We have been using ‘natural’, vegan and cruelty free deodorants in our household for a really long time but we have also been wanting to cut down the amount of plastic we use.
Most deodorants are very heavily packaged and considering this packaging is just to make the application a little bit easier it seems all a little bit unnecessary.
I was curious about exactly how much plastic there actually is in a deodorant. I salvaged a finished deodorant, scooped out the remaining deodorant which couldn’t be applied (and I usually throw away – what a waste!) and I weighed the remaining plastic. As you can see the amount of plastic used in our regular deodorant is 36 grams.
Our goal with this test:
To find the best performing and best value zero waste deodorant out of some of the best known brands out there, and to answer the following questions:
- Would using a zero waste deodorant be that much more inconvenient than the plastic one?
- Assuming that manufacturers would need to change the formulation of the product because of a different application method, would this make the product less effective?
- How do zero waste deodorant compare with the types of deodorants pictures above?
About the test and the testing conditions
I tested the product for 7 days, applying once after my shower each morning. I would love to tell you that I gave it a very thorough test by having a huge workout on each of those days and getting into a hot sweaty mess, but that would be a lie! I was also wearing just simple cotton T Shirts every single day so no synthetic fabrics. I should also add that I don’t suffer from any skin sensitivities that I know of. Lastly, I am also very good at being inconvenienced so difficulty to apply does not phase me at all.
My partner Seb is a bit more picky 😉 He tried the product just once and gave his review based on just this one use. So with Seb, you’ll only really be getting information about how easy it is to apply from a person who really values convenience!
Another quick note: all the costs mentioned below are in USD.
We have a lot of deodorants to use up so we will try to update this post as we finish the deodorants. If there are other zero-waste deodorants you want us to try, let us know in the comments.
Native Deodorant Plastic free
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QUESTION |
ANSWER |
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Uses baking soda as well as magnesium hydroxide to help neutralise odor-causing bacteria |
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75 grams |
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7 grams |
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10.7 weeks |
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17.3 cents per gram based on $13 total price. |
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$1.21 – That seems like a lot for deodorant |
Brighde’s thoughts of product and packaging
Native seems to be advertising everywhere! I see them on Google Ads, sponsoring influencers and they have an affiliate program. They certainly have been really successful and it is not surprising that when I decided to review zero-waste deodorants, this was an obvious product to try.
I ordered directly from Native (as their plastic free deodorants seemed to only be available from there directly). I purchased three of them as purchasing them individually seemed so expensive at $13! They do a very convincing job of tempting you to sign up to their subscribe and save program, or ordering more to save money on shipping. They came packaged to me in a really cool padded paper recyclable envelope.
I really liked this product when I tried it for a week. It glided on easily and went on clear without any white streaks and it didn’t feel greasy or slimy and it didn’t transfer to my clothing. The packaging was great but in order to access the product you need to push up through the bottom and then squeeze the cardboard tube to keep it in place when applying.
The official instructions suggest that I should keep my fingers up the tube while applying. As the deodorant is not attached to the bottom of the cardboard tube, I can anticipate it being a bit annoying when it is close to running out and that it might fall out onto the floor and become misshapen or worse, break into many pieces. A way around this would be to keep the last amount in a small tin. Because the product is dry and hard, it could easily fall out of the tube if you are opening it upside down or if it falls off your sink. I wonder what would happen if it did fall out. Would it smash, or become deformed which would make it hard to use? This didn’t happen to me but you should be aware of it. Be careful when opening. You’ll get a sense of this if you look at the video at the top.
The official instructions:
“The application of our Plastic Free Deodorant is a little different from our classic deodorant. These directions below should help!
1. Use a finger to slightly push up the deodorant from the bottom
2. Keep your finger in place inside the tube and apply under the arms
3. When you are done tap the deodorant twice for it to slide back into the tube
Seb’s thoughts on product application and packaging
Packing is poorly done. It got soggy and therefore it was difficult to put the lid back as the cardboard just folds on itself. This might affect the quality of the deodorant as it starts a bit dry. Recently it’s been soggy-ish or sticky-ish, which just makes it an irritant as you drag your pit hairs when applying.
Update after two weeks
After using it for 2 weeks, the top of the deodorant packaging started to fray which meant that we couldn’t put the lid back on. Perhaps our pits were not completely dry when we applied and the water caused the cardboard to swell up.
Vegan?
Yes, but not certified vegan. They used to use beeswax in their products, but as per customer requests they reformulated the recipe and now, all of the deodorants (except the teen and the sensitive brands) are vegan. This is their response from an email that I sent them.
“Yes! Our deodorant is vegan with the exception of our teen and sensitive options, but we are working on that!”
Cruelty free?
Yes, but not certified vegan. Also from Native:
“We can tell you for a fact that Native has never been tested on animals, other than humans who volunteer to be tested. In addition, we can tell you that both P&G and Native are working together to eliminate animal testing throughout the world for all products (P&G has already invested $400 million trying to do so)! We’re committed to not testing on our furry friends.”
From their FAQ:
No, we never test on animals except humans who volunteer to try Native.
Who owns Native Deodorant
I messaged Native and asked who owns Native and their reply was as follows.
