Key Takeaways
- The best plastic free deodorant for most people is HiBAR, a cardboard push-up tube that comes in a regular and a sensitive formula.
- A paper tube isn’t always plastic free on the inside, since some brands line it with a thin plant-based plastic.
- If baking soda leaves your underarms red, try a magnesium formula before you give up on natural deodorant.
Deodorant is one of those things you buy on autopilot. You grab your usual stick, use it up in a month or two, and toss the plastic tube, cap, and twist dial without a second thought. Do that all year and it adds up to a little pile of plastic that never really goes away, and that’s just one habit in your bathroom.
Thankfully, deodorant is one of the easiest plastic swaps you can make. The best plastic free deodorant for most people is HiBAR, a cardboard push-up tube that works for regular and sensitive skin. There are lovely options in paper tubes, refillable cases, and glass jars too, and this guide will help you find the one that fits you. It’s a small step toward a bigger plastic-free living routine.
One quick heads-up before you shop. A paper tube isn’t always plastic free on the inside, because some brands tuck a thin plastic lining in there. So we looked past the pretty packaging to find out what each tube is really made of.
We considered packaging, ingredients, how gentle each formula is on sensitive skin, and whether any certifications check out with the group that gives them. Note: the fully plastic free picks come first, and the last two each have one small plastic part we’ll tell you about. Grab your coffee and let’s find your new favorite stick.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
HiBAR is the best plastic free deodorant overall, with a cardboard push-up tube and a sensitive formula that skips baking soda. Ethique is the best pick if baking soda irritates your skin.
| Deodorant | Best For | Packaging | Baking Soda | 3rd Party Certs | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiBAR | Overall | Cardboard tube | Original yes, Sensitive no | Leaping Bunny | $ |
| Meow Meow Tweet | Compostable tube | Recycled paper tube | Both options | Leaping Bunny, B Corp | $ |
| Ethique | Baking-soda-free | Cardboard tube | No | PETA Cruelty-Free | $ |
| Chagrin Valley | Organic | Paper tube, paper lining | Yes | USDA Organic, Leaping Bunny | $ |
| Humble Brands | Budget | Paper tube | Original yes, Sensitive no | Leaping Bunny | $ |
| ATTITUDE | Unscented | Cardboard tube | Regular yes, Sensitive no | EWG Verified, PETA Cruelty-Free, FSC-certified packaging | $ |
| Stinkbug Naturals | Heavy sweaters | Cardboard tube | No | None At This Time | $ |
| The Ilex Wood | Handmade | Cardboard tube | Yes, Gentle version no | None At This Time | $ |
| Wild | Refillable | Aluminum case, bamboo refills | Regular yes, Sensitive no | B Corp | $$ |
| Fat and the Moon | Cream | Glass jar, lined lid | Yes | None At This Time | $$ |
How We Researched and Ranked Plastic Free Deodorants
We looked at every deodorant piece by piece, from the tube and lining to the push-up base and cap, using what each brand shares on its own website. Then we sorted by ingredients, how gentle they are, and certifications we could confirm.
We started with the brands you’ll see everywhere, like Wild, and added the small plastic-free makers who have been doing paper tubes for years.
Packaging was the big one. For each deodorant, we read the brand’s own pages to see what the tube, lining, push-up bottom, and cap are made of. If a brand says the whole thing is plastic free and nothing else it shares says otherwise, the card says Fully Plastic Free. Any brand that admits to a plastic part moved to the end of the list.
We only count a certification if we can find it in the certifier’s own database, like Leaping Bunny for cruelty-free, B Corp, and EWG Verified. A logo on the box isn’t enough for us.
We didn’t wear test all of these, so you won’t see sweat scores here. What you will find is something the product pages won’t tell you: which paper tubes are truly plastic-free and which ones just look the part. Every pick is also being added to our Plastic Footprint Directory, where each product is scored the same way.
