Natural deodorant is different from an antiperspirant. If you're not native to the world of organic deodorant, you need to understand that while an antiperspirant is designed to stop you from sweating, a natural deodorant does not disrupt the body's natural detox process. You still sweat, but the natural deodorant stops the bacteria growth, which leaves you smelling fresh. It is perfectly natural for the human body to sweat and it is not a good idea to stop this process by clogging the pores with aluminium (as an antiperspirant does).

We stock a very inclusive range of the best organic deodorant products in Australia from creams, pastes, sprays, roll-ons and sticks, using a variety of different active ingredients and essential oils for fragrance. We don't allow synthetic fragrances in our deodorants, only natural ingredients.

What are the benefits of using a natural deodorant?

• The major benefit of choosing a natural deodorant over an antiperspirant is allowing your skin to breathe while wearing it. Harsh ingredients found in mainstream antiperspirants can irritate the skin, as can the artificial fragrances they use in them.

• Sensitive skin and noses will benefit from the choice of an organic or natural deodorant over an aluminium based antiperspirant for the naturally derived scent vs the lab derived option.

• Aluminium free deodorant made from natural and organic ingredients are particularly beneficial for sensitive skin, reducing the risk of irritation and discomfort. Be mindful of bi-carb soda in natural options too as sometimes natural ingredients can be a skin irritant as well.

• Choosing natural ingredients and avoiding aluminium based deodorants can reduce the risk of adverse reactions from exposure to aluminium.

Does natural deodorant control body odour?

To stay fresh, it's important to choose a product that provides odour protection. Body odour is caused by the bacteria on the skin after you sweat. Natural deodorant ingredients are chosen because they can control the bacteria, which is the source of the odour. It is not necessary to control sweating to control body odour, masking the smell with fragrance isn't the answer either. This is why unscented natural deodorant also works. Bacteria thrives, and creates unpleasant body odour, in moist and warm environments, which is exactly what armpits do. Natural deodorants work by targeting bacteria, not from stopping you from sweating or masking the scent with essential oils or artificial fragrance like mainstream antiperspirants do.

What's the best natural deodorant for sensitive skin?

Even organic deodorant can irritate sensitive skin. One of the original natural ingredients used in deodorant paste is bi-carb soda. You have probably used a little bowl of it in your fridge to absorb odour, and it works on the body too, but for some it is a skin irritant. Don't worry, there are plenty of ingredients that can be used in its place to do the job.

If you do experience irritation or discomfort from natural ingredients, consider doing an armpit detox or using something like Weleda Skin Food to help heal angry skin.

How do you apply natural deodorant?

We have 4 sub-categories in our store dedicated to the different types of application available.

• Natural Deodorant Paste - all ours are packed in a tin, so they're a great plastic free option and you can repurpose the tin, but they do require you to stick your fingers in them and under your pits. When making a transition to a natural product, not everyone likes to apply their product like this.

• Natural Deodorant Spray - there's no aerosol here, look for options from Weleda, Noosa Basics and Crystal, all with various packaging, none of them completely plastic free.

• Natural Deodorant Roll-on - this is the application method most people are familiar with and it makes for an easy transition from antiperspirants.

• Natural Deodorant Stick - for the most part, these are a stick version of the pastes in a wind up or push up application. Due to the natural of the ingredients used, sometimes they require a little warmth to get them moving.

Deodorant vs Antiperspirant - how do they work differently?

We only sell deodorant in our store. It works by controlling bacteria growth, which is what causes the odour on your skin. This can be done without using harsh ingredients or aluminium salts.

Antiperspirant formulas stop you from sweating by blocking your sweat glands. Sweating is a natural path to detox your body.

How to choose the best natural deodorant for you

1. How do you want to apply your deodorant? You can choose from paste, spray, roll-on and stick

2. Do you want your deodorant scented? Everything in our store is scented only using natural ingredients, but we do have some unscented options in store. Your natural deodorant does not need added fragrance to work.

3. Do you have sensitive skin? If you do, jump to our 'bi-carb free deodorant' category.

4. Do you have any ethical considerations? We have certified vegan options, cruelty free options, plastic free options using eco-friendly packaging.

What ingredients are used in natural deodorant to make them work?

Natural and organic deodorants are formulated using a wide variety of popular ingredients that stop bacteria growth, absorb moisture and add pleasant fragrance. Here's some of the more common ingredients and what they do in the formula. What is the best natural deodorant for you? The one that doesn't irritate your skin.

Baking Soda, Sodium Bicarbonate, Bicarb Soda

Bicarb soda is great at absorbing smell not only under your armpits but all around the house. It can be a skin irritant for those with sensitive skin and should be avoided if you have a reaction. Don't worry, there's plenty of options that don't use it.

Essential oils

The role of essential oils is not to stop the smell or to stop bacteria growth, it's just to add scent to make you smell nice. While natural essential oils can mask odour a little, a fragrance free organic deodorant works just as well as a scented one, keeping you smelling fresh. There are lots of options in store with a unisex scent or more floral tones and earthy tones at the other end of the spectrum.

Mineral Salts, Potassium Alum

One of the best value deodorants in store is a natural deodorant stick made from mineral salts. It stops odour causing bacteria in its tracks while still allowing your sweat glands to do what they need to do, sweat. Available in a solid block or as an ingredient in a lot of other formulas.

Kaolin clay, tapioca starch, arrowroot or corn starch

There's usually an ingredient in most deodorant pastes or sticks to absorb moisture and stop the wetness under your pits. The most common ones are kaolin clay, tapioca starch, arrowroot and corn starch.

Magnesium hydroxide

Both magnesium hydroxide and charcoal powder are often used together in bicarb free deodorant formulas. They perform a similar role without the skin irritation, making them perfect for sensitive skin.

Coconut Oil & Shea Butter

Shea butter is an incredible skin moisturiser and is one of the natural ingredients used to keep your skin soft, as is coconut oil. There is plenty of information online about coconut oil being used on its own to reduce odour, but it really doesn't work on its own. It's in the formulations to moisturise the skin and also because it melts at around 25ºC and makes it easier to apply to the skin because it melts a little to your body temperature.

Probiotics

Probiotics are good bacteria, like what you find in yoghurt. The idea of using probiotics in deodorant is that the good bacteria crowds out the bad bacteria that smells. It's not commonly used but it's extremely effective and we are working with some local brands who have some products on the testing benches right now. Watch this space.

Making the switch to natural deodorant?

It's common for people to switch from antiperspirant to natural deodorant and give up quickly. We recommend making the switch in cooler weather and allowing a couple of weeks for your body to adjust. An armpit detox (we sell them) will also prep your skin for the transition.