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The Gloss Report: Cream and bar deodorants
More and more of us are turning to environmentally friendly alternatives to beauty and toiletry staples, and whether you’re after a vegan cream, fragrance-free lotion or odour eliminating bar, there’s plenty of options that veer away from the usual chemist or supermarket offering. Here’s what we made of some of the newest textures and deodorant innovations on the market…
2 / 7
Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Botanical Cream Deodorant , £18 for 50g
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The promise: “A natural, aluminium-free, uniquely powerful wellbeing revelation that really works.”
We give it: 10/10
Review: “For me this is the Rolls Royce of natural cream deodorants. I have tried a few, and like Goldilocks found them too hard, too lumpy or too greasy. But this one is just right - I have gifted it to friends who have been similarly enamoured (it’s that kind of product, with it’s pretty packaging and luxe feel you can give it to friends without casting aspersions on their personal hygiene).
Kaolin, a type of clay, absorbs moisture, so you de really feel less sweaty, without the pore-blocking effects of aluminium. The creaminess comes from shea butter, which has a lovely skin-like feel and it goes on supremely easily without you having to dig your nails into the jar or clumps falling on the carpet (as with others I have tried). Arrowroot provides the antimicrobial aspect, which helps prevent bacteria from proliferating and causing the smell. Sometimes I have to apply this twice a day which I would expect from any natural deodorant but the pleasant minty lavender smell makes it a pleasure not a chore. Pricey, but lasts ages. I got a good three months out of my pot. Full disclosure, I do have a normal deodorant as backup for those times when that niff comes out of nowhere and you realise it’s actually you. But mostly I don’t need it as my Aurelia does the job.”
Reviewer: VW
3 / 7
Lush T’eo Solid Deodorant, £5.95 for 90g
The promise: “This gentle but powerful bar makes light work of heavy perspiration.”
We give it: 7/10
Review: “As far as deodorants go, this solid bar is as different as you can get from an aerosol or a roll-on (my usual go-tos). However, I’m increasingly becoming more interested in using environmentally friendly alternatives that do away with unnecessary packaging. So with that in mind, I was excited to try this simpler, bottle-free option from Lush. Made with absorbent powders, tea tree oil, fresh green grapes, and juniper and citrus essential oils, its ingredient list is very different from what I’m used to using and the same goes for the way it’s applied too. It was a little messy at first but once I got the hang of it, I found that a surprisingly small amount was needed to covered my underarms comprehensively. In the evening, my pits were left noticeably less pongy (sorry) - not as much as I’d hoped for though. I’d probably not use it for a workout however I would say that its plastic-free approach makes me want to use it again from an environmental perspective.”
Reviewer: AM
4 / 7
Evolve Cotton Fresh Deodorant Cream, £10 for 30ml
The promise: “This natural and vegan deodorant is blended with nourishing organic shea butter and coconut oil to give effective and long lasting protection against body odour.”
We give it: 6/10
Review: “This was my first foray into the natural deodorant world and having heard for a long time about the benefits of switching over, I was excited to try this product. At £10 for 30ml you only need a small amount of product each day, making it good value for money. The packaging is great, a small and compact pot with no frills, however the product itself can be a bit messy!”
The paste-like texture means you have to dig your fingers into the pot each morning and then smooth it onto the underarms, which I would suggest doing before you are dressed as the product has a tendency to crumble slightly if not rubbed in fast. Despite the mess, it felt really moisturising and soothing on my underarms and having tried it for a week or so it definitely lives up to the claims of keeping you odour free. I did miss the convenience of having my usual spray deodorant to hand for mess-free sweat mopping throughout the day though. I’m not 100% sure I am ready to wave goodbye to my anti-perspirant just yet either, as I prefer to be safe in the knowledge that those dreaded sweat patches won’t creep up on me. That said, it did deliver on its promises and for anyone who is committed to the natural deodorant life this would be a good choice.”
Reviewer: ATH
5 / 7
Kiehl’s Superbly Efficient Anti-perspirant Deodorant Cream, £15 for 50ml
The promise: “Leaves skin feeling soft, soothed and conditioned with 24–hour protection against sweat and odour."
We give it: 9/10
Review: “A twist up cream with a texture more akin to body lotion than any deodorant I’ve ever used, a word of warning before you crack into the tube- squeeze too hard and it’ll fly across the room and hit your boyfriend in the face. Once you’ve got the hang of putting ‘light’ pressure on the tube, however, it spreads nicely under the arms without any messiness or having to get your hands dirty, and while it takes a bit longer to dry when compared with a regular roll-on, it sinks in well and doesn’t leave you with wet patches before you’ve even put your coat on. It’s barely discernible scent-wise too (it’s perfume free but still ‘fresh’ smelling), and I think the fact that I didn’t notice it, or sweat, throughout the day is testament to its powers. I survived the day unscathed by body odour (ideal), barre workout included, and while it’s probably ten times the price of my normal anti-perspirant deodorant, you need such a tiny amount per application that I anticipate it lasting me half of the year, at least. It looks basic and unisex, with no frills or fussiness, and actually that’s rather refreshing. Sold.
Reviewer: AH
6 / 7
Cowshed Cowpit Deodorant Cream, £12 for 50ml
We give it: 8/10
The promise: "This herbal antiperspirant helps you feel dry and fresh"
Review: “I'm a huge convert to natural deodorants, and already a long-standing fan of the Aurelia product in this edit, so to be honest it's going to take something really amazing to push this off my top shelf. Cowshed puts up a very strong fight though- it ticks the natural and luxe boxes. Packed to the brim with essentials oils such as peppermint, spearmint and lemongrass, the scent is incredibly refreshing and does in fact banish any unwanted odour that might otherwise set in during the day. The soothing aloe vera and shea butter really work to condition the delicate underarm skin too. The pump style bottle is easy to use, and it's going to last you awhile as you only need a small amount. I'd definitely continue using but it doesn't quite have the quick drying effect I'm after in the morning or post-workout - after application it takes a little while to dry fully and it feels a bit sticky. Cowshed also offers a spray version as opposed to the cream variety, so I may give that a shot next to see if we get on a little better!”
Reviewer: SM
7 / 7
Native Unearthed Activated Charcoal Deodorant Balm, £6.99 for 60ml
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The promise: “A non-sticky, stain free natural deodorant providing all day extra dry odour protection.”
We give it: 10/10
Review: “Having moved away from deodorants containing parabens or aluminium for the recognised health benefits a few years ago I’m always keen to try new contenders to help keep my pits odour free. This is the first time I’ve tried a balm deodorant and I am pleasantly surprised by how well it performed. It contains both shea butter and coconut oil which gives it a nice creamy texture that melts easily into the skin, drying pretty much on impact so you can get dressed straight away. There are no heavy perfume smells just a very light waft of soothing lavender. I would recommend removing from the pot with a spatula rather than your fingers as I was left picking balm out from under my nails when I tried the latter!
I’ve been using this balm for several weeks now and it’s totally lived up to it’s promise as it’s kept me fresh and dry for the whole day. I’d be interested to see if it performs as well in the summer months but for now I’m pretty much won over. At only £6.99 for 60ml it’s great value for money compared to some of the alternatives on our list especially as I found a little went a very long way.’’
Reviewer: KB