Don’t Miss: Plastic-Free Living: Where to Actually Start, Room by Room Your deodorant is just one small swap. See where the rest of the plastic in your home is hiding and which rooms to start with. Read more →What Counts as Plastic Free Deodorant
A plastic free deodorant has no plastic anywhere in its packaging, not in the tube, the lining, the push-up base, or the cap. Paper push-up tubes, refillable metal cases, glass jars, and naked bars can all fit the bill.
You’ve got four good options to choose from. A cardboard push-up tube works just like the stick you’re used to, except you push it up from the bottom with your finger. Refillable cases are metal shells you keep, and you pop in a new stick when you run out. Creams come in a glass jar or tin and go on with your fingers. And a naked bar is a solid bar with nothing around it, so you keep it in a little tin at home.
The sneaky part is on the inside. Deodorant is oily, so a paper tube needs something to keep the grease from soaking through, and some brands use a plant-based plastic called PLA for that job. Ben and Anna says in its FAQ that a thin layer of PLA lines its paper tube, and PAPR mentions one too.
Then there are the pieces you can’t see, like the push-up bottom or the cap. Most brands never say what those are made of. Refill cases can have the same issue, since a metal case can still have plastic parts inside holding the stick in place.
💫 Now You Know
What is PLA?
PLA is a plastic made from plants like corn instead of oil, which is why it gets called eco. It’s still plastic, though, and it needs the high heat of a commercial compost facility to break down. The European Commission points out that passing industrial compost tests doesn’t mean something will break down in your backyard pile. When researchers in Costa Rica left PLA and other compostable plastics in home compost for 31 weeks, none of them broke down.
The Packaging Teardown: Which Paper Tubes Pass
Only a few brands tell you what lines their paper deodorant tubes. Ethique uses a water-based lining, Chagrin Valley uses a smooth paper called glassine, and Ben and Anna uses a thin PLA plastic, so its tube isn’t fully plastic free.
This is the part most deodorant lists skip. Here are the popular brands we left off our list, and the reason each one didn’t make the cut.
❌ Skip These If You Want Zero Plastic
- Myro: the brand says its case and every refill pod are made of plastic. Its plastic neutral promise means it pays to collect plastic somewhere else, not that your deodorant has less of it.
- Each and Every: a gentle formula with no baking soda, but it comes in a recycled plastic tube and there’s no paper version.
- By Humankind: the brand doesn’t say what its refillable case is made of, and its refills now promise 90% less plastic rather than none.
- Ben and Anna and PAPR: paper tubes with a thin PLA plastic layer inside. They’re better than a plastic stick, but they aren’t fully plastic free.
- No Tox Life: the deodorant cube has no packaging at all, which is great, but the formula includes silicone ingredients that don’t fit a low-plastic routine.
If your old tube has plastic in it, recycling can be tricky. TerraCycle’s free Tom’s of Maine program takes that brand’s containers, but most paper and plastic combo tubes don’t have an easy place to go. That’s one more reason to pick a tube that’s paper all the way through. For more sneaky label tricks, check out our guide on how to spot greenwashing.
The 10 Best Plastic Free Deodorants
These are the 10 best plastic free deodorants, with the fully plastic free picks first. The last two each have one small plastic part, and both brands are honest about it.
HiBAR
The one to start with if you want a single brand that works for regular and sensitive skin.
HiBAR makes its deodorant in Minneapolis, and it comes in a cardboard push-up tube with no plastic anywhere. When you finish it, the tube can go in your recycling or your compost.
You can pick from two formulas. The Original has a little baking soda for extra odor control, and the Sensitive version leaves out the baking soda and the fragrance completely. That means one brand can work for almost everyone in your house.
- Plastic freeThere’s no plastic in the product or its packaging, right down to the tube, cap and lining.
- CompostableThe brand says the packaging can go in your compost when you’re done with it.
- RecyclableThe packaging can go in your curbside recycling.
- Cruelty freeThe brand doesn’t test its products on animals at any stage.
- Fragrance-free optionThere’s a version with no added fragrance, which is helpful if scents bother your skin.
What it’s made of
- Body
- Cardboard
- Push base
- Cardboard
- Cap
- Cardboard
- Lining
- No Plastic Lining
- Baking soda
- Original yes, Sensitive no
Certified by
Meow Meow Tweet
The brand that proved a paper tube could work, and it’s still doing it best.
