Does natural deodorant really work?

The journey to find a great natural deodorant that works can be an arduous one – because let’s be honest, a lot of them don’t seem to do their job. And what’s the point in buying a natural deodorant if it doesn’t actually negate body odour? That’s just wasted cash and nobody has time for that.

So why do so many people switch to natural deodorant? And is there actually a natural deodorant that works? We spoke to Annabelle Personeni, A'kin’s Botanical Chemist, to find out.

Natural deodorant vs regular deodorant – what’s the difference?

“Natural deodorant is gentle on the skin and respects the skin physiology,” says Annabelle. “In comparison, a regular antiperspirant interferes with the natural skin processes by blocking sweat ducts.” So rather than stopping you from physically sweating like a regular antiperspirant spray does, a natural deodorant will work on the odour of sweat.

The base of the formulations of true natural deodorants are generally also as gentle and as eco-friendly as possible, without nasties like ethoxylated solubilisers. Some natural deodorants, such as the A'kin Geranium & Cedarwood Natural Deodorant, are also formulated without zinc based actives, which makes them more biodegradable and therefore better for the environment. So no nasties for you or the earth – win, win!

How does natural deodorant work?

You might be surprised to know that the sweat your body releases to cool down on a hot summer day or after a strenuous workout doesn’t smell. “Sweat has no scent but offensive malodour occurs when skin's natural bacteria start degrading it,” explains Annabelle.  “It’s the by-products of sweat that cause malodour so a good deodorant will reduce the degradation of sweat by bacteria, then cover any possible malodour.”

The A'kin Geranium & Cedarwood Natural Deodorant provides the perfect natural odour-neutralising solution thanks to the natural active in the formula, which slows down the ability of bacteria to degrade sweat. The environmentally-friendly alcohol in the formula also helps to reduce the quantity of bacteria on the skin, while natural essential oils emit a beautiful aromatic fragrance to cover the possible residue malodour.

Is there really a natural deodorant that works?

Now you know what natural deodorant is, we’ve come to the million dollar question – does it actually work as well as regular antiperspirants? According to Annabelle, it does. “There is no reason to say that natural deodorant is less effective than a non-natural deodorant,” she says. “The efficacy of a deodorant is generally dependant on the concentration of the actives and the fragrance. So whether it works does not depend on how natural it is.”

So if you’ve been looking high and low for a natural deodorant that’s worth opening your purse for, you can call off the search – because yes, we’ve found a natural deodorant that works. It’s the A'kin Geranium & Cedarwood Natural Deodorant and it’s about to become your new handbag essential.

Not only is it a natural deodorant in an easy-to-use spray formula that can be used on the whole body (perfect for touching up throughout the day!), it also smells amazing – the aromatic blend of Geranium, Cedarwood and Patchouli oils are not only great for odour control but they can also have an aromatherapy-based calming and uplifting effect. Plus, it’s not powder-based so you can forget about those unsightly white marks.

I’m obsessed and can’t stop using it! Check out my full review here .Want to pick one up for yourself? The A'kin Geranium & Cedarwood Natural Deodorant is exclusive to Priceline, so run, don’t walk. If you'd like to find out more about the A'kin Geranium & Cedarwood Natural Deodorant, click here.

Have you tried natural deodorant?