A natural deodorant ingredient list reads like a chemistry final you didn't study for, and plenty of brands are counting on that: the less you understand, the less you ask. This is the opposite, a plain-language glossary of the ingredients that actually do the work, what each one is, and why it earned its spot.
The odor actives
Zinc Chloride Hydroxide (with zinc oxide alongside it)
The active at the center of BioShield™. It's a fine mineral powder that works by adsorption, capturing and holding the odor molecules bacteria release so they never reach your nose, and limiting the bacterial growth that produces them. Zinc oxide runs alongside it as a milder support.
In: Core · Max · Sensitive. Zinc oxide alone in Tea Tree
Magnesium Hydroxide
A mineral that neutralizes the acidic compounds behind the smell, converting them into salts that don't carry. It's barely soluble, so it releases gradually as you sweat rather than all at once. It leads in Core and supports in Max, and it's left out of Sensitive entirely.
In: Core · Max
Triethyl Citrate
A plant-derived ester that controls odor by working with your skin's acidity rather than raising its pH. The same bacterial enzymes that cause odor break it down, so it interrupts the process quietly. It's the active that makes Sensitive suit sensitive skin.
In: Sensitive
Methylheptylglycerin
A biobased ingredient that helps limit odor-causing bacteria while staying gentle on skin and the surrounding microbiome.
In: Core · Max · Sensitive
Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)
The lead botanical in Tea Tree. Its active compound, terpinen-4-ol, has documented antimicrobial activity against odor-contributing bacteria.
In: Tea Tree
The supporting cast
Bamboo Silica
A silica-rich plant powder that takes up moisture and refines how the stick feels going on. It manages wetness without trying to block your sweat glands.
In: Max · Sensitive · Tea Tree
Bisabolol
A skin-soothing compound naturally found in chamomile, included for comfort and tolerance.
In: Core · Max · Sensitive
Cellulose
A lightweight texturizing absorber that controls tackiness and rounds out the powder blend.
In: Max · Sensitive
Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
West Indian sandalwood, a woody botanical oil used at trace level in support of odor control.
In: Max · Sensitive · Tea Tree
What you won't find
Aluminum
None, in any Zaffré formula. It's an antiperspirant active. Zaffré is a deodorant, so it works on the odor and leaves your sweat alone.Baking soda
None in the BioShield formulas (Core, Max, Sensitive). It's the leading cause of natural-deodorant irritation, so it's left out. Our botanical Tea Tree does use it, deliberately, for people who prefer the classic approach and tolerate it well. If baking soda has ever given you trouble, that's the one to skip.Alcohol & propylene glycol
Not used as a base. Two common sources of sting, left out.Why this matters
An ingredient list isn't decoration. Every component should earn its place: each one does a specific job, nothing's there for marketing, and the things known to irritate skin are deliberately left out of the BioShield line. It's also the test to apply to any deodorant. Can the brand tell you what each line does, and why it's there?
See the formulas: Core, Max, Sensitive, and Tea Tree. Or see all four on the comparison page.