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natural deodorant

19 years ago

I've just read that aluminum contributes to breast cancer. I read on my deodorant the ingreds, and aluminun is #1. Does anyone have a natural anti-perspirant/deodorant recommendation?

I'm new to this forum and can't wait to read the other postings!

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Comments (18)

ellanadasdy
19 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
hi there canningmom, yes i think that its quite scary that most people dont seem to know this, there should be a warning! but anyways to answer your question, there are no natural antiperspirants, as perspiring is in its very essence, a natural process, and is an extremely important function, which aids in the elimination of toxins, free radicals and urea from the body... despite this i am well aware that my favourite white cotton blouse does not look very attractive when drenched in sweat! the key factors to remember are, only interrupt perspiration when you have to..i.e..a specila occasion etc.. there is no point applying a deodoran tbefore you start the house work! one more myth to be exploded..sweat does not smell..indeed it is brimming with sweet smelling hormones..esp attractive to the opposite sex!! hee hee :) sweat will onlyy smell disagreeable when allowed to build up, thus harbouring bacteria which frankly smells rancid and nasty, this process only takes a few minutes so its not because your dirty... its just natural! the best way to stop this is by using cold water..frequently through the day. a bath in fragrant water, perfumed with an antibacterial herb such as lavender will go a long way to eliminating the problem due to its dual action of perfuming and preventing bacteria. the best natural deodorant is one that is a combination of mild astringents(to control the pore size thus decreasing the production of perspiration) antibacterial properties and fragrance. you could make a liquid infusion to be dabbed on the offending area or you could make a lotion or cream to be massaged into the area i.e arm pitts etc. here is a recipe for a fragrant antibacterial and astringent cream;
you will need; 150g emulsifying ointment, 70ml of glycerine, 80ml of water and 30g of the dried herb or if using a combination of herbs 15g each of two or 10g each of three...also, a glass bowl, a saucepan, preferably glass, ceramic or enamell. a wooden spoon, a spatula, a muslin bag,and small airtight storage jars...to prolong the life of this cream you can add a few drops of benzoin tincture as a preservative.
melt the fats and water in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. add the herb/herbs and heat gently for approx three hours. strain the mixture through a muslin bag into a bowl. stir constantly until fully cooled. using a small palette knife fill the storage jars with the cold cream, work towards the centre of the jars first having applied a layer of the cream around the inside of the jar. suitable herbs to use for this are; stinging nettle=astringent. teatree=antibacterial, aloe vera=cleansing and anti inflammatory, rosemary=fragrant and astringent. witch hazel=astringent and soothing, lavender= fragrant and anti bacterial there are many more herbs which are equally suitable, these are just a few suggestions to get you started! there is one more recipe which i just have to share with you, it is my abseloute favourite, perhaps because of the romantic historical connection! this is called carmelite water, it was made in the fourteenth century by the carmelite nuns of st just. to 500g of lemon balm leaves, add 50g of lemon peel. add 25g each of nutmeg,cloves,coriander seed and root of angelica. place the mixture in a still, with 1 litre of orange blossom or elderflower water, and 2 litres of alcohol ( vodka is ideal) slowly distil and collect the perfumed water in a large glass jar. this toilette water is famous in france, it smells heavenly, is an effective antibacterial solution and is suitable for almost everything, they used it as a deodarant, perfume, hair rinse, hand rinse and even to remove grease from pots and pans.. it takes a little longer to make, but believe me, its worth it!! a little goes a long way!
enjoy, and if there is anything you are unclear of or that i have not explained very well, i am known to do that when i get excited :)please email me and i will be happy to help..with anything.. :)
lots of love ella.....
User
19 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sage; any culinary kind will do. Drink sage tea regularly and swab it under the arms. Reduces perspiration markedly.

