Why You Should be Using a Natural Deodorant
Before switching to an all-natural deodorant, you must understand what you are currently using. There are two common products people use to prevent sweating and body odor: deodorant and antiperspirants. The biggest difference between the two is that antiperspirants plug your pores with aluminum to reduce sweating. Deodorant only works to kill bacteria that live on the skin, less bacteria means less body odor.
Next you should take notice of the ingredients in your deodorant. Common hazardous ingredients found in deodorants are: aluminum, parabens, phthalates, triclosan, and fragrances.
Antiperspirants containing aluminum offer the most risk. The aluminum is not only absorbed by your body, but it is deposited in breast tissue. Research has shown a higher level of aluminum in nipple aspirate fluid in breast cancer-affected women compared to healthy women. Aluminum is not normally found in our bodies, so it has to be coming from other sources. Additionally, animal studies have found that aluminum can cause cancer. So we have reason to believe that the aluminum that is being deposited in our bodies from our deodorant could be causing cancer. The scary thing is how close breast tissue is to where you apply deodorant.
You could be putting your health in danger just by following your daily routine. What’s even crazier is 0.012 percent of the aluminum in deodorants may be absorbed by the body after just one use. It doesn’t seem like a large amount now, but multiply that number each time you use deodorant in a lifetime and you’ll see how dangerous it can really be.
Instead, find a good, natural deodorant to use, but be careful of the ingredients in those as well. Many “crystal” deodorant stones often contain a compound known as alum. It can be seen commonly as potassium alum or ammonium alum. This is still aluminum and can still be dangerous to your health.
You should also find out whether you have a sensitivity to baking soda or not. Baking soda is commonly used in a lot of natural deodorants. It does have a lot of benefits, like balancing the pH of your skin. However, many people suffer from rashes or irritations when using products containing large amounts of baking soda. We’ve worked hard to find the perfect balance of baking soda in our deodorant, so you can still get the benefits, and likely not experience any irritation.
When you’re ready to make the switch to natural deodorant, there’s one more thing you should consider. If you have been using a standard deodorant or antiperspirant, you have either been clogging your pores, preventing sweat and odor from coming out, or you have been filling those pores with chemicals and toxins. In either case, you are about to experience a detox. By finally letting those poor little pores breathe, all of those toxins and chemicals and natural odors are going to come rushing out. You might think the reason you smell like a caveman is because of your new natural deodorant, but it’s not.
The idea of being the stinky person in the office might be discouraging, but just know it won’t last forever, and it will be worth it in the long run. Maybe just stay away from the gym or hot locations for a few days while you’re going through this detox.
There are a few things you can do to make this transition a little easier. Using a janegee pure Clay Mask on your armpits can force the detox to happen faster. Just like using it on your face, when the clay mixes with water, it becomes electrically charged and binds with the toxins in your skin. When you wash away the mask, you also wash away the toxins that were once in your skin. Like I said before, it could also help to stay away from environments that make your sweating and body odor worse.
Now is a perfect time to make the switch while it’s still cold outside. Pay attention to other factors that might worsen sweat as well. Stress, medications, medical conditions, hair growth, refined sugar and certain foods can all contribute to body odor and sweat.
Your last option is just to embrace it. Realize that the excess amount of sweat and terrible odors coming from under your arms is your body’s natural way of releasing all of the bad stuff in your body. By giving your body this opportunity to detox and clean itself out, you’re protecting your body from harmful diseases and allowing your armpits to function as they should. When the detox period is over you will go back to smelling like a normal person again with normal sweat glands. The deodorant will still have the ability to kill the smelly bacteria on your skin, but it won’t be filling your pores with toxins.
Dump your standard deodorants and antiperspirants, have a spa night with your armpits, and embrace the stink for a few days. Maybe just warn your coworkers ahead of time…
