8 Cruelty Free Deodorants Putting You (And Fauna) First
Want cruelty free deodorant that’s good for you, better for our planet, and better for all our furry friends?
No sweat!
Like most skincare products, conventional deodorant is often tested on animals in ways that would make you embrace your au naturale scent for the rest of your life.
Fortunately, saying NO to B.O. doesn’t have to harm an animal as these cruelty free deodorant brands are proving.
PiperWai was one of the first to experiment with armpit activated charcoal, they provide all the essentials for making the switch to natural deodorant.
In addition to being vegan and cruelty free, Meow Meow Tweet’s deodorant comes in adorably designed compostable cardboard tubes or reusable glass jars.
For those in the UK, small batches and a Cruelty Free International certification help The Natural Deodorant Co. keep you ethical and fresh all day long.
If you want to make like a bunny and hop to our considerations for ethical beauty and body care, head here.
*This post contains affiliate links
QUICK LINKS FOR THE BEST CRUELTY FREE DEODORANT
1. PIPERWAI
PiperWai’s Cruelty Free Deodorant
Activated charcoal is apparently the new black.
We’ve seen a recent uptick of activated charcoal in every type of product— from ethical underwear to vegan toothpaste.
PiperWai was the first brand to harness the humidity-controlling powers of charcoal in a deodorant. When they first introduced their charcoal-based deodorant on Shark Tank, they asked (and answered):
“Been trying natural deodorants but haven’t found “the one” yet? Hi. We’re the one.”
It all started with their original deodorant cream, a creamy paste you rub in with your hands or an applicator tool.
But since not everybody liked the idea of deodorant fingers, they created a cruelty free deodorant stick, too.
Both types of cruelty free deodorant are pH-balanced, absorbent, and invisible. You won’t find any harmful ingredients, aluminum, or synthetic fragrances.
You will find cocoa seed butter, tea tree oil, witch hazel, and other natural ingredients from Mother Earth’s medicine cabinet.
For anyone worried about the skin-irritating potential of baking soda, theirs contains a minimal amount, which is shown to not cause irritation in most people.
If you need to level up to deal with your post-workout pits, they also have an Underarm Oil to support your often-neglected underarm region.
While the deodorant currently comes in a virgin plastic stick, they’re selling through remaining inventory then switching to recycled packaging.
About PiperWai
PiperWai has been busy redefining everyday hygiene essentials so we can heal our Earth by changing what we put in our bodies.
Everything sold by the brand is certified vegan and cruelty free, and doesn’t contain toxic ingredients or common pollutants found in traditional body care products.
Their products are also shipped using earth-friendly packaging—like aluminum, post-consumer recycled content, and recycled Ocean Waste Plastic. By using plastic waste found in the ocean, jobs are created and 85% less energy is consumed in making these fully recyclable containers.
The containers are manufactured abroad, but the deodorant formulas are made in the U.S.
Say goodbye to stinky pits and social injustices with this Black and female-owned company. Their products value diversity, and gender-neutrality.
Available: PiperWai
2. MEOW MEOW TWEET
Meow Meow Tweet’s Cruelty Free Deodorant
Here’s a no-fuss effective cruelty free deodorant from Meow Meow Tweet.
It’s vegan, plastic-free, biodegradable, cruelty free, handmade, and palm oil-free.
Many of the ingredients are certified organic and / or fair trade.
You can choose between glass-housed deodorant creams or a traditional deodorant stick that comes in a compostable cardboard tube. Both come in baking soda-free options.
There’s also an Underarm Primer helpful for those transitioning to non-aluminum deodorants.
About Meow Meow Tweet
In addition to deodorant, MMT also makes soaps, facial care, and body care products (think organic and natural face wash, zero waste lip balm, and much more).
The company is now Plastic Negative Certified thanks to a partnership with rePurpose Global.
All products are designed to be able to be used in multiple ways. For example, their deodorant cream is equally good for feet and a smelly decolletage area.
Meow Meow products are Leaping Bunny certified as cruelty free.
In addition to supporting our planet with eco ingredients in conscious packaging, the gender-neutral founders make gender-neutral products and regularly donate to several charities.
Available: EarthHero
3. THE NATURAL DEODORANT CO.
*Note: We have attempted to confirm policies with this brand but have yet receive a response.
The Natural Deodorant Co.’s Cruelty Free Deodorant
Looking for cruelty free deodorant in the UK?
The Natural Deodorant Co.’s was one of our personal faves when we lived in the UK. And their Clean Deodorant Balm is one of the best cruelty free deodorants regardless of where you live.
Choose between scents like Orange + Bergamot, Lemon + Geranium, Grapefruit + Mint, and Palmarosa + Mandarin, with an additional balm for men.
Magnesium is the principal smell-fighter, and other natural skin care ingredients like olive oil, arrowroot flour, candelilla wax, baking soda, and essential oils work their magic, too.
