No Pong Natural Deodorant Review: Award-winning Aussie Deo
Making this change to a common everyday item gets a bad rap — but this product has changed the game.
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Natural deodorants are nothing new. A quick Google search will give you a million and one reasons why you should switch from conventional “toxic” pong-banishing products in favour of ones made from clean ingredients. Some research raises concerns about certain chemicals like aluminium, parabens, triclosan, phthalates and artificial fragrances, which can interfere with hormones or even lead to diseases like breast cancer. Other research suggests some of these substances can mess with beneficial microorganisms that live on and in the body.
Hearing this hesitation around aluminium-based deodorants and antiperspirants was enough to have me disposing of my trusty stash and adding to cart a selection of natural ones. However, I quickly realised that these so-called “safer” and “cleaner” variants came with a string of other problems: most didn’t even prevent nasty B.O. and some even contained substances that caused irritation. All this for products that left a dent in my pocket? Sounded like I had fallen for another health scam.
But my scepticism changed when I recently came across an Aussie-made natural anti-odourant that had garnered a string of awards and over 10k five-star reviews from customers around the world.
Here’s what happened when I got my hands on No Pong and put it through several gruelling workouts to see if it really lived up to the hype.
WHAT IS NO PONG DEODORANT AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
No Pong, $6.95 (down from $9.95)
Deodorants shouldn’t have a complicated ingredient list with an attached premium price tag, which is a gap in the market Sydney-based couple Chris Caley and Melanie McVean recognised.
So, they harnessed a ‘less is more’ approach and formulated an effective and affordable anti-odourant made with a blend of natural food-grade ingredients, free from aluminium, palm oils, parabens, triclosan and synthetics — all housed in a plastic-free tin. In fact, No Pong is considered so clean that you could technically eat it (although, I’m not saying you should).
There are three No Pong formulations on offer - original, bicarb-free and low-bicarb vegan - to suit all skin types (FYI, bicarb is known to be an ingredient that may cause irritations and dryness for some). The three formulas have passed five main types of clinical tests - Deodorant Efficacy, Human Repeat Insult Patch Test, In-Vitro Product Testing, Challenge Testing and Stability Testing - with the results disclosed for all to see on the website.
Once you settle on a formula, you’ll then need to choose between fragrance-free or a range of delicious scents (think lime, spicy chai, patchouli and lavender, to name a few), which have been created with blends of 100 per cent pure Australian-certified organic essential oils, not artificial fragrances.
WHERE CAN YOU BUY NO PONG DEODORANT?
Another issue with many natural deodorants on the market is that they come with a premium “natural tax” price. With No Pong, however, you can snatch up a 35g tin for only $6.95 or an 85g tin for $14.95, directly from the No Pong website. This not only makes it the most affordable high-quality natural deodorant on the market but it’s also cheaper than aluminium-based varieties.
No Pong delivers Australia-wide and overseas, with shipping starting from $3. If you simply can’t wait to get your hands on your pong-eliminating tin, you can pay a few dollars more and purchase a select range from various stockists across Australia, including Woolworths, Coles and Nourished Life.
HOW DO YOU USE NO PONG DEODORANT?
Forget the sticks, roll-ons and sprays. No Pong comes as a cream-based product in a metal tin, similar to a lip balm. Leaving it in a paste form is what makes the ingredients more effective — and the better the effectiveness, the lesser the quantity and frequency you need to apply it.
To use No Pong, simply use your fingertip to take a pea-sized amount and rub it on your underarms. Yes, this may appear strange at first but if you think about it, it’s nothing different to applying a body lotion or sunscreen. Plus, it gets you into the habit of regularly checking your underarms for unusual lumps… which we should all be doing. Please.
NO PONG DEODORANT REVIEW
I put the No Pong Bicarb Free deodorant in Luscious Lime to the test during an indoor HIIT workout, a 21km outdoor run, several 5km jogs and a 12-hour day spent running errands.
I have to preface that I’ve never suffered from bad body odour and actually find it difficult to sweat under my arms — even after the most intense workouts. But what I do have is extremely sensitive skin, so finding gentle and effective products for my pits has always been quite challenging for me.
Of course, this led me down a trail of trying countless natural deodorants in the past, which only ended in disaster. I found most to be ineffective, some caused strange skin irritations and others left stains on my clothes, not to mention I was paying decent dollars for products I only ended up using a handful of times. So, despite the awards and raving reviews attached to No Pong’s formula, it’s safe to say I was going to give it a run for its money.
Firstly, let’s talk about the consistency. It was luscious and silky as I scooped a pea-sized amount out of the tin using my finger. When rubbed onto my underarms, it left a velvety veil with zero signs of greasiness or stickiness. Tick and tick.
My sensitive skin is not a fan of fragranced products but the delicate scent of the No Pong Luscious Lime deodorant was one of the things I adored the most about the product. It wasn’t overpowering or musky — instead, it had a fresh scent reminiscent of a sweet key lime pie. Seriously delicious.
Because I wore the bicarb-free formula, I experienced zero signs of irritation, dryness or itchiness, which was a huge relief knowing my skin disagreed with several bicarb-based deodorants in the past.
In terms of durability, there were certainly no traces of body odour on all trial runs. Although, this could’ve been down to the fact that my body is unable to produce B.O.
I did expect to sweat on my 21km run - it was basically inevitable, right? - but it was nothing abnormal and I certainly wasn’t left drenched. If anything, I produced the same amount of sweat underneath my arms when compared to wearing regular deodorant on long runs. Of course, you may have a different experience when switching to a natural deodorant and find you sweat more than usual. This is because aluminium-based deodorants temporarily block pores and prohibit your glands from releasing sweat. So, when you make the switch to a natural deodorant, your glands are basically set free. The good news is that this is temporary and most people’s underarms will adjust to their new-found freedom.
THE FINAL WORD
Did it change my perspective on natural deodorants? Without a doubt.
I’ve already hit pan on my first No Pong tin, which I only opened a few weeks ago — and my regular roll-on has remained untouched. If this is any indication, I know I’ll be needing to stock up before summer hits.
Taking into consideration the divine formula, effectiveness, ease-of-use and affordability, you won’t be losing out anything when you make the switch to No Pong deodorant. It’s just ticks all around, sans the pong.
More Coverage
You can shop No Pong’s range of deodorants directly from the No Pong website. A limited variety is also available at various Australian stockists, including Nourished Life, Woolworths and Coles. Alway read the label and follow directions for use.
Make sure you head to the news.com.au Coupons page for discounts on your favourite brands like THE ICONIC and Sephora.
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