Poetic Pits Natural Deodorant (Plus a Giveaway!)

Posted by:  Jordan

 

One of our in-the-know readers, Serena, told us that we absolutely must try this deodorant, Poetic Pits, because she loves it so much.  Her review was so compelling (my favorite line:  ”Once I was in a restaurant only wearing the petal [scented deodorant] and someone at the table next to me kept raving about my perfume.  I did not want to tell her that she was mistaken–I was not wearing a perfume, it was just my deodorant!”) that we immediately reached out to Living Libations right away to see if we could sample a few of the scents to review.  They generously sent us four scents to try out: Palo Santo, Petal, Radiant Earth, and Rose.

The Rose scent is both my and Emily’s favorite of the ones they sent, but the Lavender and the GigerLily both sound beautiful too!  So, here’s the best part: they actually work as a deodorant!  And these tiny little bottles will last you forever because you only need a swipe or two per arm.  I often wear it to the gym and I smell lovely the entire workout.

The idea behind these deodorants is totally revolutionary; they use just very powerful essential oils to work with your body chemistry to act as an “odorant” instead of a “deodorant”.  I was a little skeptical that they would work after my numerous trials in natural deodorants, but they truly do keep odors away.

There are a couple things to note with this natural deodorant, though.  The first is that if you don’t like the scent of sandalwood, you probably won’t be a huge fan of the scents of these deodorants. All four of the scents we tried are extremely strong on the sandalwood oil and very potently scented–which is what makes them so effective–but it could be a turnoff to some.  The other thing that Emily and I found in testing these is that if you wear them all day and then don’t shower at night, you will stink to high heaven in the morning.  I’m not sure what it is, but we both agreed that we smelled HORRIBLE if we didn’t shower at night after wearing this deodorant the whole day.  So just be prepared to either shower before bed or right when you wake up the next morning!  Other than those two things, these powerful little “odorants” are pretty rockin’!

So who wants to test these amazingly effective deodorants out for yourself??  I have two to give away–Petal and Radiant Earth.  Both are the 10ml size, worth $70!!!!  Just leave a comment below to be entered.  For bonus points, share this post on Facebook or Twitter so your friends can enter to win too!  The giveaway will end at the end of the week on Friday, April 5th at midnight EST.  The two winners will be announced on Saturday (sorry, continental US mailing address entries only this time!)  Good luck and please continue to keep us informed of all your favorite natural products!

Happy Shopping Holiday (and, oh yeah, Thanksgiving, too!)

Posted by: Emily

I have been so excited about seeing my family at Thanksgiving that I forgot that the biggest shopping holiday of the year is fast approaching, too! Gone are the days, for me, of actually going to a physical store on Black Friday (a toddler and traveling make this impossible, not to mention the crowds!) so I rely heavily on Cyber Monday deals to take advantage of this annual retail insanity.

This year, we want to introduce you to a new brand, which became one of our VERY favorite brands as soon as we tested it out. It’s called Nourish, and it’s USDA Certified Organic, Oregon Tilth certified, Gluten free, Vegan, CCIC Cruelty-free, packaging is made with at least 25% post-consumer recycled content, and everything is recyclable. Um, are you hooked yet? How about this: IT’S AFFORDABLE!!

And if it weren’t already incredibly reasonably priced, it is getting better starting now: Their website is doing “Green” Friday and Cyber Monday discounts! Here are the deals:

‘GREEN’ Friday: 25% off and free shipping using promo code “GREEN” at check out on www.NourishUSDA.com

Cyber Monday: 50% off all Nourish Products using promo core “CYBER” at check out on www.NourishUSDA.com

(*tip from PJR: Um, wait till Monday, folks!)

Jordan and I have been using and loving these products for months now. Nourish sent us 4 to try and we’ve been raving about them to each other and to our husbands (and to anyone who will listen!).

Here are the ones we’ve tried and loved:

Organic Body Butter in Fresh Fig I am addicted. Best body butter I’ve tried in ages, hands down. It is the first one that has made me not miss The Body Shop’s body butters of my past. In fact, it’s better than The Body Shop’s butters. Seriously amazing, and inexpensive for something this organic and this awesome. BUY IT NOW. Buy 3– they have deals when you order more than one product on line, plus see above codes for ADDITIONAL discounts. You can’t go wrong.

