Why You Should Ditch & Switch Your Deodorant
Have you ever turned your deodorant over and read the ingredients? If you’ve answered no, this may be your sign.
Most of us depend on our deodorant like the air we breathe. The pitfalls (pun intended) of regular deodorant and antiperspirants include everything from skin irritation, possible health risks, and even making antiperspirants worse! Don’t sweat it! Natural deodorant can help; here are a list of reasons why you should switch to a natural deodorant and how to do it.
Deodorant vs antiperspirant
So, before we get into it, what is the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant? Well deodorant prevents odor while antiperspirant reduces how much you sweat. Deodorants are formulated to eliminate armpit odor but not perspiration. They are typically alcohol-based and when applied, they turn your skin acidic, which makes it less attractive to bacteria. Deodorants also commonly contain perfume to mask odor. Antiperspirants, however, have active ingredients that usually include aluminum-based compounds that temporarily block sweat pores and reduce the amount of perspiration that reaches your skin.
Antiperspirants can cause skin irritation
Antiperspirants work by closing pores to prevent perspiration, causing sweat to build up underneath the skin! This can cause bumpy skin, itchiness, and painful irritation. If you have bad razor burns or irritated armpits, consider making the switch!
Can cause perspiration to be worse
The buildup of sweat underneath the skin also comes with a buildup of the beneficial bacteria that digests sweat. This limits the ability your body has to digest any bad bacteria, making your sweat smell even worse! Furthermore, the aluminum compounds can cause an acidic reaction to fabric, which is what makes those gross sweat stains on your white t-shirts, yuck!
You are supposed to sweat
Sweating may sound/feel/look gross, and we all know the horrible feeling of hoping to not run into anyone after a sweaty workout session; but our bodies are supposed to sweat because this regulates our temperature and releases toxins, which are two very crucial jobs.
Antiperspirants and chemical-laden deodorants work to clog up pores and don’t allow the body to properly release the sweat necessary to cool down the body and release toxins. Not to mention they’re completely unnecessary for preventing body odor.
Luckily for our bodies, sweat isn’t what actually smells. It’s a mixture of salt and water. What does create that dreaded body odor is when sweat comes into contact with the natural bacteria that lives on our skin. Changing this reaction is easily done with natural deodorant.
Some diseases have been linked to deodorants
Antiperspirants are often applied on skin near the breasts, some reports claim that the chemicals could be absorbed through your skin and cause estrogen-like hormonal effects. Alzheimer’s and breast cancer have both been linked to aluminum compounds found in antiperspirants, and some might even contain infertility-causing toxic chemicals. For more information on these chemicals and what to look for, click here.
Natural deodorants have benefits for your health
Natural ingredients in deodorants not only limit the skin issues and diseases possible from their non-natural counterparts, but they also provide many benefits themselves. Natural deodorants don’t block pores, so that good bacteria can keep working, meaning less odor even when you’re not wearing any deodorant. Irritation-free armpits also result in a closer, long-lasting shave, and you can forget about worrying over your white t-shirt getting yellow pit stains. Some ingredients in natural deodorant can also shrink pores and smooth razor burn.
No two deodorants are alike
No two people have the same body chemistry, so what works for someone else may not work for you. If you have tried a natural deodorant and it didn’t work, it may be because the brand or mix of ingredients didn’t work for you specifically. Most contain baking soda which kills the bacteria on the skin but can cause irritation; therefore, it’s best to read the ingredients to find the deodorant that works best for you.
How to ditch & switch to a natural deodorant
It’s a good idea to go au natural for a few days before you ditch & switch your deodorant. When you stop using deodorants with chemicals and aluminum, your body will start to push these chemicals out, which may cause irritation and won’t mix well with the baking soda that’s in most natural deodorants. If you’re not comfortable going deodorant free, consider adding on a combination of tea tree oil, lavender, or thyme essential oil, and coconut oil (as a carrier, as oils should never be directly applied to the skin), for a natural and irritation-free mixture that will protect against unwanted smells.
- Exfoliate underarms weekly and wash daily, to assist in the detoxification and prevent body odor.
- Try to stick to fabrics with natural fibers (like cotton, hemp, and silk) during the transition period. Polyester and acrylic fabrics trap moisture and can cause mold to grow on clothing, which results in a foul smell.
- When you look for a natural deodorant that works for you, look for an equal balance of baking soda and essential oils, which is helpful for odor control and less irritation for sensitive skin.
- Avoid deodorants with parabens or propylene glycol, which are likely to irritate skin.
Have you made the switch yet? If yes, which ones have worked best for you?