Natural Deodorant: Eco-Friendly, Aluminium-Free, Plastic-Free, Vegan

The Problem with Conventional Deodorant

Most conventional deodorants and antiperspirants contain aluminium chlorohydrate or aluminium zirconium. Those are aluminium salt compounds that work by physically blocking sweat ducts. The glands keep producing sweat, but the duct is plugged, so the sweat cannot exit. That is not deodorising. That is obstructing a physiological process your body uses for temperature regulation and metabolite excretion, with a synthetic metal salt.

The debate on whether aluminium in underarm products is absorbed systemically in meaningful quantities is ongoing and not fully resolved. What is not debated: you are applying an aluminium compound to skin directly adjacent to lymph nodes, multiple times a day, for decades. Mainstream health bodies currently consider this safe. “Currently considered safe” is not the same as “demonstrated beneficial” or “without any open questions,” and it is worth knowing the distinction exists.

Beyond the aluminium: conventional deodorant sticks and sprays typically also contain parabens (preservatives linked to endocrine disruption at high exposure levels), PEGs (petroleum-derived emulsifiers), phthalates (plasticisers with known hormonal activity), and synthetic fragrance compounds that are not disclosed individually on the label.

The packaging is plastic. The spray canisters are pressurised aerosols with propellant gas. Neither is composted or recycled in practice at meaningful rates.

Ben & Anna started from a specific frustration. They couldn’t find a deodorant that met all of their requirements: aluminium-free, no parabens, no phthalates, vegan, actually worked, and didn’t come in a plastic bottle. So they made one. That was in Germany, around 2010. What began as a deodorant is now a full personal care range, but the deodorant is still what they’re known for, and for good reason.

Featured scent: Green Fusion

Green fusion is the most complex scent in the range: green tea meets citrus (bergamot, lime) meets Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, thyme adjacents). It manages to be invigorating without being sharp, and unisex in a way that most “fresh” scents aren’t. It is the scent to try if you want something that doesn’t smell like a bathroom product.

How it works

Conventional deodorants and antiperspirants use aluminium to block sweat. Ben & Anna uses baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to neutralise odour at the source instead. Baking soda is alkaline. The bacteria responsible for body odour (primarily Corynebacterium species) thrive in the slightly acidic environment of the underarm. Raising the local pH inhibits bacterial activity, which eliminates the odour mechanism rather than blocking the sweat gland itself.

This means you still sweat. That is the correct outcome. Your body is functioning as designed. What it doesn’t do is smell, because the bacterial process that converts sweat into volatile sulphur and short-chain fatty acid compounds, which is what actually smells, is disrupted.

Cornstarch handles moisture absorption. Shea butter and cocoa butter provide the stick consistency and leave the underarm skin conditioned rather than irritated. The result is a solid stick that goes on smoothly, leaves no white residue on clothing (provided it dries briefly before dressing), and does not produce the sticky or greasy sensation that some natural deodorants leave behind.

The ingredients, explained

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter (Shea Butter, organic) is the primary structural ingredient — it gives the stick its solid consistency and melts lightly on contact with skin temperature, ensuring smooth application. It is also a mild moisturiser for underarm skin, which matters because frequent shaving or waxing leaves skin in that area more reactive than most.

Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) is the active odour-neutralising ingredient. It raises the local pH to a level that inhibits odour-forming bacteria. Effective, but — see the honest caveat below — not suitable for everyone.

Zea Mays Starch (Corn Starch) absorbs excess moisture, leaving the underarm feeling dry without a synthetic antiperspirant mechanism.

Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter (Cocoa Butter) contributes to the formula’s consistency and provides additional skin conditioning. Mild scent of its own, neutral in the final product.

Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil is a plant-derived emollient and binder. Stabilises the stick consistency and adds a skin-softening property.

Rhus Verniciflua Peel Cera is a plant-derived wax functioning similarly to beeswax — a natural stabiliser for the stick format. Vegan.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil (Sunflower Oil, organic) adds a lightweight emollient layer that keeps the formula from feeling chalky on application.

Tocopherol (Vitamin E) is a natural antioxidant that protects the formula from oxidation and extends shelf life without synthetic preservatives.

