Naturalla Beauty

Last week I wrote about armpit detox and shared tips and tricks for making the switch to natural deodorant, and today I want to continue on the same topic by sharing some specific product recommendations.  I've tried a lot of natural deodorants over the years and these are my absolute favorites.  I'm not one to fuss with reapplying deodorant multiple times a day and all of these work to keep me smelling fresh all day long.  

BAKING SODA OR NO BAKING SODA?
If you ask me, the first - and perhaps most important - consideration when choosing a natural deodorant is whether or not it contains baking soda.  Baking soda is one of the most effective natural odor fighters out there, but because it's so alkaline, in contrast to the slightly acidic pH of our skin, it can cause reactions and irritation for a lot of people.   

For that reason, I've divided this list into baking soda deodorants, baking soda-free deodorants, and what I like to call baking soda light deodorants.



BAKING SODA LIGHT DEODORANTS
Of the three categories, this is my personal favorite.  These deodorants DO contain baking soda, obviously, but in lower amounts than a standard baking soda formula, and in combination with other ingredients that balance out the baking soda and reduce the likelihood of irritation.  Even if you're sensitive to traditional baking soda formulas, these may work for you.

Ursa Major Hoppin' Fresh - Hoppin' Fresh has the most similar feel/consistency to a conventional product of any natural deodorant I've used.  The stick is very smooth and solid, and the deodorant, which applies clear, feels almost gel-like.  Along with baking soda, Hoppin' Fresh also contains hops extract, plant enzymes, and essential oils to fight odor, and aloe vera and shea butter to cushion and protect delicate skin.  

Blissoma Scentless Stick Deodorant - According to Blissoma, the Scentless Stick contains half the baking soda of your average baking soda deodorant, plus it's balanced out with soothing and nourishing ingredients like zinc oxide, mango seed butter, and sunflower and coconut oils.  Clay, arrowroot powder, and diatomaceous earth also absorb sweat and help fight odor.  

BAKING SODA DEODORANTS
Baking soda formulas are great for odor protection, plus they tend to have the simplest and most basic ingredient lists of the three categories.  

Botanical Babe Deodorant Cream - With a base of organic shea butter and coconut oil, Botanical Babe's deodorant has a great creamy, buttery consistency that rubs into the skin without much effort.  The baking soda is buffered with arrowroot powder for a formula that feels soft and gentle on the skin.  Grapefruit, lemon, sweet orange, and juniper essential oils also help fight odor and give the deodorant a light and fresh citrus scent.

DIY Cream Deodorant - A few years back, the only deodorant I used was my own homemade cream, and while it wasn't an overly luxurious product, it definitely did the trick.  DIY deodorants are inexpensive, easy to make, and with tons of recipes out there, you can inevitably find one that will suit your needs.  The super simple, no-heat recipe I used can be found HERE.

BAKING SODA-FREE DEODORANTS
If you know you're intolerant to baking soda in deodorant, these are the ones for you!  While still effective, with gentle formulas that rely on other odor fighters, the chance of irritation is much lower.  

Weleda Spray Deodorant - The Spray Deodorants are basically just water, alcohol, and essential oils, but for whatever reason, they work better than any homemade spray I've been able to concoct myself.  Alcohol helps the spray dry quickly and works to kill bacteria, while essential oils provide a nice light scent.   The sprays work great both alone and in combination with other products, and I love the tiny travel sizes for on the go too!

Nourish Organic Fresh & Dry Deodorant - The Fresh & Dry deodorant is a moisturizing formula with very similar ingredients to those of a body butter, though it also includes organic corn starch to absorb moisture and plant enzymes to actively digest the bacteria that causes body odor.  The formula is probably the most gentle on the list, but I wouldn't consider its odor protection the strongest.  Your mileage may vary, but for me, this deodorant works great alone in the colder months, but I need to layer it with another product - like the Weleda Spray - during the summer.

