As a beauty editor, I’m always eager to test new formulas, but I have a confession to make: I’m usually deeply skeptical of natural deodorants. Living in Singapore, where humidity reaches eye-watering levels the moment you step outdoors, natural formulas rarely stand a chance. More often than not, they fail to hold up against a sweltering afternoon, or worse, they react strangely with body chemistry and end up smelling worse than sweat itself.

So, when independent local clean beauty house Patrichory launched its new Botanical Deodorant Mist collection, I approached the testing process with my usual dose of healthy cynicism.

Handcrafted in small batches right here in Sin Ming by founder and aromatherapist Patricia Wong, Patrichory focuses on plant-derived, aluminium salt-free formulas crafted without synthetic fragrances. Their latest range comes as a fast-drying mist designed not just for underarms, but for feet and body too. I put the collection to the test, along with a couple of their solid hair products, to see if a local clean beauty brand could finally win me over.

The Deodorant Mists: Hits and Misses

The new range features four distinct botanical blends: Gentle Rose, Cosy Wood, Sunlit Yuzu, and Breezy Mint. At $19 a bottle, the spray format feels lightweight, refreshing, and dries down remarkably fast without leaving any chalky residue on clothes.

Gentle Rose

This was the absolute standout for me. Blended with pink rock rose, geranium, bergamot, and amyris essential oils, it immediately brought back fond memories of the iconic rose hand creams and face mists by Australian brand Jurlique. The aroma is beautiful, subtle, and distinctly pretty without being sickly sweet. Most impressively, it actually held up. It stayed smelling fresh and delicate on my skin throughout the day, successfully navigating Singapore’s heat without souring or fading away.

Breezy Mint

On the other end of the spectrum, I wasn’t a huge fan of the mint variant. Formulated with peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, and tea tree, it certainly provides an invigorating, cooling burst on application. However, personal scent preferences are subjective, and this particular herbal blend just didn’t work so well with my body chemistry.

Solid Shampoo and Conditioner Bars: A Joyful Surprise

Beyond the mists, Patrichory’s Ayurvedic-inspired solid haircare range deserves its own spotlight. I’ve used my fair share of solid shampoo bars that either leave hair feeling coarse or strip the scalp entirely, but these were an absolute joy to use.

  • The Shampoo Bar: Lathered effortlessly and thoroughly cleansed without stripping my scalp’s natural moisture barrier. My hair felt clean, lightweight, and balanced, and also smelled clean and pleasant, without being overly perfumed or smelling too herbly.
  • The Conditioner Bar: Often the trickiest category in solid beauty, this bar pleasantly surprised me. It melted easily under warm water, smelled wonderfully warm and comforting, and left my hair completely tangle-free and happy and smelling delicious.

The Final Verdict

It is always a pleasure to watch home-grown labels thrive, and as someone who makes an effort to support local brands whenever possible, I’m delighted to say that Patrichory is easily one of the better natural beauty brands I’ve tested in recent years.

While not every single scent in the deodorant line suited my personal taste, the formulation integrity is undeniably high. Between the stunning Gentle Rose mist and the stellar solid haircare, Patrichory proves that clean, handcrafted local formulas can be both functional and truly luxurious.

Patrichory’s Botanical Deodorant Mists ($19) and solid hair care bars are available directly via patrichory.com.