The short answer: yes, a deodorant can control odor without baking soda or aluminum. Ours uses two odor fighters: magnesium hydroxide neutralizes the acids that cause odor, and zinc ricinoleate traps odor molecules. Both sit in a grass-fed tallow and shea base we make by hand in College Station, Texas. It controls odor; it does not stop sweat.
Where odor comes from
Sweat has almost no smell on its own. Odor starts when the bacteria on your skin break sweat down into sharp-smelling acids and sulfur compounds. Every deodorant is a different answer to that one problem.
I pay close attention to those answers for a personal reason. One deodorant I used gave me what looked and felt like chemical burns under my arms. It's a big part of why I read every label, and why ours is built the way it is.
What other deodorants use
None of these is wrong for everyone. Each is a trade-off.
- Aluminum salts (antiperspirants) plug sweat ducts for a while. They're acidic, can sting freshly shaved skin, and cause yellow shirt stains.
- Baking soda neutralizes odor acids, but it's strongly alkaline. Healthy skin is mildly acidic, and daily use can wear down the underarm barrier. For some people that means redness, stinging, a rash or darkened patches.
- Alcohol kills bacteria fast but can sting and dry the skin.
- Propylene glycol gives conventional sticks their glide and is a known contact allergen for some people.
- Synthetic fragrance covers odor rather than removing it, and is one of the most common causes of skin reactions to cosmetics.
- Acids such as mandelic or lactic acid lower skin pH so bacteria are less comfortable. They can sting on shaved skin.
What we use instead
- Magnesium hydroxide. A plain mineral, the same one in milk of magnesia. It neutralizes odor acids like baking soda does, but it barely dissolves, so it works gently on the skin's surface.
- Zinc ricinoleate. Made from castor oil. It grabs odor molecules and holds on to them instead of covering them up. Most natural deodorants don't use it.
- Kaolin clay and arrowroot. They absorb moisture. Kaolin adds slip; arrowroot leaves a dry finish.
- Grass-fed tallow, shea butter and a little coconut oil. The base. Tallow softens against warm skin, which is where the glide comes from, so there's no need for propylene glycol.
- Beeswax holds the stick together, and a little vitamin E keeps the fats fresh.
Scented sticks carry essential oils at 1.25%, and every oil is listed on Our Scents. Bare has none.
Not in it: baking soda, aluminum, exfoliating acids, triethyl citrate, propylene glycol, added alcohol or synthetic fragrance.
Questions we get
Does it work in Texas heat?
It's made and tested here. The odor control holds up; you'll still sweat, because it's a deodorant, not an antiperspirant. Store it below 80°F so the stick stays firm.
Is it good for sensitive skin?
It's built for people who react to baking soda, but no product suits everyone. Patch test on your inner arm first, and start with Bare if fragrance bothers you.
How do I apply it?
Hold the stick against clean, dry skin for a few seconds to soften it, then two or three light swipes. Coming off antiperspirant? Read what to expect when you switch.
Where is it made?
By hand, in small batches, in College Station, Texas. You can also find us at local markets.
Shop our tallow deodorant, or try a $6 travel mini first.
Carolyn Rosser, founder