Okay friendsicles, this post has been a long time coming. I won't dig too far into my "why" I decided to go natural...that's for another post. BUT, I'm super excited to bring this post to you. I began my research for this back in MAY. (umm it's practically September now) I wanted to find the best natural deodorant for me, but also wanted to give multiple ones a try. Keep in mind, the best one for me, might not be the best one for you! I'm going to go through the 5 I tried in paragraph form, butttt if you want the nitty gritty details and to get straight to the point, I put some details in a table to make them a quick read. However, you might want to read through my thoughts on each one, because I have some opinions;)

So what's my deodorant past? I loved Dove clinical care for women, but most recently I was wearing Old Spice Figi Scent for men. For some reason, mens deodorant works better?? Not sure why that's fair! I decided to try out natural deodorant, because most deodorants have a lot of harmful chemicals that people don't talk about. For starters anything with "anti-perspirant" is actually just clogging your pores so you don't sweat...how is that even allowed? These deodorants also have aluminum, which is linked to health problems like breast cancer.

I wanted to say THANK YOU to all my Instagram followers who interact with me on Instastories. That's where I started before beginning  this post! I asked y'all what your favorites were and which ones didn't work. You might notice a couple "big names" missing from this, but I listened to y'all and read the reviews and purposely didn't include some. I don't like badmouthing brands and prefer to remain positive, soooo yeah. Didn't try them at all! PLUS, if I tried as many as there are on the market, you might have waited a year for this post instead of 4 months. I wanted to preface this post saying I didn't hate any of them...they just had different things to offer. Let's get started, shall we?

Thai Crystal Deodorant Mist - This was the last one I tried and I had to start with it because it is SO weird. It's just hard for me to wrap my brain around that it actually works even though it is just mineral salts and filtered water. Like what?!  My only beef with it is that it's non-scented...there's just something about being able to freshen up by putting on some deodorant and smelling the refreshing scent!

Native Deodorant - This was actually the second deodorant I tried. I bought their "brunch" pack (now sold out) that included mimosa, sangria, and rosé. What I want to comment on for Native is that their marketing and social department ROCKS. Like seriously. Their emails are actually ones you want to read, their seasonal scents rock (I mean brunch pack?! what girl doesn't want rosé deodorant?!), and their product delivery is awesome -can't beat free shipping. What's my "issue" with them? A couple things. They add "fragrance" and they don't specify what is in that fragrance. What??? Why? They don't have the "bunny" mark for vegan cruelty free, which confuses me. If you search their site, they do say that they don't test on animals, but if you're V, then you usually have the bunny mark and you WANT that on there. I think it might have something to do with their "fragrance" added. Overall I liked their deodorant. I like my scent to be a little bit stronger, but it worked okay. They do have non-scented and a sensitive formula. I didn't try their sensitive formula, because it only had one scent. I like my options;) It is supposed to have "natural" ingredients to absorb sweat, but sometimes I'd still feel wetness. I have some leftover and don't mind using it up - like I said, I liked it okay.

Crystal Deodorant -  This was the second to last deodorant I tried and the best part? Using deodorant was the deodorant was the driest I ever felt. My only issue is that the scent didn't last. They do offer an unscented version and I wonder if that one works better? I liked that it was roll-on and easy to use. For the other stick deodorant, you have to touch your  armpit for a couple seconds, so that the stick warms up and is easier to glide on your skin- you don't have to wait with this one, since it it liquid roll-on.

Schmidt's Natural Deodorant - This was actually the first one I ever tried! I LOVED the scent. Schmidt's scents are strong, so be sure you like what you get. They are essential oils, so they are a bit stronger. I loved my lavender + sage scent...it was super relaxing, especially in a hot yoga class;) I actually felt led to try a different brand, because I noticed a couple of painful red bumps here and there with this deodorant. The reason? Baking soda! Sodium Bicarbonate is a popular ingredient for natural deodorants - I know people who have even just tried using it alone for deodorant! I didn't have a ton of bumps or even a frequent reaction, but it did make me question the product.

