Aw.. Deodorant. The little toiletry product that, at some point in time, everyone needs. While a rare group of us doesn’t need this necessary commodity, the majority of us do.
Look at the Ingredients - Always!
Not to be a Deo-Downer, but with deodorant, like anything else, I cannot stress the importance of how the ingredients impact our health and wellbeing. The number one thing I ALWAYS do when buying something is read the ingredients list. What I recommend to anyone that asks me where to start when they are wanting to make the switch from toxic, endocrine disrupting products to clean and natural products is to read the ingredients list.
Remember, knowledge is power. The more you know, the better-informed decisions you can make on a small scale every day that will greatly impact the longevity of your health.
Greenwashing
I get it. It can be overwhelming to dive into the world of natural beauty care. Especially when we are saturated with great advertising and pretty packaging with trendy catch words on the front like “vegan,” “paraben-free”, or “all-natural” while still hiding a whole host of toxins on the teeny tiny, need-a-magnifying-glass-to-see ingredients list.
Wading Through the Elements
A great resource for helping wade through the big words on the ingredients lists that you probably have never seen before, much less can pronounce is EWG Skin Deep. They rate ingredients by level of toxicity and list the known harmful effects of those ingredients.
Not every ingredient you cannot pronounce will be one you should avoid.
For example, Mango Butter is Mangifera Indica, Shea Butter is Butyrospermum Parkii, and Jojoba Oil is Simmondsia Chinensis. Three nourishing ingredients used in our Growing Belly Balm.
A Peek Into Conventional Deo
A few of the most common ingredients in conventional deodorant are aluminum chlorohydrate, parabens, propylene glycol and triclosan. Even though word is getting around more on the toxic effects these ingredients, they are still very commonly used.
What are those ingredients for and why are they used?
Let’s unpack a few of these.
- Aluminum Chlorohydrate (AI) - Used to block moisture, aka an antiperspirant. This study states, “frequent application of Al-based salts to the underarm as antiperspirant adds a high additional exposure directly to the local area of the human breast. Coincidentally the upper outer quadrant of the breast is where there is also a disproportionately high incidence of breast cysts and breast cancer. Al has been measured in human breast tissues/fluids at higher levels than in blood, and experimental evidence suggests that at physiologically relevant concentrations, Al can adversely impact on human breast epithelial cell biology. “(1) Unlike toxic foods that can be broken down in our digestive system, aluminum cannot. It, instead, goes into our blood stream and fatty tissue. Aluminum has also been linked to Alzheimer's Disease. In addition to the seemingly obvious harmful effects of aluminum, the armpits are home to lymph nodes. Blocking the flow the moisture (sweat) here can slow the body’s natural detoxification pathways.
- Parabens - A widely used preservative. Parabens are hormone disruptors that have been found in biopsied breast cancer tissue. They mimic estrogen in the body, and excess estrogen can cause cancer. This study looked at the measurements of parabens in "human breast tissue collected from 40 mastectomies for primary breast cancer in England between 2005 and 2008. One or more paraben esters were quantifiable in 158/160 (99%) of the tissue samples and in 96/160 (60%) all five esters were measured."
Looking for the best deodorant without aluminum and parabens?
Try Green Forest Lady Pure Deodorant in 5 refreshing scents.
- Propylene Glycol - Is added as a humectant and solvent to attract moisture and to dissolve substances. It’s most commonly known as Anti-freeze. That’s right. The chemical engine coolant you add to your car. It has been found to be contaminated with 1, 4 dioxane, which is known to cause cancer. It carries a moderate risk of immunotoxicity, allergies, skin irritation, and nausea.
- Triclosan - Used to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination. Another well-known endocrine disruptor, which are known to have harmful effects on female fertility.(3) Triclosan has also been found to have negative environmental impacts. (4)
There are other questionable ingredients, but the picture presented when just lightly doing research into conventional deodorant ingredients is not pretty. Cancer, Alzheimer's disease, allergies, irritations, suppressed immune function. Not a list of things I want to be using daily on the largest organ of my body, which absorbs 64% of what is put on it according to this from the American Journal of Public Health.(5)
There is a Better Way: A Natural Deodorant!
