Schmidt's, Aluminum Free Natural Deodorant for Women and Men 24 Hour Odor Protection Certified Cruelty Free Vegan Deodorant oz, Cedarwood + Juniper, 3.25 Ounce

I've been trying to find a good natural deodorant for a while. I've used only Tom's which has some things in it I'd like to steer clear of and none of their scents are too great (but their fennel toothpaste is excellent!). I have looked at some other notable products and most seem to have at least one or two things I would rather not have on me, like propylene glycol, a synthetic. And sodium stearate. Natural? Ok. So is arsenic. Sodium stearate strikes me as a cheap bottom of the barrel ingredient used for cost cutting. Lile Magnesium Oxide in Magnesium supplements (completely useless aside from generating revenue from those who don't realize it is effectively a placebo).Sorry... I am verbose... Anyway, I just received this Schmidt's stick today and right out of the package I am in love with the smell. It is subtle - nobody will smell it unless they are hanging out under my arm, but it just smells like a Vermont forest, without any trace of imitation scent whatsoever (because there isn't, according to the label).Not sure how it will last through the day - most naturals seem to tend to wear off after a few hours and I am ok with that. While I develop a slight man scent in the afternoon (it's not altogether unpleasant, honestly), it doesn't become unpleasant until the following morning before the shower. Whether it fades or not, I think I have found the winner. Oh and it also has a gritty oil feel to it that you can't feel even slightly once applied, but is a neat texture while rubbing it in. I think others have mentioned that it stains shirts, but I have gotten into the habit of rubbing my deodorant in as though it were a paste, instead of letting it sit there and rub into my shirt. Seems to work perfectly. Will report back only if my opinion changes.Edit: I felt the need to return with an update. After a couple days of use, I have changed my previous inclination to suspect all natural deodorants will fade after a few hours. This one actually works. While the great scent does fade after a few hours (or my olfacorty gremlins filter it out) the efficacy of the deodorant does not. I haven't once detected my own natural scent - even at the end of the night. The next morning I can detect my own scent only very very faintly. This stuff just works, and it is refreshing to find a company like this, that makes a true natural product (according to their self-reported ingredients, anyway), makes bold claims about the quality, and backs it up 100% in reality. Everyone has biological variations, so your experience may not be the same, but give it a shot if you have even the slightest interest in a natural deodorant (which you should).

Summary: It's great. A little on the pricey side. But I'd rather have natural ingredients than pick up an Old Spice bar (what I do when in a hurry). I'm also comparing against the best I've used (our 4-ingredient homemade formula--shea butter, coconut oil, baking soda and arrow root powder) but we have no time to prepare as soon as we run out, therefore, this purchase. Important notice: mine came with a little instruction flyer. I didn't read it and I was using it wrong, so read first (I was putting on too much, unnecessarily wasting and staining my dark cloths, no longer an issue... review updated).-Odor prevention: Works great. It does a little better than my regular Old Spice and same as our homemade formula, which does not smell AT ALL at the end of the day nor morning after in the shower.-Application: Takes a one-time learning curve to warm up a bit as instructed. But once learned, easy to use.-Cleanliness: It can temporarily stain dark clothes and come out through the fabric but I was using it wrong: A little goes a long way. It came off with a little water and haven't had the problem again after I stop putting on too much.-Scent: If you like juniper, you will like this. It predominates over the cedar. I would have preferred the cedarwood to be more present.-Durability: still testing. An Old Spice bar lasts a long time. Still comparing. Will update.

I've bought this deodorant before at my local supermarket and loved it- the scent is amazing for those of us who enjoy the earthy, rooted aroma of cedarwood (which is definitely the dominant note in this blend- I could hardly tell the juniper was there). When I last bought it, it went on smoothly enough (though it does help to warm the tip against your skin for a moment as the directions advise, especially in winter). But this time, it arrived with tiny hard crystals of...something... mixed abundantly throughout the deodorant. It makes it uncomfortable to apply, and then you basically end up with little white rocks in your armpits along with the deodorant. Yeah, they can take hours to melt and/or fall off.This hasn't happened to me before with any Schmidt's product (including identical copies of this one that I've purchased elsewhere in the past), so I can only guess it had something to with Amazon's shipping/storage? Perhaps it got mildly damaged? Either way, I won't be purchasing it here again if I can avoid it- the product quality is better and the cost is less when I buy it at a brick and mortar store. No crystals there, just nice smooth deodorant ready to apply.I don't have sensitive skin so I can't speak to how this deodorant would work for people who do, but I can't imagine the abrasive quality of the crystals scratching against one's armpits during application would be helpful. Still, that shouldn't be an issue if the product is in good condition.In fairness though, none of this is a deal breaker for me- the scent is still amazing and it still seems to keep me from smelling bad for an average full shift at work, and it doesn't leave nasty residue (like some deodorants can) that then contaminates the rest of your laundry with random white streaks. (And then you have to wash it all over again... urgh.) Also the natural, vegan, ingredient list, free of aluminum and artificial fragrances, is hard to beat. So I'm still using it and plan to keep doing so.I'm giving this four stars because the same product, when I've purchased it in supermarkets or health food stores, deserved five stars... what I got this time was more of a two star product, but I don't want anyone to write off the entire brand because of what may just have been a case that went bad.