Anti-Perspirant Roll-On 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.

Certain Dri Anti-Perspirant Roll-On

Certain Dri

Anti-Perspirant Roll-On

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 53/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Antiperspirant active (aluminum salts), glycol/water base, emollients

Confidence

45%

PossibleAluminum salts - systemic absorption and neurotoxicity concern

ReportedSkin irritation and contact dermatitis from aluminum chloride

PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed components

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 salts - systemic absorption and neurotoxicity concern, Skin irritation and contact dermatitis from aluminum chloride, Fragrance allergens and undisclosed components and Propylene glycol skin irritation at high concentration on the Certain Dri and not on the Primally Pure.
  • We flag Skin irritation from magnesium hydroxide alkalinity on the Primally Pure and not on the Certain Dri.
  • The Certain Dri is Antiperspirant active (aluminum salts), glycol/water base, emollients 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.
  • We are less certain about the Certain Dri grade, at 45% confidence against 82%, because it discloses less.

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