Passionate About My Pits: A Native Deodorant Review

Like many health-conscious people, I like the idea of using products made with natural ingredients, but there’s always a fear that they won’t work as well as their more chemically-dense counterparts. Plus, such products are usually accompanied by a higher price tag.

So when I first started seeing Facebook ads for Native, a cruelty-free deodorant made without aluminum or parabens, I was mildly interested but kept scrolling, content to find bliss in my ignorance.

However, as a fitness enthusiast and someone who wants to become the healthiest version of themselves, it was only a matter of time before I’d begin to ponder the possible repercussions of my cheap deodorant.

Maybe you’ve seen the same ads and have read the Native deodorant reviews on their website, but wondered if it's actually as effective as they claim. I hope my story and personal review of the product will help you answer that question.

(Disclaimer: I am not associated with Native in any way, and they did not sponsor this post. These are simply my own honest experiences and thoughts about their product.)

It All Started with My Telomeres

Last summer, I was reading a book called The Six Keys by my fitness idol, Jillian Michaels. It’s all about unlocking the keys to your health and longevity with science.

As it turns out, one of the biggest “keys” to youth and longevity could be your telomeres.

What the heck is a telomere? I’m glad you asked.

In a nutshell, telomeres are like little protective hats on the ends of your chromosomes that keep the DNA from getting damaged each time your cells divide (which happens a lot - nearly two trillion times a day!). They are commonly compared to be like the hard plastic tips on the ends of shoelaces that prevent the threads from fraying.

Without subjecting you to an elaborate science lesson, the end theory is that the longer and more shapely your telomeres, the slower you’ll age.

The problem is that we tend to expose ourselves to a lot of crap without even knowing it. All these toxic chemicals in our environment increase the number of free radicals in our bodies that cause damage to our DNA and shorten our telomeres.

We’re talking about things you find in everyday items, like the bleach in your paper towels, parabens in your shampoo, and - you may have guessed it - aluminum in your deodorant.

Free radicals have also been tied to other horrible diseases that can shorten your lifespan, like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and autoimmune disorders.

Now, I’d never had any complaints about my deodorant up to this point because it did the job. But when I took the time to read the ingredients on the back, I wanted to wash it off of my armpits right then and there.

Choosing to #GoNative

It was around this time that I remembered the Native Facebook ads and started poking around their website.

They make an aluminum-free deodorant that's advertised as both cruelty-free and effective at stopping the stink. Their formula consists of simple ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, tapioca starch, and even probiotics.

They are also an eco-conscious brand, with some of their classic scents available in paperboard packaging.

I was loving everything I saw - until I got to the price.

A single stick of deodorant costs $12 USD. And I’m a Canadian, so that translates to over $15 for me.

I could buy four or five telomere-killing deodorants for that price.

It is considerably cheaper if you sign up for recurring orders, but I go through deodorant very slowly and it didn’t seem like a good option for me.

In search of validation, I texted my friend who had already switched to Native some time ago. She enthusiastically assured me it was worth the money and did the job, adding that most of the scents were lovely.

Between her testimony and the deal Native had on purchasing a bundle of three deodorants (similar to this deal they have on right now), I was finally convinced to pull the trigger on my purchase.

Classic and Seasonal-Smelling Underarms FTW

One fun thing about Native is that they have “Classic” scents that are available year-round, and “Seasonal” scents that are for a limited time only.

For example, in the fall they had a Pumpkin Spice scent and during the holidays they had a Candy Cane scent. (Because nothing says Christmas like peppermint pits!)

For my first order I picked three different scents:

• Coastal Oak & Amber (Seasonal)
• Citrus & Herbal Musk
• Eucalyptus & Mint

For an extra $3, I was also able to snag a mini Coconut & Vanilla stick; it was just too cute to ignore!

As soon as I placed my order I got a cleverly-written email confirmation that made me smile.

From there, it took about two weeks for the package to arrive. In their defense, the postal service around here was pretty slow due to COVID-19.

Deodorants on My Doorstep

I never thought I would get excited about deodorant, but I have to admit I was pretty thrilled when my shipment finally arrived.

The packaging is very nice and helps you feel like the price of their top-tier pit sticks is justified.

I opened each of the sticks and gave them a preliminary sniff. They all had a delicious scent that made my Bath and Body Works candles jealous.

I loved the Eucalyptus & Mint one best so I chose that for myself and dispensed the other two to my family to try.

Arming My Underarms with Native

The next morning I showered to prepare my underarms for what I hoped would be the Rolls Royce of deodorants.

It glided on smoothly and only took a few swipes before I felt I’d applied enough. The fresh eucalyptus scent was noticeable, but not strong enough to attract any nearby koalas (though living in Canada, I couldn’t test this theory).

Unfortunately, it didn’t pass the black t-shirt test and I had to shimmy into my shirt “just so” to prevent white deodorant stains. Then again, my old deodorant was the same so I already knew this dance well.

After a long stressful day at work, I gave myself a discrete sniff and was impressed that the situation was still stable.

I decided to give it the ultimate test with a high-intensity workout, certain that I would need to reapply after. But 30 sweaty minutes later, the power of eucalyptus and mint continued to keep the stank at bay.

I asked my family to weigh-in on their experiences with the natural deodorant and they were similarly satisfied.

Is it Worth Springing for Native?

After that first day, I never went back to regular deodorant. For me, paying the extra dough for Native is absolutely worth it because

Plus, you can always stock up when they have a deal on bundles.

Some people may not agree that it's worth the cost, and that’s okay. I’ll still be over here with fresh armpits and long sexy telomeres.

If you enjoyed this Native deodorant review, please the like button and consider leaving a small tip! Also, feel free to check out my other stories.