Why you should switch to natural deodorant - and the best ones on the market

As a fairly sweaty human being, I often feel anxious about the dreaded pit stains or having funky body odour.

Since puberty and into my adult life, I’ve only ever used conventional deodorants found in pharmacies and grocery stores, but my recent foray into natural deodorants with Schmidt’s Naturals products is a game-changer for me. I did have a short period where I was a little smelly after switching over, which is normal for most people when moving from a conventional deodorant, but since then I’ve smelled great and had a few people actually compliment the pretty rose vanilla smell of the product I moved to.

To chat more about natural deodorant, Yahoo Canada spoke to Jaime Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt’s Naturals about what makes their products unique and making the switch from conventional.

“One was just my personal frustration with the natural products that were on the market,” explained Schmidt. “It was always hard for me to find one that worked well which was definitely a shared frustration in the community. They just weren’t very effective, and so I decided to make my own. I really enjoyed it and I started taking my products to local markets and customers were just loving it from day one, they were responding really well and telling me that the product was changing their lives and that it was the first natural deodorant that had worked for them. It didn’t take long before I realized there was real business potential in what I was doing.”

Schmidt also says there are numerous misconceptions about the switch to natural deodorant.

“I think the first one is that natural deodorants just don’t work well,” she said. “We really wanted to make natural mainstream and through that we’ve made our products accessible. It’s a nice price point, we’ve said yes to every distribution channel which means that you’ll find us not just in natural food stores but also in mass, groceries, Costco, stores like that, so I really feel like we’re changing that misconception.”

She also says that the transition period is different for everyone.

“It’s very specific to the consumer,” explained Schmidt. “Everyone’s body is different and so people will respond differently. I’ve heard stories of some people that have switched to natural and maybe they have a more smelly period, some people that exhibit a little more sweating. There’s a theory that if you’ve been using anti-perspirant that your body needs to detox and get rid of the aluminum and with that process you might have some irritation so it really is a very personal experience.”

You can purchase Schmidt’s natural deodorants for $8 in Bergamot+Lime, Charcoal + Magnesium, Rose+Vanilla and Fragrance Free.

While I personally enjoyed Schmidt’s, every body is different - here are a few other of the top rated natural deodorants on the market.

PiperWai Activated Charcoal Natural Deodorant

Shopper review: “Best deodorant I have used so far. First time I can say that I can stay a whole day without smelling anything, and I have tried many natural ones...”

SHOP IT: Well, $16

Farmacy Freshen Up All-Natural Deodorant

Shopper review: “I haven’t tried any other natural deodorants before this one and I’m in LOVE! This actually makes my underarms feel fresh as soon as I apply it because if the cooling sensation.”

SHOP IT: Sephora, $20

Kaia Naturals The Takesumi Detox Charcoal Deodorant Sakura Blossom

Shopper review: “I first saw this product in a boutique and the store owner was saying that people have been raving about it! I love the delicate scent. I have used other natural deodorants in the past, but this one is great, and works better for me.”

SHOP IT: Well, $22

Biossance Squalane + Bamboo Deodorant

Shopper review: “This is a great clean and natural deodorant. It smells amazing, it glides on really smoothly, and the bamboo really does absorb sweat well. I feel like reading the negative reviews that people don’t realize you have to go through a detox where you smell and sweat a bit more when you switch from normal deodorants from the drugstore.”

SHOP IT: Sephora, $19

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