Embracing a natural and organic lifestyle means being conscious of all the products we put on or in our body. However when it comes to deodorant many of us are willing to turn a blind eye because body odour is something no one wants to be guilty of, especially if we exercise a lot or work closely with other people and want to make a good impression.

There are two classes of products that work against body odour. There are antiperspirants, which work to prevent perspiration altogether and deodorants, which allow perspiration to occur but stop odour by killing the odour causing bacteria.

The purpose of sweat is to cool the body down and to help remove toxins from the blood stream. It is important that we don’t prevent this process from occurring so the healthiest option is to choose a deodorant and not an antiperspirant.

Our skin absorbs 60-80% of what we put on it and the under arm skin is particularly sensitive and thin. It is also close to many lymph nodes and so it stands to reason that applying harmful chemicals to this area is going to have a negative effect on our health.

Common ingredients used in conventional antiperspirants and deodorants include aluminium, propylene glycol, triclosan, talc powder and phthalates. These ingredients have been linked to certain cancers, birth defects, seizures, Alzheimer’s disease, hormone disruption, skin irritation, allergies, infertility, bone disorders and other health issues.

Natural and organic deodorants are now widely available so there is no excuse to keep using toxic conventional products. Natural, aluminium-free deodorants use ingredients that are gentle and naturally kill the odour-causing bacteria and neutralise the smell of perspiration.

Look for products that use anti-bacterial essential oils and baking soda which neutralises odours. There are crystal salt deodorants which are popular because they use a naturally occurring form of aluminium that is too big to be absorbed through the skin. This prevents the growth of odour-causing bacteria while still allowing the sweat pores to remain open.

Wearing clothing made from polyesters and acrylic fibres contribute to body odour by trapping moisture and causing mould growth. To reduce body odour wear breathable, natural fibres like organic cotton clothing, organic bamboo clothing and hemp clothing.

Find a range of natural deodorants here

Sources

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/why-you-should-use-aluminum-free-deodorant/

https://www.nourishedlife.com.au/article/198146/benefits-of-using-natural-deodorant.html

http://womenslifestyle.com/antiperspirant-pit-falls-reasons-to-change-to-natural-deodorant/