Schmidt's Sensitive Skin Formula - Annnnd surprise! This one is my favorite. It combines my favorite part of Schmidt's normal deodorant (the scent!) and leaves out my least favorite part (the bumps from baking soda!). Once I finish all my other deodorants I bought, this one will be my go-to. I can't wait to try all the scents!

Want to see an overview of all the info I mentioned above, plus some more? See below!

So, thinking of making the switch? Here's some tips!

1) Keep with it! Switching to natural deodorant takes a little bit of transition...be patient! Your body is getting rid of all the toxins you have been clogging its pores with. 

2) Learn your natural scent! The thing people don't understand is that your body has a normal smell that doesn't necessarily smell bad. Switching to natural deodorant can make you notice this more, but that doesn't mean the deodorant isn't working.

3) Re-apply carefully. Most of the instructions for these make sure you clean your armpits before re-application.  A lot of this has to do with the baking soda included in it. I will say sometimes I re-apply my deodorant during the same day BUT a) I did that with my other deodorants and b) I don't re-apply a lot when I do. When I initially put my deodorant on, I hold it to my skin for 3 seconds, then do 4 swipes! When I re-apply I do 1 or 2. Just pay attention to your body!

4) Anti-perspirant?? So, anti-perspirant really just means "sweat blocker". None of these have anti-perspirant, or they would have aluminum; however, they do have natural properties for sweat absorption. They have similar ingredients, but are pretty much all different; therefore, some work better than others. I obviously liked having a true anti-perspirant, but my health is worth more than not having put stains. 

Any other questions or thoughts? Let me know!  Especially if you have a natural deodorant you LOVE that I didn't mention. 

**UPDATE on  March 30, 2018**

I made it through most of 2017 just fine, then, I noticed that my body had adapted to Schmidt's Sensitive. This isn't too unusual. It's good to switch up your deodorants and other products in general. I was at least happy that I realized it BEFORE a Texas summer. So, I began a search for a new one and I found one! Here are 3 that I tried to find a new one to alternate with Schmidt's. They are all cruelty-free and on the nontoxic spectrum.

Meow Meow Tweet: 

Price: $14

Properties: Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Organic, Biodegradable, Aluminum Free, Paraben Free

My Thoughts: I think it worked fine. I'm not a fan of their cardboard packaging, plus it's just hard to use. It's like a push-pop! It does include baking soda, which makes me get pimples in my armpits, so I discontinued use. To be honest, I bought it because I liked the brand name;) They do have a sensitive version, but I could only find it in the pot form, and I'd prefer it in stick. I will say I think they do offer a stick version, but I am not keen on the cardboard.

Kopari Coconut Deodorant:

Price: $14

Properties: Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Aluminum Free, Baking Soda Free, Paraben Free

My Thoughts: This was a fun deodorant to try. It quite literally glides on, because it's an oil. It does have added fragrance, which I'm not too much a fan of, since you don't neeeeed it. It definitely dried out my armpits and would burn if I put it on, after I shaved my armpits. It worked fine and didn't make me break out. I'm going to finish the tube for sure, but will not be re-buying.

Primally Pure (get 10% off your first purchase w/code ELLEMULENOS)

Price: $12

Properties: Cruelty-Free, Aluminum Free, Paraben Free

My Thoughts: This is the new winner IMO. I will probably switch this one on and off with Schmidt's! It does have some baking soda in it, but small traces, so not as much as Meow Meow Tweet's, so it doesn't affect me. This was Nick's favorite out of the 3 as well! 

Any new ones you're trying??

This is not a sponsored post. I tested these on my own accord, through hot yoga, running, working out, and just living life. I purposely wore them during the hottest months in Texas, to really put them to the test. I began testing them in May and ended my testing in August, to truly wear and report my findings of each. 

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