What’s Wrong with Deodorant as we Know It
Mass market brand deodorants and antiperspirants contain ingredients that mask odour and physically block sweat glands. They “clog up your pores.” If we remember anything from those 90’s anti-zit commercials, clean pores are important.
Remember: Ingredients in mass market deodorants are used because they are cheap to produce – not because they are good for you. Something has to pay for all that marketing 😉
The Front Door to your Immune System
You’ve got some tender lymph nodes in your underarm region – 20 or so per arm (that’s a lot). Lymph nodes are a necessary part of our immune systems, acting as filters for foreign particles and cancer cells. A surprising tidbit of info is that lymph nodes do not have their own detoxification function. They rely on your liver and kidneys, and let’s be honest – those body parts are busy enough processing margaritas.
Your armpits and the rest of your body can suffer when you pile up toxins under there.
Your Pits are a Great Part of YOU
No one wants to stink. But the natural smells (yes, even the bad ones) that your body emits are unique to you, and are designed to attract the best mate. You know when you’re really attracted to someone? It’s not just that face. The natural scent that we have is caused by pheromones! So be good to those pits.
If you do One Thing
We need to sweat to expel toxins and cool down; think of them as your own personal smart thermostat.
Deodorants prevent you from smelling bad, but antiperspirants actually reduce sweating. Somewhere along the way we started fighting dampness by coating our underarms in chemicals to stop us from sweating. It’s basically blocking your body’s way of taking out the trash.
If you make one change for the better – please, please, please – ditch the antiperspirant.
Limit these in your Conventional Deodorant
Doing a full 180 on how you buy deodorant is tough. That’s ok. Just like anything in this world – there’s shades of grey. Like a vegepreferian, it’s ok to cheat a little (bacon!). So keep an eye on the amount of these potentially harmful ingredients found in drugstore deodorants and antiperspirants:
- Artificial fragrance
Artificial fragrances, or anything marked “fragrance/parfum”, are mixtures of dozens of chemicals that can cause allergies. migraines and immunotoxicity (adverse effects of immune system functions due to chemical exposure). - Parabens
Parabens is a grouping of chemicals that are said to disrupt the body’s hormonal balance and some studies are linking them to breast cancer. And no one wants that. - Propylene Glycol
While not the worst of the bunch, this one can be a skin irritant and cause allergic reactions as it may allow other ingredients to absorb more easily into the skin. It’s also used as an antifreezing agent. - Triclosan
Triclosan is used as an antibacterial ingredient and can cause skin irritation, toxicity and allergies. It is suspected to be an endocrine disrupter. The FDA is now banning it in some products in 2017.
The Natural Choice
Obviously if you can – make the switch. There’s a lot of options out there now – but still read those labels! Natural deodorants will contain ingredients that help kill odour causing bacteria and naturally reduce smell and sweat. But just because it says natural doesn’t mean it won’t contain some of the above ingredients. Here’s what to look for:
- Coconut oil
Coconut oil has antiseptic benefits due to its medium-chain fatty acid called lauric acid. It also nourishes and moisturizes the skin. - Aluminum free Baking Soda
Baking soda is a natural deodorizer. It helps kill the bacteria that causes body odors, so it can be effectively used on your underarms. - Arrowroot Powder
Arrowroot is a starch extracted from the rhizomes of the arrowroot plant. This powder absorbs some of the moisture and reduces odour. - Essential Oils
Essential oils have antibacterial properties to reduce odour causing bacteria. They also smell awesome naturally – without artificial fragrances. Nature is amazing!
That’s the main ingredient list. We add a few more natural ingredients to our deodorants – beeswax, shea butter, sunflower oil and vitamin E – to bring the formula together and make it a bit nicer to use on those super sensitive bits.
Armpit Detox
If you simply ditch the chemical stuff and embrace a natural deodorant, your body may have to adjust. It’s normal! Some people can experience:
- Rashes with itching and red bumps
- Excessive sweat (for a little while!)
- Sweat that has a very potent odor.
Looks bad right? It’s not!
These reactions are the body’s adjustment period. Similar to a body detox – things can seem worse before they get better. It’s worth it in the long run for your body.
We just introduced an “Adventure Size” of our Natural Deodorants. We were calling them sample size, or minis, but our customers love them for road trips, gym bags, at the office, or on a plane to the next adventure. So we’re now selling them separately!
Check out our Adventure sized and full size Natural Deodorant here:
Charmed Natural Deodorant
Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Mandarin, Sweet Marjoram, Cedarwood & Vetiver
Full Size (60 ml)
Adventure Size (10ml)
Treehugger Natural Deodorant
Palo Santo, Cedarwood, Fir Balsam and Cypress
Full Size (60 ml)
Adventure Size (10ml)
Refreshmint Natural Deodorant
Spearmint, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Howood, Cedarwood, Rosemary and Cypress
Full Size (60 ml)
Adventure Size (10ml)
StinkPretty Natural Deodorant
Geranium, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Howood, Clary Sage, Sweet Marjoram, and Sweet Orange
Full Size (60 ml)
Adventure Size (10ml)