Happy 1st week of summer!
This post has been a looong time coming… but is SO very appropriate for the first week of summer, no?!
After spending this weekend dripping in sweet sweat from the HOT sun, I’m happy to disclose that I’ve finally found the natural deodorant of my dreams… LOL.
For real though, if you’ve tried the all-natural aluminum-free deodorants before, then you know what I mean when I say it can be a total nightmare to find one that actually works. I’ve tried at least 8 brands over the past year. Some were tolerable, some were absolutely terrible and some actually burned my armpits… but there is one that continues to work like a charm. I’m sure there are others that would work fine, but I wanted to be sure this was “the one” before I shared my thoughts… I’ve re-purchased this magic miracle stick 3 times now… you couldn’t pay me to go back to regular deodorant.
BUT… this natural deodorant didn’t work at first.
You can’t go from using conventional Dove or Secret deodorant to a chemical-free, aluminum-free natural deodorant immediately and expect it to work. NOPE. That’s not how it works and is the exact reason for why people think natural deodorants suck. Trust me, I learned the hard way. This is a process, hence the armpit detox, which doesn’t take long (only a week or two) and is SO worth it, I promise.
You might be wondering:
- What the heck is an armpit detox?
- Why should you switch to a natural brand?
- Do they actually (like, actually) work?
Before we get to my holy grail of deodorants, let’s rewind and have a little chat.
If you’re anything like me, you grew up using Teen Spirit (ahh! remember?!!) and then graduated to either Dove or Secret or Mitchum or some other big name brand. Maybe you tried them all, until you found one that seemed to work best, that is, until it didn’t and things started to get funky. You began to notice it just stopped working after x amount of months, sorta like shampoo. So, you either switched to a different brand, switched to the clinical strength or switched to your boyfriend’s deodorant and kept up that process of bouncing around to different kinds.
You’re maybe (probably) still bouncing around and wondering why nothing works anymore? Or why it only works for a couple hours?
At one point in time last year I was so desperate that I started rubbing lemons on my armpits (yup) in place of deodorant which was absolutely ridiculous… and back to regular deodorant/anti-perspirant I went, even though it was ridiculous as well. I was so tired of this deodorant debacle that I started wondering what was wrong with my pits, (lol, don’t judge) until I began to research and go back to reference Jessica Alba’s book called The Honest Life (which I LOVE and refer back to all the time).
**Deodorant was the last on the list for me after going vegan and switching to all cruelty-free makeup and beauty products… mostly because I was reluctant. Here’s what I learned after some research:
1) Sweating is NATURAL and good for you!!
You guys, we all sweat. Obviously, sweating is normal.
Truly, honestly, I never once questioned why I used anti-perspirant… it’s just what everyone used and I didn’t know anything else. Now, anti-perspirants freak me out. Sweating is our body’s way of cooling down, of detoxing, of ridding of impurities and expelling toxins. We are taught that sweating is gross and don’t want to be smelly so we try to prevent it from happening by stopping the smelly sweat in its tracks BUT this isn’t healthy or natural AT ALL.
Anti-perspirants clog our pores and block our sweat glands with aluminum (ew) so you sweat inside the body instead of outside, keeping all that bacteria and chemical crud in your tissues… while deodorant attempts to kill any odor-causing bacteria with harsh chemicals and fragrances.
Now, picture years and years of preventing your body from ridding of all these nasties by clogging your sweat glands and applying chemicals that are easily absorbed through the skin… SO CLOSE to your lady parts and lymph nodes too… Think about it, we sweat out of our armpits for a reason. It’s not glamorous, no, but we most definitely should NOT be interrupting or interfering with this natural process, let alone keeping all the junk inside the body to have a bacteria party.
Our bodies need to sweat… so it’s really the smell we are concerned about. Deodorant on it’s own does a fine job of handling the stink. I understand that some of you can’t be going to an important event and run the risk of having pit stains… but on regular days – go with the natural deodorant, please!!
2) Conventional deodorants and anti-perspirants contain an impressive amount of chemicals, additives and fragrance.
