Jess Gaertner

View Original

SSBS #009: Your Guide to Using "Natural" Deodorant

Good morning friend!!

Today I am going to finally give you a step by step guide on how to transition to using “natural” deodorants.  PRAISE HANDS!!  

(I’m putting the term “natural” in quotation marks because based on our previous email we now know that because this term is unregulated it can mean many different things, but for our purposes, we’ll use it to describe a safer deodorant option)

The reason we’re going to take the time to dive into this topic is because so many of my friends and clients have tried to make this switch because they truly do believe that safer products matter, only to give up after one or two tries because they either A) SMELL B) get irritated skin or C) still sweat profusely.  We’re going to dive into why these things happen, debunk some myths around the idea of sweating, and chat some ways that we can make this transition smoother and more effective.

After this deep dive, my hope is that you will be able to transition to a more natural deodorant option with little to no fuss OR optimize the effectiveness of your current natural deodorant situation, which is cause for celebration!  And perfect timing too, as the fall/winter with cooler temps and potentially less sweating is the perfect time to try this swap!

Unfortunately, so many people try and fail to make this transition because we don’t understand the WHY behind sweating, smelling, and potential irritation.  

WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND FIRST, SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO SET OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SWAP.

Here’s a quick rundown of the reasons why this transition can be challenging:

  • Reason #1: we don’t understand that sweating is essential to keeping our body healthy and happy

  • Reason #2: we don’t understand that certain safer ingredients can cause irritation to our skin, but that we can find safer options that work!

  • Reason #3: we don’t understand what toxic chemicals to avoid in conventional deodorants/anti- perspirants and why

  • Reason #4: we don’t know that we can help our bodies with this transition with a few quick and easy prep steps

Don’t fear my friend, I’ve got you…let’s lay it out for you and come up with your natural deodorant plan!

Step 1: Let’s understand why first, so we can set our expectations for performance - SWEAT AND STINK

First and foremost, learning why we sweat and why safer deodorant may not work in the same way as toxic conventional deodorants/anti-perspirants will help set up our expectations for this transition.  I think one of the biggest let downs we experience when transitioning to natural deodorant is realizing that it doesn’t stop us from sweating, which is what an anti-perspirant does, typically through the use of toxic chemicals.

The majority of the sweat we produce is designed to regulate our body temperature, regardless of how that body temp change occurs! While sweating often seems like an inconvenience, our bodies were made to sweat, and IT’S A GOOD THING FRIEND.  Reaching for anti-perspirants can actually inhibit your body’s natural way to regulate its temperature and process certain toxins - so stopping that process isn’t necessarily good for us!

Knowing this, we can understand that inhibiting the sweating process can be really detrimental to us overall.  The good news is that natural deodorant isn’t designed to stop sweating completely for this reason!  You can expect that when you switch to safer deodorant, you will continue to sweat as normal, or perhaps slightly less once your body adjusts and gets used to regulating its temperature again through this process.

Another thing to note is that sweat doesn’t actually stink.  When we find ourselves in a sweaty situation our body reacts by activating the eccrine and apocrine glands which don’t just produce water, but also salt, proteins, ammonia and urea that get mixed in by these glands depending on the type of sweat response.  It’s these additional sweat additives that can lead to stinky pits; bacteria that naturally live on our skin and near hair follicles merge with these sweat additives and can continue to grow and stink in the warm and cozy nooks under your arms.  

Many natural deodorants are either unscented or will use essential oils for deodorizing.  Please note conventional fragrances are usually highly toxic, and while they may overpower your “stink”, oftentimes the use of those synthetic fragrances isn’t worth it.  I have found, the longer I use my natural deodorant options that have a lovely safer scent, the less my actual sweat smells as my body adapts. This can take time, so be aware!


Step 2: Let’s understand why you may see skin irritation using “natural” deodorant and what to do about it

The most common issue that switchers experience is a rash in one or both of their underarms.  

This rash may come after only a few uses or even after a few weeks and if experienced, the deodorant that was used should be discontinued.  This rash is often a reaction to the baking soda used in most natural deodorants; it is added to absorb smells in the same way you add a box of baking soda to your fridge to keep it fresh.  

