Is Dove Deodorant Safe? (Let’s Investigate!)

In a Nutshell:

Dove carries a few different varieties of deodorant for men & women, including conventional antiperspirant, aluminum-free, and spray.

The Advanced Care collection not only contains aluminum, but also other potentially-toxic ingredients such as cyclopentasiloxane, BHT, “fragrance,” and more.

Although the aluminum-free deodorants are free from that one concerning ingredient, they still contain other potentially toxic ingredients, including BHT, “fragrance,” and several ethoxylated ingredients (which can be contaminated with carcinogens).

I do not recommend the Dove spray deodorants either because, in addition to several of the ingredients listed above, they also contain hydrofluorocarbon 152A. This is a fluorinated compound which may be considered a PFAS under some definitions. I also just don’t recommend sprays of this kind because none of these ingredients are meant to be inhaled. (The bottle literally says “avoid inhalation,” but inhaling at least a little bit is practically impossible.)

Overall, I do not recommend Dove as a safe deodorant. Here are some ones I recommend instead.

With its clean branding and uplifting campaigns about body positivity and women’s empowerment, Dove gives off the impression of a company that truly cares about your health and wellbeing.

But do the ingredients behind the label really match that message?

In this article, I’m digging into the ingredients in Dove’s different deodorant lines to see just how safe these popular products actually are. That way, you can decide for yourself whether you want to use Dove’s products or not.

What this guide covers:

More Common Qs

Antiperspirant Vs. Deodorant

In order to understand whether or not Dove deodorant is truly safe or not, we first have to understand the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant.

Deodorant is something that absorbs moisture and covers up body odors. Deodorants do not stop you from sweating.

Antiperspirants, on the other hand, actually work to stop sweat by clogging your pores.

Many conventional “deodorants” (including the vast majority of Dove’s products) are actually deodorants AND antiperspirants. The only Dove underarm products that are NOT antiperspirants are the ones in their “Aluminum-Free” line.

Let’s Look at Dove Deodorant Ingredients

Let’s look at some of the most common ingredients in Dove’s deodorant and the potential concerns they come with:

Aluminum & Aluminum Compounds

Aluminum is the active ingredient in almost all antiperspirants on the market. It’s the ingredient that stops your armpits from sweating by clogging your pores.

As mentioned above, the only Dove deodorants that do NOT contain aluminum are the ones in their “Aluminum-Free” collection.

Aluminum as an ingredient in personal care products has gained notoriety in recent decades when it became linked with a potential increase in breast cancer risk.

According to the National Cancer Institute, “[Aluminum] compounds form a temporary “plug” within the sweat duct that stops the flow of sweat to the skin’s surface. Some research suggests that aluminum-containing underarm antiperspirants, which are applied frequently and left on the skin near the breast, may be absorbed by the skin and have estrogen-like (hormonal) effects (3). Because estrogen can promote the growth of breast cancer cells, some scientists have suggested that the aluminum-based compounds in antiperspirants may contribute to the development of breast cancer (3).”

It should be noted that this connection is somewhat controversial, and we need more research to be done in order to establish or eliminate a clear and direct link between aluminum-containing antiperspirants and breast cancer. However, considering that breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, many consumers would rather just play it safe and skip the aluminum until we have more solid information on this issue.

But, that’s not the only potential issue with aluminum. It has also been linked to contact dermatitis, meaning this ingredient could cause skin irritation as well.

Aluminum may be listed in a few different ways on an ingredient list since several different types of compounds exist. But they’re usually pretty easy to identify since they literally have “aluminum” in the name.

Undisclosed “Fragrance”

When you see “fragrance” (or “parfum”) listed on an ingredient label, this is a red flag. Because of a loophole in the law, companies are allowed to include over 3,500 different chemicals under the “fragrance” umbrella without actually disclosing those ingredients to customers!

Some of these ingredients may be safe and natural, while others (like phthalates) are toxic. There is a big lack of transparency here.

ALL of Dove’s deodorants contain fragrance, including their “Advanced Care Unscented Sensitive” formula. The fact that their “unscented” deodorant still contains fragrance is concerning to me, and is a big indication of Dove’s lack of transparency.

Ethoxylated Ingredients

Ethoxylated ingredients include things like:

PEGs
Steareths
Dipropylene Gylcol
Dimethicone

In and of themselves, ethoxylated ingredients aren’t necessarily harmful to human health. The problem, however, is that they go through a process called ethoxylation, which involves two toxic ingredients: ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane.

These chemicals are carcinogenic, and ethylene oxide is also a suspected endocrine disruptor. Unfortunately, ethoxylated ingredients have been found to be contaminated with these two toxicants.

PEGs are often listed on ingredient lists as “PEG” followed by a number, such as “PEG-8.”

Steareths (which are often listed as “Steareth-##” like “Steareth-100” come with the same potential issue as PEGs.

Dipropylene Gylcol is the first ingredient listed on Dove’s “Aluminum-Free” deodorant.

Ethoxylated ingredients like PEGs and steareths are very common, and they’re difficult to avoid completely. So I usually recommend folks try to minimize them when possible.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)

BHT and its relative, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), are synthetic antioxidants that are commonly used as preservatives. These chemicals are linked to a range of health concerns, including organ system toxicity, skin irritation, cancer, and more.

