I felt fairly certain that there was nothing sexy about natural deoderant. B-O is a topic we don’t love to shout about – so much so we’ve abbreviated it to just two discreet letters. But Corpus Naturals is changing the game.
Sweat, body odour, perspiration, anti perspiration – the sorts of words you speak a little quieter when you say them out loud. Those poor under-arms don’t get much love, do they?
Deodorant has generally been a supermarket pick-up for me and not one I thought much about. Sure, I’d pay a little extra for those promising no white marks on a black t-shirt (generally overpromising and underdelivering), I’d favour a roll-on to an aerosol that gassed out the bedroom, and over the years I narrowed my favourites down to just one that I remained loyal to for years. It did the job and smelled nice enough. That was that.
Gradually over the last few years I’ve become far more conscious of what I apply to this delicate area of the body and have heard my fair share of anecdotal stories that planted a nagging thought in the back of my mind. The idea of smearing certain ingredients across my skin felt less than desirable so I decided to explore natural deodorants, and I quickly discovered a clear favourite.
Now, traditionally, there’s nothing sexy or luxurious about natural deodorant. You don’t see them advertised like mainstream brands on a prime time ad break with a shirtless man spritzing diagonally across his sculpted chest (side note: why did no-one ever question this bizarre application?) nor on a commercial with a group of girls by the beach tossing a colourful can of the newest scent into a sports bag. For a long time I wouldn’t even know where to buy a natural deodorant. Corpus Naturals have changed all this. There I was, reading fragrance descriptions and having a full-on olfactive experience as though I was choosing a signature scent. Deodorants just got cool.
I initially thought Wild might take out the top spot with a flurry of influencer marketing, colourful packaging and a refillable range of scents. Despite loving my purple applicator, the refills arrived in less than perfect condition (the fault of international shipping x temperature changes perhaps) and I found the product on the dry and crumbly side. Corpus Naturals on the other hand, had my heart from the first time I opened the mint green box.
American made, the deodorant is water based and vegan friendly. Importantly to me, it doesn’t feel like a natural deodorant. It feels like a fancy department store product you’d find accompanying your luxe perfume in a Christmas box set. Do brands still do that, or was it solely a 90s trend?
Yes, the packaging is luxe (the fine gold lettering the definition of minimalist chic), but the outer boxes also earn points for being manufactured by renewable solar and hydroelectric energy using recycled materials. It’s green and green – win win. Most importantly, it feels beautiful to apply and glides onto the skin without feeling overly sticky nor dry and crumbly. No pulling, and no waiting ten minutes for it to dry down before dressing.
How does it hold up throughout the day? For me, it’s a winner. Now, this isn’t to say it will work for everyone in all situations. If I’m in for a day of heavy exercise, nerve-inducing interviews or stressful meetings, I still reach for my traditional anti-perspirant deodorant. But for less strenuous days or those spent at home – as so many of us have experienced during Covid-19 lockdowns, it’s nice to have a natural option that minimises body odour in a non-toxic way.
The test for any clean or natural brand, Corpus Naturals make the transition to a natural formula much less of a compromise. The experience of application is far more luxe and enjoyable than my supermarket option, and the scents themselves are surprisingly fancy. I’ve tried two in the range; California and Third Rose. The former is my current fave – a clean, light, fresh scent of bergamot and jasmine that isn’t overwhelming nor gender specific. Third Rose is a close runner-up, and nothing like the old-fashioned rose fragrance you might imagine. It’s paired back, lightly feminine and floral with subtle woody notes. See what I mean? Fancy. Unlike standard deodorants, I’m actually impatient to try more of the fragrances in the range – but it might take a while to work my way down the generously sized tubes.
Whether you’re a natural cosmetics purist, interested in making a few switches to natural products, or just after a deodorant that won’t leave a white residue on your clothing, Corpus Naturals is my green choice every time.
Have you ventured into the natural deodorant realm? I’d love to hear about your favourites, and suggestions, over on Instagram.
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Find Corpus Naturals at www.corpusnaturals.com