*note: the Wild Berries and Fresh Fig scents are very strong. Might want to start with unscented or Lavender Mint if you’re sensitive. All the scents are good, some just stronger and sweeter than others.

Organic Body Lotion in Wild Berries: Seriously amazing, luxurious, but the scent is very sticky-sweet. Lotion is fantastic, though. See above note and try it in a scent you think you might like, or start with unscented.

*these products are available at Whole Foods if you want to test the scents. Isn’t that awesome?! 

Organic Hand Wash in Almond Vanilla: I love this. What’s not to love? It’s organic, it’s gentle, it’s effective. It’s soap. It smells wonderful. It makes you clean. It’s cold and flu season– buy some soap!

Organic Deodorant in Lavender Mint: This is the only Nourish product I didn’t obsessively love. But it’s not Nourish’s fault– you all know I have a complicated relationship with Natural Deodorants. Sigh. But I LOVE this scent, and Jordan LOVES this deodorant, and since she’s the expert, I’d say that’s good for the 90% of you who don’t share my irritation issues with natural deodorants.

So go forth and shop! Enjoy. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, surrounded by love and food and friends.

Natural Deodorant Giveaway: DeodoMom

posted by: Emily

In case you missed the big announcement, I’ve found a natural deodorant that actually works for me and doesn’t cause irritation! It’s a miracle!

The generous folks at 30someWeeks, makers of DeodoMom, are sponsoring a giveaway for us– 4 of you will win your own full-sized DeodoMom cream (2 roll-ons, 2 jars)! Many of you have already entered, and if you haven’t done so yet, please post in the comments here and let us know that you want to win. For extra chances to win, post on Facebook about it (tag us in the post, @Product Junkies Rehab) or tweet about it and tag us (@PJunkiesRehab).

The contest will end Monday night at 11:59pm, so enter before then and tell all your friends (especially those you want to smell good!) and we will announce the winners later in the week.

In the meantime, here’s more about the wonderful DeodoMom cream and how we’re using it.

- The website says that women tend to prefer the jar, applied with their fingers, and the roll-on is popular among men and women. I personally use the roll-on; I hate to get my hands “dirty” (you could eat this deodorant, so it’s not really dirty, but it’s just one more thing to clean my hands from). My husband actually likes the jar, so go figure! The short answer is that both work well and get the job done.

- You can apply DeodoMom after shaving. As I’ve mentioned, I have had extreme irritation from every other natural deodorant I’ve tried, even when avoiding applying post-shave, but this one has not irritated my skin at all. Like I said, a miracle!

- I like to add my own scent to it. I recently got some EO Organic Deodorant spray to try out– it’s just alcohol and essential oils. It wouldn’t work for me by itself as a deodorant, but I have started using it as a “pit perfume” over the unscented DeodoMom just for it’s lovely scent. I was given the spray in Vetiver, which smells incredible.  I received the spray as part of Green Grab Bag, a subscription service like BirchBox, but for all-natural products. More on that coming soon– we’ll be reviewing a few such subscriptions, including Green Grab Bag, Conscious Box, and Goodebox.  Stay Tuned!

- If you don’t win the giveaway– and I wish you all could– and still want to try DeodoMom, the deodorant is very affordable. The Jar is $10, the Roll-on is $12, and if you buy in bulk, you get a discount. The jar or roll-on usually lasts about 3 months. So we’re talking under $50 a year for natural, safe deodorant. Pretty good!

- 30SomeWeeks has a great FAQ page about the deodorant if you want to know more! And P.S. they’re a family-owned company– bonus!

UPDATE:  Great news!!  The good people of DeodoMom have created a special secret page on their website just for our readers where you can buy their products at a discount!  Check it out here.  Don’t drag your feet, though–this discount will only be accessible until the end of September, 2012.

The Search is OVER! (For me, at least). The Great Deodorant Hunt, Part 10: DeodoMom

Posted by: Emily

You might have noticed, than in the past 2+ years of our search for a natural deodorant, that I’ve been pretty quiet on the topic, letting Jordan do most of the research and reporting. It’s not that I haven’t tried a lot of natural deodorants myself; on the contrary, I’ve tried many. They just haven’t worked for me. None of them.

