Harpers Bazaar's Best Aluminum Free Deodorants
Did Cleo+Coco Make The List? Duh!
"Let’s get two facts out of the way: There's really no need to distinguish aluminum-free deodorants, because all deodorants are aluminum-free. (That said, we tend to conflate deodorant and antiperspirant—which does contain aluminum.) Many people like to use aluminum-free deodorants because they have heard it's safer, but every study to date suggests there is no definitive link between aluminum-based antiperspirant use and breast cancer.
Studies have shown that underarm skin actually absorbs very little aluminum—only about 0.01 percent. But what about when you shave your armpits, then apply a swipe of antiperspirant? The absorption rate of aluminum goes up to 0.06 percent on pre-damaged skin, and a 2017 retrospective study "showed an earlier age of disease onset in breast cancer patients that had used aluminum-containing antiperspirants combined with underarm shaving."
The National Cancer Institute and leading scientists have called for large-scale epidemiological studies of the relationship between aluminum-based antiperspirants and the risk of breast cancer, but so far, no conclusive evidence has been found to label antiperspirants toxic. Our suggestion? Play it semi-safe: Switch to a deodorant on the days you shave, then use your aluminum-based antiperspirant on the days you don’t.
Looking for recs? These are the aluminum-free deodorants we love and trust for keeping our armpits dry and fresh. And if you're looking for the best natural and organic deodorants, we've got those too."
Our team's top picks
These are our team's everyday go-to's. Soon, they'll become yours, too.
