I tested and compared Curie Deodorant to Native Sensitive (baking soda-free) Deodorant (unscented) and Native original formula (with baking soda and probiotics).
Curie is a small company, it has not (yet) been bought out by one of the big conglomerates.
Their deodorant is mostly natural, aluminum-free, and based on baking soda (low baking soda they say) and zinc ricinoleate.
Native, owned by Proctor & Gamble, also makes a mostly natural formula that is aluminum-free, made with magnesium, and cyclodextrin, and comes either with or without baking soda and probiotics.
I will compare them on effectiveness, smell, texture, safety of ingredients, and cost.
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As a very smelly person, I was happy to find aluminum-free deodorants that actually work. Both these brands offer baking soda-based deodorants which work well.
The Native formula without baking soda did not work well for me.
For some people, baking soda irritates the skin.
Summary:
Comparison: Native with baking soda and Curie were similar in effectiveness testing. Native baking soda free did not work well for me in comparison. Both brands come in unscented or synthetic/natural mix scents. Both are mostly natural (with Curie having a slight edge on being more natural) but Native (unscented) has the best EWG rating. Native has a plastic-free dispenser. Both are around the same cost, with Native slightly lower cost.
Effectiveness
Curie
Claims: “Effective, long-lasting odor protection”
My Test: Curie definitely lasts 12 hours and longer.
Native
Claims: “A couple swipes of our deodorant go a long way—odor protection for up to 72 hours to be exact.”
My Test: Native (without baking soda) struggled to get me through 12 hours on many days. Sometimes I ended up with a sour smell in my armpits, some reaction between my sweat and the deodorant itself.
Native with baking soda (original formula) certainly can make it through 12 hours and longer.
Smell
Curie – I only tested Curie with a scent, for me synthetic scents can mix with sweat in a way that smells bad. If I wanted to go with a scented option, pure essential oils are better in my opinion, as they don’t end up smelling weird with sweat. (I like Routine better for this reason and it works super well).
Native – The unscented baking soda free formula has a sweet smell which seems to be partly the natural ingredients (like coconut) but may also be fragrance cross-contamination (in very slight amounts).
The original formula in unscented has a very slight, very natural smell, like food.
Ingredients
Curie Ingredients
Curie: Unscented & Orange Neroli are still the old formula at the time of writing but they are transitioning all scents to the new formula below this one.
- Coconut Oil
- Arrowroot Powder
- Beeswax
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Cornstarch
- Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- Cocoa Butter
- Fragrance, mix of natural and synthetic (except unscented)
- Triethyl Citrate
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E Oil)
- Chamomile Extract
- Elderberry Fruit Extract
- Aloe
- Prickly Pear Fruit Extract
Curie “New Formula“: Peach Soleil, Warm Vanilla, Coconut Nectar, White Tea:
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Tapioca Starch
- Ozokerite
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Cornstarch
- Zinc Ricinoleate
- Cocoa Butter
- Fragrance, natural and synthetic
- Triethyl Citrate
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E Oil)
- Chamomile Extract
- Elderberry Fruit Extract
- Aloe
- Prickly Pear Fruit Extract
- Xylitol Sesquicaprylate
- Anhdroxylitol
- Sunflower Seed Oil
- Safflower Seed Oil
EWG & Clean Ratings
Curie has an EWG rating of 2 for all their scents, including the unscented.
Curie claims they use no aluminum, parabens, or phthalates.
Native Sensitive Whole Body Deodorant Stick:
Native has a baking soda option and a baking soda-free option. I bought both.
Sensitive formula (baking-soda-free, unscented):
- Coconut Oil
- Shea Butter
- Tapioca Starch
- Ozokerite – Natural mineral wax
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride – Made by combining glycerin with fatty acids from natural oils, like coconut oil
- Cyclodextrin – Semi-natural odor control agent
- Magnesium Oxide – Natural antiperspirant
The original formula (unscented) contains:
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride – Made by combining glycerin with fatty acids from natural oils, like coconut oil
- Tapioca Starch
- Ozokerite – Natural mineral wax
- Sodium Bicarbonate – Baking soda, changes the pH of skin
- Magnesium Hydroxide – Natural antiperspirant
- Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
- Cyclodextrin – Odor control agent
- Butyrospermum Parkii – Shea butter
- Glucose
- Lactobacillus Acidophilus – Probiotic
EWG & CLEAN RATINGS
Both formulas of unscented Native deodorant have an EWG rating of 1. Most of the scented options are rated 2, and a couple of options are rated a 3.
Native is talc-free, dye-free, baking soda-free (in the sensitive option), aluminum-free, paraben-free, and phthalate-free.
They also tested free of PFAS by Mamavation.
It’s mostly natural with the major exception being the synthetic fragrances in the scented options.
Active Ingredients Comparison
Curie – Curie currently has two formulas for sale, both use baking soda, the new formula (which they are transitioning all scents to) also uses zinc ricinoleate which helps absorb and neutralize odors.
Native – The baking-soda-free option has only magnesium and cyclodextrin as the active ingredients (the sensitive or full-body formulas). According to the Doctorly dermatologists, magnesium acts as a natural antiperspirant. Cyclodextrin is a semi-natural compound that traps odor molecules (it’s the ingredient in Febreeze).
Their regular formula has magnesium, cyclodextrin, baking soda, and probiotics. Baking soda changes the pH of the skin to stop bacteria (works really well but can be irritating for some people) and probiotics help to provide a healthy bacteria balance.
Scent Options:
Curie – Unscented, vanilla, peach, coconut, white tea, and orange.
Curie scents are a mix of synthetic and natural ingredients.
Native – Baking soda free: unscented, coconut & vanilla, lilac & white tea, cucumber & mint.
With baking soda: Unscented, coconut & vanilla, cucumber & mint, lavender & rose, honey & white oak.
Native scents are a mix of synthetic and natural ingredients.
Texture
Curie – The texture was what I expected, it is a good mix of not too oily, not too dry, and not crumbly.
Native Both Native formulas are slightly more oily than Curie and glides easier, and after two minutes you cannot feel it on the skin (assuming you did not over-apply).
Cost Comparison
Curie – On their website it is $14, it is similarly priced on Amazon.
Native – Around or under $13 both on their website and on Amazon. (It’s the same price for the original formula, baking soda-free formula, and plastic-free formula).
Conclusion: These deodorants are very similar. Both were effective when comparing the formulas with baking soda. Both come in unscented or synthetic/natural mix scents. Both are mostly natural (with Curie having a slight edge on being more natural) but Native (unscented) has a better EWG rating. Both are around the same cost with Native just slightly lower. Native comes in plastic-free and has also tested PFAS-free.
Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.
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