Well, I take that back. Some have worked well, like Soapwalla, but it, along with all the other natural deodorants I’ve ever tried, really irritated my skin. Yes, you heard correctly. I, one of the ultimate natural product junkies, am allergic to something in most natural deodorants. This is where Alanis Morissette would say it’s “ironic,” but if you ask me, it just stinks. Literally.

I’ve tried all kinds of things– using Soapwalla only every OTHER day to minimize irritation; using plain coconut oil, which, by the way, does NOT work; a week-long break from putting anything at all on my armpits (you did not want to be near me that week, even though it was the dead of winter!), making my own deodorant and tweaking the recipes to try and make it gentle… the list goes on and on. I finally resorted to using conventional deodorant, since that was the only thing that didn’t leave me with a rash.

Until now. I have found the solution, people. A natural deodorant that ACTUALLY WORKS and does not irritate my apparently incredibly sensitive armpits. The folks from www.30someweeks.com got in touch with us a few months ago and offered to send us some samples of their DeodoMom Cream. (They actually sent us each full-sizes of both the Jar and the Roll-on– so nice!)

I was hesitant at first to even try it– I mean, who wants red, irritated armpits AGAIN? But Jordan tried it first, and encouraged me to use it for a few days and see how it worked.

For the 2 weeks that followed, I sent Jordan a series of emails, with subject lines like: WTF??? THIS WORKS, and SERIOUSLY? HOW DOES IT WORK?, and OMG, REALLY??????, and finally WOW. IT WORKS. I received similar texts from my husband, who was intrigued and decided to try out the cream. “Um, what’s in this? It actually works. What’s the catch?” he texted from work one 100+degree day. Yes, I should specify, we tested this deodorant over the past few months. In gross, record-breaking, New York City summer heat.

AND IT WORKS! Turns out, the main ingredient– the only ingredient besides water– is Magnesium hydroxide – a mineral safe enough to eat. Yes, that’s right– that’s Milk of Magnesia. (Note: Jordan tried Milk of Magnesia once as a deodorant on its own, to limited avail, so if you’re interested in trying this, we really recommend DeodoMom’s cream– something about the concentration and the right amount of water and the consistency of the cream helps it work.)

So, the product was developed to be safe for pregnant women, and named as such, but all kinds of people use it, my husband included, so do not be deterred if you’re not a mom, or not a woman. They should call it “IT REALLY WORKS” cream or something. (Yeah, I know, I’m working on the name.) The packaging is very plain and simple, not too glam, but the point is that the deodorant actually works, and it has no bad chemicals or anything– it has only two ingredients! It’s unscented, but you can always add essential oils on your own if you wish.

And the news just keeps getting better: The generous people at Some30Weeks have offered to do a GIVEAWAY! Four of our lucky readers will each win a DeodoMom cream– 2 jars and 2 roll-ons!!! So please post in the comments here and tell us that you want to be entered to win a deodorant that really works! We will also give bonus entries to anyone who tweets about this contest (we’re @PJunkiesRehab, and let us know in the comments here if you do so), or posts on Facebook about it. Please spread the word– people need to know about this deodorant!

UPDATE:  Great news!!  The good people of DeodoMom have created a special secret page on their website just for our readers where you can buy their products at a discount!  Check it out here.  Don’t drag your feet, though–this discount will only be accessible until the end of September, 2012.

The Great Deodorant Hunt, Part 9.2 – Bubble and Bee Deodorant Creams

Posted by:  Jordan

This is my final installment in the Bubble & Bee deodorant series (see the reviews of the stick and spray versions), and I think I’ve saved the best for last.  I LOVE these deodorant creams so much!  They work (for me…keep in mind that everyone’s body chemistry is different) just as well as the DIY deodorant and Soapwalla, which are my two favorite natural deodorants thus far.  Are we starting to see a trend here with the cream form of deodorant coming out on top?  But the one difference I’ve found is that they don’t cause any skin irritation!  I’m lucky in that none of the deodorant creams have irritated my skin, so I like to have Emily and our friend, Amy, test them to make sure they don’t give them irritation.  Both Emily and Amy agreed that there was little irritation.  Amy actually did experience a small amount of redness after a few days of using the creams–like a small rash–so she wisely emailed Bubble & Bee to ask for their feedback.  They responded with a surprising suggestion, but one that totally makes sense (and according to Amy, this advice works!  No irritation ever since!).  They said the irritation is caused not by the baking soda in the product (which we were all assuming was the culprit), but from a condition called Intertrigo.