Meow Meow Tweet says it made the very first deodorant in a compostable tube, and it’s still one of the best. The tube is made mostly from recycled paper, and the brand says it breaks down in your compost in about a year.
The formula is organic, vegan, and gentle, made with coconut oil, arrowroot, and magnesium. Some scents have baking soda and some don’t, so check the name before you buy. If sticks have never worked for you, the same line also comes as a cream in a metal tin.
- Plastic freeThere’s no plastic in the product or its packaging, right down to the tube, cap and lining.
- CompostableThe brand says the packaging can go in your compost when you’re done with it.
- Cruelty freeThe brand doesn’t test its products on animals at any stage.
- VeganIt’s made without any animal ingredients, including beeswax.
- OrganicIt’s made with organic ingredients.
What it’s made of
- Body
- Recycled Paper
- Push base
- Recycled Paper
- Cap
- Recycled Paper
- Lining
- Compostable Seal
- Baking soda
- Both options
Certified by
Ethique
The most open brand on this list, with a gentle formula to match.
Ethique is one of the few brands that tells you exactly what’s inside its tube. It’s cardboard with a water-based lining, and the brand says there’s no plastic liner at all. They even suggest soaking an empty tube in water overnight, since any hidden plastic layer would peel right off.
Every Ethique deodorant is baking-soda-free, which makes it a lovely pick if your underarms get irritated easily. The Eucalyptus and Cedarwood scent is fresh and woodsy, and there’s a fragrance-free one too.
- Plastic freeThere’s no plastic in the product or its packaging, right down to the tube, cap and lining.
- Cruelty freeThe brand doesn’t test its products on animals at any stage.
- Fragrance-free optionThere’s a version with no added fragrance, which is helpful if scents bother your skin.
What it’s made of
- Body
- Cardboard
- Push base
- Cardboard
- Cap
- Cardboard
- Lining
- Water-Based Coating
- Baking soda
- No
Certified by
Chagrin Valley
The best answer on our list to the hidden-lining problem.
Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve is a family business in Ohio, and it’s one of the only brands that tells you what lines its paper tube. The answer is glassine, a smooth paper that holds in the oils without any plastic.
The ingredients are short, simple, and certified organic, like coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, and a little baking soda. If you want the most natural stick you can find in a true paper tube, this is the one.
- Plastic freeThere’s no plastic in the product or its packaging, right down to the tube, cap and lining.
- OrganicIt’s made with organic ingredients.
- Cruelty freeThe brand doesn’t test its products on animals at any stage.
What it’s made of
- Body
- Paperboard
- Push base
- Paperboard
- Cap
- Paperboard
- Lining
- Glassine Paper
- Baking soda
- Yes
Certified by
Humble Brands
A cruelty-free paper tube at the friendliest price.
Humble Brands is one of the most budget-friendly picks here, and it comes in a paper tube you push up from the bottom. As the brand puts it, there’s nothing to throw away but the carton.
The Original has baking soda and beeswax, while the Sensitive Skin version swaps those out for gentler, vegan ingredients. Humble also sells a plastic tube, so make sure you grab the plastic-free one.
- Plastic freeThere’s no plastic in the product or its packaging, right down to the tube, cap and lining.
- Cruelty freeThe brand doesn’t test its products on animals at any stage.
- Vegan optionAt least one version is made without any animal ingredients.
What it’s made of
- Body
- Paperboard
- Push base
- Paperboard
- Cap
- Paperboard
- Lining
- No Plastic Lining
- Baking soda
- Original yes, Sensitive no
Certified by
ATTITUDE
The cleanest unscented option in a cardboard tube.
ATTITUDE is a Canadian brand, and all of its deodorants are EWG Verified. The plastic-free version comes in a cardboard tube you press up from the bottom, and the brand says you can break it up and compost it when you’re done.
The Sensitive Skin line has no baking soda and uses soothing oat and chamomile instead. Go with the unscented one if fragrance bugs you. Just double-check the listing, since the same scents also come in a plastic tube.
