Smell good, stay clean: Best natural & aluminum-free deodorants

Let’s be honest, finding a natural, aluminum-free deodorant that actually works is one of the most frustrating parts of a non-toxic lifestyle. When I first started trying to live clean, I (like many others!) went a little overboard and tossed all my “toxic” products—lotions, skincare, makeup, and, most importantly, my trusty aluminum-filled deodorant.

But let’s face it: smelling good is essential. I’ve always loved using perfumes and traditional deodorants, and I wasn’t about to go through life smelling bad.

So, I researched several different clean and nontoxic deodorant brands! Below, you’ll find my top picks for healthy, nontoxic options that skip nasty ingredients like aluminum, parabens, phthalates, and more. My recommendations are ranked by ingredient safety, EWG ratings, and performance.

You’ll see all my picks below, but my favorites are from Purely Great, Attitude, and Each & Every, with honorable mentions including Nuud, Schmidt’s, and Earth Mama.

So, let's get into it.

I’ve broken my research down into three categories:

• Best: These deodorants are certified by EWG and contain the highest quality and cleanest ingredients.
• Better: Rated as a 1 or 2 on the EWG scale and/or mostly clean.
• Honorable mentions: These deodorants rank lower on the ingredient safety scale, but are still much better than conventional ones.

Why is natural and aluminum-free deodorant better?

Like any product applied to your skin, deodorant is quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. What is in it really, really matters! Since your skin is your body’s largest organ, it deserves care. It is crucial to protect it.

Many conventional deodorants are designed to fight odor but do so at a cost. And your body is paying that price! Many are loaded with chemicals that disrupt hormones, damage your endocrine system, and have been linked to health issues like cancer. Some people also experience rashes, allergic reactions, or irritation from these ingredients.

Here is a list of toxic ingredients to strive to avoid in deodorants:

• Aluminum
• Propylene glycol
• Triclosan
• Phthalates
• Fragrance (an extremely vague term that can include unregulated, harmful substances)
• Talc
• Parabens
• Silica

All of these ingredients aren’t just questionable, they’ve been tied to serious health risks. That’s why making the switch to a cleaner, safer deodorant is important.

So, now that you know what to avoid, let’s get into the best natural and aluminum-free deodorants that are actually worth a swipe.

Best natural deodorants

These are my top choices for all-natural, non-toxic deodorants:

• Purely Great
• Attitude
• Each & Every

I’ve chosen these options as they don’t contain any nasty ingredients like parabens, phthalates, aluminum, triclosan, and more, and are all EWG-verified! You can trust that these deodorant options are not only good for you, but will keep you smelling fresh.

Purely Great

Purely Great’s non-toxic deodorant is available both in a stick and a cream and is formulated with no aluminum and no chemical irritants. This product is vegan, containing only natural soda, non-GMO corn starch, and vegetable glycerin, and is made without parabens, BPA, and triclosan, and is EWG verified. It is great for daily use and does a good job of neutralizing smells. The only con to this brand is, in my personal experience, it wears off quickly during/after a hard sweat sesh.

Attitude

Attitude deodorants are EWG verified and made of ingredients of 99.7% natural origin. All their deodorants are made from biodegradable packaging made from FSC-certified cardboard, and they come in a variety of nice scents from lemon to white tea to coconut and wildberries. On a personal note, this is a great brand that I highly recommend. They offer a whole line of products (beauty, haircare, and skincare) that are made with fantastic ingredients that I trust.

Each & Every

I haven’t tried this brand (yet), but they have raving reviews. This deodorant hits all my criteria, being aluminum-free and baking soda-free, EWG certified, free of parabens, and is even ethically sourced, vegan, and cruelty-free! There is no artificial fragrance, which is a nice plus. And, their packaging and branding is beautiful.

Better clean, aluminum-free and natural deodorants

Here are better options:

• Nuud
• Earth Mama
• Tom’s of Maine
• Schmidt’s
• Just Ingredients
• Primally Pure
• Acure

I’ve found that these deodorants aren’t EWG-verified, but they do contain largely clean ingredients. I’d consider them pretty safe and free of most harmful toxins, definitely a much better option compared to conventional deodorants.

