Routine Deodorant Review

I have been using natural deodorants since I was a young teenager. This started partly because of my worldview and partly because my gym teacher in grade 9 told us that the aluminum in our antiperspirants could lead to dementia. Antiperspirants didn’t work for me anyway, they didn’t stop me from sweating and they didn’t stop me from smelling, so why not try something a little healthier?

Throughout the years I tried a lot of different brands and scents, and admittedly, none of them worked very well. In the past decade or so, natural products have started to come to the forefront of health and beauty products and therefore a wider range has become more widely available. A friend of mine posted on Facebook about a local company called Sola, which was absolutely the most effective deodorant I have ever tried. Unfortunately after a few months of daily use I broke out into painful, itchy rashes. I didn’t realize it was my deodorant’s fault for months after that. I was keeping all hope that it was not the deodorant’s fault and kept reapplying to the broken skin until I couldn’t bear it anymore. I had to switch back to my old Jason deodorant. While healing, I realized that it was the baking soda that was extremely irritating. I eventually came across Routine, and ordered a few of their baking soda free deodorants as well as some regular ones. After some experimentation I realized I really can’t do baking soda in any amount and ended up falling in love with the Blackberry Betty and Sexy Sadie baking soda free varieties. They’re not quite as effective, but they are good enough, and hands down the best baking soda free deodorants I’ve tried. They come in glass jars that are apparently refillable. You can find the list of locations in their FAQ. This is great because I just finished my jar of Sexy Sadie.

These are not cheap, unfortunately, and sell for about $30 per jar.

Routine Overview

Focus: “There are too-few natural products, and so many of the scents we put on our bodies and in our homes aren’t just strong, they overwhelm the olfactories. Bit by bit, these tenacious sisters are revolutionizing our routines, creating beautifully blended products for bodies, faces, hair, and homes that support our skin and our sniffers.”

Products: They currently have an extensive line from hair, face, and body care to candles and an “armpit tool” (which looks like a tongue scraper).

Origin: Calgary, Alberta

Established in: ?