Brands like Mitchum deodorant for men, Jovan Musk deodorant, Nivea deodorant for men and others make up some of the top 10 deodorants for men. But as with everything else these days, there’s a push toward more natural products, organic ingredients and less consumerism. The push toward a simple life has led some people to give up many products they used for years. People are scrubbing with water and baking soda instead of bleach and scouring powder. Baking soda and vinegar have become staples of the natural home instead of things like ammonia and harsh chemical products. Some people have also chosen to go natural with their hygiene products like shampoos, makeup and deodorant for men and women.

Do Homemade Deodorants Work?

The answer to that question is a resounding yes, and a resounding no. Much of your opinion of these types of deodorants will be based on how important your current deodorant is to you. It will also depend on how much you sweat and how well your current deodorant and antiperspirant prevents you from sweating now. All that has to be balanced with how good it makes you feel to use a natural product. You might find that it’s worth any inconvenience, or you might decide that you’d rather use chemicals and purchase a commercially made product to get a better result, or at least one you are more familiar with.

Even the Best Deodorant isn’t Necessary

It’s important to remember that mens deodorant is not absolutely necessary. You will not die or become ill from not using deodorant. So, because it’s not technically an essential product, there is no specific brand you must absolutely use. Some people do not use deodorant because they have an allergy to the products, or they have other reasons for avoiding it. Chances are, they find other ways to stop body odor. That’s where natural deodorants come in. A common homemade natural deodorant is a mixture of equal parts baking soda and cornstarch. Make sure your underarms are completely dry and pat it on. When you sweat, you will most likely have a wet residue under your arms because this mixture absorbs a tiny bit of moisture while it neutralizes odor.

If your problem is the wetness of sweaty armpits, most likely the best homemade remedy isn’t going to do the job. Instead, look for an antiperspirant deodorant that contains only natural ingredients. It has to be an antiperspirant to stop the wetness as deodorant only controls odor. The problem is that even natural antiperspirants don’t work as well as those that contain aluminum salts. Aluminum salts are somewhat controversial because some researchers claim they’re linked to things like Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer, but there is no definitive proof of this yet. There are, however, a number of aluminum free deodorants on the market.

Natural Deodorants and Sweating

Some natural deodorant for men products contain some aluminum and those will work a little better at stopping wetness. Usually, they boast that the aluminum they use is safe because it’s too big for your skin to absorb. That’s a pretty good sign it’s not going to work because antiperspirants rely on aluminum getting into the ducts that sweat travels through and swelling them shut. If the aluminum particles are too big to be absorbed, they’re essentially useless in an antiperspirant.  So, while you may be able to find deodorant without aluminum on the store shelves, you need to understand that it may not be very effective against excessive armpit sweat.

When the time comes for you to decide what the best deodorant for men in your life is, whether you choose a commercial product or homemade deodorant, make sure to test them in one small spot of your armpit for at least a day before smearing them on liberally, in case you do have a skin reaction to the products.

Is it really possible to get away from commercial brands of deodorant for men and use something natural instead? A stick or spray can of deodorant isn’t that expensive, so you might wonder why you should even worry about changing? And do those natural deodorants really work, or are they just hype like so many other natural products that don’t do the same quality jobs as chemical ones?

Many of the popular brands like Speed Stick, Right Guard, Mennen and Axe contain a variety of substances that range from known neurotoxins to those that are controversial because they’re suspected of causing problems. Some brands like Nivea deodorant for men and other Nivea products use far fewer of these types of ingredients and often use none of them, even offering all-natural options for people with sensitive skin. But most main brands contain essentially the same ingredients as all the others.

Men’s Antiperspirant Ingredients

And one of the most common ingredients in antiperspirants and some deodorants is aluminum salts. There are several different aluminum elements that appear in these products because the aluminum salts can keep you from sweating. The deodorant or antiperspirant you buy could be up to a full 25% aluminum. There have been studies that suggest aluminum is connected with things like Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer. The connection isn’t proven, however, so the products are still available and deemed to be safe.

Choosing Natural Deodorants for Men

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The Particular Man
The Rock Natural
Mineral Rock
Deodorant
(Unscented),
3.5-Ounce

If you’re concerned about smearing these toxic chemicals and potentially dangerous ones on your skin and absorbing them every day, you can switch to a natural deodorant. Sometimes the natural products don’t make the best antiperspirant, and certainly don’t stop wetness anywhere near as well as the aluminum can. But a little peace of mind might be worth a little extra sweat.

Look for labels that state the lack of things like aluminum, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, triclosan, hydroquinone and anything with a name that contains benzene, methyl, ethyl or paraben. These are the elements that worry most researchers who fear that the products could be potentially hazardous.

Not Always Completely Natural

Don’t automatically trust a product just because it calls itself natural, however. Some so-called natural deodorants for men actually still contain various aluminums. Whether or not they’re dangerous is up in the air, but if you choose to avoid it, you have to be on the lookout for it. Many of these natural antiperspirants and deodorants contain it because it works so well. It actually goes into your skin into the tiny openings where the sweat would come out, and through a chemical reaction causes the opening to swell closed. This can sometimes irritate the skin and often accounts for people being unable to use certain types of deodorant for men. If you choose to avoid it, watch for things like deodorant stones that you rub on your armpits and deodorant crystals, as these often do contain aluminum.