Ease the Transition to Natural Deodorant

I know what you’re thinking, you’ve heard the rumors….transitioning to a natural deodorant sounds scary! You’re worried about sweat, about smell, and about irritation. I get it. But let me ease your mind and give you a few helpful tips to make this transition an easy one.

Find my favorite natural deodorant from Primally Pure here, and SAVE 10% using code LUCIE10

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Let’s Start With Why

Maybe you already know this, and that’s why you’re here, but you might be on the fence and just don’t know if it’s worth it. Truth be told, I put this one off for a long time because I was worried about B.O. I knew that it was a good idea, but I didn’t realize just how important it was. Learning a bit more about armpits and sweat really helped to give me the nudge I needed to make the switch.

Why Do We Sweat?

We often say “sweat” like it’s a dirty word. But do you know how beneficial sweating is for you?? Your armpits are designed with more sweat glands, thinner skin, and blood flow close to the surface. When you are overheated, your armpits are the first and best line of defense to cooling your system. Because of the basic anatomy here, your armpits can cool your blood, and therefore your body, faster than anywhere else. This can actually be really helpful!

Not only does it cool us down, but sweating acts as a waste management for our body. Through our skin we are able to purge small amounts of toxins in a completely natural way. Now visualize what happens to all that gunk headed to the sweat glands in our armpits when we wear an antiperspirant. It stops dead in its tracks causing a build up in our pits and surrounding tissue – the scariest for me being our breast tissue. Add that to all the harmful chemicals that are actually IN the deodorants themselves, that you are applying to that thin skin close to your bloodstream….yikes!

Sweating is not the enemy!

Harmful Ingredients in Your Drugstore Deodorant

I used to think that if it was on the shelf at my local drugstore, that the FDA must have approved it, and it’s safe. Right? Wrong. There are so many ingredients that are harmful to our bodies that are not regulated at all.

1. Aluminium – This is what stops you from sweating by clogging up your pores. Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s Disease and even death.
2. Parabens – These are like preservatives for your skincare products. They extend the shelf-life of things like lotions, makeups, and deodorants – to name a few. They are a huge player in endocrine disruption. To learn more about why that’s a big deal read my post on hormonal imbalance.
3. Fragrance – If you see the word “fragrance” in a product – put it down immediately. This is a term that companies can throw around without any regulation. Fragrance could mean any concoction of over 3,000 chemicals that they are in no way legally obligated to disclose. Fragrances are linked to a number of issues from skin sensitivities like acne to hormonal imbalances, and even birth defects. Since there’s no regulation, there’s no way of knowing what you are getting and exposing yourself to. And that’s just not a risk I’m willing to take.

Read more about the scary stuff found in drugstore deodorants in this article here.

Find my favorite natural deodorant from Primally Pure here, and SAVE 10% through the month of March using code LUCIE10

What To Expect When Making The Switch

So are you ready to make the switch for your health? I knew you’d be on board. Let’s talk about what you can expect.

Excess Sweating

Yep, you’re going to sweat. Your armpits likely haven’t been able to properly sweat and purge toxins since you were a pimply preteen and started wearing antiperspirant. It takes some time to eliminate the aluminum barrier and to detoxify your armpits. Embrace the extra moisture and try to feel good about what you’re doing for your body. Your pits will balance themselves out and you will eventually start sweating less again.

In the mean time, wear dark colors while you detox to hide any sweat marks, or make the switch before summer so you can hide it under layers.

Smell

This was the hardest and scariest part for me. Truth be told, I did stink while I detoxed. Richard can vouch for that ;). And my poor nursing toddler walked around with B.O. head for a couple weeks hahaha. It’s like all the toxins that were trapped behind my skin just poured out in a sour stench. Am I making it scarier? I hope not. I’m all about the honesty around here, and I’d hate for you to be surprised and think I’m lying to you. But HAVE NO FEAR! There are so many things you can do to keep yourself smelling fresh – and speed the detox along! …Hurray!

First of all, shower. Like a lot. No skipping days because you woke up late and the kids are melting down throwing Cheerios across kitchen. Just do it. I definitely needed to step up my cleansing game during this detox stage, and it helped tremendously! Some days I showered twice, while other days I only did once but did an armpit cleanse later in the day. My favorite way to clean my armpits is using the oil cleansing method. If you are unsure how to use oil to cleanse, follow the directions in this article, but apply it to your pits.

Find my favorite oil for cleansing here.

This detox stage can last around 2 weeks, depending on the chemical build up in your body, but after it’s over, I can guarantee that with the right natural deodorant you will not stink!

Sensitive Skin

Finally, the last source of fear for me, was my sensitive skin. Many natural deodorants contain high amounts of baking soda, which can lead to redness or rashes. Choose a deodorant that has the right balance of odor controlling ingredients that nourish your skin instead of aggravate it.

Again, with this one, there was a bit of a transition period as my skin adjusted to the new ingredients. But after a couple weeks my skin got used to it and the redness disappeared. I found that making sure to keep my skin moisturized and nourished with a good body oil like this one really helped to minimize any irritation. Also, be gentle with the skin under your arm. There’s no need to scrub vigorously. And try shaving before bed, and waiting to apply your deodorant until morning. Perhaps after an oil cleanse.

Is it Worth it??

YES!!!

I know that the transition sounds scary, but you can do it! Being confident that I am not putting harmful chemicals onto my skin and allowing it to breath has been such a game changer for me. Using natural products has helped me to rid toxins from my body, balance my hormones, and clear my skin.

The detox period only lasts a couple weeks, and once it’s over, you will be on your way to a much healthier you!

My Favorite Natural Deodorant

My absolute favorite non toxic deodorant is from Primally Pure. I swear, everything they touch is gold. They use powerful ingredients that are found in nature to create products that heal your skin and your body. I’ve noticed a huge shift in my acne and hormonal balance since switching to natural products from Primally Pure. Read more about that hormonal imbalance here. And why non toxic skincare matters here.

Primally Pure natural deodorant contains soothing organic ingredients like fair trade coconut oil, arrowroot powder, beeswax, tallows from grass-fed cows, and essential oils that make you smell like a dream, and can have therapeutic effects. They use baking soda to fight odors, and kaolin clay to detox your skin.

The longer I use my Primally Pure deodorant, the better it works. I feel fresh and confident using it every day.

Find my favorite natural deodorant from Primally Pure here, and SAVE 10% using code LUCIE10

If you’re ready to dive into all natural products that are actually GOOD for your skin, check out my Top Five Favorite Non Toxic Skincare Products

I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have if you are still debating making the switch!