Fussy Deodorant Review
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Is it time to get fussy for your deodorant?
Fussy make natural, refillable deodorant backed by science with plastic-free refills.
There are quite a few natural deodorants to choose from in the UK (check out our guide to the Best Zero Waste Deodorants), but one of my steadfast faves is Fussy. This review tells you everything you need to know about their natural and refillable deodorant.
Why natural deodorant? Compared to an anti-perspirant a natural deodorant won't block your sweat pores, instead a mixture of effective ingredients (and in Fussy's case added probiotics) work to absorb moisture and neutralise odour. You may find in transitioning you'll sweat or smell slightly more than usual but it will only take a couple weeks to detox and release the aluminium from your blocked pores.
Why refillable?
Fussy found a study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation that if refilling were the norm across all personal care and beauty products, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be 80-85%! They decided plastic free and compostable refills were the best way forward. They make theirs from waste sugarcane, further encouraging a closed loop system.
Is Fussy a sustainable deodorant?
Fussy provides an 81% reduction in carbon emissions when compared to an ordinary single-use plastic deodorant and avoids an average of 250 discarded single-use plastic deodorants during a lifetime. They are Certified Carbon Neutral through partnership with Climate Partner which offsets emissions by providing support for green energy projects around the world. They are also members of 1% For The Planet, donating 1% of total sales to support environmental causes and are B Corp pending. To top it off they also manufacture everything in the UK by a family run company with top-notch green credentials.
FUSSY PACKAGING
Durable case-for-life made from 50% recycled plastic. They made a conscious decision to not use any other mixed materials so it can be 100% recycled at the end of its life. I love the minimalist pebble shape which lies flat rather than stands up, and you can choose from 6 different colours.
Refills are packaged in a natural blend containing waste sugar cane pulp and are home compostable. Everything is delivered in recycled FSC approved cardboard with eco-friendly tape.
Fussy deodorant ingredients
There are 8 natural ingredients to the base of every deodorant; sunflower wax, coconut oil, shea butter, caprylic, tapioca, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium hydroxide and a probiotic called Lactobacillus which inhibits the growth of odour-causing bacteria. The formula has even been put to the test by microbiologist Dr. Annie, read more about the science behind Fussy here.
They use bicarb in their main range which is a very high grade and in very small amounts. It does do a great job at fighting off body odour due to it being antimicrobial, pH neutralising and moisture absorbing. Fussy have tried to hit the Goldilocks sweet spot, by using not too much, not too little, but they have also introduced a Sensitive Skin range which is baking soda free. All deodorant formulas are also:
✓ Vegan, cruelty-free and hypoallergenic
✓ Free from gluten, parabens, fillers and aluminium
What is the best Fussy deodorant scent?
They have 8 scents including an unscented option with some occasional limited editions. Previous ones have been Parma Violets, Pumpkin Spice Latte and Biscoff. Here's what you have to choose from:
🌹 Night Tales: Cedar, Cinnamon, Patchouli, Rose
🌿 Wavy Days: Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Sage
🍹 Tropic Tonic: Lime, Basil, Mandarin
🍊 Wide Eyed: Mandarin, Grapefruit, Black Pepper
🤍 Bare All: Unscented
🌞
Sun Drunk: Vanilla, Ylang Ylang, Star Anise
☁️
Cloud Nine: Cotton, Sandalwood, Vetiver
🌲
Forest Haze: Scotch Pine, Silver Fir, Juniper
All fragrances are made using natural essential oils which are naturally farmed, Cosmos approved and therapeutic grade, apart from Cloud Nine which also uses a small amount of synthetics as some essential oils can be difficult to produce sustainably and cause significant environmental impact. For example, sandalwood can only be sourced 100% naturally by cutting down very mature trees. Because of this, Cloud Nine scent currently uses some artificial fragrance.
In my pack of 3 refills this time I tried Sun Drunk, Night Tales and Cloud Nine.
🌞 Sun Drunk is exotic, sweet and floral, with mood-boosting ylang ylang, comforting vanilla and star anise giving it a subtle spicy edge. As the name suggests this one has definite summer vibes, I think it's my fave.
🌹Night Tales is a really nice balance of all the notes, the earthy patchouli isn't overbearing, but softened by a gentle rose note. The fresh cedar and spicy cinnamon elevate and brighten the accord. The overall effect is more moody and sultry, making it the perfect adjacent scent to Sun Drunk for autumn / winter.
☁️ Cloud Nine is one of Fussy's most popular scents, if you prefer a longer-lasting scent then this one is for you due to the synthetics used (they last longer than naturals). You can find out more about synthetic ingredients in my ethical perfume guide. This one is breezy and endlessly wearable with its fresh cotton note, layered on woody and warm sandalwood, and the earthy un-cut grass and slight citrus notes of vetiver.
None of the scents are overbearing which I love. Personally, I do prefer an all natural fragrance because of their subtlety, and how they evolve and settle in with your own skin chemistry.
How long does Fussy deodorant last?
You get 42g in every refill which will last 4-8 weeks. It lasts about a month for me as I use it morning and evening before bed. Refills comes in packs of three (less deliveries = better for the planet) and you can mix and match different scents.
SUBSCRIPTION OR ONE-OFF?
You can get started for as little as £13 which gets you 1 case plus 1 refill with an ongoing refill subscription (£15 for 3 refills). Price-wise they are very competitive in comparison to other natural deodorants.
You can also opt for one-off purchases of £20 for 1 case plus 2 refills or £32 for 1 case plus 4 refills.
The best value is to subscribe to Fussy as you save over 15% on refills, plus you have total control and flexibility to skip or cancel your subscription to get them as little or often as you need.
Using Fussy Deodorant
APPLICATION
The case works on a twist up method, certainly providing a lot more control than some of the 'push' up natural deodorants in cardboard tubes. Then you just apply 2-3 swipes. I find it best to push up to about 0.5cm over the lip as if it's too low the case can drag on your underarms a bit due to its large width, this is great for overall coverage but just be sure to twist up enough product for super smooth swipes.
HOW TO REFILL YOUR FUSSY DEODORANT
- Remove lid, remove empty refill and rewind your case all the way back down
- Remove the the inner cap by squeezing the buttons on the side
- Drop in your refill and pop the inner cap back on until it clicks, and you're good to go!
Does Fussy deodorant work?
I've tried a few natural deodorants, and Fussy is a winner for me. It's never given me body odour and I think adding good bacteria to the formula really helps with this. Growth of bad bacteria is the main cause of BO, so ipso facto, just add more of the good stuff!
The formula has even been put to the test by microbiologist Dr. Annie, read more about the experiment here. Spoiler alert: Fussy was her overall #1 favourite.
To reiterate, natural deodorants like Fussy won't stop you sweating as they don't plug your pores like aluminium-based anti-perspirant deodorants, but they should still make your underarms smell lovely by neutralising odour and absorbing moisture. After applying my Sun Drunk first thing this morning, it's now 4.30pm and I am still getting summery wafts.
Final Thoughts
Overall I will definitely be keeping Fussy as my natural deodorant. I love their product, but also their ethics, humility and good humour.
Did you hear about the time they extended an olive branch (literally!) to Unilever's CEO after a small dispute when they compared their deodorants in a Facebook ad. You can read how it went here.
Fussy were also previously featured on Dragon's Den and secured a joint £50k investment from Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones. Watch the full clip here.
Since launching in 2021, they've saved over 5 tonnes of single-use plastic and welcomed over 100,000 armpits to the Fussy fam. They're achieving great things and I'm excited to see whats next in the pipeline. You can get started with Fussy using our exclusive 15% discount below.
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