For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been testing out natural deodorant vs my traditional roll on. I am a sweaty person and so a good deodorant is key – especially on the days where I run before work or walk from the station and do a quick shower or baby-wipe wash!

It is also very warm on the wards at the hospital I work at and the uniform/scrubs that we wear are NOT breathable.

Should you swap your deodorant for a natural version?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve read a number of articles over the years that have said that natural deodorant is better for your health. That the ingredients are ‘toxic’ – well according to this NY Times article, there is no definitive evidence that traditional deodorants are worse for you than natural versions. The American Cancer Society also reports that there is no evidence to support the rumour that antiperspirant causes breast cancer.

The difference between antiperspirant and natural deodorant is the aluminium content. Aluminium temporarily blocks sweat ducts to stop you sweating whilst natural deodorant won’t stop you sweating. Instead, they typically are made from ingredients that are designed to stop the growth of bacteria that causes the stink!

My reason to test out natural deodorant was more about the environmental side of things.

I tried out the Wild which use compostable refills made of natural fibre, and a reusable metal/recycled plastic dispensers. I’ll be honest, I’ve seen a lot of influencers testing it out and so when they emailed me to see if I wanted to give it a go, I was keen to actually put it to the test.

The refills are posted out on a subscription basis to ensure you never run out and can try a range of their seasonal or standard fragrances, depending on your preference.

Natural vs Roll-On Antiperspirant

To properly put the Wild deodorant through its paces, I used only Wild on one armpit for a week, and my usual Dove on the other one. I did the very scientific sniff-test after exercising/end of the day to see if the Wild did the job. I would say that given it’s November, it would probably be worth doing this test again in the summer or when abroad to see if it can withstand the heat!

The Wild deodorant went on smoothly and easily (I’ve read reports of coarse/textured natural deodorants which I would not be happy with!) and for the most part, lasted throughout the day smelling fresh!

My personal preference is for roll-on deodorant. I hate the ‘catch in the back of your throat’ you can get from spray, not to mention the risk of white staining on your clothes and body. And for the first few days I didn’t have an issue – however when putting on a black running top I noticed that some tell-tale white marks. I reached out to Wild who suggested waiting a little longer for the deodorant to dry before getting dressed, and simply wiping away the mark with a wet cloth (which did the job!)

Feedback from people on instagram suggested that it actually takes 2 weeks for your body to get used to natural deodorant which may explain why there were one or two occasions where I did smell after a busy day at work (although as mentioned, it’s could also have as much to do with the material of my uniform too as I’m pretty sure the roll-on didn’t last that day either). It may also be that what works for one person’s skin microbiota, doesn’t necessarily work for the next person. It may take a few different natural deodorants for you to find the right fit for your skin microbiome.

The Verdict….

I loved the smells of the Wild deodorant and I did find that it worked as well as my usual roll-on – in fact it smelt better than the neutral smell from the roll-on thanks to the variety of fragrances. I really liked the festive Pomegranate and Pink peppercorn.

BUT, if I was wearing a grey top anywhere, or any nice outfit that would show sweat, then I would probably stick to the antiperspirant to stop sweat patches. Or maybe double up to smell nice AND stop then sweat spread! Do you remember that advert years ago for Impulse where they didn’t want to lift their arms up because of sweat patches?? Yep, I want to avoid that being me in anything but sports kit!

Want to give Wild a try? They’ve given me a 25% discount code to share CHARLIE25 for the next 48 hours plus for every purchase made during Black Friday, they’ve teamed up with ONAMISSION to plant a tree with the aim of planting 50,000 trees as part of Project Wild Forest.