In Search of a Natural Deodorant

August 20, 2013 by Alia 52 Comments

I’ve been looking for a natural deodorant for some time now.

Without a doubt, there are lots to choose from. I’ve tried many of them.  I’ve tested each one for days and days at a time.  I’ve given my body several days to get used to each one in the hopes that it would embrace the new deodorant.  Despite my patience, each one left me sporting quite the unpleasant odor.   While I’m sure that they may work for some, they have not worked for me.  😦

I won’t go into detail about each of these products, as I don’t want to make this into a product review post.    They are all great products and I’m sure that they work for other people out there.  After all, they were each easy to find on the shelves of my local health food store, so they must be doing something right!  In fact, if you’re looking for a more natural option, I encourage you to try some of these.

It’s Personal

Finding an effective deodorant is a very personal thing.  Everyone’s body is different and of course, it also changes over time.  When you choose to forgo the strength behind the more popular antiperspirants and deodorants, some fine tuning is definitely warranted.

Antiperspirant vs. Deodorant

Antiperspirants are used to keep your underarms dry.  They do this by preventing perspiration in the first place.  Most of them contain aluminum salts to help accomplish this task.  Basically, they work by blocking the pores from releasing the sweat.

Deodorants, on the other hand, mask body odor with a scent.  They do not prevent sweat or perspiration.  Instead, they work to neutralize or cover the odor with something more pleasant.

Complaints About Antiperspirants and Deodorants

Both products contain lots of ingredients that seem unnatural, including parabens and preservatives.  The ingredient that has the worst reputation, is aluminum.  It has been linked to both breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

Despite the bad reputation that aluminum has, there is quite a bit of conflicting information available concerning how bad or not aluminum is for you.  Some say there is no need for worry and there is no link to these diseases.  Others conclude that the chronic exposure is certainly linked to these illnesses.

I learned a bit on this subject when I read Gillian Deacon’s book, There’s Lead in Your Lipstick.

Why Choose a Natural Deodorant?

I’m no scientist or expert when it comes to the ingredients used in these products or their effects.  If you read enough material, you could find an opinion to support any point of view.

In my humble view, I believe that a product with fewer ingredients is usually a better choice.   I also believe that I should be able to understand the ingredient list of the products that I put on my skin.  With those two principles in mind, my only choice is to go with a natural deodorant.  And even some of those have a long ingredient list!

How do you stay fresh and dry?

Until I find a good alternative, or figure out how to make an effective deodorant on my own (hint, hint!), I continue to use my store-bought deodorant.  It works, but I’m not thrilled about using something with such a long list of ingredients.

What do you use to stay dry and sweet-smelling all day?