For those who can’t tolerate BO or baking soda, they also have a Gentle Deodorant Cream.
Their deodorant comes in a recyclable / reusable glass jar.
About The Natural Deodorant Co.
The Natural Deodorant Co. is all about creating the perfect natural deodorant.
The UK-based company also has a clear commitment to being cruelty free. Every one of their products (deodorant aside) is certified by the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny programme and never tested on animals.
Everything’s made in small batches in the UK with natural and organic ingredients. You won’t see any alcohol, preservatives, palm oil, or artificial fragrances here.
Available: Ethical Superstore
4. BAI-LI
Bai-li’s Cruelty Free Deodorant
How about a zero waste deodorant that’s also a vegan cruelty free deodorant?
Bai-li deodorant is packed full of animal-free ingredients like organic arrowroot starch, shea butter, coconut oil, and essential oils that yield scent combos like Lavender + Peppermint, Eucalyptus + Rosemary, Lemon + Bergamot, and Cedarwood + Sweet Orange.
An unscented option is available as well.
Additionally, these deodorants contain shelf-stable probiotics to not just cover up the stink from your Peloton sesh, but actually make your armpit biome healthier so they can take care of odors on their own.
About Bai-li
Bai-li = pure-beautiful.
This is what you get with the brand, thanks to their small-batch processing and use of certified ingredients.
Everything is made with love and never tested on animals. While not yet certified, they have a Leaping Bunny cruelty free certification in the works.
Aside from coming in a compostable paper tube, you’ll receive your baking soda-free deodorant in 100% recycled packaging.
Available: EcoRoots
5. ETHIQUE
Ethique’s Cruelty Free Deodorant
Trade baking soda and aluminum for wonder ingredients (including bamboo!), and you get one of Ethique’s solid zero waste deodorant blocks.
The bamboo is effective in absorbing up to 200% of its own weight in your oil and sweat (who woulda thought!). While the magnesium hydroxide takes care of bacteria, zinc oxide keeps inflammation down, and jojoba and sweet almond oil maintains soft and supple pits.
They have an Unscented formula—a cruelty free mens deodorant for those gentlemen who prefer understated—as well as Lime & Eucalyptus and Lavender & Vanilla options.
Everything comes in a recyclable / compostable cardboard box.
About Ethique
Ethique is undoubtedly one of the best ethical and sustainable body care brands.
They take care of it all, with vegan shampoo (and organic shampoo for babies), organic body wash, organic face moisturizer, zero waste laundry detergent, zero waste makeup remover, and zero waste cleaning supplies, all in a plastic-free bar form.
The Certified B Corp started revolutionizing our favorite household products in New Zealand, and have since begun operating out of the USA, too.
Throughout all of this, they’ve prevented the manufacturing of 11 million plastic bottles!
They also now donate 2% of all sales (whereas before they donated a portion of profits) to non-profit organizations, have an office powered by renewables, are certified Carbon Neutral, and plant a tree for every order.
Available: Ethique | Amazon | Holland & Barrett (UK) | Nourished Life (AU)
6. ALPINE PROVISIONS
Alpine Provisions’ Cruelty Free Deodorant
Alpine Provisions’ goal is to create the best natural cruelty free deodorants in terms of sheer effectiveness.
They have options for all types of skin and your pH levels, including charcoal deodorants, magnesium deodorants, and sodium bicarbonate deodorants—all of which come in intoxicating scents like Rosemary + Mint and Cedar + Sandalwood.
What is unique to these deodorants is that every formulation contains probiotics, which supports a healthy balance of bacteria to naturally keep B.O. at bay while supporting the 20 lymph nodes in your underarm.
Those with activated charcoal are extra absorbent since charcoal can extract up to 1,000 times its own weight in moisture. Magnesium works to neutralize odor-causing bacteria.
None of the formulations contain synthetic fragrances, chemicals, or alcohol.
All of the used ingredients are sourced “with respect for people, planet, purity (and armpits)”. While caprylic / capric triglyceride is used, Alpine Provisions has confirmed that it’s sourced from coconut instead of palm oil.
After recent steps to become plastic-free, the deodorant now comes in durable and recyclable paperboard tubes.
About Alpine Provisions
Their name might give it away, but this brand is based in Boulder, Colorado and inspired by a love of nature.
That’s why everything is sustainably sourced, mostly organic, petroleum-free, vegan and cruelty free (Leaping Bunny certified).
In addition to making changes to become totally plastic-free (which included switching to aluminum bottles for their shampoo and Castile body wash), the brand also keeps its footprint down by encouraging remote work.
They try to support others with the healing power of outdoor adventure by donating a portion of profits to provide scholarships for Colorado’s Outward Bound, which hosts immersive outdoor leadership experiences for underprivileged youth.
