5 Best Cruelty Free Deodorants (Smell Good + Save Animals)

I don’t like to tell this story very often, but here goes.

I once left the house for a date as a teenager, and because I didn’t know if the deodorants in the house were cruelty-free, I went without.

My date leaned in for a kiss at the end of the night, and before we could kiss he suddenly pulled away disgusted.

Once indoors, I could smell why.

Talk about BO!

I was mortified.

I would have been less embarrassed if I’d left the house without makeup.

I never saw that guy again. 

But don’t worry, the same fate does not have to befall you.

These days there are several cruelty-free, and vegan deodorants on the market.

I’ve been checking them out, and I’m going to show you 5 of my favorite ones.

After that, I’ve also got a buying guide for you, which walks you through some key things to think about before you buy.

Then I’m going to top that off with a section where I answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.

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OUR TOP PICK

Each & Every Natural Aluminum-Free Deodorant for Sensitive Skin with Essential Oils, Plant-Based Packaging, Cedar & Vanilla, 2.5 Oz.

This is a great cruelty free deodorant!

No wonder it’s been flying off the shelves with the online retailers!

I just live the story behind this range of deodorants.

Founded by two women to develop deodorants that work, without irritating ingredients and that have nothing to hide.

And it’s not just cruelty free, it’s also 100% vegan too, no beeswax here.

It’s made from just a handful of natural organic ingredients, such as coconut oil, tapioca starch, dead sea salt, castor oil, and essential oils.

This means it’s free from all sorts of hidden nasties that you often find in other deodorants, such as alcohol, parabens, synthetic fragrances, phthalates, and baking soda.

It’s even EWG verified.

It’s also aluminum free too, more on that in my buying guide later.

Even the packaging is natural, with its renewable plant-based packaging instead of nasty plastics that harm the environment.

I love the ceda and vanilla option, really fresh and woody, yet delicious at the same time.

But if that’s not for you, then there are 6 other different scents to choose from, or you can go for an unscented one.

There some really nice citrus scent, a nice floral one, or if you want to try something different there’s cardamom & ginger - really warm & bohemian.

The range is aimed at both men and women, and there really is something for everybody.

Pros

  • Bestseller with online retailers
  • 100% vegan and cruelty free
  • Uses natural organic ingredients
  • Some really nice scents available
  • No hidden nasties & EWG verified
  • Environmentally friendly packaging

Cons

  • Although the brand claims to be cruelty free, this deodorant does not appear to have been certified by the Leaping Bunny programme, as there’s no logo on there

EDITORS CHOICE

Schmidt's Aluminum Free Natural Deodorant for Women and Men, Patchouli + Hops for Sensitive Skin with 24 Hour Odor Protection, Certified Cruelty Free, Vegan Deodorant, 3.25oz, 3 pack

If you like your products to be 100% natural and organic, as well as cruelty free, then this could be the deodorant for you. 

It’s formulated from plant based ingredients such as magnesium, hemp seed oil, coconut oil, shea butter, and some essential oils, like lavender and tea tree oil.

This way, it’s rich in vitamins and minerals.

The scent is gorgeous.

It’s got that pheromone-like mystical patchouli and warm hops scent, combined with a little fresh and vibrant citrus.

All you need to do is hold the deodorant stick to skin first so that your body heat can soften the stick’s oils, then give 1 or 2 swipes, and your body odor will be neutralized, and you will stay fresh for the next 24 hours.

But more importantly, the deodorant is 100% certified vegan by vegan action, and they’re Leaping Bunny certified Cruelty-Free.

There’s no gender bias with this deodorant, it’s aimed at men, women and kids.

And it’s also suitable for those with sensitive skin, so there’s literally no one who can’t use it.

It’s also free of aluminum - more on that in our buying guide.

And it’s free from several other hidden nasties such as artificial fragrance, phthalates, baking soda, and parabens.

It’s a bestseller with online retailers and customers love it.

Pros

  • Certified vegan by Vegan Action 
  • Certified Leaping Bunny cruelty-free 
  • Gorgeous come-hither fragrance
  • Suitable for even sensitive skin
  • Formulated from organic ingredients

Cons

  • Doesn’t have antiperspirant properties

BEST VALUE

Certain Dri Everyday Strength Clinical Antiperspirant Solid Deodorant, Hyperhidrosis Treatment for Men & Women, Morning Fresh, 2.6oz, 1 Pack

Now, this is a great cruelty free deodorant, because it’s also an antiperspirant.

