Common sense is like deodorant, those who need it the most never use it. And the people who do use it, don’t use their common sense.

Let me drain your brain cells a bit more.

Run through these minimum ingredients present in your everyday aerosol or stick deodorant –
Aluminium Chlorohydrate, Parabéns, Steareths, Triclosan, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine ( TEA) , Diethanolamine (DEA), Artificial Colour and Fragrances.
A mouthful and you sure got the last two words right, we all consume artificial fragrances and colours in a number of forms every day, but what about the other toxic sounding chemicals compounds. Are they as lethal as they sound?

Aluminium Compounds– This is the primary ingredients in all deodorants that clogs your pores and prevents those sweaty pits. Apart from keeping you fresh as a daisy, it will also happily interfere with your oestrogen levels and double your risk of breast and prostrate cancer. And yes, aluminium has also been linked with development of Alzheimers disease. Big multi tasking ingredient !

Parabens– While a lot of cosmetic and skincare products have been going paraben free, deodorants have steered away from it. Common parabens to look out for are methyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl, so look out and keep them at arms distance ( or underarm distance !). They again mimic the oestrogen cells in the body, contribute to hormonal imbalances in the body and may interfere with fetal development in pregnant women.

Steareth-100 / Propylene Glycol- These are basically mineral oils used in machinery to prevent escape of moisture. That deodorant which gives you sand paper dry arms has oodles of this, and you can also thank this chemical when it seeps into your skin, affecting your liver and kidney eventually.

Triclosan– Is present in everything nowadays, from your toothpaste to soap and deodorant. It is a former pesticide turned beauty product ( !) , and in keeping with its heritage, this one too disrupts thyroid balance, interferes with muscle function and is related to heart disease in many people.

TEA/ DEA – are two hugely popular twin chemical compounds that work double duty, they have been proven to damage liver and kidney function in humans and have already been banned in European skincare products because of their carcinogenic ( cancer related )nature.

After this crash course chemistry lesson, and hopefully you will retain this information for the next few minutes , please go though the list of these two highly popular deodorants in the country. Both these brands sell by the minute, promise you white washed pits, fragrant and dewy looking enough to raise your arms and run around like in moronic fashion much like the beauty biggies that endorse it.
These are the deodorants that claim to ban perspiration and keep you fresh as a daisy for 48 hours. ( 48 hours ! shouldnt you just bath atleast once in 24 hours ?)

SO WHAT CAN I USE ?

Thankfully there is a slowly but widely growing market for natural deodorants, all of them are aluminium, paraben free and the ingredient list almost sounds like the recipe to bake a muffin. Hey, if its safe enough to put in your mouth, its absolutely safe for your underarms !

You can expect to see  these ingredients in your natural deodorant which can come in a jar or stick form, aerosol is not environment friendly either , so best to ditch that option. Also if it is natural, it is only available as a deodorant not an anti-perspirant.

1.Natural Oils– this will form the base of the deodorant , could be either coconut or almond oils.

2.Natural Powders- to absorb moisture like Baking Soda , Arrow root / Organic Corn Starch or Zinc Oxide.

3.Essential Oils– like tea tree, rose, citrus , lemon grass or vanilla for antiseptic and fragrance.

4. Wax– like shea butter, beeswax or candelilla wax to provide texture and give it a balm like formula.

Can I even tell you how happy it makes me to just read these ingredients! BLISS !

ARE YOU A DIY PERSON ?

If making a deodorant at home excites you , ( since all these ingredients are in your pantry or bathroom shelf already )  do try this tried and tested recipe by Lia Griffith . If you find it hard to source Zinc Oxide swap it with baking soda or arrowroot powder. Link HERE 

Please test baking soda on your arm before using it , allergies are known to occur inspite of it being natural.

OR JUST SHOP FOR THESE

Just B Au Naturale
I love this brand ! This was my first natural deodorant, and within a month it removed all the blotchiness from my pits. Their deodorants come in pretty jars and are available in two varieties.

Deodorant Cream – A mix of natural clays like rhassoul,  bentonite combined with Organic therapeutic grade essential oils like lemon , lavender and bergamot .

Probiotic Natural Deodorant- This 100% natural Probiotic Deodorant is a concentrated paste of the most effective deodorizing natural ingredients available.

Shop for it HERE 

Burst of Happyness

I just bought my third jar from them, enough said. There is nothing to complain about this at all, in fact it has a creamier texture that most other deodorants in this category and it is well priced too. Available in fragrances like cedarwood and bergamot, lavender and grapefruit , lemon grass and ylang ylang and my personal favourite- rose crush.

Shop for it HERE 

Aroha

Available in a few organic and health stores, I bought this particular brand online. This is probably amongst the few ones available in a stick form, even a pocket sized edition and also in a variety of fragrances. Their ingredients include pure African shea butter,  cold pressed coconut oil, almond oil,  jojoba oil, bees wax, corn starch and essential oils like neroli and lavender.

Buy it HERE 

Please note that I have only listed those that I have tried and tested personally and also which are available in India.

If you are used to spraying and rushing off to work , you may find that dipping your finger in the jar and massaging it in to your underarms may take a minute or two more, and yes you also will want to wash your hands after that because of residual oils that will remain. I however find it totally worth the time and effort, it takes me literally a minute more and if you look at the side effects in the long run, would you really risk it?

And if you have run out of natural deodorant and need a last minute solution , just head to your kitchen and reach for the limes. Aaah , when life gives you lemons !

Just rub half a lime into your underarms. Citric acid present naturally in it kills any odor causing bacteria and thousands can vouch for the fact that over time it has also lightened the skin in the area.
Caution: Do not use lime juice after waxing or shaving your armpits. I really don’t need to explain the OUCH factor here !