Tips for Using Natural Deodorants

One of the hardest changes to make in living more naturally is switching over to a natural and aluminum-free deodorant instead of using an antiperspirant. Aluminum-free deodorant doesn’t clog your sweat pores, which means now you have to deal with sweat! This can be smelly, uncomfortable, and embarrassing. But your underarms are such a sensitive area that contain lymph nodes (an integral part of your immune system) and are right next to breast tissue. You do NOT want aluminum being constantly absorbed into your bloodstream, which is why it’s so important to try and switch to a natural deodorant. Not only that, but most antiperspirants are made with additional harmful ingredients such as hormone-disrupting parabens and artificial fragrances. Aluminum has been linked with breast cancer incidence, Alzheimer’s disease, several autoimmune diseases, and more.

I have seen articles online touting that the amount of aluminum you are exposed to from antiperspirants is not high enough to cause health issues. This is a deceiving statement considering we are exposed to aluminum from many sources on a daily basis, such as in cookware, processed foods, food packaging, medications, cosmetics, and building materials, and this cumulative effect is not taken into consideration in these articles. Aluminum is so common in everyday products that it’s nearly impossible to avoid it completely, meaning it is wise to do whatever you can to reduce your overall exposure in the ways that you can control.

After several years of using natural deodorants, I wanted to share by best tips and tricks on how I deal with the sometimes smelly or sweaty issues that arise.

Strategically wear shirts that disguise sweat marks by incorporating any of the following: loose armholes, very light colours (like white and cream) or very dark colours (black), patterned tops (many patterns will completely disguise sweat marks). In the photos of me below, this is a perfect example of a shirt with both loose underarms, as well as a pattern that disguises sweat marks.

Focus on wearing/purchasing shirts made out of natural materials such as cotton, linen, hemp, silk, wool, and bamboo. Natural materials are breathable and don’t trap sweat in the way that synthetic materials like polyester do. You can help reduce or eliminate odour simply by wearing natural materials!

Keep a freshening spray in your purse to get rid of any smell that might arise during a stressful day! You can actually use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and spray it on your clothing to get rid of any odour. I don’t recommend spraying it directly on your skin because this may cause irritation, as well as disturb the microbiome on your skin. Make sure the sanitizer is only scented with essential oils or natural scent! You can also easily make your own spray with essential oils, which contain antibacterial properties. You can also keep a mini deodorant in your purse (or backpack, work bag, in your desk, etc.) in case you need to reapply during the day.

Clean your armpits daily. This might be kind of obvious, but you’ll want to make sure you start every day with fresh, clean underarms! To avoid skin irritation, do not apply deodorant immediately after shaving or washing.

Experiment with different scents and deodorant brands to figure out which one works best with your body chemistry. Your unique body chemistry along with many other factors including what you eat, will impact what your sweat smells like, which will then impact how a particular scent smells on you. You may even find that unscented works best! My favourite deodorant right now is the Vanilla + Coconut one from SoulDeo. It does not leave any white residue on your armpits or irritate my skin in any way (both of which used to be problems for me with antiperspirants). If you’d like to try SoulDeo, you can purchase it here (affiliate link) or from their website. P.S. their dry shampoo is also amazing! This is not a sponsored post, I just love to share my favourite products with everyone!

One problem I have found to happen occasionally with natural deodorants is a build-up of oil on the armpits of my clothing. The solution I have found for this is a deodorant spray called Dr. Mist (see image below) that I will use anytime I’m concerned about this happening on a particular shirt. This spray is completely oil-free, and contains only de-ionized water, sodium, calcium, and magnesium. And it’s been working great! It was even featured on the show Dragon’s Den, and I’m not surprised. You can read more about it here.

Try Green Beaver’s natural version of antiperspirant. It does not contain aluminum, but instead uses jojoba esters and mimosa flower wax to form a barrier on the skin to help block sweat. While I typically don’t recommend blocking your pores for health reasons, this is a great product to use when transitioning to natural deodorants, or for days you foresee to be more stressful, or for anyone who is a heavy sweater! When I tried this antiperspirant, I did feel like it helped with reducing the amount of sweat that ended up on my clothes. This type of “antiperspirant” creates a barrier on the skin, rather than blocking your pore completely like aluminum does.

Please note that some reviewers say that this “antiperspirant” didn’t help reduce the amount of sweating, but I still think it’s worth trying since everyone is different! It may even make you feel more confident. P.S. you can sometimes find this one for a reduced price at Winners.

Try Numi’s undergarments that have extra built-in fabric layers in the the underarm area, which are sweat-absorbing and moisture-wicking! I have not yet had the privilege of trying these, but I believe they would work based on my experience in dealing with sweat, and they get great reviews! These are great to layer underneath sweaters, button-up shirts, etc. protecting your outer layer from visible sweat stains.

And lastly, give yourself grace and time to get used to using a new product. Some people experience a temporary “detox period” where their body is excreting substances that have built up over time, and they smell worse during this period. Be encouraged that things will improve with time, and some people find that they actually start to sweat less when they allow their body to do what it needs to do and find balance.

I hope these tips will encourage you to try natural deodorant and help you make that transition! You will feel so much better knowing you are no longer putting those toxins in your body on a daily basis. Your body will thank you!