I don't even know what it is exactly about this deodorant but my customers are obsessed with it. It's a roll-on with the most amazing, almost nostalgic, 70s fragrance
Bicarb is in lots of natural deodorants. It's a very effective natural ingredient for neutralising odour and absorbing moisture. But it's not for everyone. Ever since I started selling our first deodorant paste back in the early days, I've had a handful of customers reach out every few weeks complaining of stinging underarms or a mild rash from the bicarb of soda. This was always more prominent if it was used after shaving or when first switching from a mainstream deodorant. The best natural solutions were either an underarm detox, or using a bicarb-free deodorant instead, or both!
Is bicarb safe in deodorant?
Yes. Bicarb, which is also known as sodium bicarbonate on the back of the label or baking soda in the kitchen, is slightly alkaline, and underarm skin is naturally acidic. So on some skin, especially freshly shaved or sensitive skin, the two can clash.
What does the work instead
Bicarb-free formulas use other odour neutralisers like milk of magnesia (which is magnesium hydroxide), which works by creating an environment that makes it hard for odour-causing bacteria to thrive. Other great alternatives include zinc, witch hazel, apple cider vinegar, which is great for balancing the pH, and tapioca or arrowroot to absorb moisture.
A note on shaving
Shaving leaves the underarms more reactive to anything we put on, so it's always good to wait 20 to 30 minutes after shaving before applying anything. I always shave at night and don't apply any deodorant until the morning.
5 great baking soda free deodorants
Black Chicken Remedies Axilla Deodorant Paste Barrier Booster
This is the bicarb-free version from Black Chicken Remedies. It uses magnesium hydroxide with shea butter, coconut oil and borage oil in the base. The scent is a fresh unisex blend of geranium, lavender, patchouli, nutmeg, ylang ylang, sandalwood and carrot seed. A pea-sized amount applied with the fingertips is all you need.
Biode Into The Earth Deodorant
This one uses magnesium hydroxide and apple cider vinegar together, with certified organic shea butter and coconut oil so it glides on smoothly. The scent is a really beautiful earthy blend of wild orange, Australian lavender, petitgrain, rosewood, juniper berry, ylang ylang, spearmint and cardamom. The push-up tube is home-compostable, which I love.
A bit Hippy Deodorant Patchouli
I don't even know what it is exactly about this deodorant but my customers are obsessed with it. It's a roll-on with the most amazing, almost nostalgic, 70s fragrance of patchouli, rosewood, bergamot, frankincense and geranium in a magnesium hydroxide base with hops extract and witch hazel.
No Pong Bicarb-Free Anti-Odourant
No Pong put their formulas through independent testing, a literal sniff test at 12 hours and again at 24 hours. The bicarb-free version uses magnesium, it has a light citrus scent that's easy to wear every day, and it comes in a recyclable metal tin.
Noosa Basics Natural Deodorant Spray Rose & Frankincense
If you love a spray, this one is small-batch crafted in Noosa using witch hazel, lactobacillus ferment and magnesium chloride, with rose geranium, frankincense, eucalyptus, tea tree, peppermint and sage essential oils. It's non-aerosol, it comes in a reusable metal bottle, and I love the Rose & Frankincense scent.
What is an armpit detox?
I've been selling natural deodorant for 15 years and I've had only a handful of customers notice any real adjustment when they switch from antiperspirant. And even then it's only a few weeks.
For these cases, the Black Chicken Remedies Detox My Pits mask is what I recommend. It's made with bentonite clay, diatomaceous earth, inulin prebiotic, aloe vera and kaolin clay. Mix it with water or apple cider vinegar, leave it for ten minutes and use it once or twice a week. The WooHoo Armpit Detox mask is another great option.
Want to know more about natural deodorant? I wrote a whole blog about how I Was Banned for Asking About Aluminium-Free Deodorant years ago, and how the industry has finally caught up.
About the Author
Irene Falcone is the founder of Clean Nectarine and co-host of The Lee & Irene Show. She started her first clean beauty business in 2011 with $100 in her garage and grew it to $20m in four years. She has spent over 15 years reading the backs of beauty and wellness labels, is a Telstra Business Women's Awards winner and an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, and has been featured on A Current Affair, The Project, Sunrise, Channel Nine Mornings and Sky News.
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