“We continue to operate as an independent entity within the P&G (Proctor and Gamble) portfolio.
Other certifications
“As a proud member of 1% for the Planet, we will donate 1% of Plastic Free sales to fighting plastic pollution”.
Rating on EWG
1 – based on limited data availability – Low Hazard
Other notes:
- At the time of writing, all of the plastic-free deodorants contain baking soda unlike their plastic-packaged deodorants for sensitive skin that are baking soda-free for sensitive skin.
- They have a range of different scents.
- You can save money by getting a subscription or buying several at a time.
- Available online directly.
- Shipped directly from Native without plastic.
- The zero waste deodorant is not available on Amazon at the time of writing.
Attitude Natural Care Deodorant
I purchased this deodorant from Amazon.ca for $8.05 CAD and it came shipped in a rather large padded plastic bag. Buying directly from Attitude costs $9.95 CAD and probably is not shipped in plastic. It prides itself for being Canadian owned and made as well as being hypoallergenic.
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QUESTION |
ANSWER |
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It contains maranta arundinacea (arrowroot) known for its deodorant properties and corn starch known for its absorbent properties. It also contains baking soda. |
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85 grams |
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18 grams! |
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4.7 weeks |
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11.7 cents per gram |
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$1.71 |
Brighde’s thoughts of product and packaging
The product came in a similar cardboard tube as the Native deodorant, but the product itself was a lot thicker and more like a paste than the Native one. The deodorant stuck to the sides of the tube a lot more and didn’t fall out like the Native deodorant. A word of warning, do not push up the deodorant to more than you need as pushing it back into the tube is very messy or you will end up with this:
The product was very easy to use, because it was wider and stouter and I predict that it would be easy to use until the end. It performed very well throughout the day. A question I have is how long it will actually last as so much is transferred on to the skin (15 grams in one week seems like a lot). I also wonder if the deodorant will build up on clothes and discolor or stain clothes given its paste-like quality.
Seb’s thoughts on product and packaging
It’s quite thick and pulls your armpit hair as you apply it. Doesn’t glide nicely and is more like a thick paste so not sure I’d want to use this again in the future.
Vegan?
Yes. Not certified.
Cruelty free?
Yes. Certified cruelty free as per PETA’s Beauty without Bunnies program.
Who owns Attitude
It is a family owned business without investors and is certainly not owned by a multinational corporation.
Other certifications
Ecologo certified.
Rating on EWG
This deodorant has the highest possible rating on EWG and is considered a ‘Top Scoring Product’.
Schmidt’s
I purchased this item directly from Amazon, it was shipped in a plastic envelope and it cost $12.25 in total. It is packaged in a small glass jar with a small plastic applicator to dig out the product. It needs to be warmed between your fingers before applying it to your underarms.
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QUESTION |
ANSWER |
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Schimdt’s uses baking soda as it’s natural deodorizer. Baking soda absorbs moisture and sweat which is why it is often used in natural deodorants. |
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2 oz / 56.7 grams |
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2 grams |
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28 weeks! |
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21 cents per gram |
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$ 0.43 |
Brighde’s thoughts of product and packaging
Out of all the zero-waste deodorants that I am testing, this is the only one that I had tried before and I noticed a big difference in how easy it is to apply here compared to last time. When I used Schmidt’s before, I was in Thailand, a much hotter place than early spring in the west coast of Canada. In Canada, because it is cooler, the deodorant was a little more crumbly to dig out and to apply. After I had finished applying it I had a film of the deodorant on my fingers and I had to really scrub my hands to get rid of the film before I could get on with my day. I could also imagine that over time some of the crumbles would fall on the floor which would be a waste.
This is the only deodorant we tried that comes in a thick glass jar. While this might be a concern to some and easily broken, I have traveled a lot with this deodorant and I have never had a problem with it. While you might argue that this is not as zero-waste as the others. Schimdt’s has a recycling program. When you have saved up 5 jars, you can request a prepaid label to return 5 empty jars and they will ship a free deodorant as a thank you.
Seb’s thoughts on product and packaging
This different method of applying deodorant is less attractive timewise than the normal way that all the other products offer. Though we’re talking about seconds, it’s still annoying and I won’t be using this in the future.
Vegan?
Yes. It is certified vegan by vegan.org.
Cruelty free?
Yes. It has the Leaping Bunny logo
Who owns Schmidt’s Deodorant
Schimdt’s is no longer an independent company, it joined Unilever in 2017.
Other certifications
It has been certified natural by global certifier Ecocert. It boasts many other awards.
Rating on EWG:
1 based on limited data availability – Low Hazard
Ethique
I purchased this directly from Ethique and it cost $13. It is a solid deodorant bar. It’s a New Zealand company and appears to be female owned and managed. Ethique can be purchased in many countries around the world and shipping is quick and reasonable. They seem to be really living their message of sustainability. They plant trees for every order and have direct trade partnerships whenever possible with the producers of their ingredients.
