Choosing the Best Ethical & Sustainable Deodorant Brands
Which deodorant brands are the most ethical and sustainable? To find out, explore our Ethical Deodorant Ratings Table, where you can compare scores across all major brands.
Why Opt for Ethical Deodorant Brands?
Deodorants and antiperspirants are daily essentials, but the brands behind them can vary widely in their environmental impact, ingredient safety, and overall ethical practices. With the global deodorant market valued at around US $29 billion in 2024 and projected to exceed US $42 billion by 2033, the sector is expanding rapidly, and so is consumer demand for safer, greener products.
As this market grows, it is increasingly important to consider what goes into your deodorant, how it’s packaged, and the ethics of the company behind it. The GOOD Shopping Guide helps you make informed choices so your everyday products don’t compromise your environmental and ethical values.
This article explores the key ethical considerations when choosing a deodorant and highlights the brands performing best — and worst — in our research.
How can I trust packaging?
Packaging is one of the largest environmental issues in the personal-care sector. Approximately 95% of beauty and personal-care packaging is discarded by consumers, even though some of this is recyclable, contributing significantly to global plastic waste.
While the industry has begun shifting toward refillable systems and post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials, many mainstream deodorants still rely on disposable plastic sticks or aerosol cans. Some ethical brands, however, are moving towards plastic-free cardboard tubes, aluminium cases, or refillable systems, dramatically reducing their footprint.
While refillable models are more eco-friendly than traditional packaging, unfortunately, this does not mean that all refillable models are equally sustainable. For example, there is a very large gap between the two refillable brands Wild and Fussy on our table. Wild fails to meet our ethical benchmark, whereas Fussy is one of our top-scoring brands. To find out why this is, take a look at their individual brand pages linked on the table.
How do I know which brands are actually sustainable and which ones are greenwashing?
As if the environmental considerations of packaging weren’t complex enough, there is also the issue of several companies in this sector being accused of greenwashing (making unfounded and misleading sustainability claims).
Thankfully, we’ve done the hard work of researching 28 deodorant brands and their parent companies’ track records to make sure that you’re getting the full picture – not just the one they display on the packaging.
Unilever has faced several criticisms for its unfounded, vague or misleading sustainability claims across its various brands. In the deodorant sector, Unilever owns Dove, Impulse, Lynx Sure and Wild, meaning all these brands receive a bottom rating under Irresponsible Marketing.
Ingredients: What’s Really Inside Your Deodorant?
Ingredient safety is another major concern. Studies by consumer-safety organisations found that nearly 1 in 4 deodorants contains “unwanted chemicals”, including allergens and potential hormone disruptors. Meanwhile, only about 10% of the 13,000 ingredients used in personal-care products have been safety-tested, making transparency essential.
More ethical deodorant brands tend to:
- Exclude parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances
- Disclose full ingredients lists
- Prioritise plant-based and natural alternatives
- Have organic certification
- Looking for our Accredited deodorant brands Green People, Bloomtown, Neal’s Yard Remedies, Odylique and Tropic Skincare is a great place to find organic, vegan and natural deodorants at affordable prices
How is my deodorant impacting animal welfare?
Ethical deodorant choices go beyond ingredients and packaging. When searching for a brand that is actually cruelty-free it’s essential to look for the right certifications and a robust Animal Testing Policy.
A top rating in our Animal Welfare category indicates that a company does not test on animals and doesn’t have recent any criticisms in this area. To find out more about how we research brands, check out our How We Rate article for more information.
When shopping for deodorant, looking for a Vegan Society, Vegetarian Society or Cruelty Free International/Leaping Bunny logo is a strong indicator that the brand doesn’t test on animals.
However, the parent company also matters: a brand may appear ethical, but if owned by a corporation which allows animal testing in its supply chain, it will receive a bottom rating for Animal Welfare. For example, some L’Oreal products have Leaping Bunny certification, however the parent company sells its products in China, where animal testing is required by law. This is why it’s important to check our ratings to get the full picture.
So which deodorant brands are best?
Whether you prioritise sustainability, skin health, or corporate ethics, your choice of deodorant matters. Selecting ethical brands helps drive the industry toward safer ingredients, reduced plastic waste, and better corporate responsibility.
You can explore more about each brand, their scores, and their ethical performance in our full Deodorant Ethical Comparison Table or click on the individual brands below.
Green People, Neal’s Yard Remedies, Odylique, Tropic Skincare, Bloomtown, AKT, Ben & Anna, Bionsen, Daise, Dr Organic, Fussy, Weleda, Armaf, Caudalie, Dove, Impulse, Lynx, Sure, Wild, INEOS, L’Oreal, Mitchum, Nivea, Right Guard, Sanex, Soft & Gentle, Treaclemoon, and Triple Dry.