Like so many of us, I was swept up in the natural deodorant trend of the last ten years, erroneously believing it to be a “healthier” option than traditional antiperspirants and deodorants. And although the myths that aluminum — the active ingredient in most antiperspirants — can cause Alzheimer’s disease or breast cancer have largely been dispelled, I persevered until early this year, when I finally had enough of being smelly and switched back to a drugstore deodorant brand. I picked up Secret Solid Aluminum-Free deodorant at my local Target for under $10, and I’m absolutely never going back to so-called “natural” options again.AmazonIt comes in a few different scents, depending on where you purchase it. I got the coconut scent via Target, and reviewers at Amazon are pretty obsessed with the “spoonful of sugar” scent. It goes on nice and light, leaving only a negligible amount of visible white residue on my fair skin that goes away over time. The formula is hydrating, dries down quickly and is imperceptible in terms of how it feels on my pits. I’ve done quite a few sniff tests after long days spent outdoors in the sun chasing after my toddler, and it smells as fresh as it did upon application. In addition to being aluminum-free, this deodorant is also free of parabens, dyes, talc and baking soda. It’s common for natural deodorants to be formulated with baking soda to neutralize odor, and while it may be effective, it can also be harmful for those of us with sensitive skin. On a recent episode of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast, Dr. Divya Shokeen, the founder of Ocean Skin & Vein Institute in Manhattan Beach, California, said, “I think natural deodorants are the worst things you can buy... I actually see an allergy from a natural deodorant almost every other day [in my office].”)My skin becomes horribly irritated when it comes into contact with baking soda, which meant I had to spend the last decade playing Goldilocks with a limited range of natural deodorants, trying to find one that actually worked. (It’s worth nothing that, according to the Food and Drug Administration, “there is no formal USDA or FDA definition for ‘natural.’”) And while some of the formulas I tried weren’t terrible, they still require reapplication throughout the day, especially in summer. Even then, they didn’t quite cut it.I was especially self-conscious about how I smelled throughout my pregnancy and during the postpartum period, and I regret not making the switch back years ago. And if my own discomfort at my perceived body odor wasn’t enough of a deterrent, I was tired of natural deodorant ruining my shirts. Many of them left behind a gloopy residue, yellow stains and more. It’s just not worth it. I will simply never go back to natural deodorants, now that I know how well Secret’s aluminum-free formula works. I’ve gone from being constantly hyper aware and paranoid about how I smell to not even thinking about it. It’s such a relief to not be worried about it anymore, especially after so many years of feeling self-conscious — and I’m not the only one who feels this way. Keep reading to see what other shoppers think about this popular deodorant and pick up a stick for yourself. Promising reviews: “It is great, fragrance free, stain free, aluminum free, great coverage and not sticky at all, dries immediately, and it works!!” —Lillian Devin“This goes on so smooth and it is very gentle on sensitive skin even after shaving. The smell is amazing too. This is the best aluminum free deodorant I have found yet. Love it and will try a different scent. It is solid but goes on clear with no staining too. It won’t ruin your clothes. Keeps you smelling fresh all day even if you are really active, like me! It is the most reasonably priced deodorant for an aluminum free option too which is awesome.” —Cheyanna Dinkel“I have struggled for years to find a aluminum free deodorant that works, and I think this is the one! My other deodorants only last a couple of hours; this one lasts ALL day! I am so pleased someone told me about it! The smell is GREAT and smells like a sugar cookie right out of the oven. I am currently ordering my 2nd one, only wish I could find these in the store.” —Amazon customer“The most effective deodorant I’ve used. I’m genetically prone to sweaty armpits and am very conscious of how I smell I use a probiotic toner and then this and layer my favorite perfume. This has been a consistent routine of mine but with other deodorants - this only protects me for half a day or so. This one keeps me smelling fresh for more than a day!” —SB“Works on sensitive skin. No under arm rashes or sensitivities. Light smell of cotton. Lasts all day.” —Brandi“Love the smell