Meow Meow Tweet Baking Soda Free Deodorant Cream - The Baking Soda Free Deodorant Cream is scented with grapefruit, bergamot, sweet orange, and lemon essential oils and gets its odor fighting properties from magnesium hydroxide.  Similar to baking soda, this food grade magnesium is an alkaline mineral that works by creating an inhospitable environment for odor-causing bacteria.  Despite its alkalinity, magnesium is not typically irritating to the skin.

Are you sensitive to baking soda?  What are your favorite natural deodorants?  

There's an abundance of information circulating about WHY you should switch to natural deodorant, but not a whole lot of guides for easing through the actual transition.  And, judging by the number of emails and questions I've gotten on this topic in the nearly five years since I launched this blog, it's obviously an information gap that needs filling!  

Natural deodorants DO work, but if you're transitioning from conventional deodorants and antiperspirants, there's a very real detox period that you need to traverse to make them work for you.  


Conventional Antiperspirants + Aluminum

Where deodorants work to kill surface bacteria that causes odor, antiperspirants actually inhibit the body's ability to sweat, usually by means of one of a few different aluminum compounds.  Very simply, when aluminum is absorbed into the sweat ducts, it causes them to swell and squeeze closed. Sweat becomes trapped and is unable to escape.  

Aluminum has been linked to a lot of scary things: breast cancer, Alzheimer's, hormonal imbalances, kidney disease, and liver toxicity - to name just a few.  Although several of these disease claims have been disproven more recently, it's still an ingredient I recommend avoiding in your personal care products. 

Here's my bottom line: Sweating is a natural process.  It's one of the main ways the body detoxifies and regulates temperature, so inhibiting sweat also inhibits the body's ability to perform these basic functions.  

Armpit Detox + Why It Matters

Switching from antiperspirant to deodorant is a process.  If you aren't aware of this, it's easy to assume a new deodorant just isn't working, but the reality is, your body needs to both relearn how to sweat normally and process out any aluminum, toxins, and buildup that may have accumulated while you were using antiperspirant.  

During this process,  it's completely normal to:
- sweat more
- have stronger smelling sweat
- have thicker sweat
- have itchy armpits
- need to reapply deodorant multiple times a day

I do not consider armpit rashes a normal part of this detox period and would reconsider the deodorant product(s) you're using if you start experiencing rashes or serious irritation.  

Beat the Detox: 5 Tips for Switching to Natural Deodorant

1. Consciously Choose WHEN to Make the Switch
Map out a 2-3 week period when you can afford to fuss a little more.  You may end up a little stinky or you may need to reapply your deodorant multiple times during the day, so pick a time when that won't be a serious issue.  You want to avoid flipflopping between antiperspirant and natural deodorant, since that will keep you indefinitely in the detox stage.

2. Get Sweaty
Your body needs to literally push out the aluminum and other toxins that have built up in the sweat ducts, and the only way it can do that is by sweating.  Working up a sweat - be it from exercise, saunas, or hot baths - will help flush these out quicker and shorten the detox period.

3. Drink Extra Water
Staying hydrated is always a good thing, but it's especially vital for any detox.  Water helps your lymph system work more effectively and will help your body expel build up and toxins.  Plus, if you followed number 2, you'll need to replenish the fluids you lost with all that extra sweating!

4. Exfoliate + Mask Your Pits
Just as you exfoliate your face to get rid of dead skin and debris, the same can be helpful for your pits.  Dry brushing pre-shower or using a body scrub or loofah in the shower both work to slough off any of the junk that's being expelled.  Clay masks are also great for opening up and clearing pores, and a simple mask of clay and water (or apple cider vinegar) applied to the underarms a couple times a week during this transition period can do wonders at keeping you smelling better and on track to beating the pit detox!

5. Travel With Your Deodorant
The long term goal is, obviously, to find a deodorant that will keep you smelling great all day long, but realistically, you'll probably need to reapply during the transition period.  Keeping a travel deodorant handy eliminates the stress of smelling midday and not having anything to touch up with. Wipes are another great option for freshening up on the go.

Stay tuned for product recommendations + all my deodorant favorites on Monday!