Replacement for Tom's Unscented?

June 22, 2012 5:43 AM

Getting a horrible skin reaction to Tom's Unscented Deodorant. What's a good unscented replacement that isn't an antiperspirant?

I won't go into the gross-ass details, but I've been getting a painful (and weirdly intermittent) reaction to Tom's Unscented Deodorant, which I've been using for years. Google "Tom's Deodorant" and "Rash" or "Burn" or whatever and you'll get a better picture of what's happening. Apparently, it's been happening for like the last few months (basically since I bought the last few bars, as I buy in bulk) but I never pinpointed it down to the deodorant. A friend of mine thinks it's the propylene glycol, so that might be it, but we're not 100% My girlfriend hasn't gotten a reaction, so it's not a bad batch or anything.

Anyway, I need a replacement unscented deodorant. I've been using my girlfriend's Sure for the last few days, and while it's fine, the fact that there's a scent coming off me is driving me bonkers. I don't sweat or smell very much when I do, so I don't need anything particularly strong and I definitely don't need antiperspirant.

Before I started using Tom's, I used Mitchum unscented, but it ruined a bunch of my white shirts by turning the pits brown, so no Mitchum.

posted by griphus to Health & Fitness (37 answers total)

Response by poster: Oh, I'm in NYC, so if you know of some amazing unscented deodorant from Mumbai or something, I can probably find it.
posted by griphus at 5:49 AM on June 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

I like Ban. Just deodorant. I think they make an unscented version. Nice and cheap too.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:57 AM on June 22, 2012

I have super sensitive skin, and have no issues with Speed Stick unscented. I just took a look, and the label says that it is also an antiperspirant, which may make it not work for you. But I haven't had the issues with it that I've had with other antiperspirants, for what that's worth.
posted by Forktine at 5:59 AM on June 22, 2012

Response by poster: Do they make a non-antiperspirant one? I don't seem to see any.
posted by griphus at 5:59 AM on June 22, 2012

I use Crystal Body Deoderant.
posted by anansi at 5:59 AM on June 22, 2012 [3 favorites]

The ammonium alum "crystal" deodorant works very well for me - available in every drugstore for about $5. It's not magic or all-natural, as the advertising claims, it's that ammonium alum is a harmless chemical that's a passable anti-microbial, and since it's bacteria that's causing the stank, it keeps you smelling un-funky. If you have extra-potent B.O., you may require something stronger - talk to the pharmacist, they usually know the hypoallergenic deodorants their store carries.
posted by Slap*Happy at 6:00 AM on June 22, 2012

I had this problem with Tom's deodorants. Now I'm using Hugo Naturals unscented and I love it. The first replacement I tried was actually Alba Botanica unscented, but it didn't work well for me (YMMV).
posted by pemberkins at 6:01 AM on June 22, 2012

Response by poster: Er, just to make myself clear, I'm trying to avoid anything with any sort of aluminum-based substance in it at all. So Ban (aluminum zirconium tetracholorohydrex GLY), Crystal (Aluminum chlorohydrate), ammonium alum-based deodorants are all out.
posted by griphus at 6:05 AM on June 22, 2012

Best answer: You might try Arm&Hammer natural unscented deodorant (available as non-antiperspirant). Now, it might have a similar ingredient profile and cause the same reaction as the Tom's, but it should be easy to find and you won't be out much money if it doesn't help.
posted by drlith at 6:07 AM on June 22, 2012

I just tried the Arm & Hammer "Unscented" myself, and I have no idea why they thought they could market that as unscented. It has a very pronounced citrus smell.
posted by bricoleur at 6:14 AM on June 22, 2012

If you don't want an antiperspirant and you don't want a scent, what do you want the substance you put under your arms to do? Deodorants generally reduce perspiration or mask bad smells, so I'm not clear on what you are trying to accomplish. If you want neither of those functions, why not go without?
posted by reren at 6:15 AM on June 22, 2012 [3 favorites]

The crystal deoderant specifically does not have Aluminum chlorohydrate in it. It has Alum (hydrated potassium aluminium sulfate), and mineral salts.
posted by anansi at 6:20 AM on June 22, 2012

Response by poster: Well, stuff like Zinc ricinoleate (which is in Tom's) has a different mechanism of deodorization (which doesn't just mask the odor) a fragrance or aluminum-based antiperspirant, and I was totally fine with it until some other ingredient in started burning me alive.
posted by griphus at 6:20 AM on June 22, 2012

