Over the last month, I have put my pits (and possibly my coworkers) through the ringer, and I’m not sorry. I have been wanting to make the switch to a natural deodorant for quite some time, but have been holding on to these preconceived ideas about natural deodorant; namely, that it doesn’t work and I am going to smell like a woman named Harmony Moon, with long hairy pits, on tour with Phish, and no shower. Kinda, sorta, not really – but kinda. In truth, I don’t know really what I expected, but I didn’t expect the outcome to be so positive. Because there are so many brands out there, I based my brands on those that had a lot of good reviews already. I have never wore natural deodorant before and I don’t (or didn’t) know any of my friends that used the stuff. So really, I winged it. In order to be fair, I tried each brand for a whole week, regardless if it worked or not. This is what I found:
1. Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant (Bergamot + Lime)
Initial Impression: Packaging looks like any other mass market deodorant; however, the company also sells the little glass pots that are much cuter, as long as you don’t mind rubbing your pits (I don’t). I immediately loved the smell, not Pine-soly, but fresh. Happy. The smell lasted throughout the day, and the application was fairly smooth, though the immediate slippery-wet feeling after it is first applied took a bit of getting use to.
Size: 3.25 ounces
Cost: $10.24
Final thoughts: Overall, this deodorant set the bar really high. I bought this deodorant first and naturally defaulted to the stick option, but I think I will try the jar next time after using some of the other jar brands. I didn’t have any issues with sensitivity, though Matt tried it and had a reaction (inferior genes); Schmidt’s does offer sensitive skin formulas as well. I put the deodorant on in the morning, and reapplied it after my workout, but never smelled bad. I will say, I think the wetness absorption claim is a lie. False. Completely untrue. While working out, I was very aware of the copious amount of liquid coming from my pits, it just smelled… good. I don’t know that I would recommend wearing this if it is really hot out and you were in a silk shirt or something (you dummy), but I would say that holds true for anything without an antiperspirant, natural or otherwise. I was actually a bit sad to move on after this one, but I can’t wait to try some of their other fragrances.
Overall grade: 9/10
2. Primal Pit Paste (Thyme + Lemongrass)
Initial Impression: Packaging was nice, not good nor bad, but the smell was definitely memorable. While I love lemongrass and thyme, this was much; the stick smelled like it belonged in an overly fragrant candle and not in my pits. It didn’t smell bad necessarily, I just smelled like it needed to be softened. In addition, it kind of feels like a rough cat tongue as its applied.
Size: 2 ounces
Cost: $12.45
Final thoughts: I didn’t love it, but I do think it might be worth trying a different fragrance. If you like the smell, then I would say that it was mostly effective at masking any unpleasant odor, though at the end of the day the lemongrass might have been more of a lemonish weed. I did feel like it was a bit sticky for the first 5-10 minutes of wearing it, but that seemed to go away. I did not have any issues with rash or irritation, just simply that it was rough going on and I was happy when the week was over. Bleh.
Overall grade: 6/10
Initial impression: This was my first experience with using a deodorant cream, and it took some getting use to, but I actually like it. I like that I feel like I can massage it in, instead of just rubbing it on the surface of my skin. I think the packaging is cute and I appreciate that the art feels like someone sat and doodled a logo, instead of a more impersonal one. I guess that just makes me feel connected with the maker somehow, or I could be waaaay too sentimental about this. Whatever. Anyhow, I am not quite sure what the smell is other than I really like it. The jar says bergamot, black pepper, citrus, and sage, but none of those smells hold the overwhelming majority. While the cost was a bit high for only getting 2 ounces, a little really goes a long way.
Size: 2 ounces
Cost: $18.50
Final thoughts: I really-really liked this one, except for the fact that it only mostly works. I actually bought this small travel size pot with the larger one and it has saved my ass more than a few times. If I didn’t reapply this in the late afternoon, I would offend myself by dinner. There were a few moments over the course of the week that I felt a little chewy, but I kept that little pot in my purse and it was no big deal. I think this one would have been my number one, if it hadn’t been for that fact.
Overall grade: 8.5/10
4. Meow Meow Tweet (Tea Tree)
Initial impression: Love the packaging, hate the name. HATE THE NAME! How can I talk seriously to anyone about a deodorant called Meow Meow Tweet? I have read others review regarding the smell as being “herbal” and “minty” but I will tell you flat out, it smells exactly like paint thinner. The cream goes on smooth and I didn’t notice being more wet or sticky than the others.
Size: 2.4 ounces
Cost: $18.00
Final thoughts: I could not get passed the paint thinner pits. I don’t see how others haven’t made this connection, but it could not be more blatant. On top of that, I felt like the jar wouldn’t last very long. I would be willing to try some of the other fragrances, but wasn’t impressed by this one for the price.
Overall grade: 6/10
