The Real Cause of Your Armpit Irritation with Deodorants

(hint: it’s not baking soda!)

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When browsing natural deodorant recipes on Pinterest or reviewing deodorants from many natural brands, what I see over and over again is that if you have sensitive skin, that you should avoid using deodorants that contain baking soda. I’ve tried many natural deodorants and would break out in an itchy rash with all of them, even with ones that didn’t contain baking soda (keep reading to hear what my solution was).

The Cause

After trying several different brands, different scents, and different variations in ingredients, including ones that were baking soda-free or designed for “sensitive skin”, I finally discovered what was causing me to break out in an itchy rash with all of them. The common thread with all of them was the essential oils! Now, I want to be clear that I love essential oils and think they have a lot of great uses (in fact, my family has our own essential oils company), but if you’ve experienced armpit irritation with every natural deodorant you’ve tried, including the baking soda-free ones, then this might just be the missing link for you too! Ultimately, my goal is to help you find the natural solutions that work for you because everyone is different!

The Root Cause: Topical Steroids & Damaged Skin

Back when I used antiperspirants by the big brand name companies, I frequently would experience itchy red armpits. It got so bad that I would often have to use hydrocortisone cream to relieve the itchy rashes (this was before I knew about the risks). The problem with immune-suppressing creams like hydrocortisone (topical steroids) is that they damage the protective barriers of your skin, though it isn’t clear if this damage is permanent. Several ways in which they damage your skin include: atrophy, or thinning, of the epidermis and dermis, reduction of collagen synthesis, disturbing the microbiome of the skin (a crucial aspect of your immune system), and increased susceptibility to skin infections (source here).

During my course in aromatherapy, I learned that damaged skin is more prone to experiencing an adverse reaction to essential oils because more of the essential oil’s constituents will be absorbed. Since essential oils are potent and need to be diluted for topical use, absorbing more of the oil than you should can result in skin sensitization, which is when allergic contact dermatitis occurs after a second exposure to the same skin irritant.

Remembering this was a “light bulb” moment of realization for me, as I was reading a research article published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology (source here) that said “Diseased skin has impaired barrier function resulting in enhanced percutaneous absorption and systemic side effects.” (referring to the absorption of topical steroids). I do believe this could be why my armpits are so sensitive now to any essential oils, meanwhile I can use many essential oils on the rest of my body without any issue!

The Solution

So what is the solution I found? I can use any kind of natural deodorant that is either unscented, made with natural flavour for the scent rather than essential oils, or made with natural fragrance. Essential oils are concentrated and potent, and some people are simply more sensitive to them than others. My current favourite deodorant is the Coconut + Vanilla one by SoulDeo. They are a local company, and this particular scent is made with flavour oils.

I also recently discovered another deodorant that is great for sensitive armpits like mine! It is this deodorant spray called Dr. Mist. It is completely invisible on the skin and does not leave any oil marks or white marks on clothing! I use the unscented one but it also comes in a lavender scent. It really does work and the simple ingredients are amazing. It contains only: de-ionized water, sodium, calcium, magnesium. It was featured on the TV show Dragon’s Den and is award-winning (I’m not surprised!).

One disadvantage I have found with natural deodorants like the one from SoulDeo pictured above is that if you apply too much, this can sometimes lead to oily stains or discolouration on your clothing in the armpit area. The oil does come out if I hand wash that area (I just rub it with castile soap), but sometimes I really want to avoid that from happening in the first place. This deodorant spray solves that issue!

I have no doubt that there probably are some essential oils that I can use on my armpits without irritation, and if I find out what they are, I’ll make sure to update this post so you know! There’s also the possibility that some companies have used a concentration of essential oils that is too high for extra-sensitive skin, since essential oils need to be diluted in a carrier oil when used topically.

I hope this information has been helpful to anyone who might have been experiencing irritation with natural deodorants! Keep in mind that baking soda may still be an issue for some people, or there could be other ingredients that you are allergic to. Let me know if there’s a way I can help!