Underarm Antiperspirant and 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.

Carpe Underarm Antiperspirant and Deodorant

Carpe

Underarm Antiperspirant and Deodorant

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 53/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Powder antiperspirant/deodorant base (typical, aluminum salts, talc or starches, fragrance)

Confidence

45%

PossibleTalc contamination (asbestos, respirable particles)

ReportedAluminum salt systemic absorption

PossibleFragrance allergen potential

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 Talc contamination (asbestos, respirable particles), Aluminum salt systemic absorption, Fragrance allergen potential and PFAS in powder matrix or fragrance compounds on the Carpe and not on the Primally Pure.
  • We flag Skin irritation from magnesium hydroxide alkalinity on the Primally Pure and not on the Carpe.
  • The Carpe is Powder antiperspirant/deodorant base (typical, aluminum salts, talc or starches, fragrance) 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 Carpe 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