So, I made the switch to natural deodorant about 3 years ago and it was not without it's downsides. Each day was a trial by error that ended in the not so glamorous "sniff test." Many times I wanted to give up on trying this whole natural deodorant thing out because it seemed I could never find one that actually worked. It took me awhile to find some amazing deodorants that not only worked well but smelled amazing! Before I list off some of my favorites, I wanted to share with you why I decided to forever ditch conventional deodorants & antiperspirants. After doing some of your own in depth research you may also want to leave these chemically laden products in the dust.
Why I Quit Deodorant
Many of the top selling deodorants/ antiperspirants on the market today have ingredients that you really don't want to be slathering on your pits. Some of these unsavory ingredients include:
aluminum chloride which stops you from sweating, and is a probable cause of breast cancer.
Parabens a preservative that is known as an endocrine disruptor or a substance that interferes with hormone production.
Triclosan an antibacterial chemical that has been associated with endocrine toxicity.
Phthalates are extremely toxic chemicals found in deodorant and other personal care items, only they are usually listed on the ingredients label as "fragrance". These chemicals are what help fragrances to last longer or linger.
These among other chemicals found in many popular deodorants and antiperspirants have been linked to cancer. Dr. Heather Patisaul is quoted in Time Magazine saying "when you eat something, it’s broken down by your liver and digestive system, but when you put something on your skin, there are times when it can enter your bloodstream without being metabolized." That means that when you are putting these chemicals on your skin, they can immediately cross the blood brain barrier and cause great damage to your body. It is like being invaded by an enemy army with zero defenses.
Learning about these toxins, convinced me that there had to be a better way to not stink! Did I really have to trade in smelling good for the possibility of cancer, infertility, thyroid problems, among a slew of other maladies?! After doing my research and experimenting with several different natural deodorants, I must say there is a better way! Here is a look into my journey of finding a natural deodorant that worked for me, or becoming a hippie, whatevs!
My Favorite Natural Deodorants
After trying deodorant after deodorant, I found this amazingly fragrant deodorant! One day at work, I smelled something heavenly and found out it was my coworker. I asked her what perfume she wears, and she answered that she doesn't wear perfume but perhaps it was her deodorant. She told me that it was Green Tidings but did warn me that it was a little pricey. I was desperate for a good natural deodorant THAT WORKED, so I went home that day and ordered some online. After trying this deodorant I was in love with the smell (very herbally, which I like) and the consistency, but I was not in love with the price. Though a very small amount is needed and this deodorant lasts a looong time, it was still way more than I was used to shelling out to stop the armpit stank. So in my next purchase I looked for deodorants with similar ingredients.
This deodorant had very similar ingredients to Green Tidings but was slightly cheaper, and oddly enough came in a jar. I was not used to using deodorant in a jar, but I liked how I could control how much product I put on. This smelled almost identical to Green Tidings and worked great. This was also slightly cheaper (less comes in the jar than Green Tidings), so I was happy with that but wanted to see if I could find something even more cost effective than this deodorant & worked just as well. My hunt continued, looking for the key ingredients that these two products shared.
I actually found this deodorant at my local TJ Maxx and it was marked down to $6, score!! I am actually currently using this deodorant and it smells similar to the above mentioned products but I have found that the deodorant itself is very dry and hard to apply. I am not sure if this is because I bought it marked down at TJ Maxx but it is a possibility, so it's hard to give a fair review of this one. For now this one is working, and smells great but it's not my most favorite on this list.
I found this at my local Amish Country Store, where they sell expired and discounted goods (that are usually still just as good within a reasonable time frame). This was also marked down to $6 and I must say this one was my favorite over all! I am hoping to find these marked down again, but even if they're not, this will be my go to deodorant. The texture is perfect, and the smell is very pleasant!
This was actually a deodorant that we also found at TJ Maxx for my husband. It was marked down to $6, so we decided to give it a try. He ended up really liking this, and it didn't seem to wear off like other natural deodorants at the end of the day. This was an A+ for him, in that he liked the scent and the fact that it worked well.
Others That Didn't Work So Well . . .
This deodorant tried but failed. I love a lot of other JASON products, (especially their Rose Body Wash) but this just didn't do anything. This product wore off earlier in the day, and left me smelling worse than I would without it on, oddly enough. At first this smelled just like my favorites above, but did not work like they did.
I actually bought this before I realized that propylene-glycol was not the safest ingredient. More info about that here. So, needles to say I don't recommend this product at all. Not only does it have questionable ingredients but it also made me smell worse then I would without deodorant. Towards the afternoon, I would start to smell a dank, musky scent coming from yours truly's armpits. It was embarrassing and frankly made me want to go home and shower. Some people rave about this but it does not work for me, and I do not recommend it for many reasons.
This was also not the most natural deodorant(even though it is heralded as such), as it contains phenoxy ethanol, a chemical preservative that can cause irritation and has been restricted in some cosmetics in Japan. I also don't recommend this product as it's ingredients aren't that great, as well as it felt like I was putting water on my armpits when I applied this roll-on. I guess I am just not use to using roll-ons but for me, the texture was a major turn off for me. This as the last two I mentioned did not work at all.
Some Disclaimers . . .
Toxic Pits As it turns out, many people find that when they transition from toxic deodorants/ Antiperspirants to natural deodorants, there is a time of detoxing that occurs. Some symptoms include sore lymph nodes, more sweat, & more stank. You can find more info and some solutions here if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.
I am Not Sponsored- I am not sponsored by an of the aforementioned brands, this is just my honest review of the products I have tried. I also realize that everyone has different body chemistry, and so some of the products that worked for me, may not work for you. Or some of the products that didn't work for me, may be your absolute favorite.
Do Your Own Research- This is a small glimpse of my own journey and research into this topic. You must do your own research and come to your own conclusions as to whether you want/ need to make this change or not.
What Has Worked For You?I hope that sharing my experience and some of the products that worked for me has been helpful to you! Please let me know in the comments whether you are going to or have made the switch, and which products have worked/ not worked for you. I look forward to hearing from you!
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