Natural deodorant has entered the mainstream. With the general move toward more natural, eco-friendly living from the late 2010s onward, every part of our lives is going under the microscope. Consumers are becoming more conscious of their purchases and their impact – from groceries to skincare products.
All around the world natural deodorant brands are popping up, selling delicious scents with locally sourced botanicals. You might be a little sceptical, but let’s take a look at what natural deodorants are made from and how they work. But first – why do our armpits smell so bad?
What Causes Body Odour?
Body odour, colloquially known as BO is caused by bacteria in our armpits and not by sweat alone. The warm environment under our arms is moistened by perspiration and becomes a perfect feeding ground for bacteria. Body odour is the smell given off by the skin cells after being consumed and digested by these bacteria. This is rather unappetising but useful to understand when it comes to why making the switch to natural deodorant is worth your while.
How Do Traditional Antiperspirants Work?
Traditional synthetic antiperspirants combat these bacteria in two ways – they mask the odour and then use an aluminium-based solution to block the glands that release your perspiration (hence the term anti-perspirants). This may sound like a very effective way to deal with BO, but this is actually rather harmful for your body.
Your body has very complex and rather fragile ecosystems that shouldn’t be disturbed in such an intrusive manner. As with your gut health, you want bacterial ecosystems to thrive as they have a host of immune boosting and mood-enhancing effects that are only now starting to be understood.
How Natural Deodorants Differ
Natural deodorants mask the smell given off by these underarm bacteria and absorb sweat using a combination of natural scents (usually essential oils), bicarb (for its absorptive properties) and oil which helps to keep it on the skin. These are all body-safe natural products which don’t harm your body and keep its ecosystems healthy and thriving, leaving you more time to check this site.
Your own unique scent is also associated with pheromones. Pheromones are hormones given off that have the potential to attract a partner – not something you want to lose. Natural deodorant doesn’t block the release of these hormones but masks the unpleasantness of BO when you’re active or in a warm environment for longer periods of time.
A wide range of products exists for you to purchase so that you can support small local businesses instead of dubious multinational companies whose practises are often inhumane. And if you don’t want to spend money initially, you can experiment with making your own!
All you need is bicarb, coconut oil and a blend of essential oils and you’re all set to go. Keep in mind that if you’ve been using strong antiperspirants for a long time there might be a brief adjustment period during which your body will have to start regulating itself. But once that’s done there’s a whole world of fragrance waiting for you to explore.