My bad, didn't fully read, alum is out as well.
posted by anansi at 6:21 AM on June 22, 2012

Response by poster: "...a different mechanism of deodorization (which doesn't just mask the odor) than a fragrance..."
posted by griphus at 6:22 AM on June 22, 2012

Trader Joe's Unscented Deodorant with Cotton apparently works either very well or not at all, possibly depending on your particular body chemistry or something sciencey like that. I use it to great success but it has a lot of horrible reviews online, so you might try to not-bulk it for your first purchase.
posted by shakespeherian at 7:01 AM on June 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

If there is a Trader Joe's near you, they have a plain unscented clear aluminum-free deodorant (not antiperspirant). I love it. Every time I go in there I buy a handful because they are occasionally out of stock.

It is quite similar to (and might possibly be a rebranded version of) Herbal Clear natural deodorant; I used that for years but my local store stopped stocking it, and it was then only available at WalMart. I won't shop there unless I have no other options, so I stopped buying it.

(On preview: damn you shakespeherian, it took me too long to google the Herbal Clear...)
posted by caution live frogs at 7:05 AM on June 22, 2012

I had a similar problem and the only thing I can wear has Aluminum chlorohydrate (Ban unscented because I need to avoid the zirconium apparently) or one of these. The Lush ones are a bit scented but not typically deoderent smelling.

Good luck - it's an awful problem to have.
posted by pointystick at 7:09 AM on June 22, 2012

I like the Kiss My Face unscented deodorant a lot. I also had a reaction to Tom's, so I switched to KMF and really like it. I also like the Trader Joe's unscented deodorant. The TJ's stuff is cheaper, if that's a thing.
posted by S'Tella Fabula at 7:13 AM on June 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

Griphus - I think I've had a similar problem, Toms made my skin actually peel off! Sorry for the overshare. I guess my underarms are delicate flowers.

Anyway do you have Lush in the USA? They do a solid deodorant that I've used and enjoyed, very mild citrus smell but almost undetectable.
posted by greenish at 7:31 AM on June 22, 2012

Try baking soda--sprinkle a bit on a damp washcloth and apply.
posted by brujita at 7:35 AM on June 22, 2012

I'm allergic to anti-perspirant. I find that the Old Spice classic deodorant-only formulation works great for me. There is a light manly scent but I like it. When I started using it, I realized how completely ineffectual the Toms of Maine deodorant was.
posted by gnutron at 7:35 AM on June 22, 2012

Sure unscented solid is probably the most consistently effective and mild deodorant I've used.

I had a breakout once (ultimately treated with anti fungal) that rendered the crystal/alum block absolutely unusable. Like putting salt on a wound unusable.

Toms and TJ unscented were about as effective as a block of wax.

Baking soda seems to work for neutralizing the funk, but oddly seems to make me sweat more. And when I had the breakout, it was somewhat irritating.
posted by 2N2222 at 7:53 AM on June 22, 2012

The best natural by a long shot is Soapwalla's Deodorant Cream. It's gotten a ton of great press and it's really taken off in the last 6 months or so. I've been using it since last November and I have to say it lives up to the hype. It is the ONLY natural deodorant that I have ever used that works (even in yesterday's 98 degree weather). Also don't be put off by it being a cream. It dries on contact. The woman who started this line in her Brooklyn kitchen did so because she was prone to rashes due to lupus.
posted by kaybdc at 7:55 AM on June 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

There is a Euro makeup company that makes a deodorant lotion that iirc works really well, but 01) I can't remember the name of the company and 02) it is like 40 bucks for one tube.
posted by elizardbits at 7:59 AM on June 22, 2012

I don't sweat or smell very much when I do, so I don't need anything particularly strong and I definitely don't need antiperspirant.

FTFY. Why bother?
posted by Sys Rq at 8:58 AM on June 22, 2012

I've been using the Kiss My Face fragrance-free roll-on for a while now. Love love love it! It has the faintest tinge of a smell when you apply it, and goes on a little bit wet, but just flap your arms like a rooster a couple times and it absorbs (the smell goes away too). This stuff (for me) is significant-other approved, and combats the "aged goat cheese" smell I sport when not wearing it.
posted by obscurator at 9:13 AM on June 22, 2012

If you don't want an antiperspirant and you don't want a scent, what do you want the substance you put under your arms to do? Deodorants generally reduce perspiration or mask bad smells, so I'm not clear on what you are trying to accomplish.

