Natural deodorant or antiperspirant: what's the difference?
An antiperspirant blocks perspiration with aluminium salts, which tighten the pores. A natural deodorant blocks nothing: it works on the bacteria that turn sweat into odour. So you keep sweating, and that's normal.
If you are giving up an antiperspirant, the first few days can be surprising. I wrote out every step of the switch in my article on baking soda free deodorant.
The 5 things to check on the label
- The odour-fighting active. Baking soda works but is highly alkaline: it's the number one cause of irritation from natural deodorants. Magnesium hydroxide or oxide, triethyl citrate and zinc ricinoleate do the same job more gently.
- Alcohol. ALCOHOL DENAT. near the top of the list dries and stings, especially after shaving. Fatty alcohols such as BEHENYL ALCOHOL or STEARYL ALCOHOL are a different thing: they are fatty ingredients that give the texture.
- Fragrance. PARFUM and essential oils bring the allergens (LINALOOL, LIMONENE, GERANIOL...). If your skin reacts easily, choose an unscented version.
- Organic, and how it's counted. A label such as COSMOS Organic certifies the finished product. Without a label, organic ingredients carry an asterisk in the INCI. And brands don't all count the same way: as a share of the formula or as a number of ingredients.
- The stated lifespan. A €10 deodorant that lasts 3 months costs more per month than a €14 deodorant that lasts 6 months. Look at the weight and the lifespan, not just the price.
Comparison: 5 natural deodorants side by side
I make a deodorant, so I am not neutral. I noted the same criteria for four well-known French brands, picking each one's gentlest version or the one made for sensitive skin, straight from their own websites, on 21 October 2026. Every row links to its source, so you can check everything.
| Deodorant | Stated lifespan | Price per month | Odour-fighting active | Fragrance | Organic, as stated | Price and size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sternartica MineSolid deodorant, unscentedExcellent on Yuka | At least 6 monthsThe longest | €2.33 at mostThe lowest | Magnesium hydroxide, triethyl citrate, organic calendulaNo baking soda | NoneUnscented | 4 out of 6 ingredients Ecocert organic | €14.0050 g stick, cardboard tube |
| EndroBaume 48H, aloe scent | 3 to 4 months | €2.45 to €3.27 | Magnesium hydroxide, zinc ricinoleateNo baking soda | Fragrance, no essential oilsScented | Says « BIO », no percentage | €9.8050 g glass jar |
| RespireStick Fleur de coton | Not stated | Can't be calculated | Magnesium oxide, triethyl citrateNo baking soda | FragranceScented | Not stated | €11.9050 g refillable stick |
| Comme AvantBeurre de cacao, unscented version | Not stated | Can't be calculated | Magnesium hydroxide, triethyl citrateNo baking soda | NoneUnscented | COSMOS Organic certified | €10.9060 g, refills available |
| LamazunaSweet Blossom, sensitive skin | 3 months | €3.63 | Zinc ricinoleate, diatomaceous earthNo baking soda | Fragrance, no essential oilsScented | COSMOS Organic certified | €10.9030 ml |
My takeaway. None of these five deodorants contains baking soda: on that point they are equal. What changes is what you really pay, and what you put on your skin.
The real price is the price per month. A deodorant that is cheaper to buy is not necessarily cheaper to use. Based on each brand's stated lifespan, mine costs at most €2.33 a month, against €2.45 to €3.27 for Endro and €3.63 for Lamazuna. It also has the longest stated lifespan: at least 6 months for a 50 g stick, where the others state 3 or 4 months, or say nothing.
If your skin is reactive, look at fragrance first: only my unscented version and Comme Avant's unscented version have none. And mine is the only one of the five with organic calendula, which I chose for its gentleness on underarm skin, right after shaving. And it's rated Excellent on Yuka.
Rated Excellent on Yuka. At least 6 months, so €2.33 a month at most. No baking soda, no aluminium, no alcohol, handmade in Drôme Provençale. Free shipping from €40, a gift in every order, 4.97/5 from 155 verified reviews.
What I don't offer, to be complete. Comme Avant and Lamazuna carry the COSMOS Organic label; mine has no label on the finished product, but 4 of its 6 ingredients are Ecocert certified organic. Respire and Comme Avant sell refills; mine comes in a cardboard tube with no plastic, and since it lasts at least 6 months, two tubes cover the whole year. Prices, formulas and lifespans noted on 21 October 2026 on the brands' websites; they may have changed since.
Which one for sensitive skin or during pregnancy?
For skin that reacts easily: no baking soda, no alcohol near the top of the list, and no fragrance. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, many women also prefer to avoid essential oils. I explained what to look for in my article on deodorant during pregnancy. If in doubt, your midwife or doctor is the right person to ask.
Why I made mine this way
When I formulated my deodorant, I wanted a short list I could explain ingredient by ingredient: cocoa butter, magnesium hydroxide, triethyl citrate, rice bran wax, sunflower oil and calendula. No baking soda, no alcohol, and an unscented version for skin that tolerates almost nothing.
I pour it by hand in my workshop in Drôme Provençale. It also comes with palmarosa essential oil, for those who like a floral note.
