I Fell for a Viral Instagram Natural Deodorant Ad & Have No Regrets
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TMI: I had shockingly intense BO when I was pregnant and after giving birth, due to all the hormonal changes. Turns out, along with the nausea, non-stop pelvic pain, and heartburn, you really stink—and it gets worse once the baby arrives too! I’ve always used whatever drugstore antiperspirant was on sale—usually all of it worked—but pregnancy made me re-evaluate a lot of the skincare and bodycare ingredients I slather all over my body.
The Instagram algorithm immediately detected my inclination toward cleaner beauty, and I started getting ad after ad for lotions, lipsticks, perfumes, nail polish, serums, retinol-alternatives—and deodorant. Specifically, Salt & Stone aluminum free luxury deodorant. Ads for this natural deodorant option took over my daily scrolls, and I finally caved and tried it.
Total fragrances: 5
Key ingredients: prebiotics (for skin balance), spirulina (soothes), antioxidants (protects skin from outside exposure and irritants), niacinamide (supports the skin barrier)
Salt & Stone deodorants have an ingredient list I felt good about. Even though the connection between aluminum and health issues like breast cancer and Alzheimer’s are murky, I decided to err on the side of caution and go with a deodorant (as well as other skincare products) with the least amount of chemicals.
My daughter basically lived in my arms—when she wasn’t taking contact naps, I would wear her strapped to my chest. Deodorants with harsh chemicals and any kind of strong perfumes were out of the question, especially since she had really sensitive skin as a newborn. Salt & Stone is free from aluminum as well as parabens and phthalates, yet promises performance. While going fragrance-free was probably the better option, I was too scared to skip out on perfume and fragranced deodorant. Salt & Stone’s fragrances are on the more subtle side, so I decided to give it a go.
Once I made the switch to Salt & Stone deodorant, I told my husband to brace himself: “I think my pits are gonna stink for awhile until my body gets used to a natural formula.” However, I was pleasantly surprised when not only did I not smell bad, I actually smelled really, really good. Bergamot & Hinoki has these fresh, citrus notes that are slightly floral (the bergamot) with an undercurrent of woodsiness (hinoki). It’s one of the most sophisticated fragrances I’ve ever worn—whenever I’m wearing it, I always get questions about which “perfume” I use. Plus, I didn’t notice my daughter having any kind of reaction to the formula or fragrance. Wins all around!
As far as application goes, Salt & Stone also checks off that box. Sometimes natural deodorants go on chalky, but not this one, luckily (I own a lot of black tops, so that would have been tragic). Thanks to a shea butter and sunflower seed oil-forward formulation, the stick goes on smoothly and almost sheer. There’s a tiny bit of transfer throughout the day, especially if you have to reapply (more on that in a sec), but nothing to the degree of damaging clothing or being noticeable.
Lastly: The staying power is really impressive for a natural deodorant. I do have to re-apply once or twice throughout the day (I’m not gonna lie and say I smelled fresh for 48 hours), but considering I first started wearing Salt & Stone last August—the hottest month in Los Angeles—right after giving birth, I think the actual functionality of this formula is A+.
Tl;dr: If you’re looking for a beautifully fragranced natural deodorant that’ll keep you fresh during the hottest, sweatiest moments of the year, give Salt & Stone a shot.
