The 10 Best Natural Deodorants Without Baking Soda For Sensitive Skin


Ah, natural deodorant: a category that comes with mixed feelings. But once you find the one? It's like you've found The One.
But not only is natural deodorant a hard category to start with, but for those with sensitive armpit skin, there's another layer of frustration: You need to find one that works for you smell-wise and one that doesn't have any potentially irritating ingredients.
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The biggest culprit is baking soda. (It actually has to do with pH: Baking soda has a basic pH; your armpits have an acidic. Combing the two causes irritation.)
Given this article is about people with sensitivities, I'm going to avoid the ingredient entirely. So you won't find the ingredient in any of the below.
But that's not the only thing that's potentially irritating. Some people are sensitive to fragrance (natural or otherwise) and essential oils.
Also: You can have sensitivities to any number of ingredients—aloe, clay, coconut oil—even if they're not common concerns for most.
So it might take some guess-and-test to find one that's right for you. And as always, spot-test first. It's a good rule of thumb for anyone but vital for those with sensitive skin.
But rest assured, you'll love these options.
Meow Meow Tweet Unscented Baking Soda Free Deodorant Cream
If your pits are as dry as they are sensitive, reach for a rich cream option. This is made with botanical oils and butters to condition the skin and soothe any inflammation. The blend that keeps you fresh is an arrowroot powder, and magnesium hydroxide.
Unscented Baking Soda Free Deodorant Cream, Meow Meow Tweet ($14)

type:A Deodorant
This innovative deodorant comes in a squeezable tube for hands-free application. (Read: Even though the formula is creamy, you don't need to apply with your hands.) The deodorant works via a blend of spirulina and charcoal, and the actives are released slowly throughout the day for maximum effectiveness.
Deodorant in Fresh Rain & Bergamot, type:A ($12.99)

Routine Baking Soda Free Cream Deodorant
This cream uses dietary magnesium, which is a mineral that if you're not getting enough of can actually cause your sweat to smell worse. It then uses a blend of essential oils to help you in check.
Baking Soda Free Cream Deodorant, Routine ($28)

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Hume Deodorant
This natural option contains biome-friendly probiotics to help balance the delicate skin microbiome in the armpits. The base is with hydrating coconut, as well as algae which contains minerals to help soothe and strengthen the skin.
Deodorant, Hume ($14)

Laino Panama Alum Stone
This comes highly recommended by a co-worker, who swears by its efficacy. It's made entirely of alum crystal, which works by preventing bacteria on the body from breaking down sweat (the cause of odor). It's also hypoallergenic, preservative-free, and fragrance-free. The only catch? It's a European-based brand, so it might take a bit of Googling around to order it (the link below works, don't worry). Or a flight to Paris.
Panama Alum Stone, Laino ($18.50)

Schmidt's Natural Deodorant for Sensitive Skin
A great drugstore option, Schmidt's is the classic natural deodorant choice—and with a more affordable price point. It's also perfect for people who enjoy a more standard-feeling deodorant stick: It feels just like a traditional option, just better.
Natural Deodorant for Sensitive Skin, Schmidt's ($9.58)

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Ursa Major Base Layer Deodorant
This baking-soda-free version of their bestseller comes loaded with all the super-active ingredients in the original, just better for people with easily irritated skin. Kaolin clay is a super-gentle clay that helps absorb moisture. Aloe soothes and hydrates. Saccharomyces ferment is a probiotic enzyme that helps eliminate odors.
Base Layer Deodorant, Ursa Major ($18)

Corpus Natural Deodorant
This avoids all the regular nasties (aluminum, parabens, talc, and so on), but what makes it work for sensitive skin is that it is also baking-soda-free. Unlike many on this list, this is scented (pretty wonderfully scented, I might add! I wrote about another fragrance in the collection this summer, and California is their newest). So this option works for people who have sensitivities to baking soda but are fine on the all-natural fragrance front.
Natural Deodorant in California, Corpus ($24)

nakd. Thai Crystal Deodorant
An almost five-star review on Amazon for a natural deodorant? That's quite impressive. It's made with natural mineral salt, comes with no added fragrances, and won't stain shirts like many deodorants tend to. It does come with strict application instructions: Wet the stone with a few drops of water, rub it on the skin for 60 seconds, let it dry, and repeat on the other.
Thai Crystal Deodorant, nakd. ($19.99)

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Native Sensitive Deodorant
I'm a fan of this brand's regular line and have heard rave reviews of their baking-soda-free options. Plus, they come in many of the classic scents that consumers love from the brand (Coconut & Vanilla and Cotton & Lily being the most popular). But if you're really sensitive, you might consider the fragrance-free option here.
Sensitive Deodorant, Native ($13)

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Alexandra Engler is the Beauty Director at mindbodygreen. She received her journalism degree from Marquette University, graduating first in the department. She has worked at many top publications and brands including Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Allure.com. In her current role, she covers all the latest trends and updates in the clean and natural beauty space, as well as travel, financial wellness, and parenting. She has reported on the intricacies of product formulations, the diversification of the beauty industry, and and in-depth look on how to treat acne from the inside, out (after a decade-long struggle with the skin condition herself). She lives in Brooklyn, New York.