my own recipe. Also, most of their ingredients are certified organic. I can’t wait to see how the roll-on deodorant delivers. Shipping is $10. It makes more sense to wait with this one until I need new organic skin care.
For now, I’ve ordered the one with alcohol, Men’s Stock Herbal Pine Deodorant
Next time I might challenge him to also try the “Bay Rum” Deodorant Powder. Just because I want to smell it.
Update
Aubrey Organics Herbal Pine Deodorant is a big hit! He loves the smell and says it works very well, even on active days. Will follow up with a full review…
What do you think is the best all natural deodorant for men?
Have you tried any of these all-natural deodorants for men? Experiences or advice are most welcome, please share!
*Image credit: Twobee (sink) / freedigitalphotos.net
