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Nearly half of millennials don't use deodorant—and we have questions

Like what about body odor?

Underarm Credit: Staras/Getty Images

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When it comes to personal hygiene, we all have our own routines. But there are some things—like brushing your teeth every day, taking regular showers, and putting on deodorant—that are non-negotiable, that everyone does. Or so I thought...

According to a recent poll conducted by YouGov, almost 40 percent of people ages 18 to 24 years old haven't used deodorant or antiperspirant in the last month. (Wait, what?!) We asked our experts to weigh in on the deodorant debate and share their favorite alternatives below.

Why are people giving up deodorant?

While the study didn't determine the reason behind the shocking statistic, researchers did report that it's not due to poor personal hygiene habits. For example, millennials were on par with the rest of the nation when it came to washing hair daily. So the question remains: Why is the use of deodorant declining among younger generations?

Our Senior E-commerce Editor Courtney Campbell believes it may be caused by the rise in popularity of natural products, which contain less potentially harmful chemicals. "I think the poll makes complete sense with more individuals moving towards natural deodorant as opposed to antiperspirant," Campbell, who now uses a natural alternative herself, explains.

And our Smart Home Editor Sarah Kovac, who has also made the switch, agrees, adding, "Not to sound paranoid, but I believe the body sweats for a reason, and with a history of breast cancer in my family, I don't want to take any chances with that area of my body."

What are the best natural deodorant alternatives?

Native
Credit: Reviewed.com/Jackson Ruckar

Same protection, less chemicals.

Campbell admits that she's only used Native... but that she's a big fan. "It's great and comes in a ton of incredible scents," she gushes, adding that "it's also available at Target and Walmart, so it's easy to find, unlike some of the other brands." Campbell also explains that Native, which holds up well in her everyday life, goes on just like a "normal" deodorant (although she says it is a little harder and less smooth).

Does natural deodorant actually work?

Underarm
Credit: Jaunty Junto/Getty Images

Bye, body odor.

Yes—but be prepared for a transition period as your underarm sweat ducts unclog from the aluminum that's in regular deodorant, Campbell cautions. "Although it took me a month or so to adjust to my natural deodorant and be sweat- and smell-free, I absolutely love it and feel much better about using a product that doesn't contain aluminum as antiperspirants do," she says, describing that her underarms were much wetter than normal at first until she got used to the natural product.

Kovac is equally pleased with her natural deodorant (she uses Thai Deodorant Stone Crystal Mist). "Does my natural deodorant work? Yes. Does it work as well as the regular stuff? Probably not," she says. "But 99 percent of the time I'm not sweaty or stinky, and that's good enough for me." In her case, since the deodorant is unscented, she explains that she adds essential oils to the spray so she's able to switch up scents as she wants.

Get Native Deodorant on Amazon for $11.99

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