Best of luck
Jill
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Alfalfa products are best used in teas, mulches, or as topdressings. Alfalfa is an excellent natural complete fertilizer, containing great amounts of N, P, and K, and many growth hormones and micronutrients. 11. Blood and Bone meal - this classic combo can be found almost everywhere these days. However blood meal is very expensive. Bone meal can be even cheaper if purchased in 20 lb bags from feed stores. Since blood meal is totally soluble, it can be added to compost tea recipes.. With a NPK around 11-0-0, it has the highest total nitrogen ratio of all natural fertilizers, and may burn plants if used improperly. Steamed bone meal has a recorded NPK around 0-11-0. Usually steamed bone meal has a total N from 1-6%, 11% soluble P but 20% total P, and 24% calcium. Raw bone meal has more total N but none of the P is water soluble. 12. Urine or Urea - yes, human urine is an excellent source of organic nitrogen for compost teas or as a free nitrogen activator for composting (45% N). (NOTE: Unlike human manure, any pathogens, diseases, or other mild toxins in human urine are quickly killed and digested within 24 hours after they escape the human body. Therefore human urine is very safe for all types of composting methods.) 13. Animal Manures - High in N and great sources of P and K and soil microbes. Use only vegetarian animal manures, like cattle or horses, in order to be on the safe or conservative side for all your gardening uses! Chickens are not vegetarians. However chicken manure is a safe, classic, high nitrogen, highly alkaline farm animal manure. Chicken manure is ok, mainly because the foods that chickens consume are easily broken down by normal gardening composting systems. DO NOT EVER USE ANY PET MANURES OR DOG OR CAT POOP! It is extremely dangerous to humans. There are special hot composting procedures that must be performed to use toxic, pathogen or disease prone, heavy metal manures like pet poop and human manures. So don't do it! 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A hot compost pile always buffers the pH of its ingredient organic matter materials so that the mature compost has a near neutral pH. The main disadvantage of composting wood ashes is that the high alkaline ashes will chemically react with high nitrogen products in the pile like animal manures or grass clippings, thus creating excessive ammonia gases that will be wasted and evaporated out of the pile. Therefore if you compost wood ashes, only use a few cups of ashes per cubic yard of compost piles. The above soil amendment products can also be buried straight in the garden soil for trench composting. You can also bury these materials in planting holes under the roots of heavy feeder transplants like tomatoes for extra NPK for plant growth. You can poke holes in the soil around crop roots with your spade fork, to get more oxygen in the soil to further increase organic matter decomposition and increase microbial activity in the soil. 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Daisyduckworth
19 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Dab on a dusting of bicarbonate of soda! Helps to keep you dry and also absorbs any smells. You can soften it by mixing in a little cornflour.

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Cover with cider vinegar, bring to the boil, cool, strain. Add same amount of water, rebottle. Dab under the arms several times a day.

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habitat_gardener
19 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Once when I used bicarb of soda as a deodorant, I was wearing a rayon shirt in a bright color. Since it is a deodorant, not an antiperspirant, sweat happened. And the bicarb stained the shirt! White circles under the arms. Not attractive. -- I know commercial products can stain clothing as well, but be aware of the potential for staining if you are using something based on a white powder and wearing a nonwhite garment.
FlowerLady6
19 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
DH and I have been using a rock crystal for deodorant, sold at health food stores and it works GREAT! Get the round shape and apply it with your hand rather than in a deodorant type holder. The round shape lasts longer, especially if you dry it off each time you use it.
oakleif
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Just what we need this summer.
rusty_blackhaw
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
In the six years since this thread was started, no solid evidence has emerged to show that deodorants/antiperspirants, with or without aluminum cause breast cancer.

Here is a link that might be useful: More on false and misleading deodorant rumors
rusty_blackhaw
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I wasn't recommending any product in particular, but noting that there's a lack of evidence that deodorants containing aluminum compounds have any harmful health effects (the proposed link to Alzheimer's is unproven as well). Aluminum is commonly found in the environment and everyone has it in their body just from eating food and drinking water.
The chiropractor warning against deodorant ingredients in your link, in addition to hyping unproven ingredient dangers, has a poor understanding of the connection between dosage and toxicity. Virtually any chemical (including water) is toxic in high enough doses, but merely saying "This is a Toxin!" doesn't tell us much.

As for "natural" alternatives, it's interesting to see that the product being spammed for right before my last post contains, among other things, methylsulfonylmethane, which the sellers think is just fine because they say it's common in the environment and human tissues (like aluminum). I don't see any studies of the safety of using their product in humans short or long-term.

Whether or not some of these alternative products are effective is a good question. Before putting anything on my skin on a daily basis I'd want to know if it had been tested for effectiveness, potential to cause allergic reactions or other health issues.
silversword
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
JASON Aloe Vera Deodorant Ingredients:
certified organic Aloe Vera Gel and Corn Starch, Vitamin E, Lavender Oil, and Clove

SECRET Deodorant Clear Gel Ingredients:
Active Ingredients: ALUMINIUM Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Gly (19%) (Anhydrous) (Antiperspirant) Inactive Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, ALCOHOL DENATURED, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, Dimethicone, PEG/PPG 18/18 Dimethicone, FRAGRANCE

I choose Jason. For effectiveness, I just tried the product, and it worked. Potential to cause allergic reactions, for me personally, does not need to be tested as I have been in contact with Aloe Vera Gel,Corn Starch, Vitamin E, Lavender Oil, and Clove my entire life with no issue.

