The Natural Deodorant Review + Tips
THE NATURAL DEODORANTREVIEW + TIPS
Pssst, I have a secret to share. I used to be one of those people who didn’t put deodorant on AT ALL because I was so afraid of the toxic chemicals in them. And yup - you better believe I smelled (sometimes) like someone who may have walked out of Woodstock.
I finally realized that I HAD to use some form of deodorant, but nothing natural I used worked well. But, you know what I love? Going through my day come rain or shine, hot or cold and smelling fabulous. Here’s the deal (and this may resonate with you). I don’t want to smell bad AND I don’t want to put chemicals on my body.
I finally got to the point where I felt gross especially when I was in meetings, around clients, colleagues or at book signings. I could tell it affected my confidence and how I presented myself. So I went to the hard stuff. Yup, the deodorant with the dyes, sprays, harsh chemicals and aluminum. Little did I know that the stench coming from my underarms could be caused by a deeper issue.
But, knowing all the chemicals that manufacturers put in deodorants and anti-perspirants didn’t align with my health values and I set out to find a deodorant that WORKS first and foremost and that my body could tolerate.Low and behold, of all the places I could look for deodorant, I found the one I really enjoy using in my best friend’s bathroom drawer!
For years I’ve looked far and wide for a natural deodorant that works. I’ve tried on tons of different sticks, powders, creams and sprays and now I’m sharing my results.
But first, a little background info for ya!
WHY WE SWEAT (AND SMELL)
Your skin is the largest organ you have and one of its main purposes is to detox what’s in your body through sweating. What we need to keep in mind is that what we put on our skin can also get absorbed straight into our bloodstream. That’s right! And, so many deodorants have been created with nasty chemicals that get absorbed straight into our skin and within seconds causes inflammation or contact dermatitis which looks like itching, swelling, pain, dry itchy skin, redness or small blisters.
Holy cow!
Think about it this way, when smokers want to kick the habit, one way to do so is by throwing on a patch. It delivers a dose of nicotine straight to their bloodstream.Not only can the chemicals, ingredients and preservatives in deodorants affect our outer skin, they are darn right harmful to the inside of our bodies. These chemicals, once in the blood can then go on to affect our body systems including our endocrine/hormonal system leading to all different types of potential issues around growth, development, sleep, mood, sexual function and metabolism.So what makes sweat smell? Poor hygiene is not always the culprit. Depending on what each person eats, their body conditions and nutrient levels could cause them to stink.
Foods contributing to body odor include:
Physical Conditions:
Vitamin/Mineral/Amino Acid Imbalance*:
*Make sure if you plan on supplementing with Zinc, you do so under a licensed practitioner who can prescribe supplements and proper dosing.
BEFORE I SHARE SOME STINKY NEWS,
let’s understand the difference between deodorants and antiperspirants:
Deodorant: (de-odor) it prevents odor. The ingredients within deodorant are designed and created to eliminate or mask the smelliness in our pits caused by bacteria.
Antiperspirant: designed to BLOCK sweat by preventing our body from producing it in the first place.
If you’ve ever wondered why your shirt pits get stained, the answer is in the mix of aluminum + sweat.
THE STINKY NEWS 8 Harmful Ingredients to Avoid:
Real deodorants don’t mask the issue or block your pores. They’re there to get to the root cause and source of your smelly underarms. Most natural deodorants have natural anti-bacterial properties and use ingredients like baking soda that allow you to sweat (again a natural process) without all the BO.
When looking for a deodorant at the store or online next time, make sure you flip the bottle over or click on the ‘Ingredients’ tab to check out what exactly is in your product you’ve picked out. Use this helpful list of ingredients to avoid as a guide.
Parabens: Any and all including methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl.
Why: Linked to breast cancer and a hormonal disruptor especially with estrogen.
Aluminum compounds: Aluminum chloralhyrdate, aluminum zirconium tetracholorohydrex gly. Wow- that was a mouthful.
Why: These nasty hormone and endocrine disruptors are absorbed by your skin and stop the flow of sweat (a natural process by the way!)
Silica:
Why: A known skin irritant causing allergies or immunotoxicity and may be contaminated with crystalline quartz a known carcinogen.
Triclosan: This FDA classified pesticide is used in antiperspirants and deodorants and kills bacteria.
Why: Carcinogen, dermatitis, and skin irritant.
Talc: This unregulated product has been known to contain asbestiform fibers also known as cancer causing agents. Since deodorants are not regulated cosmetic products, we do not know how much is used in products so my recommendation is best to stay clear.
Why: Linked to cancer.
Propylene Glycol: Neurotoxin
Why: Allergic reactions, kidney and liver damage.
Steareth-n: The ‘n’ stands for a number for example 1 or 7. This ingredient is known to interact with ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen.
Why: Linked to cancer.
Fragrance: The additives and chemicals used to create a fragrance vary and are harmful for our skin, the environment and the rest of our body’s organs.
Why: Skin irritation, allergies and organ toxicity.
[/cmsms_text][cmsms_divider type="solid" margin_top="0" margin_bottom="40" animation_delay="0"][cmsms_text animation_delay="0" classes="bac_green"]The more toxins we put in and on our system, the heavier or harder it gets for our organs to detox or get rid of them. If we’re BLOCKING one of the main ways i.e.: sweat (via an antiperspirant) for these toxins to exit the body, we’re creating a major back up and making our other organs work that much harder to get rid of these toxins. Plus, we don’t know the long-term effects these chemical laden products do to our body.
Watch out for these tricky words in the ingredients label. For example another alias for Propylene Gylcol is propanediol.
THE ‘SMELL LIKE ROSES’ NEWS
AKA THE GOOD NEWS:
Hello to fabulous news! There are plenty of natural deodorants that exist today that get the job done and don’t have harmful chemicals. You can even make your own deodorant at home and today I’m going to shine the light on some of the best in my Kitchen Shrink product review: Deodorant edition. With healthier less toxic ingredients, you can breathe and sweat a non-toxic sigh of release when you put on your daily dose of deodorant. Woohoo!
To make this review as legit as possible, I always love using the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to vet products. The EWG provides up-to-date research on toxins and chemicals present in home and personal products.Take a look-see below and print out or save to your phone the amazing infographic below.
Which deodorants are non-toxic, high-quality and leave you smelling wonderful?
DISCLAIMERS
Be your own ‘Kitchen Shrink’ and advocate and make sure you read those labels before tossing the next deodorant into your cart. Not all products are created equally and the label ‘natural’ doesn’t hold much ground these days. Products that have an “organic’ label will be a better choice as they’re held to higher standard and regulations regarding ingredients.Word to the wise: After you make the switch from using conventional or all natural deodorants, give yourself a couple weeks to clear out the toxins from your skin and for your new stick to start working. Know that everyone is individual and some products may work better with your body chemistry than others.
Your turn! What’s your #1 natural deodorant and why? Share in the comments below!
P.S. Gentle Request: If you work for a beauty company, please share your thoughts and products you like and your personal experience with these products. We’re trying to keep the comments as unbiased and helpful to our readers as possible. Sharing why your product is the best or why a product wasn’t listed is stinky.
Thank you!
P.P.S. If you’re really sensitive, try this DIY Homemade Deodorant. One of my good friends Tamara Mannelly makes her own deodorant. Get the recipe here.