- Plastic freeThere’s no plastic in the product or its packaging, right down to the tube, cap and lining.
- CompostableThe brand says the packaging can go in your compost when you’re done with it.
- Cruelty freeThe brand doesn’t test its products on animals at any stage.
- Unscented optionThere’s a version with no added scent, which is helpful if scents bother your skin.
What it’s made of
- Body
- Cardboard
- Push base
- Cardboard
- Cap
- Cardboard
- Lining
- No Plastic Lining
- Baking soda
- Regular yes, Sensitive no
Certified by
Stinkbug Naturals
The most absorbent formula here, in a plastic-free tube.
Stinkbug Naturals is a small family company here in the US, and its charcoal deodorant comes in a cardboard tube the brand says is completely plastic free. Charcoal soaks up moisture and odor, and there’s no baking soda in this one.
Keep in mind that no deodorant stops sweat, and this one doesn’t claim to. It’s the one we’d grab if you tend to feel damp by afternoon, since the charcoal soaks up more than most. The cedar and eucalyptus scent works for anyone.
- Plastic freeThere’s no plastic in the product or its packaging, right down to the tube, cap and lining.
What it’s made of
- Body
- Cardboard
- Push base
- Cardboard
- Cap
- Cardboard
- Lining
- Not listed by the brand
- Baking soda
- No
The Ilex Wood
A small-batch stick in a simple cardboard tube.
The Ilex Wood is a small UK maker that makes its deodorant by hand. It comes in a cardboard push-up tube the brand says is plastic free, recyclable, and biodegradable.
The ingredient list reads like a kitchen shelf, with shea butter, arrowroot, coconut oil, clay, and essential oils. It’s vegan, and there’s a gentle version without baking soda if you need it.
My experience
I packed The Ilex Wood with me when I walked the Camino de Santiago, and after long days on the trail I stayed stink free the whole way. I really like this one, and it never left white marks on my clothes the way traditional deodorants always did.
- Plastic freeThere’s no plastic in the product or its packaging, right down to the tube, cap and lining.
- RecyclableThe packaging can go in your curbside recycling.
- BiodegradableThe packaging breaks down naturally instead of sitting in a landfill for hundreds of years.
- VeganIt’s made without any animal ingredients, including beeswax.
- HandmadeIt’s made by hand in small batches.
What it’s made of
- Body
- Cardboard
- Push base
- Cardboard
- Cap
- Cardboard
- Lining
- No Plastic Lining
- Baking soda
- Yes, Gentle version no
Wild
The best refill system out there, with one small plastic part you should know about.
Wild is the best-known refillable deodorant. You buy a pretty aluminum case once, then pop in new sticks that come wrapped in a bamboo sleeve you can compost.
The refills are plastic free, but the case isn’t quite, and Wild is honest about it. Its own pages say the small parts inside the case are made from recycled plastic, which is why it sits near the end of our list. There’s also a sensitive range without baking soda.
- Contains plasticPart of the packaging is plastic. The list below shows exactly which part.
- RefillableYou keep the case and buy refills, so there’s much less to throw away.
- Compostable refillsThe refills come in packaging you can put in your compost.
What it’s made of
- Body
- Aluminum
- Push base
- Recycled Plastic (plastic)
- Cap
- Aluminum
- Lining
- None Needed
- Baking soda
- Regular yes, Sensitive no
Certified by
Fat and the Moon
A lovely cream in a jar you’ll keep, with one small plastic part.
Fat and the Moon is a cream made by an herbalist, and it comes in an amber glass jar you can reuse for years. It’s simple stuff, like coconut oil, arrowroot, baking soda, beeswax, and essential oils.
We put it in the low-plastic group because the metal lid has a thin plastic lining inside, and the brand tells you so. It’s a tiny amount, but we think you should know before you buy.
- Contains plasticPart of the packaging is plastic. The list below shows exactly which part.
