Let’s talk about something no one wants to talk about: body odor. I know, exciting, right? Hear me out, I promise it gets interesting!
When I was first figuring out how to transition to a healthier, more natural lifestyle, there were some aspects that I felt were “not significant enough” or “not worth the money/hassle/etc.” Natural deodorant was one of those things.
Today, I can’t imagine ever using conventional antiperspirant again! I can’t see why I would need to either, because the natural alternatives I’ve found work just as well.
What comes mind when you think about transitioning over to a healthier lifestyle? Probably good nutrition, clean and organic food, and regular exercise.
Yes, those are all crucial parts of healthy living, but to make sure we are living a truly non-toxic lifestyle, every aspect of our daily routine needs to be addressed, including not only what we put IN our bodies, but also what we put ON our bodies.
That being said, I’d like to start by addressing the importance of swapping out your current antiperspirant for a natural, non-toxic, aluminum-free deodorant. It might be a little smelly in the beginning, but I promise you it is well worth it and you will eventually find what works for you.
Why Is Going Aluminum-Free Important?
First, lets take a look at the word antiperspirant. It is prevention of perspiration. No sweat, no odor, no problem, right? Wrong.
Sweating is the body’s natural way of cooling itself down and detoxifying. You see, everything the body does is purposeful. My yoga teacher calls it “the perfection of the universe.”
Absorption of Toxins
The epidermis or skin is the body’s largest organ. This organ craves nourishment just like the other organs in our body. In the Western world, we typically think of “nourishing” the skin with chemical-laden commercial body lotions, body washes, face serums, etc.
Why? Well, in my opinion, it is by no fault of our own. The sad truth is most of us have simply been programmed to think this way for the majority of our lives. Just as we’ve been programmed into believing mucus-forming dairy products are essential to building strong bones.
But that’s a rant (I mean, informative post) I’ll save for another day, I don’t want scare you off just yet. 😉
The underarms have many lymph nodes responsible for lymphatic drainage and are particularly susceptible to absorbing toxins into the bloodstream.
When we apply antiperspirant, we are plugging up the sweat ducts. Essentially, we are trapping those toxins inside our body instead of detoxing them out.
Your conventional antiperspirant likely contains harmful ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, and artificial fragrance. All of which can be linked to hormone disruptions and infertility. Seriously? I mean, we were just trying to smell nice!
Linked To Cancer
Use of aluminum in antiperspirant has been linked to breast cancer. When continuously applied to this porous area located so close to the breast, aluminum buildup can mimic estrogen-like effects therefore potentially promoting the growth of breast cancer cells.
Although the research on this topic is still not very conclusive, I personally would rather not unnecessarily take the risk when there are many safe and effective alternatives. You can find tons of information and studies on the relationship between breast cancer and aluminum on Google if you are interested in diving deeper into this.
How Can We Protect Ourselves From These Toxins?
Rather than battling our natural bodily functions (plugging up our sweat glands like we’re sweeping a big pile of crumbs under the rug), we can choose to understand and work with our bodies holistically.
Sweat It Out!
Full body detoxification is a multifaceted topic and encompasses much more than just switching your brand of deodorant. But it is a start!
When you are purchasing a non-toxic deodorant, you won’t find the word antiperspirant anywhere. This is because there is no natural deodorant that will load your pores with toxins to prevent you from sweating. Ya gotta sweat a little, sorry!
Natural deodorants help to “mask” body odor without disrupting any bodily functions. As an alternative to aluminum, many of them utilize substances like baking soda or cornstarch to help absorb odor.
Albeit, when converting, you may stink or sweat a little bit more than usual which is normal. The body needs time to detox the old gunk out that may still be hanging out in your body from your last antiperspirant (especially after years of use) and adjust to the new product.
So if you smell for a little while, don’t give up and sacrifice your progress. I believe it took me a couple of months to fully make the switch to my current deodorant.