Nuud

Nuud comes as a cream or a stick and contains 100% natural ingredients. It is free from baking soda, alcohol, and aluminum, and contains no added perfume. Their secret to cutting smells is microsilver and zinc oxide. I have used this deodorant, and it is highly effective at reducing unpleasant odors during workouts and staying on throughout the day. Plus, their packaging is fully sustainable and compostable!

Earth Mama

Earth Mama is a really high-quality brand that makes some great non-toxic sunscreen options. Their healthy deodorants are created for pregnant and breastfeeding women, so they are formulated with very clean, organic, and gentle ingredients. Earth Mama deodorants do not contain aluminum, propylene glycol, artificial fragrances, or parabens. A nice touch is their eco-smart packaging, which helps the container decompose after being disposed of in landfills.

Tom’s of Maine

Tom’s of Maine, while not my top pick, ranks well on EWG, and their deodorants are formulated without aluminum, parabens, baking soda, and artificial fragrance. My husband has personally used this deodorant and recommends it, especially for hard workouts.

Schmidt’s

This brand is more popular and well-known and can likely be found at most grocery stores, making it a decent option if you need to pick up deodorant in a pinch. Schmidt’s offers a variety of deodorant options that are pretty clean, with most scents ranking a 1 on EWG. Their deodorants are made with 100% natural ingredients, essential oils, and do not contain artificial fragrances, aluminum, or parabens.

Just Ingredients

Just Ingredients deodorant comes in a stick or a cream and is formulated without aluminum, formaldehyde, parabens, and other harmful ingredients. It’s made with magnesium, beeswax, and essential oils to keep you feeling and smelling fresh all day long. They offer a variety of scents from citrus to vanilla.

Primally Pure

Primally Pure is widely recognized as a clean and non-toxic brand that uses high-quality ingredients. Their deodorants have a ranking of 1 on the EWG ranking system. Their deodorants come in a stick and several different scents such as lavender, geranium, lemongrass, and blue tansy, to name a few. One of their main ingredients is beef tallow, sourced from grass-fed cows, and reviews claim it smells and works amazingly.

Acure

I love Acure products, especially their haircare products. I haven’t tried their lavender and coconut-scented deodorant stick yet, but I trust the brand! The deodorant is all-natural and free of nasty ingredients.

Honorable deodorant mentions

The above options are my top recommendations. However, I did want to mention a few additional deodorant options that, while they don’t fully meet my “clean” standards, they are still made with better ingredients and are definitely a step up from conventional deodorants.

• Cleo & Coco: Ranks 1 and 2 on EWG.
• Lume: Unscented option only.
• Dr. Squatch: This is a popular deodorant brand for men, however, not all their scents are ideal. Only the Summer Citrus, Sandalwood Summit, and Rainforest Rapids rank well on EWG.
• Native: Choose only their unscented option. This brand is very “clean-washed” and ideally best to avoid.

What about other brands? Is simply aluminum-free deodorant better?

Aluminum-free isn’t the only thing to look for, unfortunately. As more people become concerned about aluminum’s safety, big brands are catching on and removing it from their products. But it’s not enough. Many are now “clean-washing” — making products look healthy and natural while still using harmful ingredients. For example, Dove and Secret offer aluminum-free options, but they still include other toxic ingredients. So while they’re better, they’re far from ideal.

How to make my own natural deodorant?

You might be asking – what about making my own deodorant? I have not personally tried making my own deodorant, but I know that many people trust this method and create their own (with varying degrees of success). There are numerous recipes available online, so feel free to give it a go if you choose!

But, I don’t want to sweat!

Before we wrap up, let’s touch on one last point: the difference between deodorants and antiperspirants. Deodorants stop odor; antiperspirants stop sweat.

A common complaint with non-toxic deodorants is: “They don’t work because I keep sweating!” But sweating is normal, and it's good. If you’re trying to reduce toxic exposure, know that anything blocking sweat is likely disrupting your body’s natural detox process.

Smelling fresh while sweating is the real goal. If none of the clean options work for you, it might be worth looking into your diet or overall health, because in good health, sweat usually doesn’t stink too badly.

Finding the perfect swipe

Choosing a natural, aluminum-free deodorant that works doesn’t have to be hard. There are plenty of high-quality options out there. I’ve organized them by ingredient safety, EWG ratings, and performance to help you decide.

Remember, every body is different! What works for one person may not work for another. Don’t get discouraged. Try one, and if it doesn’t work, try another. We’re all on a journey to reduce harmful exposure, one swap at a time.