This wasn’t shocking to me, especially after going vegan and learning what ingredients lurk in our food, let alone our toxic beauty products. I figured anti-perspirant/deodorant would be just as bad as any other big name beauty product. Indeed, I was right!
We’re basically applying carcinogenic chemicals & harmful toxins right on top of our lymph nodes. UGH, WHY DO WE DO THIS. Lymph nodes are a major part of our immune system; their job is to help rid the body of toxins/cancer cells/ viruses/ bacteria/ etc., so if you have ever felt a lump or bump in your armpit, or have felt them enlarge when you’re sick, those are your precious lymph nodes trying to get you better or rid of something nasty.
Common Conventional Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant Ingredients:
Aluminum: toxic, irritating, has been linked to lymphatic cancer and Alzheimers disease
Parabens: a preservative thats found in everything and is easily absorbed through the skin, disrupts hormones, traces have been found in biopsied breast cancer tissue, can cause skin rashes and may be toxic to our reproductive, immune and neurological system
Triclosan/Triclocarban: antimicrobial agents that kill bacteria and fungus to prevent odor, absorbs and piles up in the body, disrupts hormones and helps to create dangerous bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics
Formaldehyde: a well-known carcinogenic substance? used to kill/prevent bacterial growth, triggers allergic reactions, rashes, nosebleeds and asthma
Phthalates: found in anything that lists “fragrance” in the ingredients to give a “fresh” scent, hormone disruptors (backed by 20 years of research) and causes hormonal imbalance, often found in plastic and nail polish, can damage reproductive system and cause infertility
Propylene Glycol: also known as: antifreeze, a common additive in personal care products, carries a moderate risk of immunotoxicity and allergic reactions
Antibacterial Substances: endocrine disruptors; adversely affect the immune system function and hormonal balance
These can be found lurking in most of your conventional beauty products.
3) What now? First, do an armpit detox.
Time to let your armpits breathe!! An armpit detox is when we let our bodies rid of the built-up gunk from all the years prior of using conventional anti-perspirant and chemical-laden deodorants. One you detox and correct the bacterial imbalances in your pits, you will sweat less AND any odor will naturally decrease because consistent use of Dove or Secret has actually made your sweat smellier… due to overproduction of bad bacteria.
**An alkaline body naturally tends to smell less (go vegan! check out my vegan starter guide)
This armpit detox will help to pull out whatever is stuck in the tissue and skin under the armpit, which in turn, helps to prevent unpleasant reactions that can come with the switch to a more natural deodorant.
Make this bentonite clay mask at home and apply it daily (while in the shower) until your body has adjusted to the natural deodorant, it non-irritating and the unpleasant odor is gone. Don’t deter back to your regular deodorant during this time! Give this a chance to do it’s work!
Bentonite Clay Mask Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon healing bentonite clay
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 teaspoons of water (to get right consistency)
Directions:
- Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl with a wooden or non-metal spoon, until creamy.
- Spread in an even layer over the armpits and allow to sit for 5-20 minutes. Start slowly and working up to a longer period of time once you see how your body adjusts. If it burns, wash off immediately. This may cause some redness as it increases blood flow to the area, but will quickly go away.
- Wash off in the shower or with a warm, wet washcloth.
- Repeat daily or as needed until under-arm odor goes away and natural deodorant is non-irritating.
4) Primal Pit Paste – My FAVE and the Best Natural Deodorant!
You guys, this stuff works wonders.
No, this is not sponsored (but is should be!) Instead of masking odor with fragrance and chemicals, Primal Pit Paste neutralizes odor with aluminum-free baking soda and absorbs wetness with arrowroot powder, while still allowing the body to sweat and release toxins. It’s aluminum-free, paraben-free, has NO added fragrances, NO toxic chemicals, NO fragrances, NO corn, NO gluten, NO GMOs and absolutely NO sucky ingredients.
So it keeps you fresh and dry – but in a all-natural way! I love the calming lavender scent but it also comes in Jasmine, Coconut Lime, Orange Creamsicle, Thyme and Lemongrass, Primal Spice, Royal and Rogue, Coriander Sage (for sensitive skin) and unscented as well.
