10 Best Natural, Zero Waste & Refillable Deodorants

We've hunted for the best refillable and zero waste deodorant brands in the UK, to find natural deodorants that work. From plastic free deodorant refills to home compostable tubes and budget-friendly options, our list provides you with all the info you need to stay fresh and eco-friendly.

According to a study by Mintel, over 90% of deodorants sold in the UK are packaged in plastic, and an estimated 1.5 billion aerosol cans are sent to landfill each year. This highlights the urgent need for more sustainable alternatives to traditional deodorants. Here's 3 ways to move towards a more eco deodorant:

Is aluminium in deodorants and antiperspirants harmful?

There's plenty of debate online about aluminium in deodorants and if it's bad for you, so we wanted to dig a little deeper to see if you really need to be worried. Antiperspirants contain ingredients called aluminium salts that work by forming a temporary plug at the surface of your sweat glands. Some research has put forward a hypothesis that applying these regularly on the skin near the breast may be absorbed by the skin and have estrogen-like (hormonal) effects and whether long term low level absorption could play a role in the increasing incidence of breast cancer.

However, since these questions were first raised, there have been plenty of in-depth analyses to conclude all the research, studies and findings on this topic. Most notably the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, an independent panel of top European scientific experts spent many months investigating this throughout 2019 looking at the safety of aluminium in cosmetic products including antiperspirants and deodorants.

In 2020, the SCCS published a detailed opinion that concluded that the use of aluminium in antiperspirants at current exposure levels is not harmful to human health. They noted that the absorption of aluminium through the skin is limited, and that the aluminium found in antiperspirants does not appear to cause significant accumulation of the metal in the body. Exposure to aluminium may also occur from sources other than cosmetic products, and a major source of aluminium in the population is the diet.

There was also another independent study conducted by a panel of leading clinical oncologists published in the September 2008 edition of leading French cancer journal, Le Bulletin du Cancer that did a deep analysis of 59 other studies and concluded there was no scientific evidence that deodorants or antiperspirants cause cancer.

Cancer Research UK has also dispelled the myth on their website, adding: "No, using deodorants, antiperspirants and body sprays doesn’t cause cancer. Some people have wondered if aluminium in some deodorants and sprays increases cancer risk. There is no good evidence to suggest this. The NHS tells people not to use spray deodorants before a breast screening. This is because they can affect the screening results, not because they are harmful."

So in short, you don't need to be worried.

Though our guide includes an antiperspirant as well as deodorants, they are actually two different types of products used to control body odour and sweating. Deodorant works by masking or neutralising the odour caused by bacteria that thrive in sweaty areas of the body, such as the underarms.

Antiperspirant, on the other hand, works by reducing the amount of sweat produced by the body. It typically contains aluminium-based compounds, such as aluminium chloride that block sweat ducts and prevent sweat from reaching the skin's surface.

While both deodorant and antiperspirant can be effective in controlling body odour, antiperspirants are specifically designed to reduce sweating. However, some people may prefer using only deodorant, it's really down to personal preference.

Best Zero Waste Deodorants