Most of us apply it at least once a day, 365 days a year — and almost never stop to ask what's actually in it. So we decided to put one of Australia's most popular mainstream spray deodorants under the microscope and compare it, ingredient by ingredient, to what a natural alternative actually puts on your skin.
Why it matters more than you think
Your underarm skin is uniquely absorbent. It's warm, often freshly shaved, and sits directly over your lymph nodes and breast tissue. Unlike a moisturiser you apply to your arms or legs, deodorant is designed to stay on your skin — in the case of antiperspirants, to actively block your pores. That means whatever is in the formula has prolonged, repeated contact with one of your body's most sensitive and absorbent areas, every single day. It's worth knowing what's in it.
Let's start with the label
The ingredient list on a typical mainstream aerosol antiperspirant reads something like this: Butane, Isobutane, Propane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Aluminum Chlorohydrate, PPG-14 Butyl Ether, Fragrance, BHT, Sodium Benzoate, Dimethiconol — and that's before you get to the fillers and stabilisers. Let's break them down, one by one.
Aluminum Chlorohydrate — the sweat blocker
Aluminium is a metal used in many conventional antiperspirants to help block sweat ducts and reduce perspiration. Some studies have identified traces of aluminium compounds in breast tissue, contributing to ongoing discussion around long-term exposure and accumulation. Research has also explored whether aluminium compounds may interact with hormone receptors and influence normal cell signalling, although the science remains inconclusive and health authorities currently consider aluminium safe at approved concentrations. For a product applied daily to one of the body’s most absorbent areas, it’s understandable why some consumers are paying closer attention to ingredient transparency and long-term exposure.
Butane, Isobutane & Propane — what makes it spray
Every time you press that nozzle, you're releasing a cloud of butane, isobutane and propane into the air around you. These are the same gases found in cigarette lighters and camping stoves. Classified as simple asphyxiants, these gases actively displace oxygen in the air around you, and with repeated daily exposure can irritate and inflame the respiratory tract, contributing to breathing difficulties over time. They don't just carry themselves either, they act as a delivery mechanism for everything else in that can, including aluminium and undisclosed fragrance chemicals, sending them directly into your lungs with every spray.
Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) & Dimethiconol — the silicones
That smooth, non-sticky finish your spray deodorant leaves behind? That's silicones — specifically D5 and Dimethiconol, and most mainstream formulas contain both. D5 has been flagged as a potential endocrine disruptor, meaning research suggests it may interfere with normal hormone function in the body. Dimethiconol creates a film on the skin's surface that with prolonged daily use can trap bacteria and contribute to irritation — particularly for sensitive skin. Neither breaks down in the environment. Both accumulate in waterways and have been detected in aquatic ecosystems. The EU has moved to restrict D5 in cosmetics. Australia is yet to act.
Fragrance / Parfum — the wildcard
This might be the most quietly concerning word on any cosmetic label. Under Australian law, brands aren't required to tell you what's inside their fragrance blend. That single word can legally conceal dozens of undisclosed chemicals, potentially including phthalates — synthetic compounds linked to hormone disruption and reproductive harm — synthetic musks that accumulate in body tissue, and known skin allergens that can trigger reactions without you ever identifying the cause. The EU requires disclosure of 26 specific fragrance allergens. Here in Australia, you're largely in the dark. Every time you spray, you're applying an unknown cocktail of chemicals to some of your body's most absorbent skin.
Time to put SOMIC Shield under the same microscope
We've unpacked some of the most significant ingredients inside one of Australia's most popular mainstream spray deodorants. Now let's apply that same scrutiny to our own formula, because if we're asking you to read the label, we should be the first to hold ours up to the light.
The full SOMIC Shield ingredient list reads: Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Maranta Arundinacea (Arrowroot) Root Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Copernicia Prunifera (Carnauba) Wax, Synthetic Beeswax, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Isopropyl Myristate, Organic Saccharomyces Ferment, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Zinc Ricinoleate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Triethyl Citrate, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Lemongrass, Bergamot Fruit Oil, White Lotus Flower Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Litsea Cubeba (May Chang) Fruit Oil, Tocopherol Acetate. Every single one plant-derived. Every single one with a reason to be there.
Sweet Almond Oil — the base that actually gives back
Where mainstream spray deodorants leave a silicone film on your skin's surface, sweet almond oil actually nourishes it. Rich in oleic and linoleic fatty acids, it absorbs quickly without clogging pores, softens and conditions the delicate underarm skin, and carries natural anti-inflammatory properties that make it particularly kind to post-shave sensitivity. It's an ingredient your skin recognises, and knows exactly what to do with.
Arrowroot Powder — nature's answer to aluminium
One of the biggest questions around natural deodorant is whether it can actually keep you dry without aluminium, and arrowroot powder is a big part of the answer. This fine, plant-derived powder absorbs moisture naturally, keeping skin feeling comfortable and dry throughout the day. No pore-blocking. No accumulation in tissue. No aluminium. Just a gentle, effective ingredient with nothing to hide.
Zinc Ricinoleate & Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate — targeting odour at the source
Rather than masking odour with an undisclosed fragrance cocktail, zinc ricinoleate — a zinc salt derived from castor oil — works by trapping and neutralising odour molecules before they become a problem. Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate supports this with gentle antimicrobial properties derived from natural amino acids. Together they form a considered, transparent odour-control system thats kind to the skin.
The fragrance — and why this one is different
Remember that single word — Fragrance — hiding an unknown cocktail of chemicals on a mainstream label? Every scent ingredient that goes into the Shield scent is individually named and disclosed: Grapefruit Peel Oil, Lemongrass, Bergamot, White Lotus Flower Oil, Clove Bud Oil and Litsea Cubeba (May Chang). No hidden blend. No phthalates. No synthetic musks. Just named botanical oils, each carrying their own skin benefits well beyond scent.
And we're only just getting started. There are more ingredients in that mainstream formula worth understanding — preservatives, stabilisers and chemicals found widely across the industry that rarely make headlines but absolutely warrant a closer look. We'll be exploring all of that, and more of what makes SOMIC Shield different, in Part 2.
