Deodorant is a permanent staple on your vanity table because it’s a necessity for controlling sweat and odor, but you could benefit from switching to natural deodorant.
Going out of the house without deodorant could leave you in an awkward or embarrassing situation. Apart from controlling body odor and sweat, a deodorant is a confidence-booster that can help you attend to your errands and activities without worries. After all, it can be embarrassing to have noticeable armpit stains or BO. You feel self-conscious, wondering if people think you’re not hygienic.
However, the problem is that some conventional deodorants could contain potentially harmful ingredients, especially those made with toxic chemicals you can barely pronounce. Many of these chemicals and preservatives are linked with allergies, kidney disease, breast cancer, dementia, and hormone disruption. On top of that, manufacturing these synthetic products can also wreak havoc on the environment.
Because of these questionable ingredients that may cause long-term health problems and potential damage to mother earth, many people have switched to natural deodorants. These organic products work just as well as traditional deodorants and do a wonderful job of eliminating body odor without the potentially harmful side effects.
Below are some benefits of using natural deodorants, to help you make the big switch to protect your health.
Natural Deodorant Allows Your Armpits Do Their Job
If you’re self-conscious about sweating, it’s important to remind yourself that sweat is a normal bodily function that regulates internal temperature allowing you to live and survive. According to Texas A&M University, sweat cools your body as liquid leaves through your pores and evaporates outside. It is also a vital component in helping your body eliminate toxins. However, it is understandable why you want to eradicate the odor that comes with sweat. You may feel the urgency especially if you have a hyperhidrosis tendency, which means your genes cause you to produce more sweat.
You can find out your genetic likelihood to sweat more, as well as whether or not it’s in your genes to have normal body odor, through a CircleDNA test.
The thing is, sweat itself doesn’t have any smell, as it’s just mostly water and salt compounds. Body odor happens when sweat combines with the microscopic bacteria that thrive on your skin. Sadly, most conventional deodorants curtail your body’s cooling mechanism by blocking the pores to prevent sweat formation. Over time, this can result in irritation due to clogged pores and sweat ducts.
In contrast, natural deodorants incorporate an organic wetness absorbing agent combined with natural antibacterials that readily absorb sweat to keep you dry. These natural products keep bacteria from mixing with sweat, so your body gets to eliminate toxins and cool down. As a result, the biggest benefit of a natural deodorant is it neutralizes unwanted odor while allowing your armpits to do their job to regulate your body temperature. Natural deodorants let your body work the way nature designed it to.
Natural Deodorant Helps You Avoid Potential Harmful Ingredients
One of the primary benefits of using natural deodorant is you don’t have to worry about toxic chemicals found in regular deodorants.
These toxic ingredients found in non-natural deodorants sold at the drug store include aluminum, triclosan, parabens, phthalates, and more.
Many of these ingredients can cause health problems. Aluminum, for example, promotes cell genomic instability, which means it promotes cell mutation which could increase your risk of tumor growth.
You Can Stop Body Odor the Natural Way
Again, sweat doesn’t cause body odor. Instead, it’s your sweat combined with existing bacteria in your body that results in a stinky smell. Conventional deodorants stop odor by blocking your sweat ducts to prevent you from secreting sweat. On top of that, personal care manufacturers also mask the smell with artificial fragrances that could potentially harm your health.
In contrast, a natural deodorant doesn’t stop your body’s normal function of excreting sweat. Instead, it neutralizes odor by targeting bacteria using all-natural botanicals. For example, tea tree oil is scientifically proven to be an effective ingredient in fighting microbes. Other gentle, natural ingredients that fight odor-causing bacteria are:
- Baking soda
- Probiotics
- Sage extract
- Clove extract
- Arrowroot powder
- Activated charcoal
These natural ingredients do an excellent job of concealing bad odor by minimizing odor-causing bacteria. They target the root of the problem. Moreover, naturally derived scents coming from essential oils are gradually released throughout the day, allowing you to stay clean and smell fresh all day.
Natural Deodorant Provides Peace of Mind
Purchasing a natural deodorant means you get ingredients that are naturally derived. Instead of exposing your body to toxic chemicals, fake preservatives, artificial fragrances, harsh additives, and artificial substances, you get peace of mind that your deodorant is made with all-natural ingredients, botanicals, and no artificial fragrances.
A natural deodorant helps you avoid harmful substances so you can feel at ease in applying your care products. Of course, you want only the best for yourself and your family. If you have kids who have reached a point of needing a deodorant, you want to provide them with products you feel confident about. The last thing you want is to let your children use conventional deodorants that are linked to cancer, hormone disruption, or dementia.
Offers Natural Skin Conditioning
Since commercial deodorants are infused with so many additives, it’s common to experience skin irritation upon use. A recent study stated that conventional deodorants are the primary culprit in fragrance-based contact dermatitis and allergic skin rashes. If you look at the deodorant’s ingredient list, you will see the primary offenders there.
However, plant-based natural deodorants contain nourishing ingredients like castor wax, shea butter, and palm kernel oil. Some also contain honey which is a great humectant or moisturizer and a well-known antimicrobial. You get skin conditioning while eradicating odor-causing bacteria.
These natural humectants make your skin feel soft and supple. They help prevent irritation by providing skin conditioning and restoring your armpit’s natural skin barrier. That’s why shaving or waxing won’t be as painful if you use a natural deodorant.
Natural Deodorant Aligns With Your Core Values
Natural deodorants don’t just benefit your skin – they also help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. If you’re living an eco-friendly lifestyle and you advocate the protection of the earth, choosing a natural deodorant will align with your values.
Natural deodorants are made with sustainable and ethically-sourced ingredients. Thus, you can rest assured that your armpits get the protection you desire while keeping the environment safe. Letting off your traditional deodorant sprays and sticks and switching to a natural deodorant is a giant leap toward clean living. After all, your product choices are a testament to how you relate to your body and regard your overall health. To help you make the switch, watch out for the following:
- Avoid products with the words fragrance, parfum, or eau de toilette
- Watch out for triclosan in products that are dubbed as germ-fighting or antibacterial
- Skip products with aluminum on the label
- Look for organic products with a certified seal
- Keep an eye out for the recycling icon in the packaging
If you’re ready to show your armpits love, invest in a natural deodorant with safe and responsible ingredients. You get the same odor-blocking protection of traditional deodorants without compromising your health.
Best of all, natural deodorants cater to all genders and age brackets, ensuring skin-safe and environmentally-safe raw materials. These products also nourish, cleanse, and protect your skin and body’s natural processes.
