How to Switch to Natural Deodorant [5 Important Tips]
5 NATURAL DEODORANT TIPS | PIT DETOX
Most of us use deodorant every day. That makes choosing a clean, safe, natural deodorant to go on your skin that much more important. Ditch the commercial deodorants that are filled with chemicals and transition to a natural deodorant.
It's not like you are giving up a big thing. The only thing you are giving up is a world of products full of harmful chemicals that I don't even know how to say the name of.
There's plenty of options to choose from when it comes to natural deodorants - natural deodorants with coconut oil, natural deodorants with baking soda, without baking soda - you name it!
There is a natural deodorant that fits you and your body's needs. But first - you have to detox from the commercial deodorants you've been using all your life.
Oh yeah, detoxing from your store-bought deodorant is a thing. Have you ever said to yourself "natural deodorant just doesn't work for me." There's a reason for that! The aluminum in your commercial antiperspirant has been clogging up your sweat glands for a while.
Sweat glands are vital to getting your body rid of toxins. Switching to a natural, aluminum-free deodorant will give your sweat glands the chance to breathe again so you can say BYE toxins!
You may be afraid of making the transition because the stages of commercial deodorant detoxes can be a little...smelly. When toxins attempt to leave the body, they produce more odor-causing bacteria. Never fear ladies, this is temporary. The body just needs a little bit of time to get back into balance! Once your body finds its groove, you'll find that switching to a natural, aluminum-free deodorant is SO worth it.
So leave your fears behind, because here are our top 5 tips and suggestions for making the transition from commercial anti-antiperspirant deodorants to natural aluminum and chemical free ones.
These tips are great for those making the change or needing some tips on how to make natural deodorants work for them.
1. SWEAT IT OUT
I know the whole point of antiperspirants it to not sweat - but let's face it! You will sweat. Don't freak out! Your sweat glands have been suppressed for so long that the first week or so of using natural deodorant your body may be in overdrive. You may find yourself sweating - a lot.
This is the body's way of clearing out all the toxins in your body. Think of it as a healthy, natural process that is cleansing you of all the bad in your body. Have no fear though, as this excessive sweating won't last forever. Your body will regulate and naturally find a balance now that it is allowed to sweat and cool your body properly.
To help speed up this process, you should take hot baths to open up your pores and encourage the release of toxins from your pores. The quicker those toxins leave your body, the sooner your body can normalize.
You WILL still sweat with natural deodorant, even after the initial detox week, but it will be a lot less. Once you start using a natural deodorant with coconut oil or a natural deodorant with baking soda, your sweat smell will be NON-EXISTENT.
If you are still worried about the smell of your sweat, you can try switching to an essential magnesium deodorant. Essential magnesium deodorant is a toxin free, vegan friendly deodorant option that works to neutralize bad, foul smelling bacteria. You won't have to worry being able to smell your own body odor again. But if you do - it's totally ok and you shouldn't feel ashamed of it.
2. REAPPLY
If you have a really active day or it's REALLY hot out, you may need to reapply in the afternoon. You'll be sweating a lot more since your body is trying to cool off. Sweating is the body's natural process to cool off, so this is totally normal.
That is why some antiperspirants can be harmful and you should opt for natural deodorant instead - if you stop the body's natural cooling off process, you put yourself at risk of overheating. So, don't stop yourself some sweating, your body needs to sweat! But that doesn't mean you have to deal with whatever smell comes along with it.
You can use a natural deodorant to act as a deodorizer and stop bad, smelly bacteria from being produced. So reapply, reapply, reapply! Don't let those bacteria reproduce.
For those heavy sweat days, customers have been raving about the powdered deodorant as the perfect quick, easy and delightfully smelling reapplication. Despite any of my own heavy sweating days, I rarely find myself needing to freshen up, but just know-- there is nothing wrong with you OR your natural deodorant if you need to reapply. Needing to reapply doesn't mean your natural deodorant isn't working! We are just stopping bacteria before it starts.
3. BALANCE YOUR SKIN {RASH TIP}
For those that have been struggling with any deodorant (rashes, bumps etc) we recommend rinsing your armpits with apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar can do a lot for your armpits. Sometimes your skin can get really out of whack and cause irritation when you've never had any problems before and apple cider vinegar can help with that.
Take a shower and then with a cotton ball wipe your armpits clean with apple cider vinegar. Allow to dry and apply deodorant after. This will help balance the pH of your skin. The acidity of apple cider vinegar also helps kill the bacteria in your armpits so you can balance the pH of your skin and neutralize odor, making ACV a good natural deodorant as well.
Alternatively, the naturally drying and deodorizing ingredients can cause rashes if you have very dry sensitive skin. This can be combated easily, by applying a natural dry skin cream or body lotion to your arm pits so that your skin remains hydrated.
If you find that your skin develops some itching, burning, redness, or a rash, you may also be the right fit for our Baking Soda Free Deodorant. You may have reacted to the baking soda that is present in a lot of natural deodorants and it is irritating to your skin.
Luckily, there is a range of natural, vegan friendly deodorants that can fit your needs. For example, another alternative is essential magnesium deodorant which is perfect for sensitive skin and prevents your skin from drying out.
4. CLOTHING MATTERS
Your body perspiring alone does not cause the smell. It's the mix of bacteria and the sweat that makes an odor. Now imagine you have this mixture and there's no way for it to dry or be released. That's what happens when you wear synthetic fabrics such as polyester - the bacteria and moisture get trapped in. That's why it's better to wear natural fibers such as cotton or bamboo that will help wick the moisture away from your body. These are breathable fabrics that will allow your sweat to dry!
If you want to prevent yourself from sweating as much, another thing that matters when it comes to clothing is the color of the clothing. We all know that black absorbs heat, so the more heat you absorb the more you will sweat to cool off!
Again, this isn't your natural deodorant failing you. It's the body doing what it can to keep cool. If you don't want to spend your day under the sun soaking up all of the heat - try wearing an ethereal white instead that reflects light. Can you just picture wearing a white linen cotton blend eyelet blouse in the middle of the summer? That's the sweat-free, cool, breezy dream.
In response to all this, you may be thinking "Hello? What about work out clothing? Aren't they made of synthetic material?" Most workout clothing is actually made of a combination of synthetic material such as polyester and natural material such as cotton.
This blend gives workout clothing the breathability of cotton and the moisture repelling quality of polyester to keep your sweat from sticking to your skin and giving the bacteria in your armpits the chance to say what's up. Workout clothing is what's best to wear if you anticipate sweating so you don't smell so much. You don't have to tell me again to wear some yoga pants - I practically do everyday anyway!
5. WASH DAILY
The odor in your armpits is caused by bacteria, not by the actual sweat. So if you find yourself missing a shower-- even if you haven't sweat-- you still have bacteria in your pits. Cleanse them out with our Cleansing Spray (if you're on the go) or natural soap and water, prior to a deodorant application.
You'll stay fresh longer if you weren't able to hit the shower. This is a great tip during the first few weeks of transitioning. Wash often and you'll avoid being so stinky during our body's detox.
This goes back to my first point! Don't just shower - take a nice hot, steamy bath. The kind that mists up your mirror while you are in it. This encourages the release of toxins out of all the pores in your body, therefore speeding up the rate of your detox. Your armpits will get cleared of the aluminum salts that had been clogging up your pores and you can start to transition to natural deodorants.