Let’s be honest: animal testing is the pits. Looking for cruelty-free deodorant that’s good for you, better for our planet, and kind to all our furry friends? No sweat!
If you were wondering if conventional brands are tested on animals, sadly yes. Animal testing for off the shelf deodorant is done in ways that would make you embrace your au naturale odor for the rest of your life if you knew the hairy details.
And it’s no secret brands like Secret aren’t vegan, since they usually contain common animal byproducts like lanolin, animal glycerine, squalene, or static acid without specifying if they’re animal-derived or not.
That’s in addition to the slew of chemicals in conventional deodorant, like fake fragrances, parabens, and triclosan. It’s time to axe the Axe—but what deodorant is cruelty-free?
Lots of them! Saying NO to B.O. doesn’t have to harm an animal as these plant-based deodorants prove.
For a whiff of how we’ll be choosing these brands in the future, read about our Brand Rating System. Launching soon, it examines and ranks brands based on 22 impact criteria (think: ingredients, packaging, and sourcing channels) that you can details about here.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
The Best Cruelty-Free Deodorants to Say Goodbye to Odor Causing Bacteria & Animal Harm
Ethique’s vegan deodorant sticks are everything we want for our pits: convenient, waste-free, carbon-neutral, and of course, all natural.
In addition to being vegan and cruelty-free, deodorant from Meow Meow Tweet comes in adorably designed compostable cardboard tubes or reusable glass jars.
Index: Vegan Deodorant Brands
- Meow Meow Tweet Jump to brand
- Ethique Jump to brand
- EcoRoots Jump to brand
- PAPR Cosmetics Jump to brand
- HiBAR Jump to brand
Meow Meow Tweet
Meow Meow Tweet’s Organic Vegan Deodorant Sticks
Here’s a no-fuss effective vegan deodorant from Meow Meow Tweet, which is also a deodorant not tested on animals per their Leaping Bunny certification. Even more, its plastic-free, biodegradable, handmade, palm oil-free, aluminum-free, and filled with mostly organic and or fair trade ingredients.
Organic coconut oil, cocoa butter, and shea butter moisturize the skin, while arrowroot powder and baking soda absorb moisture and bad odors—with delightful essential oils to replace them with something sweet smelling. If your pit sensitivity extends beyond your compassion for animals, they offer a baking soda-free version.
We’ve tested them out and especially love the Eucalyptus Lemon scent. Its bright yet subtle scent is refreshing and earthy, making for a cruelty-free deodorant men and women alike can enjoy.
There’s also an Underarm Primer helpful for those transitioning to non-aluminum deodorants.
About Meow Meow Tweet
In addition to deodorant, this all-around sustainable beauty brand also makes soaps, facial care, and much more. Most products are designed for multi-usage. For example, their deodorant cream is equally good for pesky foot odors or the décolletage area.
MMT is Plastic Negative Certified through rePurpose Global. The gender-neutral founders make gender-neutral products and regularly donate to several charities.
Ethique
Ethique’s Best Plant-Based Deodorant
Trade baking soda and aluminum for wonder ingredients (including bamboo!), and you get one of Ethique’s solid zero waste deodorant sticks.
Ethique proves that not only are vegan deodorants good, but they can be even better—we should know, since we’ve used them. 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 men’s deodorant for those gentlemen who prefer understated—as well as Rustic Citrus & Earthy and Floral Lavender options.
Because these vegan deodorants come in a cardboard tube, just toss it in the compost when empty.
About Ethique
Ethique’s cardboard tubes and naked bars are bar-none some of the best, for everything from haircare and moisturizing to home cleaning products. The Certified B Corp started revolutionizing our favorite household products in New Zealand, and now operate out of the USA, too. Throughout it all, they’ve prevented the manufacturing of 28 million plastic bottles!
They also now donate 2% of all sales (greater than profits) to non-profit organizations, have an office powered by renewables, are certified Carbon Neutral, and plant a tree for every order.
EcoRoots
EcoRoot’s Vegan Friendly Deodorant
It’s pit heaven featuring eco-paste perfection thanks to EcoRoots’ organic, palm oil-free, baking soda-free, vegan, non-aluminum cruelty-free deodorant. Thanks to its blend of magnesium hydroxide and other natural ingredients, this deodorant works hard to reduce odor causing bacteria and absorb wetness.
It’s super simple to apply and features a light creamy texture, all the while packaged in an eco-friendly glass jar with bamboo spatula and recyclable metal lid. After testing, we can not only tell you this vegan deodorant really works, but that we love the addition of the bamboo spatula for application. It just makes the fingers a bit less messy!
