Antiperspirant Deodorant Men Gel 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.

Mitchum Antiperspirant Deodorant Men Gel

Mitchum

Antiperspirant Deodorant Men Gel

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 53/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Gel base (water, glycerin, polymers); no fluorinated coatings expected

Confidence

72%

ReportedAluminum in antiperspirant active

Possible1,4-dioxane as manufacturing byproduct

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 in antiperspirant active, 1,4-dioxane as manufacturing byproduct, Fragrance allergens and undisclosed components and Polymer degradation under heat or UV on the Mitchum and not on the Primally Pure.
  • We flag Skin irritation from magnesium hydroxide alkalinity on the Primally Pure and not on the Mitchum.
  • The Mitchum is Gel base (water, glycerin, polymers); no fluorinated coatings expected 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