My thoughts on Natural Deodorant

I am a sweater. Not as in a cashmere sweater, but as in I sweat a lot. Perhaps it's because I'm constantly on the go or a past athlete or whatever. But ever since I could remember I was drawn to solutions that made me not sweat. I've seen embarrassing photos of me with damp armpits and it's just... not cute.

Then I started reading about the dangers of aluminium in antiperspirants. There are mixed opinions on whether or not aluminum is actually that bad for you. There’s a lot of information (and misinformation) on this topic, so I recommend not only doing your own thorough research, but speaking with your trusted doctor or dermatologist. For myself, I've decided it wouldn't hurt to opt out. Note: This isn't me being all "anti-chemicals." Everything is literally made up of chemicals, you guys. Good and not-so-good. 

​I’ve been using natural deodorant for about eight months now (essentially since I moved to Sydney). I wanted to share my personal experience in case anyone was wondering about making the switch!

When I moved to Sydney, I had just run out of my deodorant and was going to have to either make a repurchase of my normal stuff at the grocery store or try a natural deodorant. Looking at the dozens of options of normal deodorants (I've tried each at least twice), I remembered not being impressed with any of them. Since it was summer and I knew I would be sweating a lot, I decided to grab a "natural deodorant" off the shelf and give it a whirl.

I'm happy with the one I have but I want to keep trying different ones to see if there are any better options… let me know if you have a favorite! Here are a few things I noticed during my switch:

Sweating is a weird sensation. The one thing I've learned in my life is that deodorant is NOT an antiperspirant. The same applies for natural deodorants. While they eliminate odors, they don't stop the sweating. In fact, that’s what the aluminum helps do! While I'm used to sweating a little bit with deodorants/antiperspirants, I wasn't prepared to constantly feel a little damp. Thankfully only one or two awkward wet armpit moments! I've had to be conscientious about what shirts/tops I’m wearing, but thankfully even if I do sweat I don't have to worry about harsh chemicals ruining my shirt. Plus, sweating is a normal body function!

I’m 100% paranoid about smelling bad. I am super paranoid about smelling bad. I kept having to ask my husband if I smelled bad because I kept thinking I reeked. Thankfully the deodorant is a nice smelling tea tree oil scent, so it wasn't noticeable. At the end of the day if I didn't re-apply I did notice a bit of a stink... so I may need to just re-apply daily during lunch or something. 

People made it to seem like a horrible transition. When I first told a few friends that I would be switching to natural deodorant, some told me horror stories of rashes, allergic reactions, bumps, that you'd be smelly for a while as your body re-adjusted. I found that none of these things happened to me! Phew.

No stained clothing! After a few times of thoroughly soaking through the armpits of a shirt or two, I noticed that my shirts would turn a grey or yellow color. Gross. However, while wearing my natural deodorant, not only have I sweated a lot (hello, Australian summer) but none of my shirts have been stained in the last eight months! I especially appreciate this when I'm wearing my cashmere sweaters during the winter.

THE DEODORANTS:
I’d recommend the below deodorants. All are great in their own way, albeit different from one another.

Kopari Coconut Deodorant

I'm a sucker for anything that smells like a tropical island- cue the coconut. Even better, it is paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free, gluten-free, silicone-free, GMO-free, and aluminum-free! Not to mention it isn't tested on animals. While it was a little wet for my taste, it well at keeping the smell at bay. I re-applied once during the day while wearing this deodorant... just to be safe.

​Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant 
​
Before changing my habits and opting out of plastic, this deodorant was (and still is, to be honest) a fave because it doesn't leave noticeable residue (hooray clear coat!) on the skin. Bonus points because it didn't stain my clothes, either. No parabens, silicones or waxes involved in this stick, but it still glided across my skin. This stood the test of an Australia 45 C (113 F) sweaty day. Only con is how expensive it is...

Meow Meow Tweet Deodorant

I'm going to admit it- deodorant cream was not my idea of how to start my day. An extra step of washing my hands again? No thanks. But, I gave it a go and was surprised that it seems to last for much longer. It's thicker than your average stick, and has ingredients like grapefruits, lemons, shea butter and virgin coconut oil. No baking soda here - Meow Meow Tweet's uses dietary magnesium, a naturally occurring mineral supplement. I liked it - but unsure of how I feel about constantly having to wash my hands, especially if I want to reapply.

No Pong All-Natural Anti-Odourant

This "anti-odourant" practically has a cult following and for good reason! It has a 'gender neutral' scent of citrus notes and vanilla, which is barely noticeable when worn. No Pong is in a reusable tin and pretty easy to apply. Again, I feel like I need to wash my hands after applying, but this is my newest addition and am still seeing if I believe the hype or not.

One deodorant I'm excited to try...

I am ALL for Ethique's easy-to-use deodorant bar that is naturally scented. The biggest hurdle? Picking a scent! There's soothing lavender & vanilla or the bright spearmint & lime.