The Best Natural Deodorant
I try to be as healthy as I can be and have really been evaluating the products in our home, beauty products, foods etc. I still eat fast food occasionally and dessert so I am by no means the healthiest, (I barely even work out lol) but there are so many small things you can do that barely are an inconvenience but make a big difference!
We've been eating mostly organic food for years and make healthy choices at home - even Rjudy only eats organic dog food and treats, but then I started digging deeper and looking for "cleaner" cleaning products, soaps, cleaner makeup and skincare options and most recently, healthier deodorant!
Most deodorants are also antiperspirants and that is where things go south. Many use aluminum to essentially block your glands from sweating, and while that sounds great to not be sweaty, I'd rather not block my lymph nodes from draining/releasing toxins!? There are TONS of articles for each side about this saying it can cause alzheimer's and cancer and others saying nothing is proven and it's all a myth. In my opinion, it makes the most sense to just not use it when there are so many other options? Like why chance it on chemical-filled crap?
So far, I have been on this journey for 10 months and have tested out 4 "natural deodorants" that are aluminum and paraben-free at the very least. I started with Island Deodorant (ordered from Amazon) and didn't love it. It was completely unscented and that just turned me off and was too big of a switch for my first one I think. It was like rubbing a bar of unscented hard soap.
From there, I tried out Schmidt's (found at Target and TJMaxx) in two different scents and it irritated my skin majorly. It burned occasionally and was rough to apply and the irritation kept up after months of use.
Then I tried Native, (can only order online), which everyone seems to love who uses this type of product. I used it the longest - 6 months! While most of the time it worked and was fine, I was still getting a red crease in the middle so I moved on although I liked the smell and it worked well. It just didn't agree with me personally.
Now I am using the healthy deodorant - Lavanila (bought at Sephora) and LOVE it so far. It's been a few weeks and it smells phenomenal and is soft as butter ha! I wouldn't say it's the most powerful, but I'm not out running marathons, so I think it'll do the job. I can apply it however much and frequently and whenever I please and have ZERO irritation.
Some Tips:
-Do this detox first! Once you are ready to try your new aluminum-free deodorant, whip up this recipe and detox your glands before you start. It will give you a fresh start. Also, Bentonite clay can be used for hair and skin too and there are so many uses for ACV the purchase is well worth it.
-If you have irritation/achey pits for a few days, it's them detoxing themselves! I thought this was crazy honestly and a sign that it is important to switch because mine ached horribly for 2 days and seemed swollen. It was really alarming.
-Warm up the stick before use - most are made from coconut oil or something of the sort so sometimes it's a bit hard/rough to apply at first. And a little goes a long way - Native even says to only apply 1-2 swipes once a day.
-Don't apply immediately after shaving if you notice irritation.
-Repeat the detox every once in awhile if you feel you need it (as if your new deod isn't working as well etc.)
-Lastly, don’t try to go back to aluminum antiperspirant or you’ll smell awful! I put it on for a day I knew I’d sweat and it majorly backfired and then my best friend did the same thing. It’s as if your body rejects it.
I'm no doctor, just a crazy lady trying to be healthy, so obviously do what works for you or avoid what doesn't!
Other chemicals and dirty ingredients I try to avoid in everything possible: Sulfates/SLS, parabens, phthalates, "fragrance"/ essential oils, mineral oil, propylene glycol, DEA and if possible, look for products that specifically state they're cruelty-free with no animal testing and are ideally vegan. It sounds like a lot of work, but it's really not once you know the ingredients to look for and spend the 30 seconds reading something before you purchase. There will be a whole post on some of my favorites coming soon as well!
PS- there are many others out there that I didn't try: Primally Pure, Tom's, Arm & Hammer has one (which isn't the cleanest) and Kopari, which is what I'd try next if I ever need a switch! So do what works for you, your budget and lifestyle!