The Best Eco-Friendly Plastic Free Deodorant

#GoneGreen2016 | Day 211 / 365

I’ve been wearing Lady Speedstick 24/7 for as long as my sweat has stank and frankly hadn’t considered another brand, eco or otherwise, until now … even when I was hired as a ‘real beauty’ model for Dove deodorant a few years ago, a print and tv ad that keeps one reappearing to shame me for my sins, I didn’t flinch, just kept on layering on the chemicals to my skin. 

It turns out antiperspirants are made up of chemical agents that reduce perspiration and sweating, while deodorants just mask the smell produced by sweat-eating bacteria. 

The three most commonly found health-harming ingredients in deodorants and antiperspirants are (and there are hundreds, maybe thousands of baddies, it varies with each conventional brand, these are just a few top ones, check the brand you use on EWG’s database to see the effects of the brands you use):

·      PARFUM which can trigger allergies and asthma and are also linked to cancer and neurotoxicity, they’re also harmful to fish and other wildlife.

·      SILOXANES used in a variety of cosmetics to soften, smooth and moisten, it is suspected to be an endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant which is harmful to humans as well as fish and other wildlife when washed down the drain.

·      PEGs, a possible cancer-causing human carcinogen which doesn’t readily break down when it washes down the drain or is disposed of. 

I’ve set ten requirements for any beauty product I use, and I’ve rated the best I’ve tried based on this system: (1) made with natural ingredients,  (2) palm oil-free, vegan, (3) cruelty-free, (4) free of nasty chemicals like aluminium, propylene, glycol, parabens and phthalates, and (5) their ingredients checked out on EWG, (6) being packaged in glass, refillable, biodegradable. (7) can share with my husfriend, (8) It works on me,  (9) ingredients were sustainably and ethically sourced and (10) brand practices philanthropy. 

You may need to try about two or three brands before you find one which works with your body chemistry, but just pass what doesn’t work for you on to a friend to have a god with. 

ECO ROOTS

Where to Buy? ecoroots.com

10 Point Green Beauty Rating? 10/10

SCHMIDTS

Where To Buy? Urban Outfitters OR Amazon

10 Point Beauty Rating: 9/10

NEAL’S YARD

Where To Buy? Buy Me Once

10 Point Beauty Rating: 9/10

ROUTINE

Eco + Ethical How? This brand run by my fellow Canadian compatriots offers both (1) vegan and non-vegan jars of deodorant formulated with (2) natural ingredients. It is (3) ethically crafted with the health of the planet and its inhabitants in mind by a set of sisters in Alberta Canada. There are no nasty ingredients like aluminium zirconium, aluminium chlorohydrate, parabens, triclosan, or propylene glycol and the ingredients they do use (4) check out on EWG’s website. It is, as they say on their site, tested on friends, not animals (5) and housed in reusable jars (6). They are (7) philanthropic too offering a portion of their sales to a number of giveback programs. My buddies at Selva Beat have written a glowing review of the product (8), and the product can be used by both sexes (9). This product is also palm-oil free (10) bringing it to eco & ethical perfection under my 10 point rating!

10 Point Beauty Rating: 10/10

Where To Buy? Amazon

Read Selva Beat‘s Review: HERE 

MEOW MEOW TWEET 

Eco + Ethical How? It’s a small-batch skin care company that creates (1) vegan products with (2) pure, all (3) natural and organic ingredients. All their products are made with organic, unrefined plant oils and butters, steam-distilled and cold-pressed essential oils and (4) organic and wild-crafted botanicals. It is Leaping Bunny cruelty-free certified. (5) They package all their goods in glass or PCW paper and are (6) palm oil free. Their products can be used by both sexes (7). All their ingredients, however, check out on EWG (8). Though I haven’t tried it myself, my blogger buddy Eco Cult gives it a positive review (9). I didn’t see anything about philanthropy on their company site, but again, I’m sure if I emailed them they’d not disappoint. 

10 Point Beauty Rating: 9/10

Where To Buy? Meow Meow Tweet Collections 

Read Eco Cult‘s Review: HERE 

FAT AND THE MOON

Eco + Ethical How? Handcrafted body care brand made up of (1) natural ingredients with recipes passed down from various healing traditions to craft innovatively simple products that are (2) good for the body and the earth. Her formulas contain beeswax which makes them not vegan (not really a problem for me, but is for some) but is (3) cruelty-free and palm-oil free (3). Their products aren’t tested on animals (4) and are packaged in glass (5). They can be used by both sexes (6) and have great reviews throughout the internet world as doing a bang up job (7). All their ingredients check out on EWG (8) and my Blogger buddy Selva Beat loves the brand and has tested in numerous times (9) so I’ll give them the point due to their review! Like all the other brands, I didn’t see anything about philanthropy on their sites, but I will email them to adjust the rating at some point! 

10 Point Beauty Rating: 8.5/10

Where To Buy? Amazon

Read Selva Beat’s Review: HERE 

UNCONVENTIONAL HIPPIE

Eco + Ethical How? My little sister, a yoga teacher / osteopathy therapist / masseuse has fallen in deep love with this super small brand from Ontario, Canada. She makes her beauty products in small batches using all (1) natural ingredients. I can vouch for my sister’s ‘scent’ and she said since making the switch to this brand she hasn’t had a moment of stench while treating her patients in the various sweat inducing ways she does (2). Her products are palm-oil free (3) and mostly vegan (4) and definitely not tested on animals (5)!. Her ingredients also check out on EWG (6). My sister’s Canadian airforce pilot partner uses the deodorant too (7), and he’s in a sweaty cockpit all day (. My only issue with this collection is it is housed in plastic, which I’m hoping as she grows she can adjust to. She’s just getting started so other than personal philanthropy I didn’t see anything about sharing her profits but I’m sure that will come!

10 Point Beauty Rating: 8/10

Where To Buy? Her Facebook Page

MAKE YOUR OWN

Eco + Ethical How? I’ve been slowly moving into making my own beauty products over the past year. We make our own toothpaste (I just went to the dentist today and no issues, she said she approves of the recipe too), I’ve started playing with body butter recipes and am planning on doign an Atelier with a local Parisian beauty product maker named Natalie Soa (I keep being out of town when she does her course!). By making your own you control every aspect of its creation, allowing you to choose organic, responsibly sourced, palm-oil free ingredients. You can make small batches just for yourself reducing your overall impact.

How To? Check out these Youtube DIYs

△ A portion of any profits made from affiliate links in this post will be donated to EWG for their hard work and research in protecting and informing us folk. 
△ photos my own