Firstly – Read Labels
Know that (no doubt you already know) the listing of ingredients is named in descending order of concentration. The exception is ingredients in concentrations of less than 1% and may be listed in any order.
Also, natural does not mean effective, I have used most natural deodorants on the market and they all failed to stand up to a regular day at work…all of them.
Plus ‘Natural’ is of course not a regulated word and it does not necessarily mean natural, and also sadly Green washing is a thing in the green beauty world.
So here goes…
1. BICARBONATE OF SODA (BAKING POWDER)
This amazing resource is considered a safe synthetic ingredient. It’s also one of the most popular Pinterest pins, for its versatility. Great for kids’ science experiments, room deodoriser, toilet cleaner…but not so great for daily use on your delicate armpits. It has an average pH of 8.3, but our skin is comfortable around a pH of 4.5-5.5. We believe this ingredient is simply too harsh for the sensitive armpit area, especially as deodorants are to be applied daily and sometimes reapplied during the day. It is a well-known skin irritant, which can cause a rash, redness and dry cracked skin
2. PROPELEYNE GLYCOL
This is the stuff you’d find in de-icers for airplanes-what the heck are they doing in natural deodorants? Basically, when it’s applied to the skin it takes a while to break down- leaving a nice little bit of irritation in its wake while making a pathway for more harmful chemicals.
3. ALUM SALT
Crystal (or rock salt) use a compound called Alum (Potassium Aluminium Sulfate). They may be better than the more conventional deodorants with Aluminium Chlorohydrate, but however they still have aluminium in them. Some manufacturers of crystal deodorant claim that the alum compound is too large to enter the body. Yet Breast Cancer UK quotes; “It is not the aluminium salt that enters a cell, but the aluminium ion itself. Therefore, the size of the compound is not necessarily relevant. Breast Cancer UK recommends avoiding antiperspirants (and deodorants) that contain any type of aluminium salt.” Dr Margret Wexler, Science policy officer, Breast Cancer UK
4. ALCOHOL
While this has antimicrobial properties, alcohol cools the skin and dries it very quickly. Your skin may react right away to alcohol, or it can dry out over time, leading to a breakdown of your skin barrier and making rashes a more likely occurrence. So no booze near the pits!
5. FRAGRANCE
The chemical ingredients in scents are concealed and protected by trade law. Hundreds of chemicals can be hidden under the term fragrance. You may experience allergic reactions or skin irritation from fragrances contained in deodorant and antiperspirants. Fragrance contains phthalates which are associated with serious health issues.