It’s available in six scents derived from essential oils: Coconut Scent, Lavender Scent, Eucalyptus Mint Scent, Citrus Scent, Rose Geranium & Unscented. Regardless, each deodorant features organic arrowroot powder, coconut oil, and unrefined shea butter, making it perfect for sensitive skin.
About EcoRoots
The Colorado-based business batch creates all its products by hand in the US and ships each item in low-waste packaging. EcoRoots’ entire line of eco-friendly toiletries contains zero toxic ingredients or animal testing. The occasional product has palm oil or organic beeswax, but otherwise you’ll find most palm oil free and vegan products.
EcoRoots is a member of 1% for the Planet and supports non-profit organizations like the Ocean Conservancy, who assist with urgent ocean restoration initiatives.
My Personal Review of EcoRoots Deodorant:
“I tested the Rose Geranium and Coconut. The scents are subtle, and because the product is pretty creamy (with a bit of a grainy texture), more than other brands I’ve tried, I found the application really easy (though having to wash my hands when using the jar given I use my finger and not the spatula does add that extra step). It’s also effective, I’ve only detected BO after a run or weight session. Something else which I appreciate is there is little to no residue.”
Review by Lyall Mabin, SJ’s Co-founder
PAPR Cosmetics
PAPR Cosmetics’ Cruelty-Free & Vegan Deodorant
Why slather harmful products on our bodies that later trash our oceans, when we can use the best ingredients with the least impact for our health and this beautiful blue rock we call home?
Enter PAPR Cosmetics, whose vegan deodorant never features parabens, silicone, sulfates, palm oil, or aluminum. Keep it mind if you have sensitive skin, it’s not baking soda free, but there is an unscented option in case essential oils bother your skin. Otherwise, choose between five unique scents, like So Hot Right Now, an herbal musk that makes it the ideal men’s vegan deodorant.
All PAPR’s products are inspired by… yep! Paper, because it’s versatile, lightweight, and functional. It makes sense then that these vegan deodorants come in fully recyclable and biodegradable FSC sustainable forestry certified paper tubes printed with soy-based dyes. For each tree used, PAPR Cosmetics plants a new one.
About PAPR Cosmetics
Carbon-neutral and cruelty-free PAPR Cosmetics is passionate about protecting our planet and our bodies, which is why they are weary of the trash conventional cosmetics creates and the ingredients in them that we do not know.
Their mission is to create effective, safe, conscious beauty products, always with two main things in mind: use the best possible ingredients with the least impact on our planet and our health.
With all PETA-certified vegan and natural ingredients, biodegradable sustainable packaging, and one tree planted for each tree used, Paper is refreshing for not only your body odor but also the Earth.
HiBAR
HiBAR’s Natural Vegan Deodorant
We love HiBAR’s stylish, natural, fresh, plant-based and animal harm-free deodorant that comes oval-shaped with a simple push-up applicator. There are three refreshingly natural fragrances from essential oils to pick from: Fresh Rain & Cucumber, Lavender & Jasmine, and their best-seller, Bergamot & Cedar.
There are nasties in their formula, no palm oil, and at its end of life, the deodorant container is 100% compostable or recyclable.
About HiBAR
You’ll never have to sacrifice smelling fresh for the sake of the planet with HiBAR, who work tirelessly to prevent the whopping 1.3 billion plastic deodorant containers that currently end up in US landfills every year.
The clean beauty brand makes all sorts of environmentally friendly, cruelty-free zero waste face wash and shampoo shampoo. No matter which HiBAR product you feel a higher calling to, you’ll get zero parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrance, or animal-derived ingredients
Their products are all Leaping Bunny Certified and come contained in plastic-free packaging, which includes recyclable and compostable shipping materials. Since opening, HiBAR has eliminated almost five million plastic bottles from becoming waste and they also partner with rePurpose Global to tackle the plastics crisis.
My Personal Review of HiBAR’s Deodorant:
“I’ve tested all three of HiBAR’s deodorant scents—Fresh Rain & Cucumber, Lavender & Jasmine, and their top-seller, Bergamot & Cedar—and honestly, I love them all! But if I had to pick a fave, it’s definitely the Lavender & Jasmine. It smells fresh with just the right touch of floral. What I really appreciate is how subtle all the scents are. You won’t smell like a walking perfume shop, but you won’t catch a whiff of yourself either (if you know what I mean).
These deodorants last way longer than any other aluminum-free stick I’ve used. I put it on twice a day—morning and night—and I’m still using the same stick after seven months!”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