Available: Amazon
7. FAT AND THE MOON
Fat and the Moon’s Cruelty Free Deodorant
Fat and the Moon keeps it simple with just a single Deodorant Cream “for the full spectrum of stinky”.
With it, you’ll be neither stinky nor streaky (read: no white stains on your black eco friendly t-shirt).
Instead of artificial fragrances, black pepper, bergamot, clary sage, and citrus will provide a light but lush scent.
While their deodorant cream does contain baking soda, they also have a Sensitive Pit Cream in case you have a sensitive pH makeup.
This deodorant is cruelty free, palm oil-free, and comes in eco-friendly packaging (a glass jar). However, it is not vegan, because it does contain ethically-sourced beeswax.
About Fat and the Moon
To get to know Fat and the Moon, let’s break down their name.
They use a lot of fats (oils) in every product, which are all handcrafted to order using high vibe herbal ingredients that have been activated by the influence of the moon.
This type of healing is thanks to founder Rachel Budde’s family legacy in natural healing and herbalism.
To give back to the Earth, all of the ingredients used are ethically harvested, organically cultivated, or abundant—meaning that everything is “radically non-toxic”.
Everything comes in recyclable and reusable containers, too.
All of the potions from this brand are designed to be incorporated into self-care and self-love practices. They are applicable for all bodies, all genders, and all backgrounds (thanks to their affordable nature).
Whether you want to express yourself with bright blue organic eyeshadow, or just want some zero waste skin care, your purchase will help Fat and the Moon give back to a range of organizations who are doing heart-centered work, like blacktranswomen.org, Orenda Tribe, and The Okra Project.
Available: EarthHero
8. TRAIL BOTANICA
Trail Botanica’s Cruelty Free Deodorant
Does effective, natural and cruelty free deodorant feel like an impossible trifecta?
It’s not with Trail Botanica (formerly Apothecary Muse).
While they have Gentle (Wise Lemongrass) and Everyday (Trail Blazer and Awaken Adventure) formulations, the Righteous Rebel Advanced formulation is perfect for tossing in a backpack before a 4-day backpacking trip in 90°F weather.
Even with all that odor protection, you won’t have to apply aluminum, parabens, artificial fragrances, or palm oil to your precious pits.
Instead, many of the organic ingredients provide natural bacteria and moisture control in a gender-neutral, cruelty-free combination.
Once you’re ready for a new tube, just chuck the compostable cardboard one in your home indoor compost bin or industrial composter—in the latter, it’ll take just 90 days to fully compost!
About Trail Botanica
Trail Botanica is one of our favorite zero waste beauty brands, not least because of their zero waste sunscreen and non-animal, cruelty free deodorant.
Everything is handmade in a Pittsburgh studio using only high-quality ingredients to support the adventurer in all of us.
You can see the all-vegan raw ingredients that make it into this brand’s products—all of which have been wild-harvested or ethically sourced from people who share similar values about minimal environmental impact, fair trade practices, and giving back.
Founder Eryn dedicates her free time to supporting local organizations and teaches soap-making classes that are designed to be in inclusive and safe spaces for people of all races, genders, ages, and abilities to connect.
That’s when she’s not personally delivering local orders on her bicycle, that is. When mailing is a must, she uses plastic-free and reused packaging.
If you’re looking to support a woman-owned company that ticks all the boxes and also happens to be one of the best cruelty free deodorant brands, let this brand be your muse.
Available: Etsy
HOW WE FOUND THE BEST CRUELTY FREE DEODORANT BRANDS
We sniffed out these brands using our ethical beauty criteria, obviously first aiming to ensure they aren’t cruel towards animals—or our planet.
- Cruelty-free: Many deodorant brands apply deodorant directly to an animal’s underarms—or worse, apply the harsh chemicals to their eyes. We don’t need to harm or kill another living being to feel comfortable when raising our arms after a workout.
- Vegan (or a limited selection of ethically sourced animal products): Aside from one case of ethically sourced beeswax, all of these are cruelty free and vegan deodorants.
- Non-toxic natural & organic ingredients: You may have noticed these brands made totally natural deodorant without potentially harmful ingredients like aluminum. Aluminum, if you didn’t know, not only blocks our body’s natural ability to sweat (and hello our bodies do that for a reason!) but can build up to harmful levels over time.
- Palm oil-free
- Ethical ingredient sourcing policies
- Thoughtful packaging (recyclable, at the very least, but zero waste to get a green box in our book)
FINAL THOUGHTS ON CRUELTY FREE DEODORANT BRANDS
Your hunt for natural cruelty free deodorant that works shouldn’t involve a hunted and harmed animal.
With every swipe or push up of the compostable tube, you’re not only applying a natural, anti-bacterial, and health-supporting deodorant but your’e also taking a stand against unnecessary animal testing.
We probably (admittedly) still have friends who haven’t yet given the big bad deodorant brands the Axe—so do them a favor, share this article with them so that they know more suave and sustainable alternatives exist.
