Deodorant: Natural vs. Name Brand

When I first decided to go shampoo free I was concerned about our baking soda and checked to make sure it did not have aluminum in it (it does not). After doing this my mom pointed out that if I was worried about aluminum getting into my body through my scalp, I should not continue using the same  deodorant. The active ingredient in pretty much all non natural deodorants is aluminum. How convenient. After attempting to switch to natural deodorant purchased at the health food store I realized why aluminum is used, because it works!

Let me first explain that when I first ever started using deodorant it took me FOREVER and countless deodorants to find one that worked. Don't ask why, I guess I just have picky underarms. Once I found one that did work, Sure unscented, I stuck to that one up until a couple weeks ago.

In making the switch to natural the search has been just as hard and I am still not satisfied. Just to clarify, when I say "doesn't work" I mean I smell at the end of the day. Gross right...girls aren't supposed to smell. So I have been very tempted to return to my old deodorant because it works so well. I am on my third type of natural deodorant and so far it is working the best but it still is not good enough.

The deodorants I have used so far are Toms of Maine Long-Lasting Unscented ($4.69),  Kiss My Face Active Enzyme Unscented ($5.99), and the one I am using now is Nutribiotic Unscented ($5.48). I have always used unscented deodorants because that is what has worked the best for me. Ohh and look at those prices compared to the one I used to use ($2.14), tempting to keep using it.

Toms price was better than the other two deodorants that I have tried so it is a good aluminum free, natural product, at a cheaper price. Also, it is available at big name stores, I picked mine up at Meijer grocery. Hops is the ingredient in this deodorant that stops odor causing bacteria from forming.

Kiss My Face is also available at big stores I believe, I am pretty sure I saw it at Meijer as well, but I got mine at a local health food store. My little sister uses the Kiss My Face brand for her deodorant and I know it has been working well for her, she may have a scented one. The Active Enzyme version of Kiss My Face deodorant contains vegetable enzymes, clay, and baking soda to help prevent odor.

Lastly, I have been using Nutribiotic. It seems to work a little better than the previous two but I still smell on some days which is not a fun spot to be in. The local health food store is where I got this brand and I do not think it is available at major grocery stores. Grapefruit seed extract, witch hazel, and aloe vera are the active ingredients in this deodorant, fighting bacterias that cause odor. 

Each of these deodorants contain slightly different ingredients to ultimately achieve the same goal of less sweat and odor. Finding the right ingredients to work with your body may take a little bit of searching or none at all. I do recommend going natural because heavy metals such as aluminum do not belong in our bodies.

*My underarms may be very different from yours so any of these products could work great for you, I am not bashing the products by saying they didn't work, I am just relaying my experience.*

It may sound like I am against natural deodorants because it is not working for me, but that isn't true. Just because something is easier doesn't mean it is always the best option. Many mainstream products just seem right because "that's what everyone else is doing", but you never know what else is out there until you venture away from the "norm". And it is not just for the sake of experimenting or fulfilling curiosity that I am trying new things or that you should try new things. If mainstream products were good for our bodies there would be no need to look elsewhere, but there can be many chemicals in body care products that consumers don't know about. I know that when I read a shampoo bottle I don't know what the ingredients are, a lot of them have long confusing names. Homemade and natural products help you to know exactly what you are applying to your skin and putting into your body.