The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Ingredients in Natural Deodorants: What to Look For
As more people seek natural alternatives for their skincare and hygiene routines, natural deodorants have become a popular choice. However, with so many options on the market, it can be challenging to know what ingredients make a natural deodorant effective, gentle, and safe for your skin.
Here at Earth Conscious, we've spent years perfecting highly effective natural deodorants so we know a thing or two about which ingredients and what to look for.
Why Choose Natural Deodorants?
Traditional deodorants often contain synthetic chemicals and aluminium-based compounds that can clog pores or irritate sensitive skin. Natural deodorants, however, rely on naturally derived ingredients to combat odour, absorb sweat, and soothe the skin.
Here’s what you should look for.
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Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)
Why It Works: Baking soda is one of the most common natural deodorant ingredients due to its excellent odour-neutralising properties. In our experience, it is the very best ingredient at deodorising. It’s particularly effective at targeting odour-causing bacteria, keeping you feeling fresh for longer.
What to Watch For: Baking soda is an alkaline non-toxic compound with a pH between 8-9. It is completely safe to use but It can, for some people, lead to irritation so finding a natural deodorant that has lower concentrations and a good balanced formulation is very important.
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Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch
Why It Works: Arrowroot powder and cornstarch are excellent natural alternatives to synthetic sweat absorbers. They help keep you feeling dry by absorbing excess moisture, without clogging your pores.
Pro Tip: Arrowroot is generally more gentle and is less likely to irritate sensitive skin compared to cornstarch, making it a popular choice for many natural deodorants. Here at Earth Conscious we choose Organic Arrowroot.
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Coconut Oil
Why It Works: Coconut oil is naturally antibacterial, which aids in the reduction of odour-causing bacteria. It’s also incredibly moisturising and helps to soothe skin.
What We Use: Here at Earth Conscious we use Organic Fairtrade Coconut to ensure fair prices and fair wages for the farmers. Fairtrade encourages sustainable farming practices that protect ecosystems, minimise pesticide and chemical use, and promote biodiversity.
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Shea Butter
Why It Works: Shea butter is rich in vitamins and fatty acids, which also makes it deeply moisturising and gentle on the skin. It helps create a creamy texture that glides on smoothly and hydrates sensitive underarm skin.
Ideal For: People with dry or sensitive skin. Shea butter is gentle and soothing, reducing the chance of irritation while keeping skin soft.
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Magnesium Oxide
Why It Works: Magnesium Oxide is a good alternative to baking soda for those with sensitive skin. In our experience it isn’t quite as effective but nonetheless it does work by neutralising bacteria.
Bonus: Magnesium also has natural anti-inflammatory properties which can help reduce any inflammation which can be especially beneficial for sensitive skin.
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Essential Oils
Why They Work: Essential oils provide a layer of but many offer natural antibacterial benefits which helps add to the overall effectiveness of the deodorant. Popular choices include lavender, tea tree and peppermint oils, which are known for their odour-fighting properties, or try an uplifting fragrance of organic grapefruit.
Choosing the Right Scent: If you have sensitive skin, start with milder essential oils like lavender. Finding the right scent is a personal choice and some scents work better with some people than others.
Top Tip: You do not need to use a scented Natural Deodorant for it to work. If you prefer unscented products, you can absolutely choose our Earth Conscious Pure Unscented Natural Deodorant and it will deodorise and keep you fresh.
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Kaolin Clay
Although we do not use this ingredient in our deodorant formulations, some deodorants do contain this ingredient.
Why It Works: Kaolin is a clay mineral composed of hydrated aluminium silicate and helps to absorb moisture and impurities from the skin.
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Activated Charcoal
Again, not an ingredient that we use but some brands do choose this ingredient.
Why It Works: Activated charcoal draws out impurities and toxins from the skin while also absorbing moisture. It’s a powerful ingredient for keeping you dry and fresh throughout the day.
Why we don’t use it: Activated Charcoal is a black powder which makes it a difficult ingredient to use. For use in a deodorant, unless you want the formulation to be grey, it has to go through a colour change which is achieved by mixing with Titanium Dioxide.
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Zinc Oxide
Why It Works: Zinc oxide is an effective ingredient that helps control odour by neutralising bacteria. It is commonly used in sunscreens.
What to Watch Out For: Look for a statement from the brand that says whether or not their Zinc Oxide is Reef Safe or not
Key Takeaways for Choosing the Right Natural Deodorant Ingredients
When choosing a natural deodorant, look for a balance of odour-fighting, moisture-absorbing, and skin-soothing ingredients. Here’s a quick checklist to help you make an informed decision:
- For Odour Control: Baking soda, magnesium oxide, and zinc oxide.
- For Moisture Absorption: Arrowroot powder, cornstarch, kaolin clay, and activated charcoal.
- For Soothing and Moisturising: Coconut oil & shea butter
- For Scent: Gentle Essential oils.
Choosing Ingredients that Work for You
Finding the right natural deodorant ingredients can make a huge difference in your experience. Each ingredient brings unique benefits, whether it’s absorbing sweat, combating odour, or soothing sensitive skin. Be sure to check labels, especially if you have sensitive skin, and consider trying a few different formulas to see what works best for you.