Kopari vs. Native
A Natural Deodorant Comparison
While the list of natural deodorants I've tried continues to grow, the tally of which ones feel good, smell nice, and offer effective odor control is also on the rise. There are a lot of great options out there! And while I genuinely enjoy sampling the market's offerings, some days I just want to treat my underarms to a tried-and-true natural deodorant that I know works for me. Native and Kopari are two such examples. The reasons I like each differ, but both have been reliable for my body and lifestyle.
It's not just me—these two products are some of the most popular natural deodorant picks out there. Native has an average star rating of 4.3/5 on Amazon, and Kopari's average Amazon rating is 3.9/5 (though I rated Kopari much higher in my own review, at a 4.8/5). Which one should you choose? I'll lay out the key details of Native and Kopari deodorants below so you can make an informed decision.
Native vs. Kopari
As I mentioned above, Native and Kopari are two of the most popular natural deodorants right now. Maybe that's because they're both sold at large retailers (I've seen Native available at Target, Walmart, and Amazon, and Kopari for sale at Target, Ulta, Sephora, Anthropologie, and Amazon), or maybe it's because they really work—they both did for me! It's worth mentioning that personal care products of all kinds vary from person to person, and what works well with one body might not for another. I've sorted out the details of each of these two deodorants below so that you can assess whether you think Native or Kopari would be a better fit for you, or if both seem enticing, which one to try first.
Native
In the world of natural deodorants, Native is perhaps the biggest name. This aluminum-free, vegan, and cruelty-free deodorant uses baking soda and Magnesium Hydroxide to work toward neutralizing odor-causing bacteria.
The Details
How much does Native cost?
- $12 for a single bar.
- $10 when you sign up for a subscription.
- Free shipping on all orders.
- Ships to the US, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, and the UK.
What does Native deodorant feel like?
Native's formula includes coconut oil and shea butter, which work together to offer a smooth application and a soothing wearing experience. In Anna's Native review, she compared it to gel solid deodorants she's tried, and we both agree that sometimes allowing the warmth of your skin to soften it a bit makes it glide on even more easily.
Does it smell nice?
I have experience with two of Native's scents: first, Coconut & Vanilla, which is their most popular women's* scent. Native describes it as "sweet and sophisticated," and I concur with that description. It didn't strike me as being very tropical, though I could maybe call it summery.
And I've also used the Eucalyptus & Mint scent (this is their most popular men's* scent—actually my husband ordered this one but I used it often because I liked it). Native describes it as subtle, clean, and fresh. Sounds about right! I found both the eucalyptus and mint aromas to be easily detectable and to blend well together.
Native offers the following classic scents:
- Coconut & Vanilla
- Cucumber & Mint
- Charcoal
- Eucalyptus & Mint
- Unscented
- Lavender & Rose (for their women's stick only*)
- Citrus & Herbal Musk (for their men's stick only*)
- Custom — yep, you can work with them to create a custom scent. Start by taking this quiz.
They also offer seasonal scents, which can be found here for women and here for men.
*The only difference between Native's women's and men's deodorants is the scents offered.
How's the odor protection?
It's impressive! Since natural deodorants use gentler ingredients to shield against odor, it isn't uncommon for their protection, in turn, to be gentler. But Native was generally reliable both for me (someone who writes at a desk sometimes, chases a toddler around at other times, and is wont to break out in dance spontaneously) and for my husband (someone who bops around throughout the day for his client-based work, is a triathlete with a high-volume training schedule, and is wont to break out in a sweat spontaneously). Occasional reapplication was necessary on especially high-exertion days but in my experience that's sort of the case in any deodorant you might be sweating off.
Does Native offer any other natural personal care products?
Yes! Native carries body wash, bar soap, and toothpaste. They also recently launched a plastic-free deodorant stick in a paperboard tube, which ships in a 100% recycled paper mailer. The plastic-free deodorant stick costs a dollar more, so $13 for a one-time purchase and $11 when you subscribe.
Check out our full-length Native review to learn more (it was penned by another reviewer, but I have also used this deodorant and my experience was comparable), or buy Native here.
Kopari
Kopari is a baking-soda-free natural deodorant, making it a great option for folks with sensitive skin. It's also free of aluminum, it's vegan and cruelty-free, and it contains a combination of plant-based enzymes to neutralize odor.