Although more research still needs to be done on the specific risks of BHT, it should be noted that it’s a toluene-based ingredient. Toluene is a well-established toxin that can cause neurological damage, reproductive harm, and more.

Butane, Isobutane, and Propane

These are two similar gasses that are used in spray deodorants/antiperspirants. They can potentially be contaminated with toxic chemicals like 1,3-butadiene and benzene.

Breathing in too much propane can make breathing difficult and cause a list of other problems like cough, dizziness, fever, rapid heart rate, skin irritation, and more. While the amount of propane in Dove’s deodorant and antiperspirant products is not likely to cause immediate harm to most people, it can be an irritant to those with asthma or other respiratory issues.

Alcohols

There are a lot of different types of alcohols that are more or less risky for one’s health based on how they’re processed. Ethoxylated alcohols, for example, are processed using carcinogenic chemicals and can be contaminated with those carcinogens.

Stearyl alcohols, on the other hand (which you’ll often find in Dove’s antiperspirants), don’t pose as much of a risk to one’s health. However, almost all alcohols are classified as irritants. They can dry out one’s skin, leading to redness, dryness, itchiness, and more.

Cyclopentasiloxane

Cyclopentasiloxane is a silicone-based ingredient, which is used in deodorant to improve the texture and make it glide on smoothly. This is yet another ingredient that carries some controversy because of the inconsistency in available research; some evidence suggests the ingredient is safe while other evidence links it to cancer and endocrine disruption at certain levels.

The thing about Cyclopentasiloxane, though, is that (unlike things like preservatives), it isn’t really necessary. Perfectly safe ingredients like shea butter and candelilla wax can be used to make the deodorant glide onto the skin just as nicely, without the risk.

Silica

Silica can occur in two different forms: crystalline or amorphous. Amorphous silica is mostly safe, while crystalline silica is a known carcinogen and irritant.

The problem is that the distinction between crystalline or amorphous isn’t always made on ingredient labels; it’s often just listed as “silica.” It’s most likely that the ingredient used in deodorants/antiperspirants is amorphous, but we can’t always know for sure. For this reason, I’d put this ingredient under the “okay” category.

Isopropyl Palmitate

This isn’t necessarily toxic to the end user, but it can be derived from palm oil, which has sustainability issues.

Hydrofluorocarbon 152A

This ingredient is used in Dove’s whole body deodorant spray. This is a fluorinated compound that may be considered a PFAS under some definitions. I would avoid it if possible, especially in a spray where you can breathe it in.

More Common Qs

Is Dove Deodorant Aluminum-Free?

The ONLY versions of Dove deodorants that are aluminum-free are the ones that are in the “Aluminum-Free” collections (for both men and women). Dove’s Aluminum-Free varieties are clearly marked on the front of the container, so it’s easy to identify them.

It’s worth noting, however, that just because Dove’s “Aluminum-Free” line doesn’t contain aluminum, it does contain other potentially toxic ingredients, including many of the ingredients I just discussed above.

Is Dove Deodorant Good for Sensitive Skin & Eczema?

Even Dove’s Sensitive Skin formulations contain ingredients that can potentially irritate your skin, cause skin sensitivity, and exacerbate eczema. If you’re looking for better deodorant for sensitive skin, skip the Dove and try one of these brands instead.

Does Dove Deodorant Have Phthalates?

No. They are now phthalate-free.

Is Dove Deodorant Paraben-Free?

Not currently, although they say they’re phasing them out.

Does Dove Deodorant Cause Cancer?

Of course, we can’t draw a direct line of cause-and-effect from Dove deodorant to cancer.

As cancer rates rise among young people, I believe that (at least part of) the problem is not with one specific product or ingredient, but rather the shear amount of carcinogenic chemicals we’re exposed to on a daily basis, and how all of that adds up over time.

As discussed above, many of the ingredients Dove uses are linked to carcinogenicity in one way or another. If you’re concerned about cancer risk, there are much safer options for deodorant on the market.

Is Dove Deodorant Safe During Pregnancy?

Due to some of the ingredients (as noted above) being linked to things like infertility, reproductive health, ADHD, cancer, and more, Dove isn’t the best option for use during pregnancy. There are a lot of much safer alternatives pregnant people can use instead!

Is Dove Deodorant Gluten-Free?

Although Dove’s deodorants do not contain gluten or gluten/wheat-derived ingredients, they’re also not tested or certified gluten-free. This means you’re probably safe, but there’s still a chance of contamination since some of Dove’s other products do contain gluten.

Is Dove Deodorant Vegan?

There are no animal by-products such as gelatin or beeswax listed in any of their deodorants or antiperspirants. According to Dove’s website, Dove does not do any animal testing and their products are now certified as cruelty-free by PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies Program.

Wrapping It Up

If you’re trying to reduce the number of toxins in your personal care products, it’s best to skip the Dove deodorant and antiperspirants. There are plenty of other brands of deodorant that are natural, non-toxic, and still actually work, too!