of this product. It lasts all day. I was worried if the deodorant would last. I have not experienced any skin irritation or dryness. The deodorant doesn’t stain your clothes.” —Eureka“Seriously AMAZING!!! I have been having very strong body odor for the last 2 years. (Thanks to pregnancy I’ve never been the same lol) my Degree deodorant used to do the trick but while I was pregnant it didn’t help anymore. I tried purging and going aluminum free with Native deodorant. That was awful. Closer to the end of my pregnancy my odor became so bad I was in the shower 3 times a day! I had to go back to aluminum deodorant to not be nauseous from how bad my body odor was. Anyhow, I’ve continued to be defeated by body odor even 10 months postpartum until THIS FRIGGGIN’ deodorant! Specifically the “spoonful of sugar” Aluminum free secret deodorant!!! I showered and put the deodorant on last night. It has now been a FULL 24 hours later since applying, usually I start smelling just a couple hours later but right now I checked, not only do I smell the sugary scent but I smell absolutely NO body odor!!! None! I’m a busy mom and military spouse that runs non stop all day and I’m absolutely gobsmacked that this works so well! I cannot believe it! I was even hesitant to give this such a glowing review bc I’d rather gatekeep this all to myself but here I am lmao!” —Erin “Works brilliantly for controlling stink, sweat, and smells divine! I don’t apply every day at most; it is every other day, and I’ve gone 2 full ones without applying. Then I thought I’d try 3... HA! 3 is not advisable lol. It glides on easily and quickly with no skin pulling.” —LahrianTake a look at a few other products that can help to combat body odor from previous HuffPost coverage.AmazonThe original bar of Japanese persimmon soap to get rid of "old person smell"Of course, we have to start with the soap that introduced us to the Mirai brand. The soap contains persimmon extract with more deodorizing tannins than competitors, as well as green tea extract, which is rich in antioxidants (declining skin antioxidants is one of the causes of "old person smell"). Reviewers claim that the soap's odor elimination lasts for days, and you can use the bar on areas where nonenal odors are strongest, like the back of the neck and behind the ears.You can find the soap in its original unscented form or with a calming lavender scent. Our recommendation? Buy it in bulk. Mirai currently sells a four-pack of the unscented version for just $60. With the single soap's list price hovering just under $23, opting for the multipack makes each soap under $15. That's much cheaper than re-buying a single unit each time you run out.AmazonSome deodorizing persimmon body wipes you can keep in your car, bag or suitcaseSpeaking of smelling great on the go, another option that's convenient for travel is these deodorizing body wipes. If you don't love reusing the same deodorant stick on your underarms and then other body parts, the wipes can be an alternative and are so easy to swipe over your neck, behind your ears, on your feet and more. The wipes are unscented and hydrating, using the persimmon tannin extract to do their thing like all of Mirai's other products.Your purchase comes with three packs of 50 wipes, so you can store them in various places. Perhaps one in the house, one in the car and one in your bag? That way, you'll always have some in reach.Promising review: "When I'm too lazy to take a bath, I use these wipes. They work very well. I like that they're unscented. I've tried other brand-name wipes that are scented and have not been pleased. They're a good size - I just use one because I'm usually just using them for the "pits and bits", not for really dirty skin. I'm very pleased with them. They're a nice fresher-upper." — D. StaudtAmazonA concentrated body wash if you prefer liquid to bar soapSome people just prefer a liquid body wash to a solid bar soap, but that doesn't mean you have to give up the benefits of Mirai's persimmon extract: Just use their deodorizing body wash instead, which is concentrated so that you only need a small amount per shower, unlike other body washes. Some reviewers even claim that the liquid formula is longer-lasting and makes skin softer than the solid bar. Similar to the shampoo, one also suggests leaving the lathered product to sit on the skin for a bit before rinsing off.Promising review: "Gentle, pleasant smell, non irritating to my man’s sensitive hide, and IT WORKS! Poor guy has excellent hygiene, but nothing else has reduced that natural odor that has persisted even in his clothing through hot laundry cycles. This product is worth every penny to me, and I wish I’d found it sooner!" — garden mom