CLEAN SWAP: Deodorant
Welcome to my weekly featured ”IN WITH THE NEW” CLEAN SWAP! This week we are taking a closer look at DEODORANT!
I’m always fielding questions from clients and friends about how to swap out their favorite products for safer, toxin-free options without a loss in quality or performance. Every week, I cover food, cosmetics, personal care, cleaning and laundry products, and even behavior, so if you enjoy these Clean Swaps, please follow me on Instagram and sign up for my 360° OF WELLNESS Newsletter (click on the red link to subscribe) so that you never miss a new one.
Let’s talk DEODORANTS
This may be the one swap I get questioned about most often. After all, deodorant is not an “option” for most of us. It’s a MUST! And it’s also one of THE MOST IMPORTANT swaps you can make in my opinion.
SO WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT DEODORANTS? 💁♀️
No one wants to be a sweaty Pepe Le Pew, but that doesn’t mean that you have to risk your health and slather yourself with carcinogens either.
Recent research from a growing number of international scientists has indicated that the use of common antiperspirant may be linked to benign breast lumps, a condition which may make women more likely to develop breast cancer in the future. Similarly, a recent study from Reading University found that cancerous tumors are most likely to appear in the parts of the female breast which is closest to where antiperspirants are applied. Of the women studied, it was found that cysts in the armpit area of the breast had 25 times more aluminum than the common amount found in blood.
Just think about where you are applying it—on your freshly shaven armpits! Shaving irritates the skin and opens up the hair follicles, giving whatever toxins are in your product direct access to your blood stream (and don't forget the close proximity to your lymph nodes and delicate breast tissue!). Then you put on a snug bra, choking the lymphatic system and the nodes under your arms, which help filter out toxins. Is it any wonder that that a comprehensive study of women with breast cancer published in the January 2012 issue of the Journal of Applied Technology found parabens in nearly 100 percent of all cancerous breast tumors?
Parabens is a scary chemical and you should do your best to avoid it in all your personal care products, but it’s far from the only harmful ingredient in deodorant. So let’s look at some others, like aluminum, which is commonly used in antiperspirants.
While most people use the terms antiperspirant and deodorant interchangeably, the two are not the same.
Antiperspirants work by preventing perspiration from occurring.
Deodorants allow perspiration but block odor by killing the bacteria that cause the odor.
Aluminum enters the body through the sensitive underarm tissue and works to block our sweat ducts, thus reducing the amount of sweat that the body produces. Sounds good in theory, except that sweating is a necessary bodily function (e.g., when you sweat, your body undergoes a series of processes that allow for the release of toxins and an increase in metabolism) and aluminum is a known neurotoxin.
From a purely natural standpoint, it makes more sense to look for aluminum-free deodorants (vs. antiperspirants). However, keep in mind that although some deodorants claim that they are aluminum-free, they still contain a form of aluminum called “potassium alum,” so as always, reading and UNDERSTANDING ingredients labels is exceedingly important when it comes to anything you put in or on your body.
So let’s take a look at the primary chemicals you want to avoid at all costs, whether they lurk in your deodorant, body lotion, or any other product you put on your, or especially your children’s skin:
🚫 ALUMINUM acts with an estrogenic effect on the body, known to increase the incidence of breast cancer tumors when in excess. Aluminum exposure is not only related to increased chances of developing breast cancer, but also other diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Studies on the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease found that their brain tissue often held high amounts of the aluminum toxins
🚫 PARABENS are preservatives found in almost every personal care product on the market and known to interfere with hormone function, which can lead to early puberty in children & an increased risk of hormonal cancer. It has been linked to male reproductive issues, an increased risk of breast cancer, birth defects, and organ toxicity.
🚫 TALC is used in cosmetics as an absorbent and to smooth and soften products. It may be contaminated with asbestos and has been classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It has been linked to ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer. Johnson & Johnson will reportedly pay $100 million to settle more than 1,000 lawsuits that allege its talc-based baby powder causes cancer, and the company still faces more than 20,000 lawsuits alleging its talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.
🚫 FRAGRANCE (or parfum) should just be listed as “hidden toxins,” because this “catch-all” term represents a complex cocktail of dozens of potentially harmful chemicals. Manufacturers create a “CAVEAT EMPTOR” (i.e., buyer beware) situation, because they do not disclose these chemicals to consumers under the guise of protecting their “trade secrets.” What most of us don’t realize is that many of the are dangerous, synthetic chemicals that make up the innocuous term, “fragrance” can lead to serious health problems over time. One example is phthalates, which are powerful hormone disruptors linked to pre-term births, birth defects, decreased sperm counts, reduced female fertility, and a worsening of allergy and asthma symptoms. Fragrance is an obvious ingredient in perfumes, colognes, and deodorants, but it's also used in nearly every type of personal care (and cleaning) product. Even products marketed as "fragrance-free" or "unscented" may contain fragrance along with a masking agent that prevents the brain from perceiving odor.
🚫 PEG/PROPYLENE GLYCOL is the main active ingredient in antifreeze and is used to soften cosmetic products. It can damage the central nervous system, liver and heart. high levels may contribute to blood and kidney disorders.
🚫 BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) is a toluene-based ingredient (toluene was rated 37th most toxic chemical by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in 1992) used as a preservative in personal care products like shaving gels. It can mimic estrogen and is a known endocrine disruptor. It is a possible carcinogen and is linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity.
