Arm & Hammer, Essentials with Natural Deodorizers, Deodorant, Rosemary Lavender
Lower PFAS concern. Standard deodorant formula with no known risk materials.
Arm & Hammer Essentials is a baking soda based deodorant with plant deodorizers, containing no known PFAS-prone coatings or treatments. Brand makes no PFAS claims; no lab data available.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Baking soda base, plant-derived deodorizers
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What Arm & Hammer, Essentials with Natural is made of, ingredients and materials
This deodorant uses sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) as its primary active ingredient, a mineral compound with a long history of topical use. Plant-derived deodorizers like rosemary and lavender oils are the fragrance and odor-control agents; essential oils are volatile compounds that evaporate rather than accumulate on skin. The formula avoids aluminum salts (antiperspirants), talc, and synthetic fragrance blends, which collectively reduces chemical complexity. Baking soda formulations are inherently simpler than powder-based or synthetic deodorant systems.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Fragrance allergens and skin sensitization (essential oils)
Rosemary and lavender essential oils are common allergens and skin irritants for a subset of users. While natural, essential oils can cause contact dermatitis or photosensitivity in sensitive individuals, similar to some synthetic alternatives.
Baking soda alkalinity and skin irritation
Sodium bicarbonate at pH 8.3 is mildly alkaline and can disrupt skin barrier function with prolonged or frequent use, particularly on sensitive or damaged underarm skin. This is a known limitation of baking soda deodorants, not a contaminant risk.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
1,4-dioxane (industrial contaminant in fragrance)
This product uses essential oils rather than synthetic fragrance blends, substantially reducing likelihood of 1,4-dioxane as a byproduct contaminant. No testing data is publicly available for this specific product to confirm absence.
Talc contamination with asbestos
This formulation is talc-free, eliminating the risk present in some powder deodorants. Baking soda is the primary absorbent agent instead.
Heavy metals
Baking soda is a mined mineral with minimal processing; no synthetic pigments are listed. No established contamination pathway for lead or cadmium in this ingredient class is documented for consumer deodorants.
Source, FDA ↗The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Arm & Hammer (Church & Dwight Co.) has not published formal PFAS testing or public statements on this product line. The brand markets Essentials as a natural alternative using plant-derived ingredients, which aligns with consumer transparency but does not include third-party certification (e.g. No recalls or documented safety incidents specific to this deodorant are on record. The parent company has faced environmental litigation unrelated to personal care products.
How it compares in its category
Baking soda deodorants occupy a lower-risk segment compared to aluminum antiperspirants or synthetic fragrance-heavy formulas. This product avoids talc (contamination risk with asbestos has been litigated for other brands) and does not use traditional preservatives like parabens. Essential oil formulations carry lower hazard profiles than synthetic fragrance blends, though they are more prone to skin sensitivity in susceptible individuals. It sits in the mainstream-natural hybrid space, more transparent than conventional drugstore deodorants but less certified than premium natural brands.
If you buy it
Apply sparingly to clean, dry underarm skin; baking soda can irritate broken skin or cause irritation with daily use in sensitive individuals, so patch test first. Store in a cool, dry place; essential oils are volatile and may separate or degrade if exposed to heat or direct sunlight. Replace when product visibly hardens, clumps, or odor changes; shelf life is typically 2-3 years unopened. Discontinue use if rash or persistent irritation develops; baking soda is mildly alkaline and unsuitable for daily use on some skin types.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 82% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Arm & Hammer has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Deodorant
Primally Pure
Baking Soda Free Deodorant
- mineral-based powder blend (arrowroot, magnesium hydroxide, mica)
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Skin irritation from magnesium hydroxide alkalinity
Each & Every
The Mini Edit
- cosmetic formulations, primary ingredients listed
- A third party reports verifying it as PFAS-free
- Fragrance allergens (natural essential oils)
2 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Primally Pure
UNSCENTED SENSITIVE DEODORANT Primally Pure Skincare
- natural mineral powders, plant-based actives, beeswax
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Beeswax purity and contamination
2 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
More deodorant grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.