Natural Deodorants:: A Review

It not unusual to talk with someone who has a loved one suffering from dementia.  Both of my grandmothers showed signs before passing on.  From the limited research I've done (please do your own), aluminum in the brain seems to be a common factor among Alzheimer patients.  Most every deodorant - antiperspirants in particular - are made with aluminum or some derivative (check your label).

If you apply antiperspirant every day, I'm thinking there is a possibility that antiperspirant could be contributing to the increase in aluminum deposits in the body.

[Just so our terms are similar: deodorant helps you smell better, antiperspirant keeps a person from sweating.  I recognize there are times when it isn't cool to sweat, like on your wedding day.  For the most part though, you should encourage sweating.  That is one way to remove toxins from the body.]

One baby step I am taking toward cleaner living is to reduce my intake of aluminum by choosing to wear deodorant without antiperspirant.  I have not found a "normal" or store bought women's deodorant without antiperspirant.

There are several men's deodorants without antiperspirant.  I have worn this on occasion but I don't really like smelling like men's cologne.

I've tried several natural deodorants.   None will ever have to stink-stay-away-power that a chemical laden antiperspirant wields.

Note: I am not a very sweaty person even when exerting.   Most of my life is in a climate controlled environment.  Plus the people closest to me are children who emit smells of their own.  I figure, what do I have to loose when experimenting with deodorants?  Believe me, I have experimented for years with varying amounts of success.  At the bottom of the post I will tell you my favorite natural deodorant.

Here is a bit of advice I can give for those who desire to make the switch to a more natural remedy.

Start with clean pits -- use soap and water, daily.  When I used conventional deodorant/anti-persperant there were occasional days when I would not shower but reapply.  Woah Nellie! You cannot get away with that trick when wearing natural deodorants.  Start with a clean slate everyday. Sometimes on super sweaty days I need to grab a washcloth mid-day and reapply.  That small inconvenience is one price I am willing to pay to keep toxins out of my body.

If I remember correctly, the first few days after switching from conventional antiperspirants to natural deodorants, the detox effect was particularly, um, pronounced.  As in, your body is working hard to detox through your pores and you might have a stronger body odor in the beginning.  Don't give up!  It doesn't last forever.  The winter (now!) is a perfect time to make the switch.  In fact, there have been winters where I have not worn any deodorant at all.  I'm keepin' it real today!

When trying to decide which natural deodorant to use, the first step is similar to eating packaged food.  Flip it over and read the ingredient label.  Above is Burt's Bees, a container I bought at the beginning of my journey and knew next to nothing.  For those of you who have essential oils, you can make this one.  But it didn't work for me.  At all.  It smells nice when applying though.

Below is a product from Arm & Hammer that I can buy at Kroger for about $1.  For the most part, I like its effectiveness.  I don't like the long list of ingredients.  Aluminum and parabens aren't mentioned but there are several other shady ingredients.  I have used this deodorant on and off for years.

[EDIT: a reader wrote to say:
 The Arm & Hammer product contains triclosan which is under review by the FDA. Animal studies have shown some links to hormone disruption, among other things, but inconclusive on humans. Read more here.  Besides hand sanitizers and the like, you can find it in toothpastes such as Colgate. Conspiracy theorists claim it is a sister chemical to Agent Orange, but chemicals similar in structure may be completely different. Chemical, nonetheless.   -- Martin Eisele]

The next product is local.  Everything I've purchased from Tammy Sue I love.  This deodorant worked well for me - I love her ingredients.  However, the price point was a little high at $7.

Recently a friend emailed me to tell me about the below deodorant she has been buying on Etsy.  It was recommended by her naturopath.  I read some of the reviews and decided to give it a try.  I'm sold.  And, I've even convinced my husband to wear it!  The pictured 2 oz travel size liquid bottle costs $5 has worked for my husband and I for a couple months and we have several more weeks usage left.  I like it so much I just ordered a 16oz refill.

What about a crystal rock like this one?  The website rightly states there is no aluminum in the crystal.  However, this article explains that alum contains aluminum and if you want to avoid aluminum in your bloodstream, you should avoid the crystal deodorants.

Other places to reduce your aluminum intake: I don't use aluminum cookware in my kitchen.  I will, however, use aluminum over food and I will cook on occasion in disposable aluminum pans.  I also use aluminum-free baking powder.  Look for the red can of Rumford brand.

My husband and I are also refusing vaccines for our children (yes, there is aluminum in vaccines -- going directly to your blood stream ---scary!!  A two month old vaccinated baby will have 705-2125mcg aluminum in their blood stream, by 18 months a fully vaccinated child will have 2795-6830mcg of aluminum.  Read more stats here.  PLEASE EDUCATE before you vaccinate.)

As for homemade deodorants: I've made a few recipes and was never satisfied for various reasons.  If you have one that works for you --WAHOO!  A friend of mine uses equal parts coconut oil and arrowroot powder.  I tried this for a few days and liked the results.  I didn't have problems with stains on my clothes.  My complaint was more along the lines of messy application.

Have you tried any of the ones pictured above?  Do you have a solution that you could share?

-Julie