“Intertrigo is caused by skin-to-skin friction, and is common in moist areas of skin in areas such as the groin, between folds of skin on the abdomen, under the breasts, under the arms or between toes.  The simple rubbing together of the skin creates friction and thus irritation and red skin.  Applying more product should actually help with this problem, as the powder helps to alleviate the friction. “

Who would have guessed that using MORE product would actually help the situation?!  The other thing I love about the deodorant creams is how smooth and silky the consistency is.  It rubs in easily with absolutely no white residue, which was my complaint with the Pit Putty stick.

I purchased the Pit Putty Cream sampler pack, which gives you six sample-sized deodorant creams in various scents to try out.  I loved trying each of the scents and deciding which was my favorite.  I think my absolute favorite is the Spearmint & Tea Tree scent.  It brings back memories of my childhood because it smells just like Wrigley’s spearmint gum!  Here’s a rundown on all of the scents I tried, in order of favorite to least favorite

1. Spearmint & Tea Tree – fresh, long-lasting scent with an odor-fighting power that lasts all day for me
2. Jasmint – it was a close runner-up to the Spearmint & Tea Tree.  Such a pretty, fresh scent
3. Geranium & Lime – love it just as much as the other versions (stick and spray) but I found I liked the freshness of the mint scents even more
4. Lemongrass
5. Lemon & Clove
6. Super Pit Putty (too much patchouli for my likes)

So, to sum up the Bubble & Bee deodorants, they all worked really well for me, but I love the creams the best!  Give them a try and let us know what you think.  You really can’t go wrong with any of the three forms of Bubble & Bee deodorant because of their amazing Deodorant Guarantee/Exchange Policy!

The Great Deodorant Hunt, Part 9.1 – Bubble and Bee Deodorant Spray

Posted by:  Jordan

 

This is a continuation of my test trials with the highly recommended (by our readers!) Bubble & Bee organic deodorants.  As I mentioned in my last review of the Pit Putty, they carry three variations of their deodorant: stick, spray, and cream. 

 

I have to start out by admitting that I went into trying the Geranium Lime spray deodorant not expecting for it to work at all.  So, why did I buy it, one might ask?  Well, I loved the Geranium Lime scent in the Pit Putty so much that I thought maybe it would just be a nice summer-y body spray, seeing as though the ingredients are just alcohol and essential oils.  Sounds like a body spray to me–certainly not a deodorant worth even trying on a cold day.  But try I did, and I’m so pleased–I can’t believe this stuff actually works for me!  I was expecting it to be, as Emily said when testing out the Dr. Hauschka deodorant, “Arm Pit Perfume.”  Meaning, it smells nice, but it’s not actually that effective at battling body odors unless you plan on simply sitting on your couch all day doing nothing.

 

So even with my negative outlook going into it, I am in shock that this stuff is actually working for me!!!   I have no idea how something so simple is working, but I’m not going to question it.  I’ll just accept that it’s working for me (and will of course update you if anything changes and it stops being effective).  It’s so easy to use too–much quicker and less messy to apply than the creams I’ve been using–just a quick spritz to each armpit, plus one on my neck because it just smells so uplifting, and I’m ready.  After using this deodorant for a week, it hasn’t failed me yet–through some super muggy days, too.  Occasionally I’ll refresh the deodorant spray in the late afternoon, but not really because it’s necessary–more because I just love the fragrance! 

 

I’m excited to start testing out the cream deodorants next.  As one reader recommended, she likes to layer the deodorant spray underneath a pea-sized dollop of the cream for an extra dose of odor fighter.  Stay tuned for a review of the creams–I have very high hopes!

The Great Deodorant Hunt, Part 9: Bubble & Bee Organic “Pit Putty” Stick

Posted by:  Jordan

After several recommendations from readers about this organic deodorant from Utah-based Bubble & Bee Organics, I made it my mission to seek it out.  I found a place in the West Village, Lifethyme Market, that had a couple of the scents of the stick version in stock.  Bubble & Bee deodorants come in three forms: stick, spray, and the newly released creams.  So far I have only tried the stick form, so I can only comment on that.  I’m hoping to try the spray and, especially, the cream formats soon!

