🔬 SCIENCE & SAFETY

FDA Deodorant Recall: Full Updated List (Check Yours Now)

Because this site is UK-based, most "deodorant recall" content people find is written for a US audience and never explains what it means for UK shelves. We've covered both sides properly: the US recalls that drive most of the search volume (Power Stick, the 2021 benzene wave), and the one that actually happened here — Mitchum's UK roll-on withdrawal — which most competitors covering this topic don't mention at all. Use the lookup table below to check your product by brand.

1Check Your Product: Recall Lookup Table

Type a brand name to filter the table — this covers every deodorant/antiperspirant recall of real significance from the last five years, UK and US.

2The Mitchum UK Recall (2025): What Happened

This is the recall UK readers are actually most likely to be affected by, and it barely appears in US-focused coverage of this topic. Mitchum's 48-Hour Roll-On Antiperspirant and Deodorant — both the Women's range (Powder Fresh, Shower Fresh, Unscented, Pure Fresh, Flower Fresh) and the Men's range (Ice Fresh, Clean Control, Sport) — was withdrawn from sale in the UK, Ireland and South Africa after a change in the manufacturing process affected a raw material used in select batches.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) classified the risk level as low, with the risk type recorded as a health risk — specifically, reports of skin irritation in some users. The batch numbers affected are printed on the bottom of the product. Distributors and retailers were told to withdraw affected stock immediately, and consumers experiencing irritation were advised to stop using the product and contact Mitchum directly to register for a refund.

3The Power Stick US Recall (2025): What Happened

In July 2025, the FDA announced the recall of more than 67,000 cases of three Power Stick roll-on antiperspirant products, manufactured by Pennsylvania-based A.P. Deauville. The recall was voluntary — initiated by the manufacturer rather than ordered by the FDA — and was later classified Class II by FDA inspectors on review.

The stated reason was deviations from Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations, the set of standards the FDA uses to ensure OTC drug products (which antiperspirants legally are, in the US) are made consistently and safely. Neither the FDA nor A.P. Deauville publicly disclosed the specific nature of the manufacturing deviation. The three affected products, each in 1.8oz roll-on format, were:

• Power Stick for Her Roll-On Antiperspirant Deodorant — Powder Fresh (21,265 cases)
• Power Stick Invisible Protection Roll-On Antiperspirant Deodorant — Spring Fresh (22,482 cases)
• Power Stick Original Nourishing Invisible Protection Roll-On Antiperspirant Deodorant (23,467 cases)

These were sold nationally through Dollar Tree, Walmart and Amazon in the US. No injuries or illnesses were reported in connection with the recall at the time it was announced. Power Stick's other formats — sticks, sprays, shower gels — were not affected and remain on sale.

4The 2021 Benzene Recalls: Old Spice, Secret and What Came After

This is the recall most "deodorant recall benzene" searches are actually looking for, and it's the one that changed how the whole industry talks about aerosol safety. In November 2021, independent testing lab Valisure filed a citizen petition with the FDA after finding benzene — a recognised human carcinogen — in 54% of the 108 batches of antiperspirant body sprays it tested across 30 different brands, with some samples measuring up to nine times the FDA's 2 parts-per-million guidance limit.

Procter & Gamble responded within weeks, voluntarily recalling specific lots of Old Spice and Secret aerosol antiperspirant sprays, plus Old Spice Below Deck aerosol spray, sold in the US. Benzene isn't an intentionally added ingredient in these products — it's believed to originate from the aerosol propellants themselves (butane, isobutane, propane) rather than the active antiperspirant ingredient. P&G's own risk assessment, based on EPA exposure modelling, concluded that daily exposure at the levels detected would not be expected to cause adverse health effects — the recall was framed as a precaution, not a response to confirmed harm.

Other brands named in Valisure's original report — including Sure, Right Guard, Suave, Brut and Power Stick's own aerosol range at the time — were not recalled, despite testing at or above the 2ppm threshold in some batches. The FDA's own recall notice for the P&G products has since been marked completed and closed.

5Recall Classes Explained: What "Class I/II/III" Actually Means

Recall severity isn't the same everywhere, and the terminology on a recall notice tells you more than the headline does. In the US, the FDA assigns one of three classes after reviewing a recall:

The UK's OPSS uses a simpler descriptive scale — typically Low, Medium or Serious risk — rather than the FDA's numbered classes. The Mitchum recall was rated Low risk, reflecting that the reported effect (skin irritation) was real but not severe or widespread.

