One of the Best Deodorants We’ve Tried Was Field-Tested by Active Service Members

NO MATTER THE circumstances, skincare products made to withstand the elements that active service members face should be more than successful at simply powering through your gym sesh or daily commute. That’s exactly what Bravo Sierra offers, military-grade grooming essentials like deodorant, body wash, and soap for everyday use. Not to mention, the brand donates a portion of the proceeds to military families in need. It’s the perfect Veterans Day purchase, to say nothing of the hydration and protection your skin will gain.

In 2018, Benjamin Bernet and Justin Guilbert founded Bravo Sierra with a simple goal: Create high-performing personal care products with clean ingredient formulas that hold up against the most extreme conditions. While there aren’t any conscious guidelines for all grooming products to be approved for military use, soaps and deodorants must have no trace of chemicals like aluminum, sulfur, or phosphorus, and every Bravo Sierra option passes this test with flying colors.

Of course, simply meeting this requirement isn’t enough for Bravo Sierra, the brand even evaluates its offerings in the field with active members of the military. From the beginning, Bernet and Guilbert have collaborated with members of the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, 2nd Battalion to test how the Bravo Sierra products performed in severe situations.

That’s not an exaggeration either, think of the elements that service members face every day. From freezing temps to blistering heat, these folks will spend hours on end walking, running or crawling through whatever is in their way—often with, let’s say, less-than-ideal bathroom access. But Bravo Sierra’s tools hold up through this all.

“Our products were designed to meet the unique demands of their environment—think shaving foam that works without water, heavy-duty hand creams and body wipes for when showers aren’t available,” Bernet told Men’s Health. “This hands-on, real-world testing is how Bravo Sierra’s journey began and has shaped every product since.”

Most Bravo Sierra products represent core self-care essentials, like deodorants, body washes, and cleanser bars, all of which are made 100 percent free of any sulfates, parabens, silicones or other hazardous ingredients. And this is very much by design. Both Bernet and Guilbert have familial connections to the military, and formulate the products with that institution in mind.

three bottles of body wash from bravo sierra usa

Bravo Sierra

In military slang, “Bravo Sierra” translates to BS, and for the cofounders avoiding any said BS in its formula is central to the brand’s ethos. “It’s more than a name, it’s a philosophy. We focus on honesty, transparency, and straightforward efficacy—no gimmicks, no fluff. This means no B.S. marketing, ingredients or promises,” Bernet said.

He isn’t all talk either. Bravo Sierra’s deodorant, for example, is one of the most effective and longest-lasting natural deodorants we’ve tested. Its smooth and residue-free application is formulated with prebiotics to kill odor-causing bacteria and is packed with cassava root extract to ensure lasting dryness. The brand’s body wash is made primarily from cocamidopropyl betaine, a coconut oil derivative that helps exfoliate skin by lifting and removing excess oil, along with squalane, which helps hydrate skin and reduce inflammation, and vitamin-rich aloe vera to soothe and moisturize.

The brand’s cleansing bar also heavily features cocamidopropyl betaine to exfoliate, replacing what is often harsh sulfates and other chemicals. Its 48 percent plant-based oil makeup adds a healthy dose of glycerin to hydrate skin and shea butter to lock in moisture, as well as being 100 percent fragrance-free. Not to mention, it rolls out in an incredible and far-reaching lather.

While both the deodorant and body wash have naturally scented versions, Bravo Sierra also offers unscented versions for those sensitive to fragrance. It’s all about offering grooming essentials that’ll be effective for any man in any situation. “We don’t just create products, we reinvent categories by focusing on performance-driven formulas and distinctive, high-end fragrances. This is skincare designed to work for anyone, anywhere, under any condition,” Bernet adds.

bar of soap being held with lather on a skin surface

Bravo Sierra

Of course, Bravo Sierra has never forgotten how indebted it is to the military community and donates a portion of all its proceeds to veterans and military families. “Our first product testers were service members, and some of our earliest employees were veterans. Giving back to this community has been part of our DNA from day one,” Bernet says. “Veterans and their families face unique challenges, from healthcare to mental health and beyond. Supporting them isn’t just part of our brand—it’s part of who we are.”

According to Bernet, Bravo Sierra has donated over $500,000 to veterans organizations since its inception in 2018. The brand has an ongoing partnership with Operation Hat Trick and will be donating 10 percent of all its cleansing bars sales for Veteran’s Day this year. Other groups Bravo Sierra has contributed to include Merging Vets and Players, Team RWB, the Hunter Seven Foundation, and the Navy Seal Foundation. “These partnerships allow us to directly contribute to the well-being of veterans and their families,” Bernet adds.

Bravo Sierra recently updated some of its products, while adding a few new ones—all while continuing the brand’s signature no-BS ethos. This included new naturally derived scents for the body wash and deodorant in orris and santal, and citron and sea salt, as well as a redesign for Bravo Sierra’s much-adored hair styling paste. This no-nonsense paste offers texture and hold without any grease or residue, topped by a natural matte finish for a clean and casual look.

When speaking on the production of these new offerings, Bernet said, “As a product developer myself, I wanted to bring a more premium experience to high-performance care by creating more sophisticated scents, advanced textures, and redesigned packaging.”

So where does Bernet see Bravo Sierra going in the future? It’s much of the same in the best way possible. “We envision Bravo Sierra as a positive force, embodying values of inclusion, resilience, purpose, generosity and innovation, and hope to touch even more lives as we grow,” he says.