If you find yourself experiencing a rash, discontinue use of the product immediately, go through the prep steps again (more on this below), and then seek out a different product or brand that offers a low to no baking soda formula (this is often marketed as a sensitive skin option). 

Step 3: Let’s understand the major toxic chemicals to avoid in deodorant and why

Let’s talk about some of the ingredients we can find in common conventional deodorants and antiperspirants and how we may want to go to some lengths to avoid them.

Aluminum:

We are meant to sweat!  Conventional deodorants almost always have anti-perspirants in them to keep you from producing sweat.  They achieve this by using aluminum-based ingredients that physically (as long as the deodorant is applied), block your pores and prevent sweat from coming through the surface.  These aluminum-based ingredients, however, have brought up many concerns about the skin absorbing these compounds and affecting estrogen receptors of breast cells.  While there is no direct link ‘yet’, studies have suggested that there is a strong need for further research.  Something I’m not willing to risk! Know what else those antiperspirants do?  They stain and discolor your shirts!  It’s not the sweat doing that, it’s all of the bacteria mixing with the chemicals that are ruining your favorite shirts and leaving embarrassing stains - I think we can all agree that part is the PITS!

Triclosan

This chemical is added to many care products, including deodorant, to reduce bateria, but it also has been shown to cause hormone disruption within the thyroid gland.

Fragrance: 

Conventional deodorants also keep the smell away by dousing your pits in fragrances that just hide bad smells.  Because of “trade secret” loopholes, companies are under no obligation to tell you what they’re using to make a scent - which means there could be more chemicals than we can actually read on the bottle.  Because of this, fragrance is one of the #1 ingredients I avoid in my products when I can!



Step 3: Let’s understand how to support our bodies to make this transition easier!

First of all, the most important step is to have patience!  Ok, now that that’s out of the way, the absolute best way to start is to choose a few days where you’ll feel ok to not wear any deodorant at all.  

By setting these days aside, you’ll be able to give your body a chance to kick some of the ick that has been lingering in and on your skin for years!  

For the few days while you’re detoxing those pits, use a body scrub every time you shower to encourage the skin and follicles in that area to slough off.  

Then, a great additional step would be to wash with a detoxifying soap such as the Beautycounter Counter+ Charcoal Cleansing Bar or to use a detoxifying mask like the Beautycounter Counter+ Charcoal Mask

And there you have it folks, once you know the WHY it makes the process a whole lot easier to go through!  Knowing that sweating is normal, and that stopping this process through the use of toxic ingredients can lead to health troubles really was that bit of information for me that allowed me to lean into the transition and be patient with it.  I knew it might take me a bit longer and a little more trial and error to find the right safer deodorant for me, but that once I did, I wouldn’t have to think about it again!

Personally I alternate between the Beautycounter Clean Deo (Coconut is my scent!) and the Primally Pure Deodorant (Lemongrass is my go to - use the code JESS10 for 10% off your order). Both of these products have incredible return policies too, if they end up not working out for you!

If you’d like to find an alternate safer deodorant option, I’ve sorted the results on the EWG Skin Deep Database to show safest options first (EWG verified) and you can see those results here!

For funsies, I’ve created a quick quiz below to help you find your safer Beautycounter Clean Deo scent!  Click the image below to see where you land!

TL;DR:

  • Sweating is essential to keeping our body regulated and healthy!

  • Skin irritation can happen when switching to natural deodorants, but there’s ways to minimize or find the right product for you

  • The top three toxic ingredients in conventional deodorants are aluminum, triclosan, and fragrance

  • We can support our bodies through the transition to safer deodorant with a few simple prep steps

See you again next week friend. We’re going to switch it up and talk one of my absolute favorite things to chat when it comes to switching to safer products - HOW TO SAVE MONEY WHILE MAKING THE SWITCH.  Whoooooo it’s gonna be good!  Can’t wait!

Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:

  1. See what safer skincare line fits your skin type best

  2. Check out the release of the limited edition fall/winter safer beauty sets

  3. Follow me on social for quick skin tips


Like this type of content? I share tips like these in my weekly newsletter:

See this content in the original post