If just the thought of swapping out your go-to antiperspirant for one of the best natural deodorants makes you perspire, take a breath. Antiperspirants, which are classified as over-the-counter drugs, inhibit a normal bodily function — in other words, the formation of sweat — using their active ingredient, aluminum salts, says David Bank, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Westchester County, NY, and the founder and director of The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery.
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On the other hand, natural deodorants are typically made without aluminum. As such, their main function is to minimize body odor and to keep you smelling fresh for hours with bacteria-sopping ingredients, including familiar favorites like baking soda.
So, yes, you may still sweat a bit after swiping on your favorite aluminum-free formula (because, again, deodorant doesn’t equal antiperspirant), but no, you shouldn’t smell sour after going green. Besides, a little musk is 100% normal. “Patients often think that if they have body odor they might be unwell, or that they might be perceived as having poor hygiene,” Rosemarie Ingleton, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist, previously told Allure. But in reality, she told us that body odor is simply a result of skin bacteria mixing with sweat.
To prove it, we’ve rounded up the best natural deodorants that you should consider adding to your skin-care routine.
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