Are you buying the product or are you buying the brand? Natural deodorant.

Are you buying the product or are you buying the brand? Natural deodorant. This took forever. First, the overrated, starting with Salt and Stone. I generally love their products, but I have no idea how this is so popular when there are so many better options. Then, Phlur, stick to perfume. Aesop smells beautiful, like a Victorian forest, but it's basically luxury armpit moisturizer. It does not work. Now, the bangers. Jack Henry is a workhorse, closest experience to regular deodorant. AKT is an odd form factor, but a standout luxury pick. Nala, excellent formula, strong essential oil profile, and survives heat well. Necessaire is a rare, prestige product that actually earns the hype and has a clean scent profile, too. Agent Nateur is very expensive, but also, unfortunately, very good. Can we move beyond these scent profile art directions someday, though? Malin and Goetz is underrated. Eucalyptus, in particular, is excellent. Then, Bravo Sierra is like a sleeper, oddball, military positioning pick, but it actually works. Next category, not my favorites, but if it's at the bottom of a bag, I don't hate it. Tom's of Maine, Cyclar, Baxter of California, and Hey Humans. Then, Kosas is okay, but not for summer heat. Salt Air looks expensive, feels expensive, works sometimes. Hygiene Lab is a cool concept, and I'm a sucker for frankincense, really any biblical concept, but the actual experience is not ready for prime time. Freaks of Nature, I like the branding, I love their sunscreen, this is average deodorant. All these picks are in this week's Status Symbols newsletter in my profile. I am never doing a breakdown this thorough again, and apologies to anyone that had to be near us while we were testing Phlur.