For years, I didn’t think twice about deodorant. Like most of us, I used whatever was on the shelf, swiped it on, and moved on with my day. But about 15 years ago, I decided to stop using antiperspirants entirely. I didn’t want aluminum near my lymph nodes, and I had just started paying closer attention to what I was putting on and in my body.
The Natural Brands That Weren’t Quite Natural
I spent the next several years rotating between natural deodorant brands, such as Tom’s, then Native, and others labeled as “clean” or “safe.” For a while, they seemed to work, or at least felt like a better alternative. But as some of these brands were acquired by larger companies, I started questioning what was really in those ingredient lists. Were they still as clean as they claimed?
And then, my body decided for me.
The Underarm Flare-Ups
Over the past three years, I began experiencing intense underarm irritation. Burning, itching, and inflammation to the point where I couldn’t wear any deodorant at all on some days. Even the “natural” brands left me feeling raw and uncomfortable.
This wasn’t just a surface-level issue. It was tied to hormonal shifts, lymphatic stagnation, and my body’s heightened sensitivity in perimenopause. My skin was sending a clear message: “Only give me what’s real, pure, and healing.”
From Consumer to Curator: Why I Co-Developed a Better Option
That’s when I stopped looking for a solution on store shelves and started creating one instead.
I began working with a small-batch, Florida-based formulator who understood the kind of integrity I needed in a deodorant, and what our Silked customers deserved too. This partnership allows us to offer a truly clean, handcrafted, and trustworthy formula that I personally use every week. And because we work directly with the maker, we maintain full control and transparency over the ingredients, no guessing, no greenwashing.
This is the same deodorant we now carry in our Silked Essentials Collection.
What Makes Silked’s Natural Deodorant Different?
It’s what’s not in it that matters most:
- No aluminum
- No parabens
- No synthetic fragrance
- No baking soda
Instead, it’s filled with skin-loving, plant-based ingredients that support your body, not suppress it.
Ingredients You Can Feel Good About:
- Organic Coconut Oil & Cocoa Butter: Moisturize and soothe the skin barrier.
- Arrowroot Powder: Absorbs moisture naturally.
- Beeswax & Carnauba Wax: Hold the stick together without using chemicals.
- Vitamin E & Grapefruit Seed Extract: Antioxidant and antibacterial support.
- Palmarosa Essential Oil: Antifungal and deeply calming for sensitive skin.
My Routine: Balance, Not Overload
These days, I only wear deodorant 2–3 days per week, usually for performances, travel, or high-output days. The rest of the time, I let my underarms breathe. I alternate with:
- Magnesium-based topicals
- Antifungal coconut oil blends
- Lymphatic drainage and vibration therapy
- And of course, intentional rest
My skin is now thriving where it used to scream.
More Than a Product, It’s a Practice
Choosing to switch to this deodorant was more than swapping a product. It was a reclaiming of power over my own body. A decision to curate, not just consume. To care for the parts of me that had gone ignored. To treat my underarms not as a place to mask or suppress, but as a gateway to detox, hormone health, and healing.
If you’re in perimenopause, menopause, or simply in a season of greater sensitivity, I encourage you to listen to your body and give it tools, not toxins.
You deserve a product that honors your healing.
Try Silked’s Natural Deodorant available in Green Tea & Pear, Jasmine, and Gardenia.
A Note on Texture, Shelf Life, and Real Ingredients
One thing I’ve noticed, and I think it’s worth sharing, is that natural deodorants don’t always stay picture perfect. Over time, the texture can shift. You might see a little softening, a change in consistency, or even a bit of natural separation. This doesn’t mean it’s expired or unsafe to use. It’s simply the way real, living ingredients behave.
At Silked, we keep all of our deodorants refrigerated until they ship. That helps maintain their beautiful, creamy texture for as long as possible. Once they arrive, they’re perfectly fine at room temperature, but just like coconut oil or cocoa butter in your kitchen, they can shift depending on the weather or the season.
I still use mine even when the texture changes slightly, and I’ve never had an issue. That’s part of the beauty of working with a small-batch formulator; we know exactly what’s going into every stick, and we’re proud to stand behind the purity of it.
This isn’t a synthetic product sitting in a warehouse for two years. It’s fresh, natural, and made with care, and yes, that means it evolves over time. Just like we do.
With love,
Phoenix
Co-Founder, Silked
On a mission to protect your skin, one ritual at a time
