As promised, today I want to write about natural deodorant and give some recommendations about how to stay healthy and organic, without venturing into the stinky BO world of compromised personal hygiene. Most conventional deodorants, and nearly all antiperspirants contain pretty much a laundry list of everything you should let anywhere near your skin, especially not so close to your glands and the tender tissue of the underarms.

The primary ingredient in a lot of deodorants, and all antiperspirants is aluminum. Aluminum is what blocks the sweat glands from allowing sweat to come to the surface of the skin.  Unfortunately, aluminum has also been found to have a direct correlation to breast cancer (in fact, high levels of aluminum have been found in many malignant breast tumors).  Additionally, aluminum can interfere with calcium absorption, stunt growth, weaken bones, AND cause all kinds of liver and kidney toxicity.  A 2003 study published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention found that women who applied deodorant at least twice a week and shaved their armpits at least three times a week developed breast cancer almost 15 years younger than women who did neither. Need I say more??

As if all that weren’t enough, most commercial antiperspirants and deodorants contain parabens, TEA & DEA, propylene glycol.. the list goes on and on.  Bottom line:  NOT sweating is not worth all the risks!  Sweating is normal and actually really healthy and necessary for releasing toxins, so the key is simply to make your sweat smell good.  Impossible, you say??  Read on…

Some people are lucky enough to have super low-key body odor, the kind that doesn’t need to be masked by really strong deodorants.  Those lucky few have a plethora of super yummy smelling, effective, and most importantly, safe options available to them.  Here are some of my favorites:

• SoapWalla Deodorant Cream: Cream deodorants combined powerful oils, vegetable powders and clays for odor absorption and bacteria inhibition.  Plus, there’s no baking soda for those who are sensitive.  Vegan, yummy smelling, and all-natural
• Alba Botanica Organic Preservative Free Deodorant:  These come in two yummy scents (lavender
  and tea tree oil) and one aloe-based unscented variety.  They all have absorbent baking soda, antibacterial alpine lichen, and are free of super harsh chemicals.
• Aubrey Organics Deodorants:  These have absolutely NO chemicals in them whatsoever, and come in a spray, roll-on, and a men’s deodorant (which I actually like the best… its kind of a pine-y unisex smell).
• LaVanila Natural Deodorant:  These natural deodorants smell lovely and are packed with antioxidants.  Plus, they work great!

Now, for those of us who don’t fall into this lucky group, fear not!!  There are ways to smell clean and fresh without poisoning your body!  I promise.

The above products are all very nice for those who sweat a little more profusely, but they do little more than vaguely mask odors, which by the end of the day just leaves you smelling like lavender-infused B.O., as opposed to just the plain, old, garden variety.  If you read my post from last month (and I certainly hope you did!), you already know about the amazing odor-fighting capabilities of liquid chlorophyll.  Well for those of us who are looking to deal with perspiration and odor without using harmful chemicals, chlorophyll is an absolute must.  After two weeks (sometimes even less!) of taking a tablespoon of chlorophyll in a cup of water morning and night, you will notice a distinct decrease in all body odors (including breath), but especially that of sweat.  This, combined with the amazing power of natural mineral salt deodorant forms the ultimate one-two punch of odor fighting power.  “What is this mineral salt deodorant you speak of, Natasha?” I’m sure you’re wondering..  Well.  Mineral salts neutralize odor-causing bacteria before they even get to the point of smelling.  They form a layer on the surface of the skin that is literally inhospitable to odor-causing bacteria.  And they really work!  Here are some of my faves:

• Crystal Body Deodorant Stick: Awesomeness with a grooved twist stick!
  
• Thai Crystal Deodorant Stone: Pretty much exactly the same thing.. but this one is Thai!

I mean, they’re all essentially the same.  Mineral salt.  Nothing else.  And they last over a year!  You can buy them at most any natural foods store, and I completely swear by their greatness.  The one downfall is that they are completely unscented, and I, for one, like to have some delicious scents wafting from my armpit region.  I recommend using the salt deodorant in conjunction with one of the natural deodorants above, or, better yet, just spray a little puff of your own perfume or cologne!  That way you don’t have too many scents mingling together, and you favorite scent will mix with your natural pheromones to make you even more irresistible than you already are!

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