I picked up the Geranium & Lime scent blindly, as there were no testers  at Lifethyme Market.  At $10 for a full-size deodorant stick, at least I wasn’t spending a ton if I hated the scent.  Luckily, I’m in love with the Geranium Lime scent–it’s an addictive zesty limeade scent that’s both zingy-fresh and girly.  All of the scent options from Bubble & Bee sound really lovely–I’m especially curious to try out some of the cream scents such as Jasmine, Lemon & Clove, Spearmint & Tea Tree, and Lemongrass.

So how did the deodorant hold up?  Overall, pretty well, but there are some definite “buts” to discuss.  Of course, since it’s a natural deodorant rather than an antiperspirant, it doesn’t minimize sweating.  But I didn’t expect it to do that–sweating just comes with the territory with natural deodorants!  It does do a fairly good job of keeping body odors under control, but occasionally (and usually it depended on the fabric of shirt I was wearing) I would find that I needed to reapply the deodorant by mid-afternoon.  Not a huge deal, as I often carry some extra natural deodorant in my handbag in case a refresher is needed.  However, when I stashed this deodorant in my purse I found that when it warmed it leaked out a little bit and got white residue all over the inside of my purse.  Learned my lesson on that one!

My main concern/complaint with the stick deodorant was the white residue left not only on the inside of my purse, but on me and my clothing!  Even after rubbing the deodorant in with my fingertips, as directed on the package, I found that a few minutes later more little white balls of deodorant would appear under my arms.  And forget about wearing this deodorant with a sleeveless top–it left white marks all over the armholes.  I think this deodorant is best when worn with a loose cotton top that has sleeves.  I’ll continue to wear it for occasions like that, but I find an all-weather/all-clothing option to be more convenient for me.  It’s just a bit too high-maintenance for me to choose what I’m going to wear before I choose what deodorant to apply each morning.

Therefore, my conclusion of this deodorant is that while I love the scent, I probably won’t buy the stick option again.  But that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to try out the spray and cream options to see if those fit my needs better!  In fact, Bubble & Bee has a great Deodorant Satisfaction Guarantee/Exchange Policy which you can read more about here!  I think I’ll keep my stick version just because I love the Geranium Lime scent so much, but will wear it with only the appropriate clothing.  I plan on testing out the other versions and will keep you updated!

The Great Deodorant Hunt, Part 8: Soapwalla Deodorant Cream

Posted by:  Jordan

I never thought I’d find a natural deodorant that works as well as the homemade recipe I’ve been using, but I believe Soapwalla has done it!

I love so many things about this all-natural deodorant cream: the smell is herbal-y fresh, the application is easier to apply than my homemade version (as described on their website, the “frosting-like consistency ensures effortless manual application”, plus it doesn’t solidify when cold), it’s cheap ($10), it’s a local Brooklyn company, and most importantly…it really WORKS!

I’ve been using this deodorant for over a month to ensure that the effectiveness didn’t wear off, which sometimes happens with products, and I can happily report that it’s still holding up, even to the couple 90 degree days we’ve had!  I do occasionally find that a refresher later in the day helps with any emerging odors, so sometimes I’ll try to remember to bring the deodorant in my purse.

A few friends/readers have noted that the amount of baking soda in the homemade recipe irritates their skin, so I’d suggest trying out this deodorant if you’ve experienced that, because it seems very gentle to me.

I read a couple reviews that claimed Soapwalla Deodorant Cream  absorbed moisture more than any other natural deodorants the testers had tried; unfortunately, I didn’t really find this to be true for me.  I’m still sweating.  Of course, since it doesn’t contain harmful aluminum, it’s not meant to be an antiperspirant, so sweat just comes with the natural deodorant territory.

Soapwalla owner, Rachel Winard, creates all of Soapwalla’s organic products in her Brooklyn apartment kitchen (I love this!) and never uses ingredients tested on animals.  She created the line because she suffers from sensitive skin caused by lupus.  I’m anxious to try the other products in Soapwalla’s line, including the face serums, homemade soaps, and body scrubs!  I bought my deodorant locally in Brooklyn at Bend and Bloom yoga studio in Park Slope, but for non-New Yorkers, everything in Soapwalla’s line can be bought on the beloved site, Etsy!

