Deodorant

Sweat isn't inherently stinky. In fact it's nearly odorless. Who knew? The stench comes from bacteria that breakdown one of two types of sweat on the skin. If you look at any deodorant/antiperspirant, the first ingredient is aluminum. Aluminum compounds clog up the errcrine sweat glands and work to stop you from sweating. But we sweat for a reason right?

Deodorant advertisers have done a great job convincing us we are disgustingly smelly animals who need to be refined by their products. Most Americans haven't gone a day without deodorant since puberty. The act of rubbing a scented stick in one's armpits has become an essential component of grooming making deodorant/antiperspirant an $18 billion dollar a year industry.

Do you think companies who are making $18 billion dollars a year care about the fact that aluminum is bad for you? Aluminum is toxic to the body. It has been associated with a variety of health issues including, breast cancer, Alzheimer's Disease,  bone disorders, and kidney problems. What about all the other chemicals in deodorant like triclosan and propylene glycol? These ingredients are also toxic (revert back to my ingredients to avoid post)

If you use store bought deodorants, use an aluminum and chemical free one.

Crystal - http://www.thecrystal.com Crystal is the world's leading natural mineral salt deodorant. It works to prevent odor while other products attempt to mask it or plug pores with harsh chemicals like aluminum chlorohydrate and aluminum zirconium. Crystal deodorants are non-sticky, non-staining, dry instantly and leave no white residue. They don't contain harmful chemicals and are all aluminum free. This comes in a solid salt stick (that you have to wet before you apply). I have been using this deodorant for over a year and I really like it. You can find Crystal products at Walgreens, CVS, online, and I just started seeing them pop up at TJ Maxx and Marshall's.

Piperwai - http://www.piperwai.com I don't know if any of you are obsessed with Shark Tank like me, but two girls were recently on pushing their homemade deodorant, Piperwai. Barbara Corcoran was the Shark that invested $50,000 for a 25% stake. Piperwai is a charcoal cream deodorant that works entirely naturally. It's made of 100% natural ingredients. I ordered it online but they are backed up after appearing on Shark Tank. I'm dying to try it! *UPDATE* this finally arrived and I'm very sad to say that I don't like it. It has a very strong smell and it doesn't work on me. It does a good job of keeping me dry, but not so good for blocking out the odor. I guess i'm just used to the Crystal that keeps me completely odorless. This doesn't mean it might not work on you, so if you still want to try it, go for it!

Lavanila - http://www.lavanila.com Their cutting-edge natural technology allows them to replace harsh stabilizers, preservatives, and other harmful chemicals with high-performing natural ingredients. Each formula is clinically tested, allergy tested, non-comedogenic, and dermatologist recommended. Their scrutiny throughout the ingredient selection process helps them to weed out an ever-growing list of 200+ undesirable ingredients that are widely used in the beauty industry. Their products don't contain aluminum, mineral oils, nanoparticles, parabens, petrochemicals, glycol, and phthalates. There are a few different scents and they all smell amazing! Thank you FreshFitKate for the recommendation!!

Primally Pure - https://primallypure.com Primally Pure deodorant is not an antiperspirant - sweat is a HEALTHY and NORMAL part of being human! And since this product doesn't contain any of the toxic chemicals found in conventional deodorants, it won’t interfere with your body’s natural and necessary detoxification process (also known as sweating). All their products are made without harmful chemicals, parabens, artificial dyes, talc, fillers, and fragrances. The ingredients are created in a lab and never tested on animals. My fabulous friend Kari bought this for me in the lemongrass scent, thanks Kari!! I have only used it once but I already like it!

Schmidt's - https://schmidtsnaturals.com

I constantly tell my friends to switch their deodorant to an all natural one. They tell me the same thing over and over again, "the natural deodorants don't work because i smell" The transition from a chemical base deodorant to more of a natural deodorant can be brutal. You might notice excessive sweating, odor, and even skin irritation. Unfortunately, this is normal. Those chemicals in conventional deodorants and antiperspirants can change the bacterial microbiome in your armpit, causing an overproduction of bad bacteria, which can contribute to a worse odor when you stop using them. What?!?

So the complaints I get that the natural deodorants make them "smell" isn't exactly accurate. What is accurate is that your armpits need to detox off the chemicals and get the bacteria back in balance. The best way to do this? An armpit cleanse.

1 Tbsp Bentonite clay
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Before you start, it's important that you don't use metal utensils or mixing bowls when using Bentonite clay. Mix the clay and apple cider vinegar together until well blended. The paste will be thick and have a mousse like texture. Apply a thin layer on the armpits and let dry, about 15-20 minutes. Wash off with water. 

Repeat this process until your body odor has settled down and you can use a natural deodorant without complaints.