Natural Deodorant for Sensitive Skin: Formulated Like Skincare

Why We Treat Deodorant Like Skincare (Not Just a Quick Fix)

Most of us have a whole routine for our face - a cleanser, something for hydration, maybe an SPF, because we know that skin reacts easily and it shows. Underarm skin is just as reactive, arguably more so if you're sensitive, yet it's usually the last thing we think about, we just reach for whatever's fastest.

That's the gap our natural deodorant range is here to close. Not a spray you apply and forget, but a cream formulated the way you would formulate skincare, with a fragrance-free, bicarbonate-free option and naturally scented original option, so whatever your skin needs, there's a formula for it.

Your underarms deserve the same care as the rest of your skin.

Discover our natural deodorant range →

Why Sensitive Underarm Skin Deserves the Same Care as Your Face

Underarm skin is thin, it's in constant contact with fabric, and many people shave or wax regularly, which strips away part of its natural barrier. That combination makes it more reactive than skin almost anywhere else on the body.

It’s also home to sweat glands that behave differently to those on the rest of your body. The apocrine glands under your arms produce a slightly fattier type of sweat. Sweat itself doesn’t smell, but when bacteria on your skin break it down, that’s when body odour occurs. It’s this process that a natural deodorant needs to help manage.

That’s why the ingredients in a deodorant matter just as much as those in a moisturiser. You want something that helps manage the bacteria responsible for odour while keeping your skin feeling comfortable and balanced - without unnecessary ingredients that could irritate already sensitive underarm skin.

Natural Deodorant for Sensitive Skin: When Bicarbonate Isn't Right for Your Skin 

Here’s something you won’t find on most deodorant brand pages: I reacted to the sodium bicarbonate (bicarb) in our original natural deodorant cream. Bicarbonate is a popular natural deodorant ingredient because it helps tackle the bacteria responsible for odour, but it doesn’t suit every skin type.

So I set about developing a gentler but just as effective alternative, specifically for sensitive underarm skin. The result was our Natural Deodorant Cream for Sensitive Skin - Unscented and Bicarbonate-Free. It was formulated especially for me, but of course, I’m very happy to share it!

This version replaces bicarbonate with magnesium, a mineral that offers a gentler way to help manage odour. Magnesium helps create an environment that’s less favourable to odour-causing bacteria, without altering the skin’s pH in the same way bicarbonate can.

It’s also completely free from essential oils, so it’s fragrance-free as well as bicarbonate-free. That’s important if your skin reacts to fragrance, bicarbonate, or both.

It’s made with 100% natural and around 82% organic ingredients, packaged in a plastic-free tin and made to the same high standards as the rest of our range. There’s no aluminium, parabens, alcohol, phthalates, propylene glycol or GM ingredients.

And it’s not just me who loves it. Customers with sensitive skin have noticed the difference too:

"Great natural product, bicarb free and so pleasant to apply! Great protection and no skin reactions, I love it and will certainly buy again!"

- Ioannis, Nottingham

And then there's Our Original Natural Deodorant Cream

The one with bicarbonate is still very much part of the New Dawn family - and it’s the one Andrew reaches for every day! Our Natural Deodorant Cream is handmade in small batches here in Pembrokeshire, and is 100% natural and 73% certified organic.

Rather than simply masking odour with a strong fragrance, it uses a combination of botanical and mineral ingredients:

• Sodium bicarbonate - helps create an environment where odour-causing bacteria struggle to thrive.

• Arrowroot and tapioca starch - give the cream its lovely smooth texture and help absorb moisture, without blocking pores or sweat glands.

• Certified organic essential oils - Lemongrass & Lime, Patchouli and Rose Geranium give each version its natural scent. Our  Thyme blend uses chemical- and pesticide-free thyme cultivars selected for their natural properties.

Like all our deodorants, it’s free from aluminium, parabens, alcohol, phthalates, propylene glycol and GM ingredients.

And you really don’t need much. A small amount is all you need each time, and with daily use, a tin typically lasts around three months.

But does a natural deodorant really work?

Absolutely. Just ask some of the people who use it every day…

My go-to natural deodorant

In short:

• Looking for an effective natural deodorant with a lovely natural scent? Try our Natural Deodorant Cream – Lemongrass & Lime. It’s also available in Patchouli, Rose Geranium and Benchmark Thyme.

• Have sensitive skin or react to bicarbonate? Our Natural Deodorant Cream – Unscented & Bicarbonate-Free was formulated especially for sensitive underarms and is completely fragrance-free.

If you’re trying either for the first time and have a history of reactive skin, we’d always recommend doing a small patch test on your inner arm before your first full application.

Natural Deodorant vs Antiperspirant: What's the Difference?

It's worth being clear on this, because the two get lumped together constantly:

Antiperspirants work by temporarily blocking sweat glands, usually using aluminium salts to reduce the amount of sweat on the skin.

Deodorants like ours don't try to stop sweat at all. Sweating is a normal process your body uses to regulate temperature. Instead, a natural deodorant helps manage the bacteria responsible for odour, allowing your skin to sweat naturally without the smell that can come with it.

Neither approach is objectively "better" - it depends on what you're looking for. If you want to sweat naturally and manage odour at the source, that's exactly what this deodorant range is built for.

What to Expect When You Switch to a Natural Deodorant

If you're moving over from an aluminium antiperspirant, you may notice that you sweat more at first simply because you're no longer using a product designed to reduce perspiration. Your body is still doing what it naturally does - regulating your temperature through sweat.

It can take a little time to get used to the difference, particularly if you've been using an antiperspirant for years. Give yourself a little time to adjust and, most importantly, remember that sweating itself isn't a sign that your natural deodorant isn't working.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does natural deodorant actually work? Yes, but it works differently to an antiperspirant. It won't stop you sweating, but a well-formulated natural deodorant manages the bacteria responsible for odour, keeping you fresh throughout the day.

Why does natural deodorant sometimes cause a rash? Sodium bicarbonate is included in many natural deodorants because of its odour-fighting properties, but it can be too alkaline for some skin types and may cause irritation. If you've reacted to a bicarbonate-based natural deodorant before, our Unscented & Bicarbonate-Free formula is designed specifically for that.

What's the difference between your two deodorants? Our original Natural Deodorant Cream uses sodium bicarbonate and is available in four organic essential oil scents. Our Sensitive Skin formula replaces bicarbonate with magnesium and contains no essential oils, making it both bicarbonate-free and fragrance-free.

How long does a tin last? With daily use, our standard-size tin typically lasts around three months.

Is it suitable for sensitive skin generally, or just bicarbonate sensitivity? Our Sensitive Skin formula is fragrance-free as well as bicarbonate-free, so it also may be a good option for anyone who reacts to essential oils, not only bicarbonate.

Choosing the Right Natural Deodorant for Sensitive Skin

Your underarms go through a lot - friction, shaving, sweat, fabric - and they deserve a product formulated with the same care you'd expect from a skincare item, not an afterthought squeezed in at the end of your routine. Whichever formula suits your skin, that's the standard we hold every tin to.

Shop Our Natural Deodorant Range →

Feel good in your skin with