Best Baking Soda Free Deodorants That Work | I tested 7 Baking Soda Free Deos…

Making the switch to clean/natural deodorants can be a massive learning curve with a transition phase for many as the body adjusts to not using aluminum. Even if you’ve successfully made the switch, maybe you’re like me, and all of a sudden, as your body changes with time, your favorite clean deodorant stops working and starts irritating you. OR… perhaps natural deodorants have always irritated you and you’re struggling to find the right one. Typically, the culprit of irritation is the sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in the formula and once you can identify the best baking soda free deodorants that work, you’ll be right back to your aluminum free pits in no time 🙂 Want to save some time and money? I tested 7 baking soda free deos so you don’t have to… let’s get into the best baking soda free deodorants that work….

If you’re NEW to clean deodorant and haven’t yet had issues with baking soda… it’s true that baking soda really helps to neutralize odor and keep you drier so I do recommend you start with some of these in THIS blog post.

But if you are:

• shopping for a tween, wanting to start on a clean deodorant journey
• someone who has SUPER SENSITIVE skin that reacts to anything and everything
• someone who all of a sudden is getting redness/irritation from your favorite clean deo that contains baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)

…then this Best Baking Soda Free Deodorants That Work blog post is for you!

Over the last few months, I’ve tested seven baking soda free deodorants for a week or so to put it through a full trial of life. I’m a mom of a toddler, an avid weight lifter, and generally someone that lives pretty actively. Although I’m not a big sweater, I can tell a difference if a clean deodorant is working or if I smell.

Something to remember if you’re switching from aluminum based deodorants to natural formulas… these do NOT STOP sweat – they are not antiperspirant. These formulas are deodorants – they neutralize odor and may reduce some moisture, but sweating is the body’s way to detoxify and I personally don’t believe it’s healthy to prevent that from happening by using an antiperspirant.

Best Baking Soda Free Deodorants That Work

FREEDOM Natural Deodorant (Coco Van or Jasmine Blossom)

• price: $13 (Amazon, Freedom Website)
• thoughts: Founded by a single mother of girls, Freedom deodorant perked my interest immediately. I love supporting women-founded and owned businesses (hence me being a Beautycounter educator, too)… but this indie brand has so much to offer. Freedom makes baking-soda based formulas, as well as, two baking soda FREE formulas (CocoVan and Jasmine Blossom). I tried both scents, and prefer the fresher scented Jasmine Blossom over the sweet Coco Van. This formula is very moisturizing, as the base is Coconut Oil. The scent is pretty subtle, which is nice. Holds up pretty well to a workout and day in the life of a mom chasing a toddler. The formula is slightly too moisturizing for the hotter summer months, though, and some may feel it’s too creamy.
• fragrance: ‘blend of essential oils,’ it what reads on the label. Although not as transparent as I’d like – I want the COMPLETE LIST OF INGREDIENTS… trying this formula myself, I trust that this is a true blend of essential oils only. The scent is very minimal and it has that ‘natural’ smell, as if it was mixed up at home with essential oils only.
• grade: B-

RAW SUGAR Deodorant (Cucumber Chamomile)

• price: $6.99 (Target)
• thoughts: This one is packaged in recyclable cardboard, which is awsome except it makes pushing it up to apply a little difficult with no mechanism to keep it up while swiping. Opposite the Freedeom formula, this one is quite dry and stiff and needs a little warming up for a few seconds before applying. In fact, I’ve cracked off the top a little bit if I don’t warm it up enough. Also, the Cucumber Chamomile scent smells nothing like cucumber or chamomile. It smells like baby powder. So beware if you buy online without smelling in person at your local Target! I’m not a big baby powder smell lover, so I’m not totally thrilled about that BUT the actual performance is pretty good! Points off for the quirky packaging and super stiff formula, but the ability to keep me smell-free is where the formula shines. Just get a scent you like.
• fragrance: ‘parfum and essential oils,’ is NOT ok with me to be honest. I tried it out to try the baking soda free formulas… but fragrance is generally a HUGE no no for me as it contains endocrine disrupters that can mess with hormones (I have enough issues with my hormones already with infertility). Since the scent was pretty strong to me, I give this a HUGE knock down for the lack of transparency with the ingredients.
• grade: C-, due to fragrance

NATIVE Baking Soda Free Deodorant (Aloe + Green Tea, Cotton + Lily, Sandalwood + Shea / Sensitive)

