“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” – Coco Chanel
Being an athlete & heavy sweater in high school, I was obsessed with antiperspirants. I put it on in the morning, before practice, after practice, AND before bed. I didn’t mind sweating, but, for some reason, I was so paranoid about having arm pit sweat spots. Crazy, right? Who honestly expects to run 6 miles at 2pm in August in the Missouri heat & humidity without their armpits sweating?
The Difference Between Deodorant & Antiperspirant
These two phrases are used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Deodorants allow the body to sweat, but block odor. Antiperspirants prevent the body from sweating by blocking sweat ducts.
Gone are the days of running to the drug store to pick up another stick. Switching to mainstream aluminum free deodorant probably isn’t going to cut it. If you flip over that stick & read the ingredients, you’ll probably see triclosan, parabens, and propylene-glycol. These are hormone distributors & also not something you want absorbed through the largest organ of the body.
Why in the heck would you switch to a non antiperspirant deodorant?
I cringe when I think about how often I put on antiperspirants back in the day. Especially after researching & reading studies & claims like this one.
The article talks about the association with frequent underarm cosmetic use & a higher probability of breast cancer. It goes on to say that aluminum concentrations were highest in the upper, outer quadrant of the breast in women who reported underarm cosmetic use. This article even talks about aluminum over one’s lifetime and an increase risk for Alzheimer’s. Ugh…
Here are some reasons why I made the switch (and made my husband too!)
1. Reduce toxin exposure during pregnancy & breastfeeding.
This was a big one for me, not so much Justin. When I was pregnant with Stella, I started avoiding over the counter drugs like the plague, I began buying organic produce, making meals at home, and I was even ditching all my smelly things because I knew that this would decrease my baby’s exposure to toxins. The same toxins that there are either no data for their effects on baby’s in utero or their are hints of negative effects.
2. No more yellow pit stains
Many conventional deodorants stain your light colored shirts. Now, I want to point out that I put my natural deodorant on dry skin, without a shirt on, brush my teeth, then put my shirt on. I also don’t go overboard with putting it on & try to wear breathable clothing. After trying many brands & even making some myself, I learned that the oils & butters can leave oil stains. The thicker and tackier they are, the more likely to stain. I finally found a brand I love that isn’t super thick & feel like it’s giving me carpet burn from the friction of trying to put it on. Hallelujah!
3. No more stink!
I stood outside talking to my neighbor in the sun wearing long sleeves the other day & was sweating. When I took my shirt off later, I put my shirt right up to my nose and there was no smell! I even made my husband take a whiff, bless his heart. Sweating helps your body get rid of the crap built up in it & the more toxins you put in and on your body, the more you’ll smell. Aiming for vegetables, fruits, free range meat and eggs, and skipping out on junk help you to not stink. I know, it’s a lot of work, but you ARE worth it!
4. I can wear scents again!
I have always been super sensitive to smells. On runs, I can sometimes smell the fragrance or smoke in a car as they drive or ran past someone at their front door and smell their perfume. I do not have a super nose, but it’s like these artificial fragrances put my nose on high alert. I could never wear any scented deodorant without feeling nauseated and getting a headache within five minutes. Now that I’ve made the switch, I can wear scented deodorant again because the scents are from organic essential oils.
5. Sweating is good for you.
Not only does it help to rid the body of toxins, it also helps regulate your body temperature & boost endorphins. I even found this study that found peptides formed in the sweat glands have antibacterial and antiviral effects. This means, getting sweating boosts your immunity!
When some people make the switch from an antiperspirant to a natural deodorant, they need to do an armpit detox. This is due to the pores and lymph nodes being full of junk and needing to get that junk out. Remember, your skin is the largest organ of your body and needs love too! We try to put the least processed ingredients in their most natural state on our bodies. If it can be organic, we strive for that too! That’s why we use this deodorant.
Thank you so much for reading this post. Let me know what deodorant you use below!
Disclaimer: I may receive a small commission on links within this post. They are used to help keep my blog up and running, so I really appreciate your support.
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