DIY Deodorant: Rave Reviews from a Deodorant Convert

Posted by:  Jordan

See, I’m not the only one who think this homemade deodorant recipe works!!!  DIY deodorant review from PJR friend, Jamie:

“Recently I was fortunate enough to receive a sample of Jordan’s homemade deodorant cream (eucalyptus scent!) and after the past two weeks of use I felt compelled to come to my good friend’s blog and share my feedback. THIS THING IS AMAZING!  Now, it should be stated that I am one of those girls who has fought the deodorant battle for many, many years. It’s not so much that I sweat profusely, it’s more smelliness that is my issue (ha!). I’m not kidding though – I could run 6 miles and not drip one bead of sweat, but I will stink to high heaven! And although I am new to the natural deodorant scene, I have definitely tried EVERY deodorant on the market. And sadly I will admit that for almost the entirety of the last ten years Old Spice for Men has been a staple in my medicine cabinet. Yep, that’s right – full strength men’s Old Spice. But I think it’s also important to note here that while Old Spice was the best that I’ve been able to find – it still had its “off” days and didn’t hold up against the hottest of summer days.

Listen, while I’m fully ashamed of my dirty little secret, at least I haven’t taken the “botox” route!  Have you guys heard about this? A good friend of mine from high school who shares in our armpit woes has recently told me that she has resorted to botox. After countless years of visiting dermatologists to battle her demons and trying every prescription deodorant on the market –  an actual member of the medical profession advised my friend of a “new fad” that seems to be working. Yep, you guessed it – botox injections in her armpits every few months! Girls, I can’t even tell you the shock when I heard that she was going to go through with it. And apparently it has cured her “ring around the armpit” so completely that she is sold on the entire process and gone back three times over the past 9 months. I’ve tried everything in my power to convince her of the harm she is doing by blocking her pores with this unnatural substance – but sadly, to no avail. (Completely off the subject but I thought that I might share this tidbit of information and enlighten the natural deodorant community of this new & horrifying occurrence).

OK back on track…enter my new hero…Jordan’s special homemade recipe deodorant! As I mentioned, it has been a little over two weeks of use and this product has withstood the test of time in my book (OK maybe I’ll have to get back to you after the heat of August but for now – I’m sold). Once you get used to the fact that you kind of have to scrape the solid material a bit with your fingernail to gather a small amount (and truth be told it almost turned me off to trying it but I’m glad that I held strong) and then spread it onto your armpits with your bare hands for a few moments, it’s dryness and smell resistant capabilities are god-like. At the end of each day (and I’ve had a rough two weeks between juggling work, classes at night, a two-hour commute each direction and a new house to unpack) I am so satisfied and I can’t say enough good things. So ladies, please either try a batch according to Jordan’s recipe or join me in encouraging Jordan as to how she is going to make her first million – bottle this crap and get it on the market, girl! All you need is a line of like 4-6 different scents (I will even design all of your packaging!) and make a go at it. I think that you’ve got a real winner here, Jord!”

While Jamie’s enthusiasm made my day, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to make a million by packaging something SO incredibly easy to make at home.  If you’ve been wanting a natural deodorant that actually works, stop your searching, go to your kitchen, and whip up a batch.  If you’re half as enthusiastic as Jamie is about the outcome, I think you’ll be satisfied!  And a note on the consistency:  the deodorant cream solidifies in the cold and becomes creamier in the warmth.  So just warm a little of the cream in your hands before spreading on your armpits until the warmer months come.

Again, here’s the recipe I’ve been using:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup corn starch
4 tablespoons coconut oil
5-10 drops essential oil depending on the strength of your oils (*a note on essential oils–any scent you like will do, but some oils have more naturally deodorizing properties than others, such as Geranium, Lavender, Tea Tree Oil, and Lemon. I’m recently loving doTerra’s “Purify” oil blend which includes lemon, lime, tea tree oil, pine, and cilantro.)

Just mix everything together and spoon into a jar…no heating required!