🚫 TRICLOSAN is added to personal care products to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination. However, it bioaccumulates in the body and has been linked to a decrease in thyroid hormones, an increase in antibiotic resistance, as well as tumors in mice. A recent study published in Science Translational Medicine also found that triclosan altered gut microbiota and contributed to colon inflammation in mice. Although the FDA banned the use of triclosan in body wash and soaps, it is still used in the Colgate Total line of toothpastes, according to Consumer Reports.(or any other antibacterial agent) is a synthetic chemical often added to dish detergents due to its antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral properties. However, it bioaccumulates in the body and has been linked to the growth of “superbugs,” endocrine disruption (i.e., it messes with hormone production), and an increased cancer risk.
READY FOR the CLEAN SWAP?🙋♀️
I’ve tried countless clean deodorants over the years, but there are so few that actually check off all my boxes, like having clean, toxin-free ingredients; effectively controlling odor and moisture (especially when I’m wearing silk or cashmere); not leaving hard-to-remove streaks on my black clothing (by the way, the best way to remove these is by rolling a pair of pantyhose into a ball and rubbing until the white marks disappear); and having a pleasing scent that is not overwhelming or full of synthetic chemicals. So many natural deodorants just don’t work for more than a couple of hours, and almost always fail when I’m at the gym or again, dressed in silk or cashmere. However, now I can say that I have found the perfect deodorant, Beautycounter’s Clean Deo.
As always, Beautycounter—the founding and leading company in the clean beauty movement—is committed to 100 percent transparency, and specifies every single ingredient in their products, so there are no “catch-all” terms (e.g., “fragrance”) and therefore, no mystery. All their ingredients go through an intense ingredient selection process to make sure they are ethically sourced and free of any harmful ingredients or untested chemicals. And best of all, if you aren’t happy with anything you buy, they’ll refund your money and even pay for return shipping for 60 days! This means shopping with them is always totally risk-free!
The Clean Deo uses cornstarch and baking soda to absorb sweat, and coconut oil and shea butter help keep the skin supple and soft. It works surprisingly well ALL day… even during intense HIIT cardio and when silk or cashmere turn me into a puddle for some reason. Its clean ingredients are non-irritating, the eco-friendly container is refillable (which saves you money and cuts down on waste) and gorgeous (so gorgeous, in fact, that The Clean Deo was a finalist in Fast Company’s 2020 Innovation by Design Awards), and it comes in 3 intoxicatingly beautiful scents:
Clean Rose – a modern bouquet of freshly cut roses, with notes of geranium and pepper tree berry. This one’s my fave! It probably the strongest of the three scents, but I love it!
Soft Lavender – soothing notes of lavender with a hint of sweet vanilla. This is my second favorite. It’s feminine and delicate, and just lovely overall.
Fresh Coconut – a refreshing blend of tropical coconut, sandalwood, and sweet vanilla. A little too sweet for me, but my daughter looooves it!
But don’t trust me, look at what the top online magazines have to say:
Allure: “Clean Deo kept my newfound dripping sweat in check — even my right armpit, which, for whatever reason, is way sweatier than my left (anyone else?).”
BYRDIE: “the sweat control blew me out of the water. I wore it every time I did some at-home HIIT, and found that two firm swipes of the deodorant were enough to keep my armpits nice and dry.”
New Beauty: “Jennifer Garner Says This Is the Best Natural Deodorant She Has Ever Tried”
E! Online: “We are obsessed with Beautycounter's new deodorant!”
Forbes: One of “8 Of The Best Deodorants For Women”
And finally, for those of you who are still skeptical, or have tried natural deodorants that haven’t worked, here are some things to consider when quitting antiperspirants and switching to safer:
Get your body ready. Once I stopped using antiperspirants, it seems like my body took a little time to adjust and I found that I started sweating less. So you might want to make the swap during the cooler months to give your body a chance to adapt.
Detox your armpits. If you want to maximize the effectiveness of natural deodorant (especially when you first make the swap), consider doing a weekly armpit detox with charcoal-based products. I use Beautycounter’s Charcoal Facial Mask on my armpits once per week and then follow it up with the Charcoal Cleansing Bar. Shaving regularly helps, too!
Understand the limitations. Keep in mind that a deodorant is NOT an antiperspirant, so while it WILL stop the stink, it will not stop the sweat (albeit the Clean Deo minimizes it significantly!). However, over time, your body may actually start to sweat less as it adapts to life without antiperspirants.
Pick one that works (for you). Natural deodorant (or anything else, really) is NOT a one-size-fits-all situation. Each one of us has a unique body chemistry, so what works for one person might not work for someone else. While I’m in love with the job The Clean Deo does for me, it may not be the right fit for you. The good news is that you have a full 60 days to try it out and decide whether it’s a keeper or not.
Manage your sticker shock. Natural products are generally more expensive. So if you’re used to spending $5 on a stick of deodorant, the Clean Deo may seem like a large investment at $28. However, aside from the fact that it lasts forever and is refillable (the refills are WAY cheaper), I assure you that your endocrine system, breast tissue, and overall health will thank you! This Deo is SOOOOO worth it!
Do you have a favorite clean brand?
Send me a message or leave a comment below and share what it is. If I feature it, I’ll give you credit and may even send you a free gift!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Victoria Gregory is an Integrative Nutritionist and founder of NEWTRITION NEWYOU. Her focus—whether with private clients, readers of her blog, or her followers on social media— is whole body wellness, incorporating whole-food nutrition, supplementation, exercise, toxin-free living, and mindset coaching. Victoria’s personal mission is to help make the world a healthier place, one person at a time, and she has helped thousands of people find joy and self-love through better eating habits and mindfulness. Learn more about Victoria.