Wanting to switch to natural deodorants but worried about any potential detrimental side effects? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
In this blog, we dive into 2 common misconceptions that many people have about natural deodorants!
Misconception 1: Have you noticed itchiness or even rashes around your pits after the switch?
If you are wondering if it is due to the ingredients in the natural deodorant that is causing this, the answer is -- Nope. Chances are, you probably aren’t even allergic to any of the ingredients that went into the making of natural deodorants. So how, and why does this reaction happen to you?
The Answer - Conventional Deodorants
The answer is conventional deodorants. Conventional deodorants contain aluminium that is absorbed by your pits each time you use them; what this translates to is an accumulation of aluminium by the cells of your pits.
When you switch to natural deodorants which are devoid of any traces of aluminium, the skin begins to undergo a natural detox process whereby it releases all the aluminium absorbed from conventional deodorants.
This process that typically lasts 2-4 weeks is the one that causes itchiness and potentially rashes around your pits. However, what this does is also reduce your skin’s aluminium exposure which has been linked to several chronic diseases and heavy metal toxicity.
Coping With The Itch
To combat the itch, we recommend that you adopt the measures below:
Apply moisturizer around your pits
Use cold compresses around your pits
Apply anti-itch creams around your pits
If you do switch to natural deodorants and experience skin irritation, don’t be too quick to pin the blame on the natural deodorant -- it is in fact a beneficial process that removes toxins and gives you better skin
Misconception 2: Do you find yourself releasing more body odour (BO) after switching to natural deodorants?
During the natural detox process which lasts 2-4 weeks, the skin releases aluminium that it has absorbed from conventional deodorants. This translates to increased sweating as the primary role of aluminium is to inhibit sweating. At this point you might be thinking: “But sweat doesn’t smell bad by itself, so why am I releasing more BO?”
This is because BO is caused by bacteria breaking down the acid within the sweat. As such, it is perfectly normal for a person who transitions to natural deodorants to have stronger BO until the natural detox process is complete.
The Solution?
To combat the issue of stronger BO during the natural detox process, we recommend that you adopt the measures below:
Apply essential oil to your clothes
Keeping a healthy diet and reducing red meat consumption
Wiping pits with antibacterial wipes followed by tissue to dry it
If you do switch to natural deodorants and experience stronger BO for a period of time, rest assured that it is completely normal and not because natural deodorants are less effective than conventional deodorants.