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QUESTION |
ANSWER |
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According to the website, it uses bamboo which absorbs sweat and sebum and can absorb 200% its own weight in sweat and oil. It also has magnesium hydroxide which stops any smell. |
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70 grams |
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2 grams |
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35 weeks! The best! |
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18 cents per gram |
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$ 0.37 The best value! |
Brighde’s thoughts of product and packagin
We ordered directly from the website and as a result it was shipping in a small cardboard box.
I loved this product. It was really easy and smooth to apply and very effective. Despite the fact I had to hold the product in your hands while applying, it did not leave much of a film on my hands. The only challenge I can see is transporting it. It would need to be transported in a small tin or a small container when travelling or going to the gym. After my test I looked online and saw that many people had found some ingenious ways to apply the product without touching it including pushing it into an old stick deodorant applicator.
Seb’s thoughts on product and packaging
I didn’t like this product. Because it was rather dry it pulled on the hairs in my armpits. I also didn’t like the film it left on my hands even though it was much less than the Schimdt one.
Vegan?
Yes. They are certified vegan
Cruelty free?
Certified not tested on animals. By SAFE, CCF AU and PETA
Who owns Ethique Deodorant
It is still owned by the woman who created it.
Other certifications
Orangutan Alliance: All Ethique products are certified oil free. All packaging is compostable. Carbon neutral as measured by EKOS and Ecologi.
Rating on EWG
My specific deodorant was not on EWG, but others are between 2 and 3.
Ben and Anna
We purchased this for $11 however, we have seen much cheaper and much more expensive prices online. You can also buy for $9.41 directly from the website in the Netherlands but the shipping costs are high (20 euros) and you need to order 100 euros to qualify for free shipping to North America. We love the branding. It does seem like a high end product and of course the price reflects that. They also have deocreams in a tin available on their website and they also have a deodorant for sensitive skin in a paper tube that is certified vegan.
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QUESTION |
ANSWER |
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Like many of the other deodorants listed here, it uses baking soda for it’s deodorant qualities as well as Arrowroot powder to absorb moisture and shea butter to keep it solid. The website states that because it doesn’t have chemical stabilizers, it can soften at high temperatures. This is probably the same in all natural deodorants. |
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60 grams |
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5 grams |
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12 weeks |
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$0.18 |
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$0.91 |
Brighde’s thoughts of product and packaging
Ben and Anna’s came in a paper tube but the product was firmly stuck in there. It didn’t feel like it would easily fall out and smash into bits on the floor. It also meant you didn’t have to do any as much acrobatics as the Native Deodorant. The product itself was on the dryer side so applying it didn’t feel sticky at all.
Seb’s thoughts on product and packaging
The packaging made of paper/cardboard is too flimsy to be in a bathroom where things get wet, plus the deodorant itself is dry and not fun to apply.
Vegan?
Yes. Approved by the Vegan Society
Cruelty free?
Yes. Uses a European certification.
Who owns Ben and Anna Deodorant
I suspect it is independently owned but when researching for this blog post, the FAQ page on the website was not working.
Rating on EWG:
Ben and Anna are not listed on EWG’s website. We think this might be because there are a small Dutch company that does not yet have a lot of sales volume in North America.
Conclusions
After this very long 6 week experiment we are pleased to announce a winner! Ethique wins by a long shot for the following reasons:
- It lasts a REALLY long time.
- It is the best value per week. The price tag for such a small bar seems high but it works out the cheapest.
- Ethique has so many certifications and seems to be striving to be the best in the business.
- Yes, it is a solid bar and you get some of the product on your hands, but it is such a small amount and it doesn’t bother me. Some people have done some creative things to avoid this.
- It was shipped in a completely plastic free box.
- All of the negatives associated with this product were not an inconvenience for me.
- I will definitely be buying Ethique again (once I have used up all of the other deodorants).
Our thoughts about Zero Waste and Natural Deodorants
- If you are going to try a zero waste and natural deodorant, your experience will be different especially if you are trying natural deodorants for the first time. We would also say that the experience of applying deodorant will be more inconvenient than what you are used to. Try to embrace it!
- If you are traveling with your deodorant or going to the gym, you will want to take precautions. If you buy one of the deodorants in a paper tube I would definitely recommend carrying it in a waterproof bag to prevent it from getting wet. Of course getting the wet tube is not a problem just for traveling, you should be careful with moisture in the bathroom. Your armpits should be dry when you apply the deodorant to prevent the product and the cardboard absorbing moisture and then the cardboard swelling up.
- You should also consider your climate. If you live in a hot climate the deodorant will act differently. If one of the deodorants is too thick when applying in hot weather you might change it to a harder and dryer brand. If I lived in a hotter climate, I would much prefer using the Schimdt’s.
- Overall, I would recommend taking the plunge and trying a zero-waste deodorant. It is a lot less plastic for only a tiny amount of inconvenience. You get used to it pretty quickly.
- If you can, buy directly from the company, not from Amazon. I was very surprised that my zero waste deodorants were shipped in very large plastic padded envelopes.
- We are hoping to update this post with more zero waste deodorants over time. If you know of one you want us to try, put it in the comments below!
Let’s Discuss!
We’d love to hear from you! Do you have any questions? Do you have a preferred zero-waste (and vegan!) deodorant brand? Anything we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
