Deodorant vs Baking Soda Free Deodorant: which is safer?

Primally Pure Baking Soda Free Deodorant is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Routine Deodorant

Routine

Deodorant

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 63/100

Verdict

Buy with care

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

typical deodorant base, likely aluminum compounds, waxes, oils, starch

Confidence

72%

PossibleAluminum compound safety (systemic absorption risk)

PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed components

PossibleSkin irritation from wax or oil rancidity

Our pick

Primally Pure Baking Soda Free Deodorant

Primally Pure

Baking Soda Free Deodorant

PFAS grade

Excellent 100/100

Overall grade

Excellent 96/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 1

Material

mineral-based powder blend (arrowroot, magnesium hydroxide, mica)

Confidence

82%

PossibleSkin irritation from magnesium hydroxide alkalinity

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Aluminum compound safety (systemic absorption risk), Fragrance allergens and undisclosed components and Skin irritation from wax or oil rancidity on the Routine and not on the Primally Pure.
  • We flag Skin irritation from magnesium hydroxide alkalinity on the Primally Pure and not on the Routine.
  • The Routine is typical deodorant base, likely aluminum compounds, waxes, oils, starch where the Primally Pure is mineral-based powder blend (arrowroot, magnesium hydroxide, mica), which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Primally Pure is the one to buy.

Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More deodorant, see the full ranking