Way back in high school, I bought a deodorant crystal because they were trendy. I faithfully dampened that rock and rubbed it under my arms yet I still smelled funky at the end of the day. I quickly returned to my stick of Secret and haven’t looked back since.
Working in close proximity to clients all day, having body odor is not an option. I need deodorant that works well for a long period of time!
My job involves reading a lot about personal care ingredients and how they interact with our bodies. A study showed a possible link between the aluminum in anti-perspirant and Alzheimers. Then a study disproved the link between anti-perspirant and Alzheimer’s.
It’s difficult to know what to believe but many people are opting for an aluminum-free deodorant just in case.
After 30+ years of relying on anti-perspirant, I noticed it wasn’t working as well for me. Being a skin nerd, I did come digging. Over time, sweat glands begin to rely on the product and stop producing odor killing bacteria. Anti-perspirant was affecting my skin microbiome!
I decided to see if I could find a “natural” product that worked well enough for me to use during a workout or a work day. The body needs an adjustment period of 2-3 weeks when switching to from an anti-perspirant to a deodorant. It all made sense, during this time the odor killing bacteria would begin to flourish again.
Anti-perspirant controls odor and wetness. It contains aluminum particles to block the sweat glands and keep you dry. The controversy is over whether these particles absorb into the body or stay put on the surface of the skin until you wash them off. Some “all natural” brands make anti-perspirants; these still contain aluminum. One lists it as “recycled aluminum”, no joke!
Deodorant controls odor but not wetness. Most “natural” brands use ingredients like baking soda, coconut oil, shea butter, and essential oils.
Always read the ingredient panel, the statement “all natural” does not require any approval.
For the sake of my clients, I experimented on my days off. It was easy to try a new deodorant during a morning workout; if I wasn’t offensive by the time I got home I knew I was on to something!
It took some trial and error, one product left me smelling like rancid baking soda and I learned I am really partial to deodorant in a stick form, not a cream or spray. I found a natural deodorant with no aluminum that I like, I’d give it a solid 7/10.
I switch between the natural deodorant and my old anti-perspirant depending on my schedule for the day. My anti-perspirant works better since I use it less often and I’ve let my natural bacteria flourish. If I have a long workday plus an event after, I don’t need to reapply. On shorter days, I’ll opt for the deodorant.
Non-aluminum deodorant brands are everywhere right now. If you’re considering making the switch, give your body time to adjust. Introduce the new product gradually during times when you won’t be embarrassed if you end up with a little body odor.