What it’s made of
- Body
- Amber Glass
- Lid
- Metal with a thin plastic lining (plastic)
- Baking soda
- Yes
Plastic Free Deodorant Formats Compared: Bars vs Tubes vs Refillables
Cardboard tubes are the easiest switch because they go on like a regular stick. Refillable cases create the least waste over time, creams are the gentlest, and naked bars are the easiest to travel with.
Each format has its own little trade-off, so go with the one that fits how you get ready in the morning. Here’s a quick look at what to expect.
| Format | How Long It Lasts | Mess Factor | Travel | When You’re Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardboard push-up tube | A few weeks to 2 months | Low, just like a stick | Easy, it’s a solid | Compost or recycle it if it’s all paper |
| Refillable metal case | Case lasts years, refills a few weeks | Low | Easy, it’s a solid | Compost the refill sleeve, keep the case |
| Cream in a jar or tin | The longest per ounce | A little messier, you use your fingers | Counts as a liquid over 3.4 oz | Reuse or recycle the jar or tin |
| Naked bar or cube | Months, according to some brands | Low, but keep it dry | The easiest, no container | Nothing to throw away |
Paper tubes have one quirk you should know about. Most don’t slide back down once you push them up, so only push up a little at a time. It also helps to keep them away from the shower, since steam softens paper.
Ingredients to Look For and Avoid
Look for magnesium hydroxide, arrowroot or tapioca starch, and zinc ricinoleate for gentle odor control. Baking soda works great for lots of people, but it can sting sensitive skin.
Baking soda is usually the make-or-break ingredient. It’s great at knocking out odor, and plenty of people use it for years with zero problems. The trouble is that baking soda is alkaline, while healthy skin is naturally a little acidic. When you put one on the other, some underarms end up pink and itchy.
If that sounds familiar, don’t give up on natural deodorant. Try a baking-soda-free formula like Ethique, and give your skin a week or two to calm down.
✅ Ingredients Worth Looking For
- Magnesium hydroxide: the go-to baking soda swap, and much gentler on sensitive skin.
- Arrowroot or tapioca starch: soaks up moisture so you feel drier.
- Zinc ricinoleate: grabs onto odor instead of just covering it up.
- Activated charcoal: soaks up extra moisture and odor if you tend to sweat by afternoon.
- Shea butter and coconut oil: soft, soothing bases that help the stick glide on.
❌ Claims and Ingredients to Question
- Plant-based or sugarcane plastic tubes: still plastic, even if it started out as a plant.
- Plastic neutral: the brand paid to have plastic collected somewhere else, but your tube is still plastic.
- Fragrance with no details: if scent bothers you, look for named essential oils instead.
- Silicone ingredients: long names like polymethylsilsesquioxane are lab-made polymers you might not expect in a natural stick.
Want to dig a little deeper into labels? Our guide to parabens and phthalates covers the ingredients worth skipping in the rest of your routine, and our third-party certifications guide shows you which logos you can trust.
Save This Plastic Free Deodorant Guide for Your Next Swap 📌
How to Switch to a Natural Plastic Free Deodorant
Give your body a week or two to adjust when you switch from antiperspirant to a natural plastic free deodorant. You might notice more odor at first, and that’s completely normal while your underarms find their new balance.
First, a quick heads-up: antiperspirant and deodorant aren’t the same thing. Antiperspirant uses aluminum to plug your sweat ducts, which is why the FDA treats it as a drug. Deodorant doesn’t stop sweat at all. It just keeps odor in check, and every pick on this list is a deodorant.
When you stop using antiperspirant, your underarms go through a little change. In a small study out of Ghent University, going a month without any products, then switching back, clearly changed which bacteria lived in people’s underarms. Another study found bacteria counts went up after people quit antiperspirant. That’s the adjustment period, and it passes.
You might hear this called an armpit detox, but that’s not really what’s going on. A dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic says there’s no science behind detoxing your armpits. You aren’t sweating out toxins. Your skin is simply settling into a new normal.
A few simple habits make the switch easier. Put it on clean, dry skin, and give yourself a few minutes after a hot shower. Start with a thin layer, because more doesn’t mean better. If your skin tends to get red, try a little on your inner arm for a day before you go all in.