And a very effective one at that.

It’s not for everyone though, it has been specially designed for people who suffer with Hyperhidrosis, which is a condition featuring abnormally excessive sweating, even when it’s not hot and/or you haven’t been exercising. 

And this is the number one antiperspirant recommended by doctors for people who have this condition.

What makes it so powerful as an antiperspirant is that it contains 20% Aluminum Zirconium Complex, which is a clinical strength.

This aluminum complex works to block your skin’s pores so that you don’t sweat.

Not everyone is a fan of aluminum in their deodorants however - please scroll down and see my buying guide for more details.

So, it is a medical, lab-based formula and does not boast all natural organic ingredients.

However we can confirm that it has been certified as cruelty free by PETA. And that’s the main thing.

You use it a little differently to regular deodorant sticks.

You apply it to dry underarms at night before you go to bed, and you won’t sweat for the following 24 hours.

However, it can be reapplied in the morning, if you want to use it to freshen up.

This deodorant is a bestseller with online retailers in the category of antiperspirants, and has seen some great feedback from customers.

And if you click on “Check price” you’ll see that it’s available on Amazon’s Subscribe & Save scheme.

Please note, this review is for the Everyday Strength, but it’s also available in other strengths too.

There’s also a Prescription Strength and an Extra Strength version.

If you’re not sure which strength you need, why not consult with your doctor.

Pros

  • Antiperspirant properties
  • Recommended by doctors
  • Clinical strength ingredients
  • On Amazon’s Subscribe & Save scheme

Cons

  • Not aluminum-free (please see buying guide)

RUNNER UP

Native Deodorant | Natural Deodorant for Women and Men, Aluminum Free with Baking Soda, Probiotics, Coconut Oil and Shea Butter | Coconut & Vanilla

This deodorant is a best seller with the online retailers and really has been flying off the shelves.

Best of all the brand is vegan, and never tests on animals, just on human volunteers.

And it’s made with all natural derived ingredients that you understand, namely coconut oil, probiotics, tapioca, and creamy shea butter.

The Native brand prides itself on this and says “Native Deodorant isn’t a chemistry experiment”.

It’s also free of a lot of the hidden nasties that you sometimes find in deodorants, such as parabens, phthalates, gluten, and talc.

It’s also free of aluminum too, more on that on our buying guide.

It feels light and fresh, and really protects from underarm odor.

I love that it’s designed as much for men as for women, as it means I can also get them for the men in my life too.

There are loads of different scents to choose from. I think the coconut and vanilla one smells divine.

But I also like the idea of having the unscented one, because it means I can wear it along with my vegan perfume.

Other scents available include apple and honeysuckle, blood orange and clove, blackberry and plum, vanilla and rose, pear and linden blossom, lavender and rose, and finally cucumber and mint.

Pros

  • A huge online bestseller
  • Made with natural ingredients
  • No hidden nasties, like aluminum
  • Designed for both men & women
  • Loads of great fragrances to choose from

Cons

  • Although the brand claims to be cruelty free, this does not appear to have been certified by the Leaping Bunny programme, as there’s no logo on there

RUNNER UP

HUMBLE BRANDS Original Formula Aluminum-free Deodorant. Long Lasting Odor Control with Baking Soda and Essential Oils, Full and Travel Size, Mountain Lavender

Here’s another great deodorant.

This one has been certified cruelty-free by the Leaping Bunny Certification Programme.

I like the Leaping Bunny Certification Programme - it’s the international gold standard for non-animal tested products.

The other thing that impressed me about this product is that it contains just 4 basic, natural ingredients.

These are organic corn starch, organic beeswax, fractionated coconut oil, baking soda and essential oils. 

There are no hidden nasties in it whatsoever, so that’s one less thing to worry about.

There’s no alcohol, no dyes, no parabens.

And even the fragrance is natural, derived from essential oils.

It’s also aluminum free too - more on that in my buying guide a little later.

It glides on, dries you right up, doesn’t clog your pores, and smells great.

It’s available in a range of different fragrances too.

Some people would argue that although the deodorant is vegetarian, it cannot be classed as vegan because the bees are 'exploited' by harvesting their honey.

I don’t know how you’d feel about that, but I certainly couldn’t make it my number one pick. I guess I’m funny like that.

The brand also has a line of deodorants for those with sensitive skin, that you might also want to check out.

I was also impressed that the deodorant is backed by the Humble Brand’s 30-day money back guarantee.