• price: $12 (Target)
• thoughts: Happy to have a baking soda and natural deodorant option easily accessible at Target and Amazon that is pretty well known/recognizable at this point… I picked up one of the Sensitive Native Deodorants in Cotton and Lily scent. The formula comes in a traditional stick, and applies smoothly and easily – just as you’d expect from any stick deodorant. The scent I picked was very nice… I love a soft, fresh scent for my deodorants and this fits the bill. However, the fragrance is one of the huge cons for Native. In terms of performance, this was average. I find I do start to smell mid day without doing much activity … which is pretty pathetic.
• fragrance: ‘fragrance,’ is what is listed as comprising the scents in these Sensitive Deodorants. In fact, I am pretty certain that was my biggest gripe with the baking-soda-full Native deodorants, also. Just disclose your fragrances and we will be in a MUCH safer, responsible place! Fragrance is such an industry secret and loophole in business… it’s just not worth the risk unless you truly trust the brand’s practices.
• grade: D+

LITTLE SEED FARM Deodorant Creams (7+ various scents)

 

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• price: $12 (Little Seed Farm website)
• thoughts: A sorority sister friend of mine highly recommended this brand to me (as did a few others from Instagram) and I was immediately put off by the cream formula/having to apply with an applicator. BUT she swore it was the best so I had to try! I got the Jasmine Green Tea scent and it’s lovely, clean and mild… Little Seed Farm is the ONLY brand in this round up to disclose their fragrances as clearly as they do, so MAJOR props to them! The applicator tool is a must, IMO, as I refuse to rub in my deodorant with my hands and then have to wash. But in terms of performance, this is NO contest. This is the ONE, ladies and gentlemen. The perfect combination of price, scent options, performance and packaging (hello, glass sustainable recyclable packaging!). It’s also a family owned farm, ships biodegradable, made with solar power, and Leaping Bunny approved!
• fragrance: ‘Nuff said. This is AMAZING. This is what you need to see when you find a product that’s scented. There’s nothing wrong with using fragrance per, se… but have it be transparent!
  
• grade: A- (just because the application method is not my preferred stick… but I quickly got over it!)

LUME Deodorant (Unscented)

• price: $14.99 and up (Lume website)
• thoughts: Probably the most heavily advertised baking soda/aluminum free deodorant, LUME is everywhere and I know several friends who swear by it! I finally caved and got the duo of the stick and the cream in Unscented to test out. First of all, this stuff is the worst. I’m probably going to be ripped apart by this statement, but wow. I know I got unscented, but I’ve heard from many others that there’s something STRANGE about the smell of this stuff when you first apply. So much so, Lume even says “Let the initial scent dissipate once dry.” -__- No. This weird, bitter smell does not dissipate and in fact, smells WORSE over time once it starts mixing with body odor… which, happens. I am not sure where this 72 hr claim comes from because this stuff barely cut it over 12 hrs. I hated this so much I returned it in less than 72 hours LOL.
• fragrance: the only ‘clean’ option without synthetic, non disclosed fragrance is the unscented option – so that’s what I tried and would only endorse if you’re going to try this stuff
• grade: F

SCHMIDTS Natural Deodorant Sensitive (Jasmine Tea, Coconut Vanilla, Coconut Pineapple, Mellow Woods)

• price: $10 (Amazon, Schmidts website)
• thoughts: An old stand by, I trust Schmidts natural deodorants. In fact, when I first switched to natural deo, Schmits (baking soda based) Rose Scent was one of my first tries… and it worked pretty well (it just got gunky on the stick). I was glad to know they made several baking soda free options. This stick is smooth and easy to apply… doesn’t get gunky like the baking soda version does. The scent is very pretty and fresh, but more details on that below. It holds up for a lazy Sunday, but does not work as well on active days/workouts. If you take it easy most days, this is a decent option.
• fragrance: Although on the ingredient label, it reads ‘fragrance,’ if you dig deeper on Schmidt’s website, they do disclose all fragrant ingredients used and what they do, as well as their overall % of the product, which I respect and applaud them for.
• grade: B-

LAVANILA Deodorant (Sport Luxe)

• price: $12+ (Amazon, Ulta)
• thoughts: One of the first natural deodorant brands I remember learning about and seeing at stores like Sephora, Lavanila’s Sport Luxe option has a baking soda free formula that I tried out and returned very quickly. Although the scent is my preference for fresh and clean… this just did not hold up at keeping me stink free by mid day.
• fragrance: ‘botanical fragrance blend,’ ugh… I’m over this already. Do better.
• grade: D-

***

ones to try:

These are the other baking soda free natural deodorants I have on my short list to try and report back on. But for now, I only really endorse and think you’ll like the LITTLE SEED FARM option! Please report back if you try and love it as much as I have!

• Kosas
• Drunk Elephant
• Pretty Frank
• aTTitude
• MagSol

-Steffanie