I went Native last summer, and I haven’t looked back. I’ve been freed of aluminum and other synthetics, and it smells great! Why do I keep capitalizing the word Native, you ask? Because Native is a brand, of natural deodorant. Please don’t leave just yet! Even if I am drinking the Native kool-aid, I have tested it thoroughly and have tried other natural deodorants — THIS ONE IS FOR REAL!

You know I’m a big fan of Ursa Major products, so I tried their Hoppin’ Fresh deodorant. It was my first dip into the natural realm of odor protection. I had heard for many years that aluminum and other ingredients in conventional deodorants are bad for us, but what’s a girl to do? I kept on using my stick of Degree because body odor is real and no one wants to be the stinky kid in class. After loving many of Ursa Major’s other products, I decided to give Hoppin’ Fresh a real try. It smelled like peppermint candy, had a nice minty tingle and kept me feeling fresh all day. By the evening or next morning, I would feel a little gamey, but by then it was time for a shower anyway.

I give Ursa Major’s Hoppin’ Fresh a 6/10 stars. It is a fine deodorant for everyday use. However, if you have sensitive skin, I would avoid it altogether. What turned me off a reorder was the redness that was developing in my underarms. I read the reviews, and this tends to happen with us fair-skinned lassies. The folks at Ursa Major are very realistic with their feedback and admit their deodorant is not for everyone. Some love it and swear by it, some say it’s not enough odor protection, and some get red and irritated underarms such as myself.

Next, I tried Ursa Major’s other deodorant, No B.S., made without baking soda or scent. It’s supposed to have none of the redness-causing ingredients of Hoppin’ Fresh, and I can confirm that. Unfortunately, I also found it doesn’t have nearly the odor-fighting power of Hoppin’ Fresh either. 3/10 stars, for people who maybe don’t smell in the first place? I didn’t even get through the whole stick before throwing it out. (Sorry, Ursa! If you haven’t tried Ursa Major products, they are a dream. I recommend the Golden Hour Recovery Cream, Face Wipes, Face Wash and Daily Defense SPF 18 Lotion.)

Enter Native into my Facebook feed. Why not? I’ve tried two other natural deodorants, what’s one more before going back to Degree? And we all know my #sh*tiboughtonfacebook problem – I’m not a tough sell! According to the reviews, the favorite scent seems to be Coconut & Vanilla, so I ordered a stick. Well, I smelled like summer all day! No skin irritation either!

I then took Native on the ultimate test, a 15-mile hike in Glacier National Park in the summer heat. I kid you not, I might have been sweaty, but I still smelled like a tropical coconut at the end of the day. Native also sells small travel sticks of their deodorants, and if you wait for a sale, they’ll usually throw in the travel stick free with purchase. I took the travel stick through several weeks on the road, in hot and humid September climates – Cleveland, New York, San Antonio – and I felt fresh as a daisy throughout all of it!

Native gets a full 10/10 stars from me. No b.o. and no skin irritation at all. Even on freshly shaved pits, which I could never do with Degree without getting telltale red bumps. I’d always have to shave and moisturize the night before applying conventional deodorant or risk getting a rash. Not anymore! Native is the downright perfect deodorant. I reordered this past winter and tried a new scent, Lavender & Rose. It’s even better than Vanilla & Coconut and will be hard for me to switch from it. Now that I’m pregnant, Native also passes the scrutiny of pregnancy nose. If I smelled bad, I’d know!

I put a stick of Vanilla & Coconut in my mom’s stocking last Christmas and she’s gone Native, too! This natural deodorant is worth a try, and worth every penny. #GoNative, and check out their Twitter feed to see the very clever order confirmation emails people have posted. These guys really are fun — Who knew you’d get that from ordering deodorant?