That’s right, I said it! Sounds gross huh? I thought so too when I first read the story on Treehugger about a girl who was obsessed with deodorant brands and the random need to detox her armpits.
In all fairness, deodorants are made with a ton of chemicals (mostly aluminum) and every day we put these on our skin and don’t even think about it! I have seen natural deodorants in the stores but am never inclined to use them; I think in fear that they may not work and I might end up being sorry I made the switch. The thought of body odor is truly something that gives me great fear!
In any case, the Treehugger story did prompt me to do some research. And what I found is this – CRYSTAL is by far, one of the best natural deodorants according to 18 people - friends and health store associates. Crystal is made with Alum, one of the earth’s top three minerals and employs natural salts that work to prevent odor from happening by neutralizing the bacteria that naturally forms on our body. The mineral salts form a thin barrier above the skin so bacteria can NOT form. And to boot, all Crystal products are hypoallergenic, paraben & alcohol-free, non-sticky, contain no aluminum chlorohydrate and don’t leave that horrible white residue. A few others that were popular at the health food store were Tom’s of Maine, Dr. Mist and In Love with Bodycare.
I also learned that parabens, which are used as a preservative in many commercial deodorants and antiperspirants may be linked to breast cancer. In 2004, a small study found traces of parabens in breast cancer tumor samples. So before you make the switch – if you are in a cold climate or can work out a way that you can skip deodorant for a bit, do so! It will give your armpits and skin a much needed cleanse. If you want some more information about label reading and what is good for you pick up a copy of Dying To Look Good. It provides key information that will help you safely decipher the ingredients on the label of your deodorant and other personal care products and tell you where to buy them.
If you have any amazing natural products that you love, please share!
- Elaine La Personerie - www.winkpr.com
Click here for more of Elaine's posts.
Occasionally, breast cancer presents as metastatic disease, that is, cancer that has spread beyond the original organ. Metastatic breast cancer will cause symptoms that depend on the location of metastasis. Common sites of metastasis include bone, liver, lung and brain.
Posted by: breast fibrocystic disease | March 31, 2010 at 11:42 AM
i will def check out your suggestion!
Posted by: elaine lapersonerie | December 13, 2009 at 10:26 PM
I love the Crystal, but it doesn't love me--or my best friend! Both of us have developed an itchy allergy to the main ingredient, as I understand it, a lichen that helps neutralize odors. But--ta da!--I have found a very workable alternative in Aubrey's "E Plus High C" Natural Roll-on Deodorant. It smells wonderful and does a great job.
For a long time, I've known that anti-perspirants with aluminum are dangerous. (With its link to Alzheimer's, do we want *any* excess aluminum absorbing itself into our bodies?) Especially if you're new to these natural deodorants, a word of reality. Often, they won't do the job for 24 hours like chemically based deodorants or anti-perspirants. You may have to do an underarm sponge bath around dinner time and reapply, if you want your deodorant to keep working into the evening. It's a small price to pay for a healthier you.
Posted by: Joyce Mason | December 11, 2009 at 01:49 PM