If you’ve been part of the Woohoo fam for a while, you’ll know we’re serious about our deodorant.
Not just in the “it works” kind of way (it does), but in the “this is our baby and we love it like it’s got a heartbeat” kind of way.
So when we got hit with a wave of ingredient shortages recently (and we’re talking major ones), we had two choices:
- Panic and pray for supply chain miracles.
- Roll up our sleeves, hit the lab and see if we could turn a disaster into a deodorant glow-up.
We chose option 2 (obviously). And what started as an “oh nooooo” moment has become something we’re genuinely so proud of.
This is the story of how a supply chain scramble lead to the best dang natural deodorant sticks we’ve ever made.
It all started with a coconut…
We’d been using beautiful organic coconut oil in our formulas since the beginning. It was nourishing, natural and gave our deo that smooth, silky texture we (and you) loved.
Then the emails started rolling in from our suppliers telling us that there were global supply shortages and there was nothing really we could do about it.
*cue the sad violins*
But here’s the thing… we were already using MCT oil (a derivative of coconut) in our formula. So instead of freaking out, we just bumped up the MCT levels and quietly phased out the coconut oil.
The result?
Still silky. Still effective. Still skin-loving.
We did lose a certified organic ingredient from our deodorant, but the performance? Unchanged, if not better.
Then came the Candelilla wax crisis…
This one stung.
Candelilla wax was one of our hero ingredients. The thing that helped our cardboard-packaged sticks stay solid and glide on smoothly.
But then the supply chain gods went full soap opera on us.
Mexico (where most candelilla wax is grown) was hit with climate issues. Tariffs changed. Export timelines stretched from weeks to… well, maybe September, maybe never.
We managed to grab just enough wax to keep things moving in the short term, but we knew we needed a plan B. Fast.
We tested sunflower wax and while it looked okay on paper, the reality was messy. It’s grown mostly in Russia and Ukraine, where geopolitical instability makes consistent supply super risky.
Enter: rice bran wax.
A by-product of rice processing, sustainably sourced, vegan, cruelty free and as it turns out, an absolute dream in our formula.
Not only does it give the sticks a beautifully smooth glide, it also solved one of the issues we’ve been dying to fix:
No more stuck sticks!!!
That’s right. Rice bran wax helps the deodorant release easily from the tube without the push-panic you might’ve experienced in colder weather.
Clay’s out, bamboo is in
Next, we had to address an issue with kaolin clay.
It’s been part of our formula for years. Great at absorbing moisture, super effective and technically natural.
But… it also comes with a catch.
Even though kaolin is mined straight from the ground, it can contain trace elements of earth metals, including aluminium. Not the kind used in antiperspirants (aluminium salts, which we never use), but still, it didn’t sit right with us.
So we made the call to swap it out for something better:
Bamboo powder.
It’s ultra-absorbent, renewable, and doesn’t carry the heavy metal baggage. Win, win, win.
Bye-bye zinc oxide, hello dream team
For years, we used zinc oxide to help soothe the skin and reduce irritation. The same kind of zinc you find in natural nappy creams and sunscreen.
But while zinc oxide can be fabulous (especially as a sunscreen), it does get some bad press from apps like “Yuka” as not being reef-safe.
While we don’t agree with everything Yuka has to say, we’d prefer Woohoo to have no “eyebrow raising” ingredients, so we decided to add a new dynamic duo:
- Zinc ricinoleate – a powerful natural deodoriser that traps and neutralises odour molecules. Aka, BO’s worst nightmare.
- Jojoba esters – to keep things gliding on silky-smooth, with a skin barrier–boosting bonus. It doesn’t cause any white streaks or skin tugging. Just buttery-soft application :)
Your armpits will definitely notice the difference (in a good way).
Magnesium gets a glow-up
You know we’re big fans of magnesium around here, especially for our sensitive-skin formulas.
In this reformulation, we upgraded the magnesium in some of our classic scents (Tango, Mellow, Urban, Surf) to the same ultra-fine, ultra-high-quality magnesium you know and love from our limited edition bestsellers (like Drift and Jingle).
It’s smoother. It’s more effective. It’s a real crowd-pleaser.
Bonus: Urban and Surf (our regular strength options) now include a combo of bicarb and magnesium, instead of just bicarb. So you get the best of both worlds: power and comfort.
But more on that in our next blog.
WILD gets a makeover
And finally, a note for the Wild natural deodorant fans.
Due to limited supply of honey myrtle, we decided to make a tweak to the scent.
We swapped out Honey Myrtle for readily available Lemon Myrtle. A perfect swap for a zesty, sustainable refresh.
And Peru Balsam for Vanilla for a warm, soft finish. This switch was made because Peru Balsam was recently flagged in the EU as a potential allergen, and allergies are very un-Woohoo.
The new scent is a little different (but not too much) and our testers gushed over the updated version. It has the same vibe, but an even fresher lemon scent.
If you’ve been wearing Wild for years, we think you’ll absolutely love this new version too.
What does this all mean?
Well, in short:
Our new sticks are smoother, stronger and more BO-busting than ever before.
We kept what worked. Upgraded what didn’t. And poured a whole lotta love (and fun) into making sure these sticks are something you’ll be proud to use every day.
And if you're wondering, yes, they're available to shop right now. Suitable for pits of all kinds. The heavy sweaters, the sensitive souls, the in-betweeners, the Woohoo fanatics.
👉 Shop the new sticks here and experience the goodness!
Thanks for sticking with us (pun absolutely intended).
This journey has had a few sweaty moments but we made it through. And honestly? We reckon these are our best sticks yet!
Psst... we’re not done.
Our deodorant pastes are next up for a big ol’ makeover.
Expect the same pit-loving magic, just with more brilliance.
So watch this space. Your armpits have never had it so good.