Parfum (from natural essential oils) — all fragrances in Ben & Anna products are derived from natural essential oils, not synthetic fragrance compounds. The specific oils vary by scent variant; the formula lists any fragrance allergens (Citral, Linalool, etc.) individually, as required by EU cosmetic regulation.

The honest caveat about baking soda

Sodium bicarbonate is effective. It is also alkaline, and underarm skin — particularly skin that is regularly shaved or waxed — can react to prolonged exposure to alkalinity with irritation, redness, or small bumps. This is not an allergy to baking soda in the traditional sense; it is a pH response. It affects a meaningful minority of users, not a fringe few.

Ben & Anna address this directly: they make a Sensitive line without baking soda (more on that below). If you have experienced irritation from natural deodorants before, or if your underarm skin is reactive, start with the Sensitive variants. If you have never had an issue with natural deodorants, the standard soda-based line is likely fine.

One additional note: some users find that transitioning from conventional antiperspirants to natural deodorant involves a 2–4 week adjustment period during which the body clears accumulated aluminium salts and rebalances its natural microbiome. During this period, the deodorant may seem less effective than expected. This is normal and temporary.

The honest caveat about the tube

The cardboard push-up mechanism works well for the first three-quarters of the stick. Towards the end, as the deodorant column shortens, the base mechanism no longer holds it in place reliably, and it can slip back down into the tube when you try to push it up for application. The fix is simple: scoop out the remaining product with a finger and apply directly. It is not elegant, but it takes ten seconds and wastes nothing. It is worth knowing this before you mistake a slipping stick for an empty tube and throw away a week’s worth of product.

Ben & Anna have updated the mechanism in newer batches to address this partially, but it remains an occasional issue with smaller remnants in the tube.

Other scents in the standard soda line

All share the same soda-based formula. Scent is the only variable.

The Sensitive line for baking soda-reactive skin

The Sensitive variants replace sodium bicarbonate with zinc ricinoleate, a zinc salt derived from castor oil, as the active odour-neutralising ingredient. Zinc ricinoleate works by chemically binding to odour molecules rather than affecting skin pH, making it effective without the alkaline irritation risk of baking soda. The formula is also enriched with a broader range of skin-conditioning oils (jojoba, grapeseed, carrot root extract, rosemary extract) to actively calm reactive underarm skin.

Who the Sensitive line is for: anyone who has experienced redness, bumps, or irritation from natural deodorants; anyone with regularly shaved or waxed underarm skin; anyone who wants to test natural deodorant for the first time with the lowest possible reaction risk.

Who can use both: if your skin tolerates baking soda well, the standard line tends to be slightly more effective in high-sweat conditions. The Sensitive line is gentler; the tradeoff is mildly reduced performance on heavy-activity days.

Featured scent: Persian Lime

Persian Lime in cream form is the most popular variant for a reason: the scent is unisex, genuinely fresh without being sharp, and works as well on someone who prefers a clean-neutral deodorant as on someone who actually wants to smell like lime. If you are new to Ben & Anna and unsure where to start, this is the entry point.

What’s different from the tube

The formula is functionally equivalent: sodium bicarbonate, shea butter, corn starch, cocoa butter, and essential oils. The difference is in texture and application method.

The tin format is softer: the cream doesn’t need to hold its shape in a stick format, so the wax and structural components are slightly reduced, resulting in a smoother, more malleable consistency. You open the tin, take a small amount (pea-sized, roughly, for each underarm) on your fingertip, and apply it in circular motions. It absorbs in a few seconds and leaves no residue.

Some people find this more intuitive than the push-up stick. Some find it less convenient. It is genuinely faster. There is no mechanism to fiddle with, no risk of the end-of-tube slip issue, but it involves finger contact with the product, which is a non-issue hygienically (you’re applying to clean skin) but a preference issue for some.

The tin is also a better travel format: it does not soften and slump in the way a stick can in warm luggage, closes securely with a snap lid, and fits compactly in any wash bag.

The same baking soda caveat applies. If you have reactive skin, there is no Sensitive variant in the tin format. For sensitive skin, the tube Sensitive line is the correct choice.

