On a daily basis most of will reach for our favourite anti-perspirant /deodorant, giving our pits a good old coating in order to ensure any body odour is well and truly neutralised. But how many of us actually give a second thought to the ingredients in our favourite product?
Swapping our usual deodorant for a more natural, aluminium salt free option has become a popular choice these days – but finding a better alternative can be a bit of a quagmire if you don’t know where to start.
Many deodorants contain a number of ingredients, most commonly aluminium salts, which temporarily block the sweat glands and which are easily absorbed by the skin. Some studies have pointed out the possible health risks of stopping moisture flow to the skin, as sweating is one of nature’s vital ways to remove toxins from our bodies.
So, to help narrow down the options for you, we at What’s New Health and Beauty Reviews subjected several more natural deodorants to a 40 minute ‘spin class’ to find out which would pass our ‘sweat & sniff’ test – the following five products kept our tester’s pits totally dry and ‘pong free’ throughout!
Body Shop For Men Maca Root deodorant Stick – a very effective deodorant which will keep you dry and won’t stain your clothes … lovely smell too! The only slight issue is getting the top back on, you have to ensure that the deodorant stick itself is fully retracted back into the cartridge, which means pushing it back in with your finger.
PitRok Push-Up Crystal Deodorant – this is amazing, to get the best results lightly splash water onto the stick and then use, but remember to dry it before putting the lid back on. Remain odour-free for the rest of the day!
Tom’s Of Maine Men’s Long Lasting Stick Deodorant, Maine Woodspice – excellent all round! Goes on like any other stick deodorant (it’s a bit softer than the others) but doesn’t smell overpowering even when it reaches body temperature. It does its job for the day and doesn’t give you away. No irritation, no irritating marks, no stains on clothing, no aluminium.
Native Unearthed Aloe Vera Natural Crystal Deodorant Stick – a great product which really works, but remember to follow the instructions for best results. A excellent alternative to regular deodorants.
Salt of the Earth Natural Deodorant – one of the best natural gender-neutral deodorants we’ve tested. It doesn’t have a scent but lasts all day long, even in hot weather. You do need to apply it to wet skin & don’t put the lid on the deodorant until it has dried, or dry it off first. Highly recommended – stops sweat smell and lasts all day.
To alleviate any possible concerns about the three crystal deodorants, which contain potassium alum, from what we’ve read, there are two main differences between Potassium Alum (Aluminium potassium sulphate dodecahydrate) and the salts Aluminium Chloride and Aluminium Chlorohydrate, which are commonly used in antiperspirants to block pores.
These last two salts react with peptides and amino acids in the skin to form a gel which then blocks sweat ducts and glands, preventing perspiration. They also have a small molecular mass (typically between 250-350 Daltons) meaning that they can readily penetrate the skin and cross the skin/blood barrier, thereby entering the body.
Potassium Alum has a much larger molecule (around 480 Daltons) which is too large to be absorbed through the skin (the maximum size that can be absorbed is less than 450 Daltons). Instead of forming a gel, thereby preventing perspiration, Potassium Alum sits on the surface of the skin where it prevents the bacteria responsible for causing sweaty odours from multiplying.
So, if you’re concerned about the health effects of your current deodorant, get swapping to one of these aluminium salt free, more natural products.
5* awarded to all of the above from us at Whatsnewhealthandbeautyreviews
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