The Musty Truth About Aluminum-Free Deodorant
My results after testing 5 aluminum-free deodorant brands
My relationship with deodorant has always been strained. When the temperature changes I start sweating. It doesn’t matter if the weather is blazing hot or freezing cold. Unfortunately, I also sweat profusely when I get nervous. No antiperspirant seemed to keep this issue completely in check besides the clinical strength ones.
“For the modern, middle-class North American, “clean” means that you shower and apply deodorant each and every day without fail.” — Katherine Ashenburg
At some point in my early 20s, I heard that aluminum-containing deodorants were linked to causing breast cancer. I didn’t investigate because everything seemed to cause cancer. I also wasn’t ready to switch from clinical strength antiperspirants as they were the only product that kept my sweat stains at bay.
Fast forward to my late 20s and I started taking my health seriously. It became my understanding that too much of anything can be damaging to the human body. Today there is much more info available about product ingredients. My favorite website to check before buying any beauty product is EWG.org. It has a database dedicated to keeping consumers informed about what they’re putting on their bodies. Each ingredient is given a rating based on scientific research.
Products typically cause issues after being used for prolonged periods and building up in your body. Because of that, I decided to make the switch to aluminum-free deodorant. I had been using aluminum-containing antiperspirants for over 15 years. My body needed a detox.
The first aluminum-free deodorant I tried was by accident. One day, I forgot to apply deodorant before work, so I picked up a travel-sized, cucumber and mint one by Native. I remember liking it at first and then feeling like it stopped being effective. Ultimately, I would sweat through it and be able to smell body odor coming from my pits. Smelling “bad” is taboo in the US, especially in the black community, so I swiftly decided to try a different brand.
“Americans are obsessed with odor and washing, Ashenburg writes. Magazine ads from the 1930s warned women that they could be spinsters forever if they had body odor.” —NPR
The next one I tested was the Mango Butter Deodorant by Nubian Heritage. I enjoy mango-scented products, so I thought it would be a good choice. Sadly, I was mistaken. Its sweet smell did not mask my funk well. Like the first deodorant I tried, this one worked for a bit (like a few hours) then would lose its effectiveness. I don’t like wasting products, so I used it up then switched brands again.
Schmidt’s Sensitive Skin Formula in Jasmine Tea was the next one I tried. I remember liking this one so much that I recommended it to my sister. We both love the smell of jasmine, so I thought it would be fun to have her test it out too. At first, she loved it. However, after a few weeks, she said it stopped working for her. I don’t remember it losing its effectiveness for me, but I wanted to find one that worked better for sweat regulation.
Next up was Tom’s of Maine Antiperspirant in Natural Powder. At the time, summer was quickly approaching and I figured since it was labeled an antiperspirant, it would help with sweat control. Unfortunately, it didn’t do much better than any of the other aluminum-free deodorants I tried.
It would tend to foam up and get on my clothes if I didn’t let my underarms dry completely before applying. Sometimes I felt like it made me sweat more. My mom even commented about being able to smell my body odor one time when I used it before visiting her. I felt embarrassed after that and wondered if my coworkers could smell my BO too. This led me to switch brands again before finishing the tube. Yes, it was so bad I broke my no-wasting rule. (I didn’t throw it out, but I’m pretty sure I won’t use it again unless I absolutely need to.)
Entertaining ads for the next aluminum-free deodorant I wanted to try kept popping up on Youtube. They featured a woman with a French accent claiming it could be used on underarms and private parts. If you guessed Lumē, you are correct. I bought the jasmine rose scent and have been using it for the last 2 months.
Lumē claims their deodorant keeps the stink away for 72 hours. It doesn’t do that for me. However, it does keep me smelling clean enough for 24 hours. I like the scent, though it smells mostly like jasmine. The formula doesn’t dry my skin out, and it’s pretty good at keeping my sweat in check too. (In case you’re wondering, I haven’t tried it for my private parts. I'm super picky about what goes down there.)
Out of all the deodorants I’ve tried, it’s the one I like the most. The price tag hurts a little at $15, but I’ve had it since December 2020. When I finally do run out, I will be repurchasing Lumē in a different scent (florals don’t seem to compliment my body odor).
The Takeaway
My journey with testing aluminum-free deodorants was long and sometimes embarrassing. I’m glad I made the switch, though. It taught me a lot about my body and the role society plays in my self-image. Body odor is natural, but Americans are taught from a young age to hide it at all costs. We’re taught that if we smell a little musty, we’re dirty and unkempt.
“Even more than in the eye or the nose, cleanliness exists in the mind of the beholder. Every culture defines it for itself, choosing what it sees as the perfect point between squalid and over-fastidious.” — Katherine Ashenburg
I learned to accept my body odor and not always worry about smelling “good”. I also learned how to regulate my temperature better, so that sweating isn’t as much of an issue. Because of Rona, I’m not leaving the house as often, so some days I don’t even wear deodorant.
Here are a few tips if you’re thinking about going aluminum-free:
- Learn to regulate your body temperature.
- Make sure your underarms are completely dry before applying deodorant.
- Go with scents that compliment your natural body odor.
- Try using a laundry detergent designed for eliminating odors instead of masking them. (Some deodorant companies claim that loss of effectiveness could be contributed to residual odor-causing bacteria in your clothes.)
- Keep cleansing wipes and deodorant with you in case you start smelling a little sweet while out and about.
- Try different brands until you find one that works for you.
Have you ever tried aluminum-free deodorant? If so, which one(s) and what was your experience?
