No products in the cart.
What is the difference between an antiperspirant and deodorant?
An antiperspirant prevents your pores from sweating. Sweating is an entirely natural process designed to release toxins from our body, which causes the unpleasant body odour. I don’t use antiperspirants because I don’t believe we should be preventing this natural sweating process from happening. All the toxins are simply shunted to the nearest lymph gland and other areas of the body. You want to allow those toxins to exit your body! On the other hand, a deodorant is designed to fight the body odour itself without interrupting the natural processes of your body.
Toxic ingredients in commercial antiperspirants
As it turns out, the real danger is the toxic chemicals that antiperspirants use (including aluminium, a neurotoxin) as the active ingredient to block the pores of our skin to prevent us from perspiring. Our armpits are in close proximity to the lymph nodes and breast tissue. A study published in the European Journal of Cancer, found “underarm shaving with antiperspirant/deodorant use may play a role in breast cancer.” While further study is required and is ongoing, since this study, and others, were released there have been many aluminium-free deodorants released, however many still contain other toxic ingredients that we shouldn’t be putting on our skin to be absorbed into our bloodstream. Ingredients to avoid include:
- Triclosan: Classified as a pesticide by the FDA and a probable carcinogen by the EPA, Triclosan is an antibacterial linked to antibiotic resistance, skin irritation, allergies, and thyroid issues.
- Propylene glycol: The active ingredient in antifreeze, propylene glycol is also used to soften products. Metabolized in the liver, studies have shown that it can cause damage to the central nervous system and heart.
- Parabens: These are synthetic chemicals that cause hormonal imbalance. Parabens are linked to birth defects, organ toxicity, and an increase in hormonal-related cancers including breast cancer.
- Synthetic fragrances: The word fragrance, or parfum, can mask hundreds of other chemicals, including phthalates. Phthalates are linked to a higher risk of birth defects in women with high levels of phthalates in their blood and urine.
- Aluminum: A metal and neurotoxin, it’s linked to dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and breast cancer.
Detoxing your pits first
Once you’ve decided that you will not be allowing these ingredients near your body anymore, it’s time to detox your armpits and release all those built-up toxins from your body. This is no different than using a face mask, but you use it under your arms. You don’t need anything new, just use your existing mud mask (as long as it’s toxin-free) and apply it to your underarms as per the instructions on the container. This is the one that I use on my face and for detoxing my armpits every couple of months.
Paste or spray?
When I decided to eliminate toxins from my deodorant, there were plenty of natural deodorant pastes on the market already but I just love the convenience of a spray. It’s easy to use when I’m running out of the house in the morning or if I’m leaving work and heading to an appointment. Do you like the idea of the convenience of a spray that you can carry with you or keep at work or in the gym bag?
Will I have to reapply it during the day?
Once you’ve switched to a natural deodorant, initially you might find you sweat more than usual. As you now know, this is natural, so don’t be afraid of it. To combat this, I carry a natural spray deodorant in my handbag and reapply on the go when needed. You may also find it useful to use a washer or wipe to clean your armpits before reapplying your natural deodorant. The longer you use a natural deodorant, the less you tend to sweat.
Natural ingredients, of course.
My Deodorant Spray is designed to fight the bacteria that cause bad odour while the essential oils can be used to personalise the Deodorant scent. It contains Natural Magnesium and Witch Hazel to naturally look after your skin. Its natural antibacterial and antifungal ingredients prevent odour-causing bacteria from growing — hence, less odour.The essential oils can be used to personalise the Deodorant scent. With the perfect combination of natural raw ingredients and essential oils, this Deodorant will quickly become something you want to use every morning.
As usual the best part is that you can make it yourself and you will know exactly what is in it. When the bottle is empty, simply follow the provided instructions and refill it yourself. Check out the DIY Kit options.