Does Crystal Deodorant Live Up To The Hype?

In recent years, more and more sustainable and natural products have begun crowding drugstore shelves, according to Strategy+Business. As explained on Business Wire, personal care companies have a unique connection to consumers' health concerns, with specific attention being paid to their products' benefits, functions, and ingredients.

Crystal, the deodorant brand, is a great example of personal care product that prioritizes its natural ingredients and sustainable manufacturing in its appeal to customers. The company was founded in 1984, becoming the leading producer of mineral salt-based deodorants in the West (per PR News Wire).

Crystal has maintained its popularity ever since, benefiting from the rise in eco-conscious consumerism, The Healthy reported. In 2019, the company signed on actress and health advocate Alicia Silverstone as a brand ambassador, while model Ashley Graham has named Crystal as one of her favorite natural deodorants (via Us Weekly).

With the brand's eco-friendly background and mainstream acclaim in mind, you might be wondering how effective the actual product is. 

The biggest appeal of Crystal deodorant is its natural formula, which the brand defines as using natural ingredients, avoiding toxic chemicals, and forgoing animal testing. Plus, it's a vegan deodorant — both Leaping Bunny and PETA-approved — that uses eco-friendly packaging per their website.

The primary ingredient in the deodorant is ammonium alum, which is a natural salt that provides an underarm barrier without preventing sweat. According to Mind Body Green, the antimicrobial properties of crystal deodorants are one of its leading appeals, as it's what prevents body odor by eliminating bacteria.

Crystal also advertises itself as free of artificial fragrances, parabens, silicones, and aluminum. And, its natural ingredients make it particularly beneficial to users with sensitive skin.

As seen on their website, Crystal has several forms of deodorant, including mineral sticks, mineral stones, sprays, roll-ons, and magnesium sticks. In this way, consumers have several options to choose from when trying out the product.

Knowing all the benefits that Crystal deodorant has to offer, it's clear how it appeals to sustainable shoppers. Whether or not the product is actually effective is another question, as there have been mixed conclusions.

According to Healthline, there is little to no scientific evidence that proves the health benefits of crystal deodorants and the overall effectiveness of such products can vary depending on personal body chemistry. Despite this, Amazon reviews for Crystal products are overwhelmingly positive, with both the mineral stick and roll-on deodorants averaging a customer rating of over 4 stars. Reviewers mentioned the deodorant's effectiveness, praising its clear application and long lifespan.

Byrdie names it a top pick for natural deodorants, mentioning that as a deodorant, it might not prevent sweat like traditional antiperspirants, but the product is worth it overall. Slashed Beauty similarly praises it as one of the few natural deodorants that effectively prevented the author's body odor.

While natural deodorant is often more expensive than its traditional counterparts, Crystal is one of the better-priced options with products ranging from $5-10 and many opportunities to bundle.

Given this, Crystal deodorant is a great product to try out if you're curious about more natural personal care products, but ultimately only you can determine what deodorant works best for your body chemistry.