- Stick Up Natural Deodorant - Bentonite Clay, Arrowroot, Black Lavender - 3 oz

After trying many different kinds of natural deodorants looking for one that didn't cause me to break out in a rash, hives or other issues due to ingredients I was skeptical. Most natural deodorants use baking soda, which can cause skin irritation and a rash under the arms for some people, while most commercial deodorants you can guy in the store contain chemicals that I am allergic to. I have come accustom to using cornstarch powder most every day to prevent chaffing and during the colder months of the year I don't notice much BO smell (I wash regularly) Spring and Summer are difficult. I was skeptical at the price, twice as much as other ones I have tried that didn't work, but thought well if it doesn't have baking soda and it works then it might be worth it. I got a neutral smell (because if it didn't work my husband would inherit another stick of deodorant) and didn't want to stick him smelling like sun tan lotion. The other thing is I wanted to give it a try for a good month (which I am glad because so far we've had a couple weeks of 80 degree sunny weather for the Pacific North West) First thing I found was the smell was very nice. Lavender I love because it's not overly floral or perfume in scent. It's nice and neutral and something my husband is willing to wear, and this one had a nice peppermint smell mingling with it, making it a lovely crispy clean smell. Then I read the instructions (Something I found with different natural products.) and then I put it on. What shocked me was the tingle, deodorant has never tingled. It wasn't unconvertable but it was alarming. I've used peppermint based shampoo's, conditioners and soaps and didn't have it tingle anything more then my face or scalp so under the arms was a bit off putting at first. When I realized it wasn't going to irritate my skin I thought it was kind of nice... The next was to see how long it lasted, would I need to reapply through out the day. Even on our warmest day with doing yard work I did not need to reapply. While it's a deodorant and you do still sweat, it kept my arms dryer then with out, and there was no unpleasant smell at all. It held up through the whole day with no need to reapply. My husband then decided he wished to get a stick of his own, and we ordered a second one. He too found the under arms tingle a bit odd... not unpleasant but different. He himself didn't need to reapply it either through out his days of using his. He loves the Black Rogue smell as well. Now I do recommend following the instructions, it's not just rub under your arms there are steps. And when they say using more is not nessisary the thing you want to do, they mean it. Not only will it smear everywhere and make a mess it causing the peppermint tingle to be a bit much. It washes off easy from your skin, but not so easy from your clothes. My final opinion is this deodorant is good for people who are looking for a non-baking soda based natural deodorant to use. It's nice for my skin allergies (and I have very sensitive skin) but beware if you have allergies to perfumes and heavy smells because the stick is very scented.

***UPDATED 5/4/20 TO SAY the plastic film around the outside of the tube has vanished. I bought the Black Lavender to give it a fair comparison against the White Lavender I love so much and it came with a paper safety seal sticker instead of the plastic film! YAY!!*** I ordered my first stick of this deodorant at the beginning of October 2019, and I'm still not out of it 6 months later. In fact, I think I have 1-2 months remaining. I can use WAY less than my old "natural" deodorants, which each lasted 2-3 months at the most and cost $8-10 each. I had been skeptical about ordering a stick of deodorant which cost this much, but it actually turns out to be cheaper than what I was using before! This is in large part due to the fact that the deodorant lasts 2 days before I need to reapply. I'm also in love with the fact that it has a fragrance and hasn't given me a rash. I have very sensitive skin, and am allergic to every artificial fragrance I've come into contact with - so this has been a welcome change! I have convinced my husband to try this also, and he has enjoyed the Black Rogue version. I tried it also, since the White Lavender can transfer some white to your clothes immediately after application (even with rubbing it in). It's easy enough to avoid, and not a deal breaker for me, but I wanted to try one of the Black versions to make informed future decisions. I didn't personally like the Black Rogue version as much. For me, it smelled a LOT stronger (Oils of Lavender, Bergamot, and Peppermint vs just Lavender in the White Lavender stick) and didn't seem to last as long. To be fair, I felt overwhelmed by the smell, and only tried it for a couple of days before deciding that one belonged to my husband - so it may have gotten better with time if I'd stuck with it. Now that the temperatures are coming into their full Texas Heat glory, we have been able to validate that we can both get to the point of "drenched in sweat" and still not stink. AMAZING! Like so many others, I wasn't thrilled that this product came wrapped in a plastic film...but I choose not to throw a fit about it. Compared to the plastic tubes I used to purchase (I would have gone through 2-3 by now!), the plastic "safety seal" wrap over a robust paper tube that I can compost when it's empty is a vast improvement. I think it's important to remember that unless you're shopping locally from someone who is handcrafting their products, it's VERY difficult to order something that produced no waste at any point. Heck, even then there would be no guarantee the seller didn't order something that came in plastic to make what you bought. Focusing on the things we can control is key; like the fact that *reducing* waste through our purchasing choices ultimately adds up to a big impact. "Zero Waste" perfection is too lofty a pursuit for most. I hope this company will find a way to "safety seal" these tubes without plastic down the line; maybe via paper tape? I also sincerely hope to find these locally some day! Keep growing, Primal Life - we need more companies like you! :)

I'm on my fourth tube. They last me about 6mo each. It took my body around two weeks to detox, and now I only have to apply it every third day. It does leave a whitish stain on my pits that doesn't go away after one shower, but I only have to apply a very thin layer and in a small area so that it's not noticable unless I'm wearing a tank and raising my arms. My wife has made her own deodorant out of most ingredients listed on this tube, but for some reason I smell VERY musky every time I try to transition to her deodorant. So I return to this product which relieves by body odor 100%. I like that the tube is completely bare out of what can be best described as dense cardboard. It does not work as smoothly as a plastic tube, but it's a minor inconvenience to reduce my use of plastic. I am very glad I found a product that works for me. I believe it may not work for anyone, as a lot of these natural products tend to be. But if it does not, don't lose hope!