Native Deodorant Alternative: Independent and Aluminum-Free
Native started as a small aluminum-free deodorant brand and has been owned by Procter & Gamble, the company behind Secret and Old Spice, since 2017. If you'd rather buy aluminum-free deodorant from an independent maker, Field Issue is ours: a baking soda-free solid stick built on hard coconut oil and beef tallow, made in our shop in Kingston, Ohio, with no parent company and no outside investors.
Shop Field Issue Deodorant, $12
Who Owns Native?
Native launched in 2015 as a direct-to-consumer startup and grew fast on the promise of a simpler, aluminum-free deodorant. In late 2017, Procter & Gamble bought it, reportedly for about $100 million. Today it sits in the same corporate portfolio as Secret, Old Spice, and Gillette, and you'll find it on the shelf at Walmart and Target.
There's nothing wrong with that. Companies get bought every day. But if part of why you switched to Native was buying from the little guy, it's fair to want that back.
What's in Field Issue, and Why
Every ingredient is there because it does a job. Here they are in order, most to least:
- Hydrogenated coconut oil. The base. This hardened coconut oil stays solid up to about 92°F, so the stick holds its shape in a hot truck or on a summer job site instead of going soft.
- Magnesium hydroxide. The odor-control workhorse. Underarm odor comes from bacteria breaking down sweat, and this mineral neutralizes that odor. It's what Field Issue uses instead of baking soda.
- Cetyl alcohol. A fatty alcohol, not the drying kind like rubbing alcohol. It firms up the stick and gives it a smooth, non-greasy glide.
- Arrowroot powder. A plant starch that absorbs moisture so you feel drier through the day.
- Beef tallow. The same tallow we use in our soap. It helps the stick glide on smooth and comfortable.
- Beeswax. Holds everything together so the stick stays a stick.
- Kaolin clay. A soft clay that absorbs moisture and oil and keeps the feel dry.
- Shea butter and jojoba oil. Small amounts for an easy, even application.
- Fragrance. The scent.
Ingredients: Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Magnesium Hydroxide, Cetyl Alcohol, Maranta Arundinacea (Arrowroot) Root Powder, Tallow, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Kaolin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Fragrance, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil.
Field Issue comes in a 2.65 oz stick, the same size as a standard Native stick.
One Honest Note About Aluminum-Free
Aluminum-free deodorant, Native or ours, controls odor. It doesn't block sweat. Arrowroot and kaolin soak up some moisture, but you'll still sweat. That's the trade. Here's the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant, and if you're new to it, read Does Aluminum-Free Deodorant Actually Work?
Switching From Native? Start Here
- Liked the coconut scents? Try Marooned: rugged coconut, warm driftwood, open ocean.
- Like something clean? Go with Fresh Springs: fresh air, clean water, subtle woods.
- Like woods and pine? Wild Pine is deep woods and earthy smoke, nothing like a car air freshener.
How to Get the Most Out of It
Apply a few light passes to clean, completely dry skin, then give it a minute before you get dressed. More product is not better. The full walkthrough is in How to Apply Field Issue Deodorant.
Quick Answers
Who owns Native deodorant? Procter & Gamble. It bought Native in 2017.
Is Kingston Oak independent? Yes. We're independently owned and run out of our shop in Kingston, Ohio.
Is Field Issue aluminum-free like Native? Yes. It controls odor, not sweat.
Does Field Issue have baking soda? No. Magnesium hydroxide does the odor-control work instead.
Will it melt in the heat? It's built on hydrogenated coconut oil that stays solid up to about 92°F, so it holds up far better than a soft coconut-oil stick.
Buy Small If You Can
We'd love to be your deodorant. If you'd rather buy from the maker at your farmers market, do that too. We'd rather you buy from somebody small than from a conglomerate. First order with us? Use code AFTERHOURS for $5 off $30+. Shipping is free over $50.