The Great Deodorant Hunt of 2010 – A Year in Review

Posted by:  Jordan

My armpits, not used to so much attention and scrutiny, have really taken a starring role this year and I think they deserve some recognition.  With the end of a year, and a new year beginning, I’d like to take a moment to applaud my armpits in their quest for a superb natural deodorant, as well as do a quick recap of everything I’ve tried.  Here, in order of my favorite to my least favorite, is everything my armpits have endured over the past year:

1. Homemade Deodorant Recipe #2 (Deodorant Cream)

This recipe, taking the top spot in this year of natural deodorant testing, came as a true shock to me!  I never would have thought that a homemade deodorant would actually work better than anything else I’ve tried.  Thanks to How About Orange blog for introducing me to my favorite natural deodorant of 2010!  The secret ingredient that I’ve found to be most effective in my natural deodorants (both homemade and commercial) is good old-fashioned baking soda.  I love adding some peppermint and rosemary essential oils to my DIY deodorant cream–the result is a deodorant that smells fresh, unisex, and not at all overpowering.

2. Miessence Tahitian Breeze

I’ve now tried the unscented version of the Miessence deodorant and I find that the Tahitian Breeze scent seems to aid in masking any late afternoon onsets of odor, which usually isn’t much.  Considering this deodorant is pre-made and you don’t have to rub it in with your hands like the homemade deodorant cream mentioned above, this deodorant’s convenience is appealing.  However, I’ve found that the homemade recipe seems to outlast Miessence in all-day staying power most of the time.

3. Homemade Baking Soda Paste

Combining baking soda with my Thayer’s Rose Witch Hazel Toner makes a simple and effective natural deodorant, especially if you’re wanting to dip your toes into the world of natural deodorant without spending much money, considering most everyone has a box of baking soda lying around.  You can simply combine the baking soda with water or a flower water, but I particularly like combining it with the Thayer’s because I like the faint rose scent, and the astringent properties of witch hazel seem to help combat odor.

4. Lavanila

I have only tried the Grapefruit version of this deodorant.  It works fairly well, but after a long day it can need a little refreshing.  Also, the ingredients tend to get a little bit questionable with all the “derived from” lingo.  And the $18 price point makes this a splurge of a deodorant.

5. Homemade Deodorant Recipe #1 (Deodorant Pucks)

This deodorants holds up to odor really well at first, but I found that after using it for a few weeks, it started to smell a little musty by the end of the day…kind of like a damp basement.  Also, it gets more demerits for the slimy feeling you get under your arms once the deodorant melts a bit.  Doesn’t make you feel very pretty.

6. Dr. Hauschka’s Fresh Deodorant

The main drawback for this deodorant, other than not holding up to odors all day, is the $23 price tag.  I just find that way too expensive when I’ve found 5 other more effective, cheaper deodorants mentioned above.  Sorry, Dr. H, I’m just not sold on it yet.  I have however heard from others that the Floral scent seems to work better than the Fresh, but I just don’t know if I’m willing to spend that much on my deodorant.

7. Lafe’s Natural & Organic Deodorant Stick

Unfortunately this 97% natural deodorant didn’t hold up all day, and it feels pretty sticky on.  Plus, it’s not 100% natural.  I used to keep this deodorant in my desk drawer as an emergency back-up on stressful days, but then I noticed a small pool of water underneath it.  Turns out my deodorant was “sweating.”

8. Milk of Magnesia

I didn’t have high hopes for this method, but it surprised me a little.  I definitely smelled by late afternoon, but if you’re in a pinch try just dabbing a few swipes of Milk of Magnesia under your arms and you should be ok for about half the day.  After that, forget about it.

9. Weleda Wild Rose Deodorant Spray

You know I really hate to say anything bad about my beloved Weleda, but this deodorant simply didn’t work for me, and at $15 it really ought to have at least a few hours of smell-bashing properties.  Sadly, that wasn’t the case for me.  Perhaps another scent might work better, but judging on this version’s effectiveness, I just haven’t brought myself around to trying any of the others.

10. The Lemondrop Cocktail

Combining vodka with lemon juice and spraying on my underarms was simply a complete waste of a good vodka.  I owe my husband an apology for needlessly raiding his liquor cabinet.

**Disqualified:  Crystal Body Deodorant Spray

This deodorant actually worked pretty well, but I decided to stop using it after a week because I’m just not certain how I feel about the Potassium Alum in it.  And if I’m uncertain about a certain ingredient, it’s just not worth it to me to take the gamble.  The goal here is to find a natural deodorant that I also feel good about using, and this one just has a little too much controversy surrounding it.

Has anyone who has been following my year of deodorant searching made any different conclusions, or tried something else that you’re completely in love with?  Please share your thoughts!  Happy new year, everyone…here’s to a naturally odor-free 2011!