Natural and organic deodorants

What are natural and organic deodorants?

In recent years you have probably noticed an increase in the number of products purporting to be natural, or containing natural ingredients. Natural deodorants, for example, range from lumps of mineral salt to balms and creams made from supposedly natural ingredients. 

But what does “natural” actually mean? 

In the UK and EU "natural" is not a regulated term, nor is “organic”. (However, when it comes to food, the term “organic” is regulated, meaning that it is illegal to claim a product is organic if it contains less than 95% organic ingredients.)

While these terms aren’t officially regulated, companies cannot say whatever they like. 

Cosmetics companies in the UK have to follow the UK Cosmetics Regulation (EU regulation is virtually identical), specifically article 20, which states: “In the labelling, making available on the market and advertising of cosmetic products, text, names, trademarks, pictures and figurative or other signs shall not be used to imply that these products have characteristics or function that they do not have.” Basically, companies are required to back up any claims they make.

In the UK the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is tasked with policing bogus claims, though only if a complaint has been raised – which anyone is entitled to do. For example, the ASA upheld a complaint against Boots because its website advertised a product called “Little Me Organics Oh So Gentle Hair and Body Wash” which only contained 5% organic materials. The ruling stated that although there is no legal standard for organic cosmetics in the UK, it was clearly misleading.

Natural and organic certifications

Although there are some limits on cosmetics companies using terms such as “natural” and “organic”, the system isn’t particularly robust and relies on a complaint to be raised before action is taken. For this reason, we recommend looking for products that are certified as “natural” or “organic” because this means that a company’s claims have been verified by a third party.

In the UK there are two main certifiers of natural and organic products:

• COSMOS: a Brussels-based, international, non-profit organisation founded by various national natural/ organic institutions (Soil Association in the UK).
• NATRUE: a Brussels-based, international, non-profit association initially founded in 2007 by six companies operating in the natural/organics sector.

The organisations differ slightly in their certification standards, but both are robust and well-respected. So, if you want to be sure that the natural/organic products you are buying are all that they claim to be, we recommend opting for those that carry either one of these labels.

That said, we do also recognise that smaller businesses may lack the resources for third-party certification, which is what The Natural Deodorant Co told us when we asked them about why they hadn’t pursued certification for their natural products.

Are natural cosmetic products better than synthetic ones?

Not necessarily. According to Paula Gómez de Tejada, NATRUE’s Global Comms and PR Manager: “It is important to avoid generalisations. Whether an ingredient is natural or synthetic does not, in itself, determine whether it is safer, more effective, or more sustainable.” This sentiment was echoed by the Lush toxicology team and Brett Sanders, founder of the Natural Deodorant Company.

In terms of human health, synthetic molecules are not necessarily more toxic than natural ones. According to the Lush toxicology team: “synthetic ingredients are often polymers, meaning large molecules that penetrate the skin very little, if at all, and therefore typically present a low toxicological risk.” And because these ingredients are produced in a laboratory, they can be precisely defined – their composition, structure, and properties are known and controlled. 

Natural ingredients, on the other hand, can be more complex to assess because their composition may vary depending on the origin or the raw materials or growing conditions.

Of course, synthetic ingredients can be very harmful. 

The ingredients we look for in our harmful ingredients rating are all synthetics: PFASs (forever chemicals), phthalates, parabens, and formaldehyde (the latter occurs naturally, but when used in cosmetics it will generally be produced synthetically). 

But natural materials can also be harmful to human health. Essential oils, which are frequently used in cosmetics, can irritate the skin, as can sodium bicarbonate which is used in many natural deodorants. 

And other “natural” materials (arsenic, cyanide, etc) can be deadly.

Environmental impact of natural ingredients

The growing, sourcing and disposal of natural ingredients can all have an environmental impact. Natural ingredients can be produced in sustainable ways, particularly if production is done to organic standards, but they can also be produced in ways that cause harm – the production of much palm oil being the most obvious example.

When it comes to their environmental fate, natural ingredients are generally better. According to the Lush toxicology team: “Natural molecules are often more readily biodegradable and more easily integrated into natural ecosystems. In contrast, some synthetic molecules may be more persistent in the environment, accumulate in ecosystems, or contribute to long-term pollution.”

If natural products aren’t necessarily safer or better, why all the fuss?

Just because there isn’t a nice, easy answer to the natural vs synthetics question, doesn’t mean that the natural cosmetics movement lacks legitimacy. 

As is the case with food, many consumers are growing wary of ingredients lists they don’t understand. For The Natural Deodorant Company:

“many consumers are looking for greater transparency and simplicity in the products they buy. They want to understand what ingredients are being used and feel more connected to the products they use every day.”

And although “natural” isn’t a regulated term, products certified by NATRUE or COSMOS have to comply with a strict set of standards regarding ingredients, formulation, and manufacturing. For NATRUE: “Our role is not to judge synthetic cosmetics, but to ensure that when a product is marketed as natural or organic, those claims are meaningful, independently verified and supported by robust standards.”

Should I buy a natural deodorant?

It cannot be said definitively that natural deodorants and other cosmetics are better or even safer than synthetic ones, particularly as “natural” and “organic” are unregulated terms in cosmetics so some brands may use these terms in misleading ways.

Ultimately, it is a personal choice, but there are good reasons for opting for natural cosmetics, not least that the ingredients used are often simpler and easier to understand and many of the harmful ingredients that have made their way into cosmetics are synthetic ones. 

Also, products that are certified as natural or organic have to meet strict requirements, including safety and sustainability, which go beyond the requirements that all cosmetics companies must comply with by law.