Switching to a Natural Deodorant
Conventional deodorants contain several potentially harmful ingredients that could be linked to Alzheimer’s Disease, Breast Cancer and reproductive issues. Now that I’m becoming more and more aware of these things, I decided to pursue the natural deodorant route.
What I initially learned was that finding a good natural deodorant is not a simple task. I went through so many that either just don’t work or smell not so good. In addition to that, just because a deodorant claims to be “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the case. That’s not something that’s regulated so it’s important to know the ingredients to avoid when shopping for a true natural deodorant.
Here are some contents that you should look to avoid. My general rule of thumb is if I can barely read the name, it’s not good:
- Aerosol Products
- Aluminum Compounds – If you see the word aluminum in the ingredients, don’t buy it.
- Triclosan – a skin irritant that may cause dermatitis
- Talc – basically classified as a carcinogen
- Silica – another skin irritant and possible carcinogen
- Steareth-n – another carcinogen
- Fragrance – a hormone disruptor
- Parabens – methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl
- Propylene glycol -petrochemicals
Now, on the other hand, here is what you should look for in a natural deodorant:
- Third Party Certified Organic or Natural Products
- Recyclable Packaging
- Ingredient lists you can actually understand
Three brands that I recommend are Dr. Hauschka ($23), Weleda ($10) and Burt’s Bees ($8). These are obviously not cheap, but I feel they’re worth the peace of mind.
Honestly I haven’t tried using deodorants, and I don’t have the bad body odor and sweaty armpit even if I am so active, but I always advice my friends on what to use. And thanks for sharing this article, I can’t wait to share it with my friends knowing that this is also for their own good.
Thanks for the comment, John. Glad the article was helpful!
My favorite deodorant from Dr.Hauschka. Use it for a long time.