The Details
How much does Kopari cost?
- $14 for a one-time purchase + shipping.
- $11.90 + free shipping when you subscribe to receive new bars on a monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly basis.
- Ships to the US, Canada, Australia, & UK.
What does Kopari deodorant feel like?
Unbelievably smooth. Kopari's formula includes a blend of coconut oil, coconut water, and sage oil, all of which make for a crazy-gentle glide-on and a hydrating wearing experience. Kopari blew my mind with its smoothness and continued to be an awesome experience tube after tube.
Does it smell nice?
I've only ever tried the original scent, and I found it to be a dreamy one. It smells slightly sweet, but still gender-neutral (my husband agrees), and a hint beachy but nothing too extreme.
Here are the scents offered by Kopari:
- Original (coconut milk)
- Driftwood (sandalwood, cedarwood, & zesty clove)
- Beach (“fresh sea breeze”)
- Fragrance Free
- Gardenia (white-florally coconut gardenia)
- Tropical (tangy pineapple and sweet coconut milk)
How's the odor protection?
The odor protection is great. Similar to Native, I found it to be perfectly effective for calm mornings and slightly active afternoons alike. If you're working up a sweat, you might need an extra swipe. That's par for the course. (And, again, my husband agrees).
Does Kopari offer any other natural products?
Yes, and you can expect to find a free sample with every order! Kopari carries a ton of other personal care products, too many to list here. But, to touch on a few categories, they offer:
- Body Care—items like shower oil, body milk, coconut crush scrub, and more.
- Skincare—things like lip gloss, eye balm, face cream, and more.
- Personal Care—in addition to deodorant, they offer coconut oil pullers, coconut-based lube ("love melts"), and more.
- A CBD-infused line of deodorant, calming body cream, and recovery balm.
Check out my full-length Kopari review to learn more, or buy Kopari products here.
Which one is the best natural deodorant for you?
As you may have gathered, Native and Kopari have a lot of similarities! Both feature soothing coconut oil as a primary ingredient, both offer a smooth applying experience, and both have pleasant scents that work for all genders. So, how will you decide which to try? I'll break things down further to try to help you decide where to start.
Cost
- If you want to start with a lower-cost bar, go for Native. It costs $12 for a one-time purchase and $10 with a subscription. Plus, free shipping on all orders!
- If you're game to make an investment on a great deodorant, Kopari costs $14 for a one-time purchase (plus shipping), and $11.90 with a subscription (free shipping on subscription orders).
Ingredients & Odor Protection
Both of these deodorants are aluminum-free, cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free, and paraben-free. Yay! Note that neither Native nor Kopari is an antiperspirant, so neither will prevent armpit moisture like a traditional deodorant would!
- If you're worried about a reaction and want a baking-soda-free deodorant, choose Kopari. Or, click here to see Native's sensitive (baking-soda-free) deodorant options.
- If you don't have sensitive skin and are open to a formula that contains baking soda among its natural ingredients (which is said to help reduce odor), go for Native.
FYI I didn't personally find Native to be noticeably more effective at controlling body odor than Kopari—both worked well for me—but you may have a differing experience.
Fragrances
- If you have sensitive skin and wish to avoid essential oils, choose Kopari's Original Coconut Deodorant, which comes by its sweet and pleasant fragrance by way of coconut milk. Essential oils, which can sometimes be an irritant, are used to fragrance Kopari's other deodorant scents.
- If you don't have sensitive skin and want to give some exciting scent combos a go, try Native.
- Or, if you want to try a custom scent, you can work with Native to make an original fragrance blend!
The Feel
Both Native and Kopari are really smooth! But...
- If you want a spa-like deodorant experience with an extreme smoothness factor, run (don't walk) toward Kopari!
- If you want a no-frills deodorant that just so happens to be smooth, pick Native.
- If you want a natural deodorant that feels similar to a regular deodorant, Native is a good choice.
Which natural deodorant fits your personal preferences more closely? Head to the comments and do tell!
Additional Natural Deodorants to Consider
Want to read all our reviews of popular deodorants from natural brands? Here are our thoughts on Kopari, Native, and more!
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