The Seven Best Deodorants for Men

It’s something of a curse and a blessing that men’s grooming has been such an expansive industry in the last few years. We have more ways to keep clean, fresh and healthy — and spend money doing it — than ever before.

The downside: we are now burdened with a paralyzing abundance of choice.

In an effort to sharpen your focus and keep everyone smelling good, we tested out several deodorant brands and narrowed our “best of” list down to a few that offer unique benefits.

If you want to hold onto your Old Spice, Speed Stick or Brüt, more power to you. But if you’re in the market for something a bit more elevated (and less synthetic), try these on:

Best Natural Deodorant: Ursa Major Hoppin’ Fresh Deodorant ($18)
With a light fragrance that’s not overpowering, and a cool feeling during application, Ursa Major Hoppin’ Fresh has ingredients that include hops, aloe, eucalyptus — and no petrochemicals, aluminum, or synthetics. We liked the fresh smell and lasting effect. See more on our natural deodorant list here.

Best Aluminum Alternative: Nasanta Magnesium Deodorant ($15)
This Aussie company claims using magnesium neutralizes body odor. And if you’ve ever taken an epsom salt bath, you know that magnesium can be safely absorbed into the your skin. And it keeps us smelling nice.

Best Way to Avoid a Rash: Anthony Logistics Alcohol-Free Deodorant ($22)
The alcohol in an everyday deodorant can dry the skin and occasionally cause irritation. That’s why Anthony goes alcohol- (and aluminum- and paraben-) free, utilizing the natural soothing powers of calendula. While it did feel a bit sticky, the very light, clean scent won us over after a few applications.

Best Mainstream Brand: Arm & Hammer Essentials Solid Deodorant ($3)
One of the better everyday brands we’ve tested, and aluminum-free as well. The unscented version, our favorite, actually does have a bit of a citrus smell to it, likely derived from citrus oils. The first few applications might sting a little, but that tends to wear off after multiple uses.

Most Interesting Application: Crystal Body Deodorant Stick for Men ($7)
This one’s a bit different. This deodorant is hypoallergenic, made out of mineral salts, contains no aluminum chlorohydrate, fragrance, or parabens … and can last you up to a year. You just moisten the tip and go.

Best Lack of Smell: Menscience Advanced Deodorant ($19)
Using of micro zeolites — minerals that target and eliminate body odor — this formula certainly does the trick. Our tests bore out the claimed 12-hour time frame for protection, and we appreciated the clean, dry application, which was gentle on sensitive skin. And, as promised, it made for a refreshing, fragrance-free day.

Best Spray: Erbaviva Organic Lemon Sage Deodorant ($26)
Organic or not, the thought of spraying an evaporating grain alcohol with organic extracts on our pits gave us pause. But Erbaviva’s intoxicating mix of lemon, sage and tea tree oils left an herbal, rather woodsy fragrance (in a good way). And no alcohol burn. One of the more expensive products we tested, you might consider this, like a nice bourbon, for special occasions.