All tin scents

How to Use Both Formats

Tube

Apply to clean, dry skin. Push the base of the tube upward with your thumb until a small amount of stick protrudes. Swipe 1–2 thin strokes per underarm. Allow to dry for a moment before dressing. Shea butter can transfer to light-coloured fabric if applied immediately before putting on a shirt.

One or two strokes are enough. More deodorant does not mean more protection. Overapplication is the main cause of white marks on clothing and the most common mistake with this format.

If the stick is too firm to apply smoothly (common in cold conditions), warm it briefly against your skin for a few seconds before swiping, or apply it directly to slightly damp skin after a shower.

If the stick slips in the tube near the end, tip the tube, use a finger to retrieve what remains, and apply it directly. Five extra seconds, zero waste.

Tin

Take a pea-sized amount on your fingertip. Apply in small circular motions under each arm until absorbed. That is it. Apply before dressing. If you notice any residue after 30 seconds, you used too much.

General notes on both formats

Store below 25°C. Ben & Anna use no synthetic stabilisers, which means the formula softens in heat. If it liquefies in summer (it happens), put the tin or tube in the fridge for 20 minutes. It will re-solidify and remain fully effective.

Shelf life is 12 months from opening. Write the date on the base if you rotate products.

If you are transitioning from a conventional antiperspirant, expect 2–4 weeks of adjustment. Your body is reactivating sweat ducts that have been blocked by aluminium salts. During this period, use a smaller amount, apply more frequently if needed, and give it the full adjustment window before judging effectiveness.

White marks on clothing: caused by overapplication of shea butter formula; 1–2 strokes maximum, and allow to dry before dressing. If a stain occurs, vegan stain soap removes it cleanly.

Which format is right for you

Choose the tube if: you want the widest scent range, need the Sensitive formulation, or prefer a no-contact application.

Choose the tin if: you prefer cream textures, travel frequently, want the Sensitive line isn’t necessary for you, or simply find fingertip application more intuitive.

Both are the same brand, same quality, same certifications. The choice is format preference, not a quality trade-off.

Reviews

“I’ve been using this deodorant for over a year. It actually works — I’ve had no body odour issues and my skin feels better than it ever did under conventional antiperspirant. The Persian Lime scent is genuinely lovely.” — Verified buyer, Amazon

“Switched to Ben & Anna after years of trying natural deodorants that either didn’t work or caused irritation. The Sensitive line with Cherry Blossom solved both problems.” — Verified buyer

“The tin is so practical. I use the Persian Lime version at home and take the Pink Grapefruit tube when I travel. Works all day, no issues with staining.” — Verified buyer

“Finally found a natural deodorant that keeps me fresh through a full working day including a lunchtime gym session. Took about three weeks to fully switch over from my old antiperspirant but once it settled, it’s been great.” — Verified buyer

One honest note from the reviews: a minority of users report the stick being firm enough to feel uncomfortable on application immediately after cold storage. If this happens, apply to slightly damp skin post-shower, or warm the stick briefly against your wrist before use. It is a temperature-dependent texture issue, not a product defect.

Meet Ben & Anna

Ben and Anna are a real couple who moved from Berlin to rural Germany and built a personal care brand out of the failure to find what they were looking for on existing shelves. Their operating principles: ingredients of natural origin only, nothing tested on animals, nothing that can’t be explained and justified, packaging that doesn’t create plastic waste.

Every Ben & Anna deodorant is NaTrue certified, an independent international natural cosmetics certification that prohibits synthetic petrochemicals, animal testing at any production stage, and ingredients from non-renewable sources. It is a stricter standard than simply labelling something “natural.” They are also PETA-certified vegan and cruelty-free.

The products are made in Germany. The cardboard tube packaging is FSC-certified. The tin is made of recyclable aluminium. There is no plastic in the packaging of either format.

Where We Source These Products: De Online Drogist

Not everything here links to Amazon. For several products, we link to De Online Drogist, the largest online drugstore in the Netherlands, with over 40,000 products and a customer rating of 4.6 out of 5. They carry the natural and eco-friendly brands we feature at competitive prices, without the third-party seller lottery you sometimes get elsewhere.

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