Does the Buzzy Wild Deodorant Live Up to Snuff? 6 Busy Women Put It to the Test

• Efficacy: 19/20
• Ease of Use: 15/20
• Formula: 19/20
• Aesthetics: 20/20
• Value: 18/20

Total: 91/100

As a Californian, I’ve had sustainability on my mind since I was born. The state is renowned for its environmental policies, and in my parents' house, I was mandated to meticulously sort recycling, trash and compost. As a lifestyle editor, I’m constantly on the prowl for the best sustainable products that can do the same function with a lighter carbon footprint. Recently, the British startup Wild hit my radar with its line of refillable bodycare, specifically deodorant. I’ll be honest; I don’t use deodorant, but I was curious. So, I rounded up six busy gals in New York City to test out the Wild refillable deodorant system ($15) over a few weeks and report back. Here are their unfiltered reviews.

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Wild is a UK-based refillable bodycare brand that originally launched with a line of deodorant. How it works: Pick your aluminum case and pop in a refill. Currently, there are 12 scents to choose from:

• Juicy Mango
• Love Potion
• Grapefruit & Mandarin
• Lavender & Geranium
• Fresh Ginger & Lemon
• Fresh Cotton & Sea Salt
• Cherry Blossom
• Lemon Basil & Blood Orange
• Thunderstorm
• Mint & Aloe Vera
• Coconut & Vanilla
• Cedar & Sandalwood

Wild promises a 24-hour formula that’s aluminum-, paraben-, plastic- and sulfate- free, in addition to being vegan, cruelty-free and a certified B Corp. Its key ingredients are tapioca starch, cocoa seed butter, sunflower wax, shea butter and sodium bicarbonate. The brand partners with ONAMISSION to plant trees, and to date has planted over 445,000 and diverted 80 tons of waste from the landfill. It is now available in Target, as well as their website and Amazon.

I asked six busy ladies (and regular deodorant wearers) to try Wild over the course of a month. Two of them—including PureWow Vice President of Editorial Candace Davison—have actually been longtime users already, so I asked them to speak to the efficacy, longevity and durability of the cases and deodorant over time. They’ve used brands like Pure Haven, Secret, Schmidt and Saltair in the past. The testers followed the directions to assemble their deodorants and then applied before going about life: Chasing toddlers, sweating in the subway on the commute to the office and exercising in all manners, from weightlifting to hot yoga, running and pilates.

The ongoing question with “sustainable” products is if they’ll perform—or even outperform—their “regular” counterparts. When this category first popped up on the market, I remember not being impressed. But over time, things have gotten a lot better. Wild deodorant is something that rose to the challenge. All testers—minus one—reported that they only needed to apply once a day, and that the deodorant got them through stressful workdays, long commutes and some intense workouts, including pilates, hot yoga, jogging and weightlifting.

“It stayed on and smelled good after a full day at work and an entire hot pilates session (pilates in a heated room of 90 degrees F),” reports PureWow tester Allyson Dae. “My usual deodorant can only do that 60 percent of the time. I only applied it once a day in the morning, and it lasted the whole day.”

One thing that Davison notes is that the actual scent of the deodorant is pretty light. “I barely notice the scents,” she tells me. “I kind of wish they were stronger, but more importantly, I never smell bad. And that's what truly matters to me.”

The refillable concept was what initially piqued my interest in Wild, and for the most part, it’s ingenious. However, after helping PureWow tester and my friend Nancy Williams assemble hers, I didn’t think the setup was super intuitive and instructions were difficult to find on site—the FAQ page seemed to be out of sorts at the time I was consulting. I eventually ended up looking at a YouTube short for guidance. But once you assemble for the first time, every subsequent refill is super easy. Davison, Lasita and Williams all concurred. Vita mentioned that the first day, her refill kept falling out of the case and needed a day to “settle in,” which it eventually did.

All testers mentioned that their cases are scuffed, from Davison and Lasita, who’ve been using Wild for the last six months, to Williams, whose case arrived a month ago with scratches. That said, while not cosmetically the most sturdy, the aluminum cases are durable—none have broken. The other thing to consider is that unlike the plastic many legacy deodorants come in, Wild’s metal case may not be a pleasant sensation for some. Per Dae: “The metal outside is cool to the touch. I’m a bit more sensitive to tactile feeling and [getting this] first thing in the morning isn't a great feeling—[though not a huge con].”

I think Wild is a good refillable option for those looking to transition to a more sustainable brand and are used to/don’t mind the wax formula. Take it from Lasita, who prioritizes clean, ethical and eco-friendly brands when shopping:

“The price feels comparable to drug-store deodorant and is definitely a more environmentally sustainable option. Ingredients really matter to me as a consumer—I did cross-check their ingredients with my natural deodorant [which is non-refillable plastic] and would feel comfortable making this switch long-term.”

The cases are cute, there are tons of scents to choose from, and refills are about $6 and last up to six weeks. While it feels risky to buy into a whole system, the starting price is about $15, and if you find it’s not working for you, the company has a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, so the risk is relatively low.

Overall, Wild is a great pick if you want to cut down on your carbon footprint and do it in style.