Can we talk about deodorant? We all worry about body odor. We do our best to avoid offending others, but deodorant is one of those subjects some of us are embarrassed to talk about.
Deodorant vs. Antiperspirant
First, it is important to understand the difference between deodorants and antiperspirants. The simple explanation is deodorant stops the smell, and antiperspirants stops the sweat. Antiperspirants use ingredients like aluminum and zirconium to clog up your sweat glands, so your body is unable to release the sweat necessary to cool you down and release toxins.
Do We Need To Sweat?
You probably think you need to stop the sweat in order to control the stink, but the sweat is not what smells. But what does create body odor is when the sweat comes into contact with the bacteria that live on your skin. Deodorants work by reducing that bacteria, thereby neutralizing body odor.
Aluminum On Skin
We, like many people, are concerned about using ingredients such as aluminum on our skin. Although there’s no conclusive evidence that aluminum-based compounds lead to health problems such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, there seem to be correlations. When it comes to our health, we prefer to err on the side of caution.
Read The Labels
So that is why we make deodorant, rather than antiperspirant. Have you ever read the label on the deodorant you purchase at the store? Commercial products commonly contain harsh or toxic ingredients such as propylene glycol, found in antifreeze, paint, and plastics, which is known to cause eye and skin irritation. Conventional deodorants may also contain parabens, which can affect your hormones; triclosan, which is used as a pesticide; and bleach, which can irritate your skin. We do not wish to stink, but neither do we wish to poison ourselves.
Natural Deodorant
So that brings us to natural deodorants. Natural deodorant works to eliminate body odor, but without all those scary chemicals. It doesn’t block the pores, it contains soothing essential oils that only smell great, and are soothing for your skin.
So try a kinder, gentler deodorant. You’ll be glad you did.
We’re glad we had this little talk. Have a spectacular October.