Natural, pure, clean, aluminum free deodorant. A wonderful alternative for your pits. You do not need to make any sacrifices for fresh-smelling armpits.
However, after using conventional deodorant for years, your body will need time to adjust to natural deodorant.
Transitioning to Natural Deodorant
A few suggestions to help during this adjustment period are:
- Drink lots of water - Seems like an obvious suggestion, but proper water intake can help flush your system.
- Eat Healthy - What you eat actually can affect how you smell. Refined sugar, white flour, processed foods, unhealthy oils are going to have an undesirable effect on the smell you emit. Some healthy foods also can create an entire new level of stink you may not want, like cumin for example. Eating more organic fruits and vegetables (like leafy greens) can help you smell sweeter and lighter.
- Sweat - Moving your body and working up a good sweat is a great way to detox naturally. So run, walk, hike, jog, or whatever your favorite form of exercise is to let the moisture flow and push out those toxins.
Pure Deodorant
The Green Forest Lady’s Pure Deodorant is exactly what it says. Pure. Made with clean, organic, good for your body ingredients that you can trust will promote good health.
You can keep dry naturally with the use of arrowroot which soaks up, not blocks moisture, and smell deliciously fresh with the use of organic essential oils, not synthetic fragrances. Nettle leaf and calendula flowers are gently infused for their skin soothing properties, and dandelion leaf for its detoxifying effects by facilitating removal of toxins through sweat.
Did you know that some natural ingredients like coconut oil are naturally antimicrobial? This renders absolutely zero need for toxic antibacterials.
In addition to the above, there is shea butter which creates a protective barrier, moisturizes, and helps in cell regeneration, as well as borage oil which works to restore moisture and smoothness to dry, damaged skin. (Think razor rash.)
In short, Pure Deodorant is gentle, yet strong enough for the most active teen, pregnant woman, working man and everyone in between. It is the bridge between unfortunate modern quick fixes and the primally pure deodorant remedies of ancient times as described here.
How to Use Pure Deodorant
The Green Forest Lady's Pure Deodorant comes in the beautiful, classic Green Forest Lady glass jar with natural, bamboo lid. It is a cream deodorant, which means it is softer and creamier than deodorants in a push up container.
To apply, you use your fingers to scoop out a small amount and then gently massage into the armpits.
Unlike some natural deodorants, though you apply with your fingers, you do not need to wash your hands with soap and water after using Pure Deodorant. You can rub it in and go about your day.
The best time to apply Pure Deodorant is right after you shower. Your pores will be open and your skin will be damp, which will help minimize any irritations for the small group of people who are sensitive to baking soda.
Pure Deodorant is fresh for 12 months after opening the jar. In rare or extreme conditions (high humidity and heat), it may start to turn south a bit more quickly. You will always be able to tell by smell. If it smells a bit off, it is probably time to toss it.
Note: Though the jar is good for 12 months after opening, most people are finished with the jar within 2 - 3 months, so this is generally a non-issue.
What are others saying about Pure Deodorant?
"Amazing!! I have tried so many natural deodorants and this is the only one I will use now. It actually works and doesn’t irritate my skin." - D'Anna H.
"This is awesome deodorant! I have been testing it since it arrived. . I am so pleased! No odor, I stayed dry and never itched! I read many reviews of other natural deodorants and decided on this one!" - Alan C.
I am so grateful to Alyssa for sharing our Pure Deodorant ocean-side, and to Kaylie Long Photography for capturing this gorgeous video of Alyssa loving the fresh scent.
Life is a beautiful journey. Enjoy it worry free with the Green Forest Lady. We are honored to be taken along on all of your life's adventures. -Tanna
(1) Aluminium and the human breast - PubMed (nih.gov)