If for any reason you’re unhappy with the product, you simply let the manufacturer know, and you can get a 100% refund, no questions asked.

And it’s made right here in the good old US of A.

Pros

  • Certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny
  • Uses just 5 natural organic ingredients
  • No hidden nasties like parabens etc
  • 30-day money back guarantee
  • made right here in the USA

Cons

  • Although it doesn’t contain any animal products, some would argue that it’s not vegan

Best Cruelty Free Deodorants Buying Guide

As promised here’s your buying guide.

I’m not going to tell you exactly what you should be looking for in a cruelty free deodorant, that’s down to you, but I will give you some things to think about.

Cruelty Free Certification

Of course, if you’ve come to my blog, it’s because ensuring that the products you buy are cruelty free is your first concern.

So, to that end, wherever possible, I’ve found out exactly what Cruelty Free Certification each product has.

Some are PETA certified and some are Leaping Bunny certified.

Vegan

I know many of my readers like to see products that are not only cruelty free, but also entirely vegan.

So wherever I’ve discovered that a deodorant is 100% vegan I’ve made a note of that in my review.

Anti-Perspirant Properties?

There don’t seem to be many cruelty free deodorants that also have anti-perspirant properties, but I did find one so I made it my number one pick.

It’s the Certain Dri Everyday Strength Clinical Antiperspirant Deodorant. 

Antiperspirant deodorants are better than regular ones because they work to stop you from sweating in the first place, rather than just masking the smell of your sweat.

Scent?

If you don’t like the scent of your deodorant, then you’re not going to wear it, and will have wasted your money.

The good news is however, that most underarm deodorants have only a very light fragrance, that isn’t overpowering, and can easily be masked by a nice vegan cruelty free perfume.

Suitable for Men and Women?

When you’re as passionate about cruelty free products as I am, you tend to attract like-minded individuals in your life who are also into cruelty free products.

All of the deodorants that made my shortlist of top 5 picks are either gender neutral, or have scent options for both men and women.

Aluminum Free?

Some deodorants contain aluminum salts that help to block your pores so that you don’t sweat as much.

And that sounds like a good thing right?

However, it can have side effects. It can irritate the skin, and make it tingle and itch.

Moreover, research shows that aluminum from antiperspirants can build up in your body, and it can take 2-4 weeks to detox from aluminum build up.

Natural/Organic Ingredients?

I know that a lot of people don’t like deodorants that are full of strange chemicals, and instead prefer products that have ingredients that are derived naturally from plants and such.

If this is important to you, then I respect that.

And fortunately most of the deodorants that made my shortlist use only natural ingredients.

Have a scroll through and see if you can pick out a favorite.

Cost?

If you’re anything like me, you don’t worry too much about the cost of products, so long as they’re all cruelty free.

But, that said, cruelty free deodorants can vary in price, so I recommend that you check the prices as you go along. 

You can always save a bit of money by buying a 3-pack of deodorants.

Or by signing up to Amazon’s Subscribe & Save facility.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best cruelty free deodorant?

Now this is a tricky question to answer.

It kind of depends on what criteria you want to judge it by. 

The most obvious thing to judge by is the scent.

But I would say that scent preference is something of a personal thing. 

Personally, I love coconut, vanilla and citrus scents.

But then I also love patchouli too.

Sorry - I’m not much help here!

But if you were judging by how effective the deodorant is, I would have to go with Certain Dri Clinical Antiperspirant Deodorant 

Is Dove deodorant cruelty free?

I’m pleased to report that Dove has been globally accredited "Cruelty Free" by the animal rights organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

I talk a lot more about this in one of my other blog posts, “Is Dove cruelty free?” which is available on this link.

What deodorant is vegan and cruelty free?

I know that many of my readers are interested in not just what products are cruelty free, but also which ones are vegan.

This was why I made a point of looking into such deodorants before I made my shortlist.

My favorite vegan cruelty free deodorants are Each & Every Natural Deodorant for Sensitive Skin, Schmidt's Natural Deodorant for Women and Men, and Native Natural Deodorant for Women and Men.

What deodorant doesn't test on animals?

There are several brands of deodorant out on the market today that don’t test on animals, it’s becoming big business, and there are plenty of companies who want to get in on the action.

The selection that made my shortlist of top 5 picks are just my favorites.

It’s hardly an exhaustive list, but they do pretty much reflect popular opinion about which cruelty free deodorants are best.

Last update on 2023-09-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API