Since I can't pronounce half of the ingredients in the SECRET brand for me the choice is clear.
rusty_blackhaw
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
As to whether we're safer with the product you recommend because of personal experience and the fact that you can pronounce its ingredients...well, let's see.

How about lavender oil?

"The allergens in lavender oil are geraniol, linalool, linalylacetate and are well recognised in causing allergic contact dermatitis. The usual exposure to lavender is from cosmetics and fragrances containing lavender oil. However, a recent study from Japan demonstrated that 4% of patients (with cosmetic allergy) were sensitive to lavender oil. The rate of allergy increased suddenly in 1997, associated with an increase in the practice of aromatherapy. Allergy to lavender oil has also been reported following contact with a variety of medicate(d) creams such as Difflam gel and PhenerganÂ® cream which contain lavender oils."

Linalool and linalylacetate, two of the allergens in lavender oil. Not all that easy to pronounce. :)

Clove is also a recognized allergen, and even aloe vera itself can cause skin and other problems.

As to potential long-term negative effects associated with the use of this product, experience with it is so limited that it's impossible to say what might crop up down the road. Maybe it's a worthy alternative to typical deodorants we've been using for decades, but it's not a great idea to jump on the bandwagon because the ingredients sound nice and simple.

Plants contain complex mixtures of chemicals, some beneficial, some toxic.
silversword
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
"As to whether we're safer with the product you recommend because of personal experience and the fact that you can pronounce its ingredients...well, let's see."

I didn't recommend anything. "I choose Jason...for me personally..."

I'm also not jumping on the bandwagon. I've been using JASON brand for decades and my mother used it for at least a decade before I was born. Same with Tom's of Maine. I use their toothpaste and deodorant. I like their business practices, I like their ingredients, I like their products.

Deodorant was used by Egyptians who swabbed scent under their armpits (like cinnamon oil), but the modern deodorant is only just over 100 years old. It wasn't until the 1940's that it actually became a commonly used product in the form it's in now and the first "modern" ones were pretty nasty stuff (ate through clothes, etc).

So, "typical deodorants" is a misnomer unless it includes JASON, which has been around since late 1950's and has never had the unfortunate history of putting so much aluminum chloride in their product that it ate through clothing, commonly caused rashes (and still to this day colors the pits of white shirts yellow).

As for linalyl acetate and being able to pronounce it and other allergens in lavender, here's the difference, as far as I'm concerned:

When consuming the allotetraploid arachis hypogaea one might be concerned about Aspergillus flavus releasing aflatoxin. It may either be eaten or made into furniture polish, insecticides, and nitroglycerin. Many people may go into fatal anaphylactic shock if they inhale the dust or touch arachis hypogaea but if consumed as a refined oil it is considered allergen free.

I can't pronounce half of that stuff, but what I'm talking about are peanuts. It's true, there are big, hard-to-pronounce words that make up the chemical background of plants and there will be people who are allergic to just about anything. Plants do have a complex mixture of chemicals, I agree. So does nearly everything on the Earth. Aquagenic urticaria does exist, but that doesn't mean we should be discouraging people from using dihydrogen oxide, or water, as it's commonly called.

Some ingredients in Secret:

Cyclopentasiloxane: Canada is trying to ban it from cosmetics. They consider it a health risk. It's a man-made silicone fluid with the formula C5H20O5Si5. It has not been tested for safety in cosmetics by the Cosmetic Ingredient review and in 2005 the Dow Corning Corporation found that one or more animal studies show tumor formation at moderate doses. Although silicone originates from the Earth (doesn't everything!) it is not in it's natural form.

FRAGRANCE: Hmmmm.... that sounds refreshing!! A random blend of chemicals and fragrances that they won't even list. Now, I think most people would agree there is a lower risk for allergy if they can see "Fragrance includes: lavender" because if they are allergic to lavender they can choose not to buy that product. If there are no origins of scent listed there is a much higher potential for allergy.

Not certified organic means there could be any number of pesticides in their plant ingredients.

I know what lavender is. I know that I personally am not allergic to any of the ingredients in JASON brand deodorant and I recognize each certified organic ingredient they use in it's natural state. In fact, I have all of the ingredients in my kitchen or in my garden growing.

