Living a more sustainable life often means switching from conventional products to eco-friendly versions. But you don’t want to compromise on performance, so we have looked at the best eco-friendly deodorants to see which ones are worth the switch.
You’re probably aware that conventional deodorants and antiperspirants negatively impact our environment. From the ingredients to the packaging, they contribute to water and plastic pollution.
So is it time to ditch deodorants and embrace our body odour? Well, I decided not to do so. Instead, I’m looking for eco-friendly deodorants that keep me feeling and smelling fresh while also protecting the environment.
Here I share with you the best sustainable deodorants I found that work.
Best Sustainable Deodorants Comparison
| Cleaning Products | Value For Money | Performance | Ease Of Use | My Rating | Full Review | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Excellent | Outstanding | Very Simple | 4.87/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
 | Outstanding | Great | Very Simple | 4.87/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
 | Excellent | Outstanding | Very Simple | 4.87/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
 | Great | Outstanding | Very Simple | 4.85/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
How I Judged The Deodorants
The first criteria I looked at was the sustainability of the deodorants as well as the companies that manufacture and sell them. This means that the ingredients used must be sustainable and not harm our environment.
The packaging has to be plastic-free and recyclable and/or compostable. I’m looking for zero-waste options, including refill systems.
As far as the business goes, I want it to be run sustainably in all aspects. So you will never find any products from eco-ranges on EcoHomeLife. That’s because companies who have them aren’t serious about sustainability.
They just want to cash in on environmentally conscious customers like you and me. It’s a form of greenwashing, because they try to make out as if they are eco-friendly, when they are not.
The other criteria I looked at are:
- Performance – Will the deodorant keep body odour at bay and make you feel and smell fresh all day?
- Value for money – Will you have to fork out more of your hard-earned money if you switch or maybe save?
- Ease of use – How easy is it to use these deodorants, given none of them are sprays?
Based on these we rank the deodorants to decide which is the best, runner-up, and so on. And you can trust us that we don’t just tell you what we liked, but also what we didn’t like, if anything.
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The Best Eco-Friendly Deodorants To Keep You Fresh As A Daisy
One thing I need to point out before we get to our list is that they are all natural deodorants and not antiperspirants. This means they won’t block your sweat glands to stop you from sweating.
If you are considering switching from an antiperspirant to one of these, it’s likely that you have to go through a transition period. That might sound scary, but isn’t all that bad.
I have experienced it, and you can read all about it in my article about the natural deodorant transition phase.
But now, let’s get to it. Drum roll please…
#1: Earth Conscious Deodorant Balm (Our Rating: 4.87/5) – The One That Has It All
To make it to the top spot, a deodorant has to have it all: outstanding performance, ease of use, and at a great price.
And the Earth Conscious deodorant balm has hit the mark. I feel fresh all day long, even if I’m more active. Even a sweaty workout session can’t stop it from working. Although I sweat, I don’t smell bad, which is quite a feat given my workouts can be quite tough.
As it’s not an antiperspirant, I did sweat occasionally, but there was only a slight feeling of dampness, never more. This disappeared quickly, and despite the dampness, I never smelled of body odour.
I’m really impressed with the performance of this natural deodorant balm. And all this without any nasty chemicals, only natural ingredients that won’t harm you or the environment.
While not being the cheapest one we tried, it’s the one with the best value for money. One tin lasted me well over three months, which made it cheaper than buying the equivalent of my old antiperspirant spray.
And you also have quite a few choices regarding scents, which is great. Even if you want a deodorant without bicarbonate of soda, you’re catered for with their delicate formula range.
No wonder the Earth Conscious deodorant balm made it to the top of our list.
Find out more in our full Earth Conscious deodorant balm review.
#2: LiveCoco Crystal Salt Deodorant (Our Rating: 4.87/5) – The Cheapest Option
This deodorant is different because it’s basically just a crystal salt block. How will this keep body odour at bay, I hear you ask.
Well, salt is known for its antibacterial properties and that’s why you can use it to keep your armpits fresh. Just wet the block and rub it under your arms. This will leave a layer of salt, which will prevent bacteria from making your armpits their home.
No bacteria, no smells: it’s as simple as that. And because salt is a 100% natural ingredient, there isn’t anything in this deodorant black that could harm you or the planet. It comes in a cardboard box that is compostable or recyclable and with a string made from natural fibres to hang it up to dry.
No nasties, no plastic, no waste, no BO! The block lasts anywhere between 6 and 12 months, depending on how much and often you use it.
Our block is used by both my husband and myself and after almost 5 months, there is still more than half of it left. Because it lasts so long, it’s the cheapest natural deodorant we have found so far.
So why is it only runner-up on our list of the best eco-friendly deodorants? Not containing any moisture-absorbing ingredients, both my hubby and I noticed that we sweat more than with other natural deodorants.
Although this didn’t make me smell of body odour, it can be a bit uncomfortable, because you feel damp and that makes you feel less fresh. My husband did say that, especially in stressful situations, like a meeting with a client, he did smell.
I think he smelled while I didn’t, because he has hair under his arms, so there is more surface for bacteria to accumulate and cause odours.
