Natural Deodorant - Time to make the switch?
Whilst staying safe at home over the last few months, I took the opportunity to do a little experiment. As you know, I’m all about balance (#beautifullybalanced) and try to use as many natural products as possible, in amongst some of my more conventional beauty buys. BUT one of the products that I just hadn’t found a good alternative for (and wasn’t willing to compromise on), was a deodorant.
I’ve tried a few natural deodorants over the years; I’d pick a weekend where I wasn’t really doing much/seeing anyone and give one a go, but after a day of smelling not so good and feeling rather “damp”, I would quickly revert back to my trusty hardcore antiperspirant. I know, I know, these are not good for us and have SOOOOOOO many bad chemicals in them (it’s pretty scary stuff if you actually look online at what is in conventional antiperspirants and their side effects !!), but I just didn’t want to smell or have sweat patches… I am a hippy at heart, but I draw the line at smelling bad!
What you may not know (and I didn’t) is you can’t just switch overnight to a natural deodorant from a conventional one and expect it to work in the same way. There is a crucial “transition period” where it takes your body 2 to 4 weeks to adapt to the natural formula and for your sweat glands to work on releasing the stored toxins and actually detox out the chemicals. Don’t give up and revert back, as tempting as it may seem, get through those first few weeks and you’ll be smelling fresh as a daisy.
Given that the initial announcement of COVID-19 Lockdown meant not seeing anyone for a few weeks (*cough, months) I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to really put some natural deodorants to the test.
We’re into week 16 of lockdown here (albeit the restrictions are lifting a little each week), so I have definitely had the time to really put these products to the test and give my honest opinion. I’m happy to report that an effective natural deodorant is not a myth! It does actually exist and I can share with you which ones I have tried and which ones worked well, or not so much. It’s not “one size fits all” though, so you may need to do a little trial and error to find just the right one for you. To help you out, here are my thoughts on the ones I have tried, and my overall winner which has made me a natural deodorant convert. :-
As you can see, there is a bit of theme when it comes to the fragrance. I opted for lavender in all of them, so that it was a fair test. Lavender is known for it’s anti-bacterial properties (and it’s the bacteria that causes the underarm odour, so I figured this was the best option).
Zionhealth Claydry Deodorant in Lavender - £5.50 - Click Here
This was the first one I tried. You could say that it had an unfair disadvantage because I used this one throughout the whole transition period. I liked the smell, it had a clean floral scent, but I’m sorry to say that even after weeks of use, I still didn’t find it effective. I thought it was because maybe my body was taking longer than normal to move past the detox phase, but even after 8 weeks of use, it still wasn’t doing the job. I admitted defeat and moved on to the next one. Also, the packaging is plastic which I think they could do better with. Thumbs down.
Lavanilla The Healthy Deodorant in Vanilla Lavender - £10 - Click Here
This had a dryer consistency and felt like it was really tugging on my skin. It did provide better protection than the Claydry, but by the end of the day I was feeling a little self-conscious and not particularly confident in its odour neutralising properties. Again, plastic packaging. Thumbs down.
Jason Calming Lavender Deodorant Stick - £5.50 - Click Here
This one had a more slick texture and did feel quite moisturising on my skin, which was nice, but it didn’t seem to “set” or dry properly, so I felt a bit damp all day. I didn’t notice an odour though, so that was good. OK
Earth Conscious Natural Deodorant Stick in Lavender & Tea Tree - £7 - Click Here
The packaging for this had a very eco-friendly - no plastic at all! It comes in a cardboard tube that you push up from the bottom (anyone remember those ice lollies from the 80s that used to do this… I loved those! Anyway, sorry, I got sidetracked). This is also a UK based company, so it is great to support local. They use 100% natural ingredients and it is vegan friendly. The main ingredients are organic shea butter and coconut oil, blended with sunflower wax, jojoba oil and bicarbonate of soda. The texture is similar to the Jason one, so slightly slick, but the advice on the website is to put it in the fridge for a few minutes before applying so that it becomes a little firmer. I found that this helped a lot. It worked well and I didn’t notice any odour. However, on a particularly stressful day, I did notice that I perspired a little and it didn’t keep me completely dry. I would still buy it again though. Runner Up.
The Natural Deodorant Co Gentle Deodorant Cream in Lavender - £11 - Click Here
This is also a great eco-friendly product as the packaging is glass. It has a novel approach in that you apply it a little like a moisturiser and rub in with fingertips. I have to say that I was the least excited to try this one, purely because of the application. At first it seemed strange about applying it with my fingers, I don’t know why, I guess because we don’t normally do that. However, this one is the absolute BEST deodorant I have ever used!!! That’s a bold statement, I know, but it truly works and is wonderful. The consistency is on the dryer side which I like, but it doesn’t tug or pull the skin. It keeps me dry and odour-free all day. And I really put it to the test, as we had a mini heat-wave here in the UK whilst I was trialling it and it didn’t let me down in the 33 degree heat. The main ingredients are magnesium and white clay to absorb wetness and provide all-day freshness, and coconut oil and shea butter to hydrate and protect the skin. £11 is pretty pricey for a deodorant but I think it is totally worth it. Winner!
There is no going back for me. I am total convert! I’m looking forward to trying out the other “flavours” to see if they are just as effective too.
I’m so happy that I have found something that works for me, is super effective, gives me peace of mind that I am putting something on my body that will not harm it, and will also not make me smell like the ‘Bog of Eternal Stench’!
If you’ve been thinking of making the switch, now is the perfect time, you could be pleasantly surprised …. go on, I dare ya! x
Have you tried a natural deodorant? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below
L x