6Why Deodorant Can Be Recalled: The OTC Drug vs Cosmetic Difference

Part of why deodorant recalls look different from, say, a food recall comes down to classification. In the US, antiperspirants are legally classed as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs — because they change a bodily function (sweat production) — while plain deodorants are classed as cosmetics. OTC drugs are held to the FDA's CGMP manufacturing standards, which is exactly the framework Power Stick was recalled under.

In the UK and EU, the regulatory split works differently: both deodorants and antiperspirants are regulated as cosmetics under the UK Cosmetics Regulation, enforced by OPSS rather than the MHRA (which covers medicines). This is why a UK recall notice reads more like a consumer safety report — focused on raw materials, batch numbers and withdrawal — rather than a formal "drug recall" in the US sense.

7What To Do If Your Product Is Affected

• Stop using it immediately — this applies regardless of recall class or risk level.
• Check the batch/lot number on the bottom of the container against the official recall notice before assuming you're affected — many people own the same brand but an unaffected batch.
• Don't switch straight to a new antiperspirant if you're experiencing irritation — give your skin a few days to settle first, especially with aluminium-based formulas.
• Contact the brand directly for a refund — most recall notices include a dedicated contact page, as Mitchum did for its UK recall.
• Dispose of it properly rather than returning it to general retail shelves, particularly for chemical contamination recalls.
• Register with the FDA or OPSS if you experienced an adverse reaction, so it's logged against the recall record.

8Our Verdict

None of the recalls covered here point to deodorant or antiperspirant as a category being unsafe — they're isolated manufacturing and quality-control issues, addressed through a process (voluntary recall, batch-specific withdrawal) that's specifically designed to catch problems before they become widespread. The 2021 benzene recall remains the most serious of the three by cause, but even P&G's own exposure modelling didn't find a confirmed health risk at the levels detected — it was a precautionary recall.

If you want to sidestep aluminium and aerosol-specific concerns entirely, our guide to the best natural deodorant covers formats that avoid both aerosol propellants and aluminium compounds. And if the aluminium safety question itself is what's on your mind rather than recalls specifically, we've covered that in full in Is Aluminium in Deodorant Actually Bad for You?

9Frequently Asked Questions

QIs there an FDA deodorant recall right now?+

The most recent significant US recall was Power Stick roll-on antiperspirant in July 2025, affecting three products from manufacturer A.P. Deauville due to manufacturing process violations. In the UK, Mitchum's 48-hour roll-on was withdrawn in 2025 after reports of skin irritation. Always check the FDA or OPSS recall database directly for the very latest, since new recalls are added regularly.

QWhich deodorants were recalled for benzene?+

In November 2021, Procter & Gamble recalled specific Old Spice and Secret aerosol antiperspirant sprays and Old Spice Below Deck aerosol spray after benzene was detected during testing. This followed a citizen petition by independent lab Valisure, which found benzene in some batches at up to nine times the FDA's guidance limit. That recall has since been completed and closed by the FDA.

QHow do I check if my deodorant has been recalled?+

Check the UPC code and lot number on the bottom of your product against the official recall notice — for US products via the FDA's recall database, or for UK products via GOV.UK's OPSS product recalls and alerts page. Brand websites also usually post recall-specific pages with lookup details.

QWas Power Stick deodorant recalled?+

Yes. In July 2025, the FDA announced a recall of more than 67,000 cases of three Power Stick roll-on antiperspirant products made by A.P. Deauville, later classified as Class II, due to deviations from Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations. The exact nature of the manufacturing deviation was not publicly disclosed.

QWhat does a Class I, II or III recall mean?+

These are FDA severity classifications. Class I is the most serious, used when a product could cause serious health problems or death. Class II, used for the Power Stick recall, applies where use may cause temporary or reversible health effects, or where serious harm is unlikely. Class III applies to violations unlikely to cause any adverse health effects.

QIs benzene in deodorant dangerous?+

Benzene is a recognised human carcinogen linked to leukaemia and blood disorders with repeated, high-level exposure. However, in the 2021 recalls, P&G's own risk modelling (based on EPA data) concluded that daily exposure at the levels detected in the recalled products would not be expected to cause adverse health effects. Recalls were issued as a precaution, not because harm had been confirmed in users.

QHas any deodorant been recalled in the UK?+

Yes. Mitchum's 48-hour 100ml Roll-On Antiperspirant and Deodorant (both Men's and Women's ranges) was withdrawn from the UK, Irish and South African markets in 2025 after a manufacturing process change affecting a raw material led to reports of skin irritation. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) classified it as a low-level health risk. Affected customers were advised to stop use and contact Mitchum for a refund.