The LiveCoco crystal salt deodorant also doesn’t contain any fragrance ingredients, which is great if you have sensitive skin, but not so good if you want your pits to smell nice.
That’s something to consider if you wonder if this type of deodorant is the one for you.
If you want to know more, read my full LiveCoco crystal salt deodorant review.
#3: Salt Of The Earth Deodorant Balm (Our Rating: 4.87/5) – Great Protection At A Good Price
The Salt Of The Earth deodorant balm impressed me. It kept me fresh and dry even after a tough work-out and that’s no mean feat. The scent is fresh but subtle, so no overpowering perfume here.
White and yellow stains are a thing of the past with this balm. Because you rub the deodorant into your skin, it gets absorbed quickly, which prevents white marks.
And because it doesn’t contain aluminium salt, it’s not an antiperspirant, there won’t be any yellow marks either.
The deodorant does contain bicarbonate soda though, which can cause skin irritation for some people. While we didn’t have an issue, it’s something to keep in mind.
Because it’s not an antiperspirant, I did feel a bit damp every now and again, but I didn’t smell, which is the main thing. And it’s not like you have a huge wet patch under your arm, just a bit damp, but it dried out quickly.
Although it’s not the cheapest deodorant on the list, it gives you great protection for a good price. Compared to my old antiperspirant spray, I would need to buy at least nine cans in the time it takes to use up the little glass jar.
This means I save several pounds, which is great news. And I know that my deodorant doesn’t contain any nasty ingredients or plastic. That’s outstanding value for money.
Read my full Salt Of The Earth Deodorant review for more information.
#4: Awake Organics Probiotic Deodorant (Our Rating: 4.85/5) – Good Bacteria Against BO
I love the concept of probiotics, not just when it comes to gut health. I use a probiotic cleaner and just had to try a probiotic deodorant.
It comes in the form of a cream in an aluminium tin, so no plastic or waste, as the tin can be reused or recycled. Aluminium tins are great to store all kinds of things, such as buttons, shampoo bars (if it’s the right size), needles, hair pins, and so much more.
The ingredients used in the Awake Organics probiotic deodorant are completely natural. Apart from probiotics (the good bacteria), it also contains prebiotics (food for them), moisture-absorbers, natural scents and ingredients to keep your armpits smooth.
Unlike many other natural deodorants, it doesn’t contain bicarbonate soda, so if you’re looking for a deodorant without this ingredient, try this probiotic deodorant.
Bicarbonate soda isn’t harmful, but some people find it irritates them, especially those with more sensitive skin.
The big difference between a probiotic deodorant and other types is that it doesn’t contain any ingredients that kill bacteria. It works by adding good, non-odour-causing bacteria to your underarm microbiome, which already contains these beneficial creatures.
At the same time it also provides food. This will ensure that they thrive and outcompete the bad, odour causing microorganisms. And without them, there is no body odour.
Sounds too good to be true? Well, it isn’t. Probiotic deodorants do actually work.
I tried this deodorant during a little heatwave, and it kept me feeling and smelling fresh. Admittedly, I did feel damp every now and again. But that’s because it isn’t an antiperspirant.
However, despite the slight dampness on occasions, my armpits didn’t smell badly. On the contrary, the scent of Space Cat (I love it when companies have creative names for their products) stayed on my armpits all day.
It’s difficult to explain what it actually smells like, but it’s a fresh scent that makes me smile. And not just because I have cats. There are other scents available with equally creative names.
So why did the Awake Organics probiotic deodorant only make it to no. 4 of our list? It’s the price. While not super expensive, it’s the most expensive one we’ve tried.
It lasts around 3 months, depending on how much you use. I can get away with a pea-sized dollop, but my husband, who has bigger and hairy armpits, needs at least double that. So for him, it probably wouldn’t last that long.
If I compare its price to the two above, it just is the most expensive one. It only costs £2 less than three of the Wild refills and more than the LiveCoco salt deodorant, which lasts you at least twice as much if not longer.
However, if you are looking for a natural deodorant that doesn’t contain bicarbonate of soda, then these probiotic ones are a good choice as they are free from this ingredient (apart from Moon Goo, which does contain it).
My husband switched to it, because the natural deodorant he tried before irritated his skin. As the ingredients were all natural, we concluded that it must be the bicarbonate soda. And since he has switched, he has no more skin issues.
Find out more in my full Awake Organics probiotic deodorant review.
Conclusion
Living a more sustainable life can be difficult sometimes. There are so many products out there that claim to be eco-friendly, green or sustainable. The sad truth is, not all of them are.
That’s why we have done the leg work for you to find truly eco-friendly deodorants. We have tested them vigorously and share our experience with you.
The result is a list of the best eco-friendly deodorants that work. All you have to do now is choose which of them is the one for you.
Top Rated Eco-Friendly Deodorants:
| Cleaning Products | Value For Money | Performance | Ease Of Use | My Rating | Full Review | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | Outstanding | Very Simple | 4.87/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
| Outstanding | Great | Very Simple | 4.87/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
| Excellent | Outstanding | Very Simple | 4.87/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