Clay Detox
A DIY clay-based “armpit detox” may also be helpful. I haven’t tried one myself, but doing so regularly is said to assist in reducing odor and leaching out that trapped gunk (appealing, I know). Especially in the beginning of the transition. Wellness Mama has a DIY armpit detox that I will link to here. She even has recipes for DIY deodorant if you want to go that route. Her blog is awesome for all things wellness.
Which Natural Deodorant Should I Use?
With the current rise in popularity of natural and organic products, you can typically find a (sometimes overwhelming) plethora of options. The question is, how do we determine what works and what doesn’t?
Unfortunately there is no generalized answer, as most of it is trial and error. However, I’ve found some options that have worked, and still are working, quite well for me. You will probably find that you need to (or just want to) test many different brands or DIY recipes to figure out which one works best for you.
Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant
Schmidt’s is a popular brand of baking soda based natural deodorant that can be found anywhere from Target to TJ Maxx. This is the brand I currently use the most and find to be most effective, even in hot yoga classes. It is paraben and phthalate free with no artificial fragrance.
I use the Charcoal + Magnesium stick which has a refreshing scent that I love with the added benefit of being enriched with magnesium. They have many other lovely scents like Ylang Ylang + Calendula and Rose + Vanilla.
The only thing I will say about Schmidt’s is to be wary if you have sensitive skin. Baking soda can be a little irritating since it has a much higher pH than our skin does.
I did notice on Schmidt’s website that the company just came out with a new sensitive skin line, so that may be worth looking into.
The label says to hold the stick on your skin for a few seconds to soften it up before applying, but sometimes it’s just too rough. Especially directly after shaving. Which brings us to…
Zion Health ClayDry Deodorant
This is one of the first deodorants I started using (along with a different $14 stick that just wouldn’t work) and still use today. It applies smoothly and easily, dries pretty quickly, smells heavenly, and it works! They offer a variety of scents, but Moroccan Bliss is my favorite.
I use this on days that I have shaved my underarms because they’re more sensitive and this deodorant is gentler than Schmidt’s.
Lafe’s Crystal Rock Deodorant
I also have this unscented crystal deodorant that I purchased on a whim. It does work, however I find it to be less effective than my other deodorants and I need to apply it much more heavily.
I mean, I literally have to stand there and count while swiping it on at least 40-60 times in each armpit. Which honestly isn’t a huge deal (like, c’mon, first world problems). But if you’re constantly on the go, this may not be the best option.
If you strongly dislike the feeling of any deodorant residue and want something totally unscented, try it! The fact that it is a crystal means it also lasts much longer than traditional deodorant sticks.
This brand also makes spray, stick and roll-ons that I haven’t tried and therefore cannot personally recommend. I would imagine that any other brand of crystal rock deodorant would work just as well.
Every Man Jack
Don’t worry dudes, I haven’t forgotten you! I convinced my boyfriend to switch over to Every Man Jack. He likes the Cedarwood scent but they offer many others. He actually uses several of their products, including body wash, shaving cream, face wash, etc.
I noticed that the company just came out with a line of women’s products as well, but I haven’t tried them.
I like EMJ because their products are plant-based and naturally derived with no parabens, phthalates, dyes, or aluminum. All the yucky stuff we want to avoid.
However, I’m overly observant and rather nitpicky when it comes to ingredient lists (seriously, don’t go food shopping with me). So I will mention that the ingredients do include “fragrance.”
This is generally something I try to avoid in personal care products as it is a loosely interpreted umbrella term. But, since EMJ is all naturally derived, I’m assuming the fragrance is too (likely from essential oils).
So this is overall a pretty clean product and a solid choice compared to the majority of other brands. It works really well for my boyfriend, even in the beginning when he was switching over.
Conclusion
There are many safe and effective alternatives to conventional deodorant. Since there are so many options, you obviously don’t have to limit yourself to this list or any specific brand. Some people have even had success using plain coconut oil!
Take it day by day and give the product time to work. The process can be a little uncomfortable at first, similar to breaking in a new pair of shoes. But eventually you will adjust and find the right fit. Good luck and happy sweating! 🙂
Do you use natural or conventional deodorant? Would you make the switch? What are your favorite brands/DIY recipes? Leave a comment to weigh in!
