UrbanUpdate

For a long time, natural deodorants worked about as well as rubbing yourself down with a succulent. I know, because I tried most of them. Take Tom's of Maine. It's natural, yes, but it's not going to keep you from smelling like a guy named Tom who lives in Maine. Nothing worked like my trusty drugstore antiperspirant and its aluminum salts.

About that aluminum: The worry is that it might seep into your body and increase the risk of cancer. The American Cancer Society says that so far there is “little evidence to support this claim.” (You can tell your hippie aunt to stop forwarding those e-mails.)

But aluminum still plugs your pits. So, for the averagely sweaty guy, natural deodorant is now a no-brainer. The products on this page feel better on your skin, causing less irritation. Also, they don't leave your white T-shirts with massive yellow pit stains, like some antiperspirants do.

In an age when consumers pay for “natural” anything, savvy apothecaries have dialed up the potency, toned down the patchouli funk, and delivered us a bunch of solid (and liquid) options. Warning: It takes your body a couple of days to adjust—so don't give up after one sweaty day.

My favorite was Ursa Major's No B.S. ($18). Instead of using aluminum to plug the glands, this deodorant includes a hyper-absorbent clay from ancient rain forests to soak up moisture. Hops inhibit bacteria from teaming up with your sweat to produce what we in the business call Eau de Ew. The sweat will still come out, but it will be less vile. And since you're actually perspiring, you'll cool off more quickly, which is how the body is supposed to work!

Or you could try Schmidt's Naturals Charcoal + Magnesium ($10). Activated charcoal adsorbs (yes, adsorbs—basically, keeps in check) the sweat while magnesium helps neutralize bacteria as well as oil secreted by the body. It claims to smell like fallen rain, which is laughable until you get a whiff and it smells like...fallen rain.

And if you've never been all that sweaty to begin with, try Aesop's Herbal Deodorant ($35). It's perfect for people—like me—who spend ten hours a day in an office kept at 59 degrees. Denatured alcohol kills the stink-inducing bacteria. The rosemary, sage, and eucalyptus essential oils spray on like a nice cologne—one that stops the B.O. instead of just trying to mask it.

So the decision to go natural is easier than ever. You avoid yellow stains, cancer (maybe!), and, for the first time ever, smelling like nature's armpit.

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