The convenient stick formula
5) Extra Tips & Suggestions:
- Sweat it out: Remember that a little sweat is good for you; if you?re not sweating, you?re not efficiently removing toxins from your bod! And by now, you probably understand the importance, I hope?!
- Stay hydrated. Drink more water. Water helps to flush out toxins, so drink up! Make my Turmeric Glow Lemonade for flavor.
- Eat well: lots of whole plant based foods like organic vegetables, fruits, plant protein (beans, lentils, quinoa, tempeh etc.) and high quality fats like avocado. Skip the fast, processed, and packaged foods.
- Practice good hygiene, obviously. This deodorant will last throughout the day, but don’t expect it to last through a sweaty workout after a long day too. Shower immediately after exercise and daily. Dry off completely before applying the Primal Pit Paste. You can apply the armpit detox mask whenever you feel the need to!
That’s it! Hope you guys find this helpful.. or maybe you just think I’m a total weirdo now!
Let me know what you think or if you have any tips?!
What are your go-to natural vegan deodorants?! Or any DIY homemade recipes?! Leave a comment below!
Oh my Lord girl!!!! I loved this article. I went through the same process about a year ago with the funky armpits and I literally scrubbed them and scrubbed them to the point I created a big painful rash. It came to me as I was thinking about something my mother told me about my grandmother. She said that the antiperspirant she used would burn through her nightgowns back in the day. Then it dawned on me. What the heck is trapped in my armpits cause nothing got rid of the odor not even lemons…I tried that too..lol. So I researched as you did but I went about it in a more aggressive approach that wasn’t wise but was very informative. I took the bentonite clay and ACV to create a paste then applied under my arms. The distain I had for that smell and questioning why it smelt like my antiperspirant at the time but had a funky twist and that was the odor. Well let me tell you. I have and still do (white robe) as a reminder never to use anything but natural deodorant ever again in my life!! I became obsessed with getting that build up of poisons clogged in my skin out. It was so repulsive to me that we are sold this concept that this is what you do. When you hit puberty and odor starts to develop use an underarm stick and all is good in the world. Well, that isn’t the case. I pulled out so much build up in way to short of a time because I kept reapplying the paste because the funk was going away each time that I literally had 2nd degree burns the next morning after about a handful of applications the night before. It was so bad. I then looked at my robe which I feel asleep in that night and I kid you not, there’s was and still is deep ‘large’ circular brownish stains on it. I wash that robe with bleach over and over. Nothing would make it white again. I was repulsed. All that was lurking in my body for God knows how long and it expelled itself from the detox overnight and it was, still is frightful. I was so clueless to the poisons we are told are safe and we put into our bodies. I’m now on my new mission to research the food that we eat and discover what his lurking in there. I must say I’m pretty frightened to take this step because I know I’m going to be so disturbed and repulsed. But I will then be able to educate my 7 yr old son on what and why we eat what we ‘will’. Safe journeys and good luck with your healthy living..can’t wait to be be fully informed so I can create that healthy living for my son and my self.
Is this safe while breastfeeding? I don’t wear deodorant but post pregnancy hormones got me super stinky. I am told detoxing while breastfeeding is bad because the toxins can be excreted via breast milk then given to your baby.
There’s no real science behind armpit detoxification. As someone who wears crystal deodorant, I smell just as smelly.
No such thing as vegan, you need to understand how biology works. First off all plants are pollinated by bees as well as other insects and inverts. Vegans are still eating animals whether they know it or not. Fox eats rabbit, fox poops out rabbit on to soil, poop nourishes the soil by natural breakdown, plant grows from the soil, you eat plant grown from soil which was fertilized by fox poop containing undigested rabbit. You also have worm poop in soil.
Being vegan isn’t about being perfect, we live in a world where it’s impossible to be 100% vegan. Veganism is about living in a way minimizes, as far as possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, etc.
Surprising actually works better than the big name brand antiperspirant deodorants I use . I have been to the doctor because I get so much underarm sweat and they prescribed me a roll on medication. This is the only thing that has seemed to work so far and the best part it helps with the ofor. I mean I went to the gym and of course I was sweating that’s natural but there was no icky order smell!!!