✨ TIP
Warm the Stick Before You Swipe
Natural sticks are a little firmer than the ones you’re used to, especially in a chilly bathroom. Hold the stick against your skin for two or three seconds before you swipe, and it will glide on smoothly instead of dragging.
Once your deodorant is sorted, shampoo bars and a plastic free toothpaste are great next swaps for your bathroom. They work the same way, since a solid product doesn’t need a plastic bottle.
Don’t Miss: Natural Bar Soap: 7 Best Plastic-Free Bars + DIY Recipe Deodorant done? Your body wash bottle is the next easy one to swap. Here are the bars that come wrapped in paper or nothing at all. Read more →FAQs on Plastic Free Deodorant
No deodorant stops sweat, since only aluminum antiperspirants do that. For odor and a drier feel, look for activated charcoal, arrowroot or tapioca starch, and magnesium, like the charcoal stick from Stinkbug Naturals. A quick midday swipe helps on hot days too.
It’s best not to share a stick or bar, since it touches skin directly and can pass bacteria along. If you want one product for the whole family, a cream in a jar is easier to share as long as everyone uses a clean scoop instead of their fingers.
It depends on the size and how much you use. HiBAR says its stick lasts about 4 to 6 weeks, and No Tox Life says its solid cube lasts 6 to 8 months. Paper tubes aren’t airtight, so Meow Meow Tweet suggests using its stick within about 3 months of opening.
Natural deodorants usually don’t leave the yellow stains people blame on antiperspirant, but oily sticks can leave a greasy mark on dark clothes. Use a thin layer and let it sink in for a minute before you get dressed.
Plastic free is about the packaging, meaning there’s no plastic in the tube, lining, or cap. Aluminum free is about the formula, meaning it doesn’t use aluminum to block sweat. Every deodorant on this list is aluminum free, but lots of aluminum free deodorants still come in plastic tubes.
Final Thoughts About Plastic Free Deodorant
The best plastic free deodorant for most people is HiBAR. Choose Ethique if baking soda bothers your skin, and Wild if you’d love a refillable case and don’t mind a little recycled plastic inside it.
Deodorant is one of those small swaps that really adds up, because you replace it all year long. If you want one easy answer, start with HiBAR. Reach for Ethique if baking soda has ever bothered you, and try Meow Meow Tweet if you compost and love the idea of a tube that goes right in with your scraps. Whichever one you choose, take a second to check what the tube is made of, because that little habit will tell you more than any label on the front.
📚 References
- Callewaert, C., Hutapea, P., Van de Wiele, T., & Boon, N. (2014). Deodorants and antiperspirants affect the axillary bacterial community. Archives of Dermatological Research, 306(8), 701-710. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-014-1487-1
- Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Armpit detox: Does it really work? Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/armpit-detox
- European Commission. (2022). EU policy framework on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics (COM(2022) 682 final). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX%3A52022DC0682
- Lambers, H., Piessens, S., Bloem, A., Pronk, H., & Finkel, P. (2006). Natural skin surface pH is on average below 5, which is beneficial for its resident flora. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 28(5), 359-370. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-2494.2006.00344.x
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Sodium bicarbonate. PubChem. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sodium-bicarbonate
- Solano, G., Rojas-Gätjens, D., Rojas-Jimenez, K., Chavarría, M., & Romero, R. M. (2022). Biodegradation of plastics at home composting conditions. Environmental Challenges, 7, 100500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2022.100500
- TerraCycle. (n.d.). Tom’s of Maine free recycling program. https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/toms-of-maine
- Urban, J., Fergus, D. J., Savage, A. M., Ehlers, M., Menninger, H. L., Dunn, R. R., & Horvath, J. E. (2016). The effect of habitual and experimental antiperspirant and deodorant product use on the armpit microbiome. PeerJ, 4, e1605. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1605
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2021). OTC monograph M019: Antiperspirant drug products for over-the-counter human use. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/omuf/monographs/OTC%20Monograph_M019-Antiperspirant%20Drug%20Products%20for%20OTC%20Human%20Use%2011.23.2021.pdf
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