Most people shopping for deodorant are simply looking for something with a nice fragrance, that will prevent underarm sweat and fight odor.
You’re not alone if you pick up a conventional antiperspirant at your local supermarket, with little thought about what the aluminum may be doing to your pores of your sensitive underarm skin. You might not even know what an aluminum free deodorant is, or be aware of the benefits of aluminum free.
But, the personal care products you use can have an impact on your health, so lets take a look at how antiperspirants work, why you might want to ditch them and the benefits of aluminium free deodorant.
Why is aluminum in antiperspirant deodorants?
We hear a lot of talk about aluminum in vaccines but we hear a great less about aluminum salt in antiperspirant deodorants. Aluminum chlorohydrate is found in anti-perspirants- these aluminum salts absorb through the skin, essentially acting as a physical plug, preventing sweat. Conventional deodorants also often feature synthetic fragrances to cover up any odor that might manage to arise.
You’ll find aluminium salts in antiperspirants, but not in deodorant. Some people prefer to use aluminum free deodorant due to concern surrounding links to skin irritation and, more seriously but not yet proven, breast cancer.
Possible negative effects of aluminium deodorants
Although the research into the possible negative effects of aluminium in deodorants such as causing breast cancer and Alzheimer’s is hardly conclusive, there are still reasons you might not want to be smothering it all over your underarms.
- Aluminium blocks your pores. Now, this isn’t hidden knowledge. It’s the reason that deodorant manufacturers use it. But our bodies are designed to sweat and stopping that function on a daily basis for most of our adult lives is unlikely to have positive effects.
- Perspiration not only cools you down when faced with excess heat, but helps your body get rid of toxins. Those clogged pores might block odor, but what else are they preventing your body from releasing?
- Aluminium antiperspirants often contain other chemicals such as parabens which have estrogen-like qualities that could mess with the natural balance of the body.
- It’s the aluminium in your deodorant that causes those annoying yellow stains in your clothes, not your sweat.
- Other ingredients such as harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances can cause irritation.
Aluminium Free Deodorant Benefits
Aluminium salts are a popular ingredient in conventional antiperspirant deodorant as they block sweat glands and thus control sweat. Remember, the sweat glands excrete sweat to help you cool down and detox- and it’s not sweat that causes underarm odor, it’s a actually odor causing bacteria.
So, when you think about it, applying a substance that intentionally blocks your pores to prevent a natural bodily function has to be questionable at best. Sweating is one of the ways your body releases toxins so there are undeniably potential health effects to inhibiting this process.
Naturally, the average person doesn’t want to live with pit stains and horrific body odor, but there are natural options available which can provide odor protection and help you avoid irritation too.
This is where aluminium free deodorant comes in. Natural deodorants work in harmony with your body using natural ingredients to keep you dry and smelling fresh. An aluminum free deodorant is kinder to your skin but will still effectively combat sweat.
The great news is that if you fancy an aluminum free deodorant, you can pick the form to suit you- you might want a cream, stick or spritz. There’s also a huge range of scents, incuding unscented.
How does deodorant without aluminum work?
Deodorant is free from aluminium salts which inhibit sweating. The odor control process goes back to their source: the bacteria on the armpits.
Sweat alone is virtually non-odourous but it helps promote bacterial life-long growth – and thus creates a foul smell. Deodorants contain certain substances that make armpits less resistant against bacteria. By reducing bacterial growth you reduce odor. Most deodorants contain fragrance and baking soda for absorbing moisture.
You’re likely to find ingredients such as baking soda to reduce moisture, and coconut oil and essential oils in order to combat odor causing bacteria. Some aluminum free deodorants feature more unique ingredients like bamboo powder which is super effective at preventing moitsure.
Will a natural deodorant really work for me?
We’ve talked about aluminum free deodorant benefits in terms of your health, but of course you want to know if aluminum free deodorants really do what you expect antiperspirants to do; to keep you odor free and pit stain free too!
if you’re used to using an aluminum based antiperspirant, it might take your body a little while to get used to the lack of aluminum ingredients- your pores will suddenly be open and free to get rid of all the nasty toxins that your old deodorant had been covering up. When you think about it, the need for this short detox period is a sign of how much your aluminum deodorant was working against your body!
After the first couple of weeks, the vast majority of our customers are reaping the benefits of aluminum free natural deodorant and so never look back.
So if the negative effects of using aluminium are probably nothing to worry about are there benefits of going aluminium free with a natural deodorant?
Allowing your body to function naturally by using an aluminum free deodorant is better. Your body might not be absorbing high levels of aluminum salts, but the salts are acting to clog your pores and disrupting your body’s natural processes.
When you switch to an aluminium free deodorant you are allowing your body to sweat. Now, this might not feel like something you are looking for, but given a bit of time, your body will adjust. You will sweat less and natural deodorants still have ingredients that keep you dry.
Natural deodorants are generally better for the planet as well as your skin. They tend to have recyclable packaging rather than plastic. It’s easy to find one with plant based ingredients. They tend to be free of chemicals, cruelty-free, and use sustainable ingredients so you don’t have to worry that the amazon is being destroyed to make palm oil for your beauty products.
And finally natural deodorants improve over time as your skin detoxes and you need to use less so you will likely save money and smell better than you ever did with your old antiperspirant.
If you are ready to give natural deodorants a try read up on transitioning to natural deodorants: Armpit detox benefits and how to do it here.
Swapping to natural deodorant- Our top tips
Think about the format that will suit you-A stick format might be handy for bringing to the gym, however our cream deodorants come in cute reusable tins and are often easier to apply
Choose your time- week off work coming up? What better time! You can detox any time at all but lots of our customers make the swap at a time they know they will be close to home a lot, handy if you fancy extra showers.
Drink lots of water, shower at least daily, and wear cool breathable clothing to ease the detox process
Read reviews! The reviews of our products tell you everything you need to know about how AMAZING our natural deodorants are. And don’t forget to ask us if you’d like any help or advice.
Know the benefits, and be patient. You might be making the swap for environmental issues, for your own health, or simply because you want to use products that are kinder to your skin. Remember that and be patient if the first few days are tricky.
