My Natural Deodorant Journey
So today we are going to talk about something that is not very glamorous... our arm pits and what we use to curb sweat. I switched to natural deodorant in February of 2020, so it has been a little more than a year and I don't see myself going back to regular deodorant!
Natural or organic deodorants are usually specified as aluminum- free and come with so many health benefits. Did you know that sweat is a crucial part of maintaining body homeostasis? Traditional deodorants use harsh chemicals to clog pores and make our bodies incapable of regulating itself which leads to body odor. By closing the pores, traditional deodorants cause sweat to build up under the skin causing irritation and limits the production of good bacteria that would counteract body odor. Aluminum based deodorants also have links to breast cancer, Alzheimers, and infertility issues, which was the main reason I wanted to make the switch.
I will state that until about a year before switching, I never had perspiration problems. After graduating college, I noticed I was sweating way more than I usually did and my usual Dove deodorant was just not cutting it. Around the same time I started following Katie Sturino, the creator of Megababe on Instagram and she was the one who finally made me make the switch. And though I didn't switch just to control my sweat (carrying deodorant in my bag wasn't the end of the world for me) I feel like my sweat glands have 100% been regulated and I'm back to not feeling overly sweaty or like I smell.
So since switching, I have used 6 deodorants, I never paid attention to how often I bought aluminum deodorant but I also do not feel like it's too much. I also used some simultaneously and I currently have two open with a good amount left in each.
The first natural deodorant I tried was from Arm & Hammer. I chose the solid gel stick mostly because it was a name I trusted and it was super cost effective. Some natural deodorants can be outrageously expensive and at just around $2 I wasn't afraid to test out the natural life on this one. I had about 3 weeks of detoxing (where I was a sweaty mess) so I did find myself reapplying many times throughout the day but I only sweat through my top twice. During my detoxing I was constantly afraid of being smelly, but the reapplying did help. I think switching in the winter did help and the only times I sweat through my clothes was when I was exposed to an intense heating system at work for too long.
Another super basic aluminum- free deodorant I felt was similar to the traditional deodorants I was using and left me feeling super refreshed. I used this in the spring as things were getting warmer (but also I was stuck at home so temperature didn't impact things that much). By the time I got to Tom's I was completely done detoxing and my sweating was starting to go back to where I was a year before switching. It wasn't a super eventful time, but that seems pretty standard with deodorant.
So this was the most expensive deodorant I have probably ever used and I was super nervous to use it. I loved the smell of this and it was perfect for summer but my experience was not that great with it. The stick was super sensitive and would collapse and smear itself whenever I applied it which would make me have to be insanely gentle and because I was so afraid of wasting product. I also had to reapply if I was outside which I hadn't had to do regularly since detoxing. And when I would wear tank tops, I found I would leave traces of it on anything my underarms grazed upon- lounging on pillows, hugging people, etc. It was definitely the best smelling I had but totally not worth it in my opinion.
Another amazing scent with a problematic experience. I had used Love, Beauty, and Planet shampoo and conditioner in the same scent in 2018 and loved it but tried it again in 2020 and it left my hair a greasy mess. I thought I would try the deodorant but this one was the only deodorant I have ever had a physical reaction to. After about 3 weeks, my underarms became discolored and dry and I had problems wearing thicker fabrics without burning. I didn't want to waste the product, so I bought my next stick of Lāfes and slathered my underarms with it and then used this one gingerly just to avoid waste. I don't really suggest this given that the reaction could have been serious, but luckily it turned out okay for me.
This is one I am currently using and I really like it! It is a no frills basic deodorant but I find it super pleasant for winter where I naturally am not sweating as much. It doesn't have an overpowering scent but keeps me feeling fresh and lasts a long time when I am not super active. I do notice my clothing fibers get stuck on the stick way more than the other natural deodorants so it looks messy but I personally do not think that's a super big deal.
I originally picked this up because I thought I was almost out of my Lāfes but I was wrong and it just lasts a long time. So right now this is a supplemental deodorant I use when it is warmer or I am more active and need the extra protection. It's a pretty big stick so I know it will last a long time and I think it will be great for when it eventually becomes my primary deodorant in the spring. So far so good!
I will hopefully be updating this as I try new natural deodorants and continue on this aluminum-free journey.
FYI, I use affiliate links, meaning I get a commission from certain items when you shop through my links (at no cost to you!) As always, I'll have more linked on my Like to Know it!
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