Recent advertisements selling all-over body deodorants have us convinced we all stink. It seems like the main reason to buy them is they work on areas outside of armpits that might be too sensitive for regular deodorant.
Sweating is the body's way of cooling itself therefore it's not good to completely disrupt this essential function. Unlike anti-perspirants which eliminate wetness by clogging sweat glands, deodorants stop odor (not perspirantion) with bacteria-fighting ingredients.Bacteria naturally live on your skin. Antiperspirant-deodorant combinations can alter your body's ecosystem and actually make you sweat and stink more! The reason is traditional antiperspirant-deodorants also kill good bacteria (named Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Propionibacterium, and Micrococcus) leaving the way for bad bacteria to grow and cause stronger odors, not to mention disrupting your immune system leaving the door open for infections.
Switching from a traditional antiperspirant to a natural deodorant requires a transitional period of 1 to 4 weeks when you may sweat more while your body rebalances itself. Stick it out and you'll sweat less soon enough.
The new body deodorants on the market are much more expensive than most armpit deodorants (including organic varieties), ranging from about $12 - $22.
I bought Lume deodorant in Lavender Sage to pamper my senior mother. Frankly, I see no difference in its effectiveness compared to what I use daily, Crystal™ Mineral Body Deodorant Stick, which is cheaper and lasts and lasts forever! The Crystal™ stick sometimes lands in the beauty aisles of T.J. Maxx for even less.
You may wonder what makes a deodorant natural? According to Healthline, "3 ingredients are common:
- ingredients with disinfectant or antibacterial properties, such as coconut oil and tea tree oil
- essential oils like lavender, sandalwood, or bergamot to provide a pleasant scent
- naturally, absorbent ingredients like baking soda, arrowroot, or cornstarch to combat moisture"
There are several homemade deodorant recipes on the web. An easy one is:
Ingredients:
1/3 cup coconut oil (Shea butter can be substituted)
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
10 drops of eucalyptus; lavender; or your favorite scented essential oils
Directions:
1) Spoon the coconut oil (or shea butter) in a cup to melt in a microwave or submerged in hot water.
2) Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth and incorporated.
3) Pour into a cleaned recycled deodorant container or a recycled makeup pot container with a lid. Leave the lid off until the mixture solidifies.
Although this alternative recipe is superb, I never buy beeswax, sunflower oil, or zinc oxide powder. I prefer simple!
Homemade natural deodorant, suitable for armpits and body is many times cheaper than 3 oz of Lume, Native, or their retail competitors. If you make your own deodorant (or buy, my brand, Crystal™, you can sit back and wait for Walmart, Target, or drugstore knockoffs to enter the market at lower prices. $12+ really adds up over time! BTW: My senior mom and I just treat our armpits. We don't need 72-hour entire body protection as we rely on bathing and after-shower baby powder with cornstarch to stay fresh. I suppose it exists if we ever were to need it.
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