Natural deodorants - nice idea but just don't cut it?

[londonbanana]

I'm trying to reduce the amount of chemicals I use and decided to try an aluminium free deodorant (Biosen) and currently trying Wild - but the Biosen just doesn't work that well and I smell sweaty after a while and the Wild... well dear lord it certainly does smell wild after a few hours. I wouldn't even describe it as a sweat smell, just horrendous.

Has anyone tried Fussy? It's next on my list but wary of wasting my money!

I love fussy, even got my husband to convert!

Bionsen didn't work for me either, but Fussy does.

Last time I used natural deodorants I was mortified when, in a bar with colleagues, I raised my arms and got a good old waft of BO. DP uses bionsen and I use it from time to time mine has run out. Works ok initially, but not for a full day.

Wild works for me. I seem to sweat less than I used to before starting to use it.

They're not though. As well as scent, they'll have other ingredients to combat odour, such as bicarb or other things that kill bacteria that cause odour.

I really like Wild but I'm an overly sweaty person anyway. I did use some Nivea anti-perspirent spray recently and it made me absolutely reek! Not exactly of BO, but just a really unpleasant smell. Not sure if my body's got used to natural deodorant now and reacted badly to anti-perspirent or what.

In my experience you have to a) give it weeks and weeks for your body to adjust and b) not care about the moisture, as no deodorant will stop the wet patches.

I can’t do wet underarms, and I can’t do 5 odd weeks of smelling myself (although I did try in my 20’s, a long time ago and more recently over covid although I only lasted a week then) and tbh even after that you do smell after a few hours anyway. Depends on what you can put up with!

As an aside I can’t stand smelling people on the tube who have clearly gone natural. I’m not talking about the b.o. small of the great unwashed from 20 years ago, this is the natural-deodorant-has-warn-off smell. Makes me gag.

Which Wild scent are you using? I have seen quite a few people say that the Fresh Cotton and Sea Salt is better than the others.

I have been using it and it's brilliant. I've never had a natural deodorant work for me before. I used to use Mitchum but I think that Wild (at least the cotton/sea salt one) is better!

It might be worth getting a refill with that scent before ditching Wild if you have been using a different scent.

I hated wild and salt of the earth but love fussy, like PP have got DP on it too and both teen DDs. My brother swears by pitrock, seems you need to find the one that works for you.

I'd say I'm an average to more sweaty person and I use the tubs from Natural Deodorant Company. I tried Wild for about 6 months and didn't get on with theirs at all, took about 3 weeks for my body to adapt to the Natural Deodorant Company creams/balms and since then my underarms have stayed mostly dry and smelling fine for over a year now. They don't really work well for controlling sweat while exercising, but I've not found anything capable of that.
A major plus for Natural Deodorant is that my arm pits have never looked or felt so nice since I was a kid. Smooth and soft and no dark "shadow" of irritation at all.

I think I'll try this. I tried some natural deodorants years ago but wasn't impressed with them. I like a lot of The Ordinary products.

I don’t like Fussy. Am going to return to Mitchum once I’ve finished up this tube. I don’t smell with it on (though it’s less effective than the usual stuff)but it doesn’t stop me sweating and I dislike occasionally getting damp armpits. I would use it under a silk or fine blouse that might cling.

I've used a mineral stick for about 20 years. Never let me town and it's chemical free.

I swapped during first lockdown. I STANK for about 3 weeks. Then it miraculously changed and I barely smell.
I do smell if I work out then stay in my kit all day but I would have using traditional deodorants as well.

It's to do with the biome of the arm pit. We smell because we produce bacteria and when that comes in contact with the proteins in apocrine sweat it causes the foul smell.

Traditional deodorants mess up the biome so we produce more bacteria. Once things are balanced by stopping use of the blocking deodorants there is much less bacteria to interact with the proteins so we smell way less.

Interesting fact most Koreans and Japanese don't produce the proteins in their apocrine sweat so they don't have BO

I use The Natural Deodorant Co. Not got a bad word to say about it, it’s great

Yes very happy with Fussy

Years ago I used a Sure natural low chemical deodrant. I got welts on my armpits! And i stank.

None of it works for me - i'm back to the classic anti perspirant. I realised that I would take the 0.001 per cent higher chance of breast cancer than stinking, being soaked and being completely self conscious and embarrassed every day of my life

I loved the Natural deodorant company Active tubs but they are not cheap. I was going to buy some more but then was given a crystal deodorant stick as a free sample in a health food co-op. It has lasted for years and really works!

Any deodorant advertised as alcohol free (biosen etc) is worse than useless for me. Feels like I have stronger than usual BO with a weird overtone of perfume.

@Onyuk100 how do you find making waves? They do an antiperspirant as well as a deodorant. Which do you use?

Fussy leaves grease marks and while okayyyy isnt great.
Ive.spent about £30 trying natural deos now.

Mitchum is 💯 the best thing ive tried and i keep coming back it it

I use wild and it's the best deodorant I've ever used actually, I love it.

Can't beat sure roll on for me sadly !

The only one I've ever found that works is a Dove one that I buy in America ,it's not available here. Maybe it'll be on sale here eventually,hope so as it's fantastic.

Another vote for the Natural Deodorant Company. I have sensitive skin and have had no problems with their sensitive one (I have tangerine).

I have the Malin & Goetz eucalyptus stick for when I'm out and don't want the faff of one I have to apply manually. Really like this too but can't justify the price for permanent use! The Caudalíe stick is similar and half the price but I seem to react to that one after a few days.

I am a bit more sweaty with a natural deodorant but not smelly!

How long did you try Wild for? I used it for 2 weeks (in lock down fortunately) and initially I stank for a week or two but they do warn that it's very common when you switch to a natural deodorant. I've been using it since and I only smell sweaty a bit the next morning if I've got hot in the night having applied it the morning before......have a shower, prolly and it's fine.