Natural Deodorant Has Never Worked for Me—Until I Tried This $6 Drugstore Brand

If you’re like me, the idea of wearing natural deodorant makes you a little nervous. “What if I smell worse,” has always been my main concern (in my experience: B.O. + fragranced deodorants = fragranced B.O.). Plus, natural deodorants don’t have any aluminum, the key ingredient in antiperspirants that keep you from sweating. So, for someone like me who loves to keep her pits dry, it doesn’t seem like a match made in heaven.

TIP

With the Well+Good SHOP, you can now add products to your cart right from this article page. Just click on the product below and more details will pop up in a new window. Hit “add to cart” and voila! That’s it! As you read more SHOP articles, you can keep adding products to your cart and check out when you’re ready (look for the cart icon on the right side of your screen).

Dove 0% Aluminum Deodorant Stick Cucumber and Green Tea — $6.00

This deodorant is not only aluminum free, but it also doesn’t have any baking soda, which can be a skin irritant for many people. The formula is infused with enough moisturizers to keep sensitive skin (like mine) happy. This keeps pits fresh for about 48 hours.

Nonetheless, I decided to try the Dove 0% Aluminum Cucumber & Green Tea Deodorant Stick. While I was hesitant about a natural deodorant’s ability to able to mask scent and sweat, Dove’s no-alcohol formula is designed to cover up any odor and moisturize the skin under your arms. The saying, “don’t knock something until you try it,” really rings true here. I thought I was going to have a purge period and smell for the first few days (all my friends told me so), but amazingly, that didn’t happen. A lot of that has to do with the deodorant’s strong cucumber and green tea scent, which covers up your natural scent pretty well—and for a long period of time. 

For example, I regularly work out for 45 minutes, and I was able to go straight from my home gym to the store without totally reeking. In fact, smelling bad wasn’t an issue at all during the 10 days I used the product. Let it be known: I did sweat more than I was used to since the product doesn’t plug the sweat glands as antiperspirant does. Instead, deodorants work with powders and starches to help absorb your sweat and wick it away—rather than blocking your sweat glands altogether.

As far as texture goes, this one swipes on very smoothly and is lightweight. In fact, it feels like there’s nothing on your skin. Oh, and no matter how many times I applied it, it didn’t leave behind any chalky residue on my clothes. But still, the biggest perk remains that I didn’t smell when I used this product. Sure, my T-shirt felt a little more damp at times, but it wasn’t distracting and didn’t take away from the overall freshness I felt.

But heavy sweaters, beware. While this deodorant is good for masking odors, this may not be your go-to if you care about reducing sweat and keeping pit stains at bay. Keep in mind, every body is different and no deodorant is one-size-fits-all.  If you’re not sure about a product, it may be worth doing a patch test on your inner arm before you fully commit.

Oh hi! You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cutting edge wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. Sign up for Well+, our online community of wellness insiders, and unlock your rewards instantly.