Natural deodorants that beat the pong..

Deodorants are a touchy subject especially if your personal smell isn't the best on the planet. We all have a 'personal' smell, but some of us are worse than others. It all really does boil down to personal hygiene, what you eat, and your overall health. There are some conditions that should not be left untreated as it can be very debilitating.

However let's take a look at some of the ingredients that go into a commercial deodorant and antiperspirant.

All these are filled with potentially toxic ingredients that upset the happy equilibrium of your natural balance.

Aluminium, parabens, propylene glycol, triclosan, synthetic fragrances.

Aluminium:

This blocks the sweat, and is found in most antiperspirant, deodorants. It is a known neurotoxin and a suspected contributor to Alzheimer's disease, chemical sensitivities, hormonal imbalances, birth defects, allergies and breast cancer.

Parabens:

These are also a cause for concern. As scientists believe that the parabens that are used in most deodorants and antiperspirants could be responsible for accelerating the growth of tutors in the breast.

Studies do show that women who use these type of deodorants are 8 times more likely to develop breast cancer, in the area closest to the armpit, than any other part of the breast tissue. To read more on this report I have included a link to the BBC

Antiperspirants: 

Why would you want to block your sweat? Sweating is actually a good thing, it's the body's natural process of eliminating toxins from the body. The way aluminium salts work, is by closing, clogging, or blocking your pores completely. This also interferes with the body's natural ability to regulate its temperature. Two very important functions.

The body's reaction to this is, once the antiperspirant wears off, the u dream sweat glands will then increase sweat production to over compensate. This will cause a vicious sweaty cycle, as we will keep grabbing the one item that is the one that causes this.

Deodorants

These are the ones that neutralise body odour while also killing the bad bacteria that causes bad odour. 

What we need to remember is, SWEAT IS NOT THE ENEMY! In fact fresh perspiration is odourless!! The odour happens when sweat mixes with airborne bacteria. 

Commercial deodorants kill the good bacteria as well as the bad. This then leaves our bodies in a defenseless state.

At this point I want to talk about natural deodorants, there are an array of choices out there, from clay based, cream based and solid butters, crystals, etc. So it could be hard choosing one that will work for you.

Everyone is different, and unfortunately the only way to find out is to try them out. What works for one person my not work for another. I tried a clay based deodorant and it did not work for me, but my dear friend does swear by it. 

So I decided to go back to the drawing board and started experimenting. As I'm a bit of a fitness fanatic, I really do test deodorants to their limits

If this will be your first time using a natural deodorant it can take up to 4 weeks for the detox process to occur so you may see a slight increase in odour to start with.

So here is the recipe I have ended up with, through trial and error. 

Probiotic deodorant recipe:

1 tbsp coco butter

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp Shea butter

1 tbsp beeswax

2 1/2 tbsp arrowroot powder

1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

1/4 tsp vitamin E oil

15 drops essential oil of choice

2 capsules of probiotics 

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 Here's a little bit of info about why I chose these ingredients:

Coco butter:

It is high in antioxidants that are beneficial organic molecules that protect the skin from environmental, internal, and external forces that cause irritation and damage to the skin. It's anti ageing and it provides a barrier to the skin that protects it from outside agents ( like odour causing bad bacteria). It reduces inflammation (which great if you shave your underarms).

Coconut oil:

Is a fabulous moisturiser, it's antibacterial (great to eliminate those funky smells) and antifungal so why not have it in your deodorant?

Shea butter:

Shea butter is an amazing thing that nature gives us. Raw and unrefined Shea butter is high in vitamins A and E and is incredibly soothing for your skin. Why not use this butter in one of your most vulnerable places.. Your armpits :)

Beeswax:

I use it as a stabilizer and to harden it up just a tad to give it a stick deodorant feel. It does not clog pores, but it does help the other butters to lock into your skin to help with their moisturising properties. Beeswax has been used for centuries in skin care, with excellent results. 

Arrowroot powder:

This is so versatile in both food and skincare. Not only is it a thickener in this recipe, but it also has the power to draw out toxins, wow! 

Bicarbonate of soda:

It's the best natural deodoriser on the planet, I haven't incorporated much into this recipe as too much can cause irritation. 

Vitamin E:

It's a powerful antioxidant that combats all those nasty free radicals out there. Vitamin E is fabulous for wrinkles, and it has been shown to have excellent healing properties for burns, cuts, eczema and psoriasis.

Probiotics:

The probiotics just work with your friend flora, lactobacillus acidophilus, bifidobacterium bifidum and bifidobacterium lactis are the ones that I use for this formula. It contains 20 billion viable proprietary organisms.

Here is how to make the deodorant bar..
In a double boiler add your cocoa butter, coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax, and melt on a low heat. If it gets to hot your shea butter can get grainy. Once your butters and beeswax have melted add your arrow root powder and bicarbonate of soda. keep stirring until its incorporated into a smooth paste. At this point you need to let it cool to below 40 degrees Celsius before you can add your probiotics, vitamin E and essential oils, as it will render your probiotics usless and destroy the beneficial qualities of your essential oils and vitamin E, if incorporated at a higher temperature.
Once all your ingredients have been added pour into moulds of choice, and let it cool.
Voila! There you have it, Natural deodorant :)

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****Please Note****

These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. They are educational and informational only. Please consult a professional for any advise before using or making any of our products.