Soapwalla
Effective organic deodorant cream for sensitive skin
The issue of aluminum-based, fragrance-added deodorant poses a problem for those with allergies or sensitivity, or anyone averse to the chemicals required to fight sweat and odor. If we still lived in a nomadic hunter-gatherer society, our personal scents would identify us to our tribe, but unfortunately, that kind of natural state isn’t always a viable option. Anyone who has experimented with alternatives has likely discovered that most natural deodorants, baby powder and crystals are comically ineffective.
That’s why we were thrilled to discover Soapwalla Kitchen deodorant cream. Gently scented with lavender and peppermint, the light formula is applied by hand like any body cream, and absorbs instantly into the skin. No white streaks betray its presence, and there is no waiting period for it to dry. Most importantly it’s effective—having gone dry and stain-free during both everyday activities and even on a particularly intense three-mile run, we can confirm. The moisture-absorbing properties come courtesy of a mix of arrowroot powder, starches, baking powder and kaolin clay, without a trace of aluminum.
Soapwalla founder Rachel Winard started her line of bath and body products about 10 years ago as she was struggling with the symptoms of systemic lupus, one of which is extremely sensitive skin. Although she designed the products for herself, she vetted the formulas, their application and their scents with her friends and family before debuting them to a larger audience who could benefit as well. “I tried other application methods for deodorant but I didn’t love the texture or the fact that I needed to use waxes for them to maintain their shape,” Winard says. “I like the minimal packaging, and the user has much more control over how much and where they’d like to apply the deodorant.”
For anyone who has spent years wiping baby powder off clothes or felt resigned to choose between aluminum or sweat stains, Soapwalla’s deodorant cream might seem like a lifesaver. The cream sells for $12 and can be found online, along with Soapwalla’s complete line of vegan, organic, sensitive-skin body oils, lip balms and soaps.