Deodorants do not reduce perspiration, that's what an antiperspirant does. They are two different things. Deodorants can be anti-bacterial without having an added fragrance as well, hence unscented.

Anyway, one ingredient used in deodorant for its antibacterial properties is alcohol, so you can try swabbing your armpits with rubbing alcohol.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:26 AM on June 22, 2012

you might want to consider making your own deodorant. It's easier than you think, and if you've got a decent natural food/health store around, you can find everything you need pretty easily - of course, online is even easier.

There are a lot of recipes - this is the one I made, and I'm pretty happy with it.

You need
6 T coconut oil
1/4 cup (4 T) baking soda
1/4 cup (4 T) arrowroot or cornstarch
essential oils (optional)

What to Do:

Mix baking soda and arrowroot together in a medium sized bowl.
Mash in coconut oil with a fork until well mixed.
Add oils if desired.
Store in small glass jar or old deodorant container for easy use.
posted by lemniskate at 10:50 AM on June 22, 2012 [2 favorites]

I want to second lemniskate but that recommendation seems a bit long, so I'll tell you what I do every morning: rub a pinch of plain ol' baking soda into (onto?) my armpits. That does it for me for the day.

I don't believe that baking soda has any inherent odor-absorbing properties. I think it's silly that Arm & Hammer tells us that it does and that they urge us to keep an open box in the fridge.

I do, however, believe that it changes the pH of that area of your body in a manner sufficient to confound the odor-causing bacteria. If I forget to put it on in the morning and return home a bit fragrant I can apply some then and within minutes there's no smell. This is Girlfriend-Verified Scent Test, not my own.

Some people do find that the baking soda is too rough and they cut it with corn starch to "soften" it, and then some people do as lemniskate mentions above. Me? Just plain baking soda.

Give it a try! Chances are you already have some in your house and you'll know by the end of your first day whether or not you still need to go shopping.
posted by komara at 11:37 AM on June 22, 2012

I should clarify, Hugo's Naturals (that I mentioned above) does not contain aluminum compounds or propylene glycol - so it sounds like it might work for you?
posted by pemberkins at 11:54 AM on June 22, 2012

Thirding Trader Joes brand. I used to use Tom's sensitive skin deoderant, which they apparently discontinued, and then switched to their regular deoderant, which gave me the same reaction you describe. I tried several non-aluminum deoderants with varying levels of success, but TJ's works pretty consistently for me.
posted by BurntHombre at 12:28 PM on June 22, 2012

I have had a very frustrating battle with deodorants over the last year or so. Every.damn.product I've tried gave me some painful/itchy maddening rash. I tried making my own (as above, coconut oil recipe), and the baking soda was a nightmare of itching, but without the baking soda, I smelled terrible. I was about to just give up and just be smelly... I saw a random comment on some random blog about using apple cider vinegar, and figured oh what the hell, can't hurt. Shock of shocks, it's been working fine, even on the hottest days. I put it on with a cotton ball, the vinegar smell goes away after a couple of minutes. Sometimes, if I sweat a lot, and stick my face down there, I get a little vinegar whiff, but mostly, nothing. As a pit-shaving lady, I wait a little bit after shaving to apply, or deal with a moment of stinging. It's been about a month and I'm very happy to have found a simple, cheap solution.
posted by upatree at 12:38 PM on June 22, 2012

This is all fascinating to me, and helpful. I'll be trying some of these recommendations. I have to say though, so far, the only thing I've found that doesn't give me a rash eventually is Almay antiperspirant. I don't need to use it every day, every other day seems to do the trick. Anything else I've tried has given me a rash sooner or later. Not what you wanted to hear, I understand, and not what I want to use, since it winds up discoloring my shirts eventually, no matter how infrequently I wear it.
posted by mollweide at 6:04 PM on June 22, 2012

The same thing happened to me with Tom's of Maine. Unless you're looking for another all-natural/organic product, you should try the Dove for Men line of deoderants. I did and the problem went away!
posted by Hanuman1960 at 6:41 AM on June 23, 2012

Don't know if you're still looking for a replacement for your Tom's, but milk of magnesia apparently works as a natural deodorant.
posted by virago at 1:59 PM on July 17, 2012

Response by poster: I ended up going with Arm & Hammer Natural. I couldn't get unscented so I went with the "fresh" scent which is light enough for me not to notice. Thanks everyone!
posted by griphus at 2:07 PM on July 17, 2012