Sustainable Living Tips: Deodorant

Diving into.....DEODORANT.

Why ‘natural’ deodorant?

Natural is such a funny word, is it not? I’m not sure what the best word is in this space? Non toxic? I mean a lot of something ‘non-toxic’ can certainly be toxic….”Clean” is the buzz word but like what does that even mean? Was I unclean before? IDK. 

Here’s the deodorant run down:

Okay in case you are totally confused, let's start at the beginning… there are deodorants and anti-perspirants. 

1. Anti -perspirants are exactly what they say they are:  they make it so you do not perspire. Anti-perspirants are made to keep you dry by using aluminum-based compounds to block sweat glands and reduce sweat production. 

2. Deodorants  in general are supposed to mask odors. They do not stop you from sweating. Good deodorants neutralize the bacteria that cause odors. They can absorb some excess moisture.

 Why am I anti anti-perspirant? Well, your body needs to sweat. If you read my newsletter…you know that your body needs to detoxify and sweating is good for you. (if sauna is your thing, go for it, but no, you do not need to go out and get one…though saltwater soul sauna is always a 10/10). Anti-perspirant, particularly the aluminum ingredient in the early 2000s, had been linked to various cancers, Alzheimer's, etc. However, many scientific studies seem to debunk these ideas.   

Honestly, this has been a serious rabbit hole for me….as someone who has been learning and researching since the early 2000s when everything was like, NO ALUMINUM….but the latest studies (within in the last two years -and no I am not a doctor so I don’t regularly read medical journals) indicate that the glands are not absorbing aluminum. Turns out aluminum, which is less than ideal in larger concentrations in the body, is more readily absorbed in other ways. (cliff notes: more important to be wary of the aluminum in your food).

  That said, I am not what one would call a ‘heavy sweater,’ and I cannot speak for someone who has lived with a life of frustration sweating through shirt after shirt. If that’s you, well you do you. I am never one to pass judgement…sometimes you just need to weigh the pros and cons, but it's good to have the information..and as in my little self rambling journey here, I’m not as worried about aluminum deodorant as I was in the 00’s when I totally tried out crystal deodorant. No…I still don’t get it.

None of the research I found about anti perspirant broached the whole ‘yeah, but sweating is good for you,’ angle, as it has been primarily focused on the aluminum absorption aspect…but the discussion section in this paper “Sweating as a Preventive Care and Treatment Strategy in Traditional Persian Medicine,” contains a host of links to other papers about the effectiveness and importance of sweating (I mean, a TON of cultures utilize this method, so it can’t hurt imo!) So yes, sweat = good (provided you are still hydrating etc etc)

Back to deodorant. Some still have aluminum…. Which, at this point, is not my main concern. (Though I’m still woefully stuck on the fact that the skin is highly absorbent…so if anyone has scientific evidence/concerns about aluminum absorption through the glands please let me know!). Regardless, if you don’t NEED it, why put it in there? You don’t want excess aluminum in your body. All of our deodorants are aluminum free. Other deodorants also contain other ingredients I don't love: Parabens, Phthalates, Triclosan, and general endocrine disruptors. And yes, most commercial deodorants have these. 

Currently we carry two deodorants.

Meow Meow Tweet, is a great company, with an EFFECTIVE product. It comes in a cream, and a compostable tube stick (which lots of folks prefer for ease of use, though some claim the cream is more effective, but also you can get all the last bits). MMT comes in two varieties, baking soda and baking soda free. Nothing is wrong with baking soda…it just makes some people itchy (some find the baking soda type ‘stronger.’)

What’s in it? Arrowroot (absorption queen), coconut oil (bacteria fighter), shea butter (soothing wonder), jojoba seed oil (yeah, seed oils are FINE chilllll), and essential oils.

We also carry Little Seed Farm deodorant. All of their formulations are baking soda free and come in a jar. (we are able to take the jars back for reuse-not local? Reach out directly to LSF!- And hope to be able to offer refills soon *fingers crossed*.). Similar ingredients, just swap the arrowroot for tapioca starch (similar absorption queen). The LSF also comes in sample packs (no they are not plastic free BUT I always appreciate the ability to try a little bit of something before I go all in). Fun Fact: LSF runs on solar power!

Both companies, of course, meet our values of top notch sustainability. And not throwing away a plastic deodorant thing a few times a year? PRICELESS.

P.S. In my almost 40s I learned you can use deodorant in places other than your armpits! Not your eye balls ya’ll- like any sweaty external places. I thought this was pretty cool news…that apparently everyone else knew. So if you didn’t know that either, here to tell you.  Kind of like well I learned last year it's a ‘mourning dove,’ not a ‘morning dove.’ 

*with any new product you should always do a small spot test to see if you react to it* (says the person who has never followed this advice, but you should).