In an effort to find a non-aluminum, non-antiperspirant deodorant that actually works, I gave Primal Pit Paste a go. We’ll call it PPP…because really, how unattractive is that name?

I guess I won’t forget their brand name easily, so (shrug) I guess…maybe…

No, it’s a horrible name. Everyone I mention it to looks at me like I’m crazy for putting something called Primal Pit Paste on my skin.

And I’ve mentioned it to a lot of people. Because you know why? Their deodorant works.

In fact, I gave it to every member of my side of the family for Christmas. I’m not even kidding. Every one. Even the fiances that are marrying into the family this summer. Them too.

And yeah, they all thought I was a little nuts. I mean, their first impression was Primal Pit Paste!

I digress.

I found PPP late last year after some disastrous attempts at trying out other aluminum free deodorants. I almost gave up, to tell you the truth, but I really didn’t want to. Why did I care? Well, that’s a long story that can be found in one of my recent posts: Why I Wanted to Find a Non-Antiperspirant Deodorant.

I’ve now tried a couple of different products that PPP offers, so I’ll let you know what I think about them individually.

PPP Natural Deodorant Jar

Pros: PPP manages, somehow, to keep me from smelling for at least a day. I say “at least” because sometimes it takes me a little while to get to my deodorant in the morning with these active and very energetic children running circles around me every day. That’s pretty impressive for a non-antiperspirant deodorant when you consider that the others I have tried couldn’t keep me stink-free for half a day.

PPP’s main ingredient is baking soda, which I appreciate, since I feel I know what I’m putting on my skin. The paste has a buttery consistency…though I suppose butter mixed with something grainy like salt or sugar is a better comparison. It’s soft and I honestly like the feel of it on my skin.

One of the best things about PPP is that it doesn’t leave any residue on clothes. I’ve said goodbye to pit stains and sorry I’m not sorry.

There are a couple different strengths that PPP offers: light, regular, and strong. The light option works best if your skin has a hard time adjusting to the baking soda on your skin, and the strong option is for really smelly people. 🙂 I recommend starting with the regular option and going from there, because that’s what I did and it worked fine. But they do have sample, trial size jars that you can purchase if you’re worried it.

Cons: Because PPP’s deodorant jar is a paste, rather than a deodorant in a stick form, I have to rub it on my armpit skin with my fingers. They do send an applicator, but it’s really just a smooth, mini popsicle stick. Honestly I found my fingers work better. I don’t mind the paste on my fingers, but I know some people will. Truth be told, this isn’t a big negative for me except that I need just a little more time to put my deodorant on in the morning using this method, and sometimes that’s a real bother.

Available Scents: Jacked Up Jasmine, Lavender, Lemonade, Orange Creamsicle, Patchouli, Primal Spice (my favorite! Smells like Chai tea), Royal & Rogue, Thyme and Lemongrass, and Unscented.

PPP Natural Deodorant Stick

Pros: See above. The deodorant stick works just as well as the paste in the jar, doesn’t leave any residue behind, won’t stain clothes, and has the added advantage of being in stick form. That means it’s quicker to apply and it’s more versatile, especially to people who aren’t used to “natural” or “green” products that do things a bit differently. PPP adds beeswax to their deodorant paste and voila! A deodorant stick.

I got my husband to start using this too. He’ll probably have something to say when he reads this, but honest and truly, PPP works on him, and he’s a pretty sweaty dude. He really likes the stuff too. This is a bit bittersweet for me because he used to wear that Old Spice Pure Sport deodorant and I loved that scent. But hey, now he’s aluminum free, and I found a bottle of that same Old Spice Pure Sport scent in a shampoo. It’s not quite the same, since shampoo scents never last longer than a few minutes out of the shower, but at least I don’t have to give that up all together. 🙂

Cons: I personally think the stick is a bit rough on my skin. The paste has a much softer feel to it, since there is no added beeswax. Also, the stick is usually a couple dollars more than the paste. Not a big deal, but it’s why I tried the paste to begin with, and I’m glad I did.

Also, unlike the PPP Natural Deodorant Jar, the stick only comes in regular strength, so there is no light or strong options. They have recently released a stick called “Happy Pits,” which is their sensitive skin stick option, but there is no baking soda in the ingredients and the description makes the stick sound a little rougher on skin. I haven’t tried the Happy Pits stick, and I probably won’t.

Available Scents: Jacked Up Jasmine, Lavender, Lemonade, Orange Creamsicle, Primal Spice (my favorite! Smells like Chai tea), Royal & Rogue, Thyme and Lemongrass, and Unscented. Happy Pits is available in Coriander Sage.

PPP Mood Mist: Room and Body Spray

The mood mist is mostly a mixture of water and oils that come in a spray bottle and can be applied to both your body or your room. I always feel like that’s a little weird. A room spray and a body spray shouldn’t be the same thing. But then again, that’s because I’m used to products with a lot more chemicals in them. Like I mentioned earlier, when you get into “natural” or “green” products, they don’t always follow the standard.

Pros: I love the idea of aromatherapy, especially when it’s a natural product that I’m spraying around the room. There’s nothing toxic or unhealthy about the ingredients used here, and that’s always refreshing.

Cons: Personally, I think this spray should be a bit stronger for a room spray. It doesn’t linger in the air very long, and that’s unfortunate. It seems to last a bit longer when sprayed on skin, but not by much.

Available Scents: Lavender, Sage & Lemongrass, Pumpkin Spice (available seasonally), Festive (also available seasonally- and it smells like Frasier Firs, which is awesome).

PPP Schmelly Balls

I’m not even kidding. This is actually a product they sell. Little wooden balls that are scented with PPP’s fragrances and tied in a little muslin sack to act as a room freshener. I think they’re supposed to be used in tight spaces such as drawers, cabinets, closets, etc.

Pros: Once again, this is a natural alternative to chemical room fresheners. I like that idea, and I do like the little wooden balls. They’re definitely not cheaply made, and they won’t give the kids splinters if they get to them.

Cons: I put mine near my garbage can since it’s always full of smelly diaper wipes. I didn’t notice that the PPP Schmelly Balls did anything, but to be fair, the garbage is in my kitchen, not a smaller space. When I did move the balls to a cabinet, I think they had already lost their pizzaz because they didn’t do anything in the cabinet either.

So either these don’t work or I just screwed up.

Available Scents: Lavender, Primal Spice (again, my favorite), Sage & Lemongrass. Seasonal scents are not mentioned on their website, but I suspect Festive will show up again around the holidays, since that’s the scent I have.

Actually, as I’m reading PPP’s website, they suggest spraying the balls with their Mood Mist to make them last longer, which I actually think is a great idea. I’ll have to give that a try and use them in a tighter space to see if they’re more effective.

If that doesn’t work, I think I’ll wash them and bring them to a reenactment for the kids to play with, seeing as how they’re just little wooden balls that can pass as authentic eighteenth century toys.

Want a 15% Primal Pit Paste Discount / Coupon Code?

Here’s a link that should never expire and will give you 15% off their products on their website:

http://r.sloyalty.com/r/ub3tjzgmikwg

This isn’t an affiliate link. But if you use it and make a purchase, I will get some primal pit points that will give me a discount as well. That’s beneficial for me because I do use their deodorant products all the time.

Or you can get a limited selection of scents here: Primal Pit Paste on Amazon (that is an affiliate link, so once again, if you make a purchase, a small percentage goes to my blog). If you click through the color options, you’ll see the scent options Amazon carries.