Meow Meow Tweet
Quick verdict: Tried a natural deodorant, got a red, itchy rash, and gave up on the whole idea? Meow Meow Tweet is the brand we’d point you to next. Its deodorants skip baking soda, the usual culprit, and everything is made by hand in small batches in a California microfactory and packed in metal, glass or compostable paper. It’s founder-owned, Leaping Bunny certified, and quietly a B Corp. It isn’t an antiperspirant, though, and a few products cost more than you’d expect. Our rating: 4.0 out of 5.
Who they are
Jeff Kurosaki (they/them) and Tara Pelletier (she/they) started Meow Meow Tweet in Brooklyn in 2009. They met in art school and still work together as artists, making sculpture, music and performances alongside the brand. They moved the business to Northern California in the summer of 2021.
It’s still theirs. We looked for funding rounds, crowdfunding and acquisitions and found none, and nothing points to a parent company. The founders’ page doesn’t give the exact city, and neither does anything else we could verify, so we’ve listed the headquarters as California.
What they get right
Two audited certifications, and one of them they barely mention. B Lab lists Meow Meow Tweet LLC as a certified B Corp since September 2021, with a current score of 92.2, up from 86.3 on its first assessment. Funny thing is, we couldn’t find the B Corp mentioned anywhere on the brand’s own site. Most brands lead with it. It’s also in Leaping Bunny’s US register, which is the audited cruelty-free standard, not just a logo. Both checked in the registers themselves.
The deodorant is built for sensitive skin. Look at the rose geranium deodorant cream and you’ll see arrowroot powder and magnesium hydroxide doing the work instead of baking soda. That matters. Baking soda is alkaline, and on a lot of people it causes exactly the rash we explain in why baking soda deodorant gives you a rash. The rest is coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba and essential oils, with the organic and fair trade ingredients flagged one by one.
Almost no plastic. The brand says everything comes in metal, glass or compostable paper, and that it only uses plastic where hygiene demands it. The deodorant sticks come in a paper push-up tube. And there’s a bulk size of the cream, 9.4 oz for $45, that works out cheaper per ounce than the regular jar.
It’s for everyone, on purpose. There’s no “men’s” or “women’s” anywhere in the line. Every scent is just a scent.
Where they fall short
It won’t stop you sweating. The product page says it plainly: the cream absorbs some moisture, but it isn’t an antiperspirant. That’s true of every natural deodorant, and if you need dry, our explainer on aluminum in antiperspirant covers whether the aluminum is worth worrying about.
Cream takes some getting used to. You scoop it out and rub it in with your fingers. Plenty of people love that. If you don’t, the stick is the same formula without the fingers.
No independent testing. We didn’t find a lab test or a hands-on review from a testing outlet, only customer ratings, which are good but not great. And the “certified organic” ingredient claims are the brand’s own list. There’s no organic certification on the finished products.
What they sell and what it costs
About 27 different products, most in several scents. Here’s what they cost right now:
- Deodorant cream, 2.4 oz: $16 (bulk 9.4 oz: $45)
- Deodorant stick, 1.8 oz: $14
- Body soap bar: $12
- Shampoo bar or facial bar: $14
- Hand and body wash: $34
- Face oil: $34
- Sunscreen: from $29.50
Call it $$. The deodorants and bars sit a little above drugstore natural brands, and roughly level with most indie ones. The liquid hand and body wash is the one that feels steep.
Who it’s actually for
If baking soda deodorant has burned you before, literally, start here. The formula is built around the exact ingredient that causes most of those rashes, and the bulk jar keeps the cost down once you know you like it.
It’s also a good fit if you’re trying to get plastic out of your bathroom and want deodorant, soap and shampoo from one small maker. If you sweat heavily, no natural deodorant will keep you dry, so compare the picks in our natural deodorant roundup or consider whether an antiperspirant is the better tool for you.
Deals and discounts
No affiliate relationship on our side. The brand offers 10% off a first order for newsletter sign-ups.
Related reading
- The Best Natural Deodorants That Actually Keep You Fresh
- Why Does Baking Soda Deodorant Give You a Rash?
- Is Aluminum in Antiperspirant Bad for You? An Honest Answer
- The Best Zero-Waste Bathroom Swaps for a Plastic-Free Routine
Frequently asked questions
Is Meow Meow Tweet deodorant baking soda free?
Yes. Its deodorant creams and sticks use arrowroot powder and magnesium hydroxide instead of baking soda, which makes them a better fit for skin that reacts to baking soda.
Is Meow Meow Tweet a B Corp?
Yes. B Lab lists Meow Meow Tweet LLC as a certified B Corporation since September 2021, with a current score of 92.2. The brand doesn’t advertise it much on its own site.
Is Meow Meow Tweet cruelty-free?
Yes, and it’s audited. Meow Meow Tweet is in Leaping Bunny’s US register. The whole line is vegan and palm-oil free too.
Who owns Meow Meow Tweet?
Its founders, Jeff Kurosaki and Tara Pelletier, who started it in Brooklyn in 2009 and moved it to Northern California in 2021. We found no investors, acquisitions or parent company.
Is Meow Meow Tweet deodorant an antiperspirant?
No. It absorbs some moisture and handles odor, but it won’t stop you sweating. The brand says so on its own product pages.