I actually just ordered this deodorant in the same scent this week (before I read the post). It came in yesterday! Have you tried any of the other scents? I always hate ordering scented things online :S
Hey! Can you make a batch of the clay detox mask and store it to use, or is it better to mix anew each time you use it?
And does it matter what kind of ACV you use?
Thanks so much!
I just switched to HAPPY deodorant and I didn’t like the primal paste ( my husband loves it) I am absolutely in love with the brand called ROUTINE . They work amazing and have vegan and non vegan ( bees wax) ones !! They are made in Canada by two sisters ! Check em out !!!!! I SWEAR by them !!!
I had no idea that conventional deodorants had toxic chemicals! I appreciate what you said about the importance of lymph nodes and how they can be damaged by the chemicals contained in toxic deodorant. Thanks for the tips, I’ll be sure to look more into non-toxic options for deodorant.
I have been a huge advocate for natural deodorant and done my own deodorant experiments. It’s so important to me that I am healthy and still smell good 😉 I also found pit paste to be the best one, but I suddenly started getting a rash in my armpits. Once I cut the deodorant the rash went away. Back to square one on the natural deodorant hunt…. I have since just been washing my armpits with Blum Tea Tree wipes….I found that aloe and tea tree oil seemed to work pretty well. When it isn’t working my boyfriend is sure to lovingly remind me that I’m a little smelly..
Any ideas of what else I could try?!
Hi Megan,
You should try a crystal deodorant, they’re the best! I have struggled with b.o. since I hit puberty, literally no deodorant could keep the stench away until I tried a crystal deodorant. Pair that with a nice smelling essential oil and you’re good to go!
You may have had a reaction to the soda in the product or you may have had a reaction to the arrowroot or you may have had a skin reaction to Vitamin E as it states on Amazon that this Vitamin E is from the Sunflower.
Some people have allergic reactions to Sunflowers and some people have reactions to Vitamin E when it is put on their skin. (Redness like a sunburn or a rash or blisters) I personally get all three from using anything on my skin that has Vitamin E in it.
Hope this will save someone’s skin.
Did you try the unscented pit paste? I broke out in a rash with the orange creamaicle, lavender and lemongrass; not the unscented!
Sorry, this was supposed to be in response to Megan’s comment. I have tried literally every deodorant imaginable,
Both common store brands and natural brands (well, give or take 4 or 5 brands) and primal pit paste is by FAR the best natural deodorant out there for me!
Thank you for this post! I ordered Pit Paste and am loving it, especially after all the other ones I have tried that haven’t worked for me. Thanks again!!
This makes so much sense. I’ve been using a homemade natural deodorant for awhile now but never did a detox before switching. I now understand why my armpits get irritated at times. Thanks for the helpful info!
I’m super intrigued by the vegan lifestyle but I’m unsure about making the switch, especially since I have a husband and 3 kids. Any tips?
I’ve been using Primally Pure since January and loved it until the hot Chicago summer days came. Since then it hasn’t really worked as well. I just purchased Native deodorant. If that doesn’t work, Primal Pit Paste will be my next stop! Thanks for the post!
I’ve been wanting to try primal pit paste – you’ve got a taker – sold! I love Purple Prairie products and used their deodorant successfully for years but now I develop a rash from their deodorant – perhaps my pits purged or something and are more sensitive, who knows. It’s been tough to find a replacement. Oftentimes I don’t wear a deodorant – I simply forget. I really don’t need one anymore but … summer. Which reminds me that you mentioned alkaline bodies don’t smell as much. I believe this to be true. I also have to mention how much cleaner my mouth and breath feels – something I noticed right away when I became vegan.
I love the Lavender Vanilla deodorant from Lavanila! Sephora recently started selling them I believe. You’re so right about giving the deodorant a chance before tossing it out though. I almost gave up. But so worth it now!
Thanks for writing this!
Shannon S
I really want to try the Pit Paste next, I’ve seen it in Whole Foods and it looked promising. I’ve been using Schmidt’s bergamot & lime deodorant in a jar for a few months now and I’ve been really enjoying it.