As with anything you put in or on your body, or in your home, it is prudent to ensure you are not allergic and you are comfortable with the ingredients; where they came from, how they were manufactured, the company ethics and business practices.

So, if a person does not know the potential risk for a personal allergy one should not recommend the use of any product to anyone. I have a friend who cannot use Degree brand deodorant because it causes rashes on her body. I can use it just fine.
maya357
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
in our house, we've tried lots of store bought stuff, nothing worth mentioning. we've found that baking soda in water with some peppermint oil works well in the shower. Just scoop some up and smear it on while in the shower and rinse before you get out. don't put too much peppermint, it's strong, just a few drops. leave the mixture in the shower in a short wide mouth container. not an antiperspirant, but works well as a deodorant.

another approach that really works for me, low cost and easy, is Isopropyl alcohol. squirt a small amount in the palm of your hand and smear it on. it really works.
rusty_blackhaw
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I didn't recommend anything. "I choose Jason...for me personally...I've been using JASON brand for decades and my mother used it for at least a decade before I was born...JASON, which has been around since late 1950's...I know that I personally am not allergic to any of the ingredients in JASON brand deodorant"

Alright, we get that you're not recommending the product. :)

"I'm also not jumping on the bandwagon." I didn't say you were. I was referring generally to people reading this thread and other scare stories circulating on the Internet, who may be impelled to buy "natural" deodorants having their own safety issues (including allergic and other short-term reactions) and lack of long-term evidence of safety.

"Deodorant was used by Egyptians who swabbed scent under their armpits (like cinnamon oil)"

This practice survived up until relatively modern times (at least the 1800s), and the result was people who reeked of B.O. and scent (ecch). Thankfully we now have far greater access to regular bathing.

I agree with you that deodorant products that list "fragrance" among their ingredients should specify what goes into that. Like for example Jason deodorant, which just lists "fragrance oil blend" among its ingredients.

And what do you know, there are other interesting ingredients in Jason. Apart from the ones you mentioned, they include "calcium starch octenyl succinate, octyl palmitate, ceteareth-20, zinc ricinoleate, cetearyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, polysorbate 60, soyethyl morpholinium ethosulfate, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate" (according to a site selling the product).

Sounds a little complicated to be mixing up in Mom's kitchen. I guess "natural" means different things to different people.
silversword
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hmmm... there goes my afternoon plans! I was all ready to mix up a nice batch of deodorant on the stove too!!
Nicole7721
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
If youâre looking for an aluminum-free deodorant that does not cause the damage to your skin that normal deodorants do, Iâd suggest Lavilin. Iâve been using it for a lot of years and Iâm pretty happy with it. Iâve heard some people complain about the price but you get what you pay for and, given Lavilinâs benefits, Iâve got no issues with the price.
peterborda
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi all,

Sometimes the best homemade natural deodorants are the best.

I love this one:

You will need the following.

Â¼ cup of baking soda.
Â¼ cup of corn flour or arrowroot powder.
Â¼ cup of coconut oil
15 drops of your choice or essential oil

Method
1. Blend baking soda, corn flour or arrowroot powder and coconut oil together in a bowlÂ
2. Add up to 15 drops of essential oil.Â
3. Mix wellÂ
4. Store into an empty deodorant stick container or jar.

Just be careful with the amount of baking soda that you use as sometimes it can cause a rash. Perhaps try using a little less in the first instance and then increase the amount as you get more confident.

We will never go back to commercial deodorants now that we know how easy it is to make our own.Â You can rally have some fun customizing the smells of them too! Again just be careful how much essential oil you use per batch as these are potent.

I hope this helps others like it helped us!
johnorange
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I am also concerned about a product that keeps us from sweating. It HAS to be absorbed to some extent to have that effect. Some years back, the scoffers would have shrugged off concerns about para-amino-benzoic acid in sunscreens. The kings would have laughed at us if we told them the pewter wineglasses were poisoning their wine with lead. The physicians would have shown us to the door for suggesting the arsenic "medicines" they were using were causing the symptoms they were treating.

I use the clearest, most pure aloe vera gel I can buy as my deodorant. Most store bought aloe gel has some stuff added to stabilize it and preserve it but I still prefer it over an antiperspirant. Arsenic is a very natural element, just like aluminum is, but I choose not to add it to my skin care products. In the morning, wipe just enough aloe gel under both arms to get a very thin coverage that will dry in a few minutes.
zzackey
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
We have used the deoderant crystal and spray for years now. I feel more comfortable with that. Studies or not. I hate using any type of chemicals. It last for days if you don't shower every day.

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