Sooo many questions have come in lately about one of my (secret) FAV topics: natural deodorant.

Why make the switch? How do you make the switch (and not feel gross/smelly the whole way)?

I am so excited to talk about this, because…..

WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE (and what I wish more people talked about):

Your skin absorbs EVERYTHING you put on it. Everything.

Deodorant is no different– and we wear it all hours of the day. Plus, our armpits?? They’re kind of the center of lymph node universe. A LOT gets absorbed there and it’s so important to know what we’re putting on our skin, especially that area.

When you’re thinking about upgrading any of your products, I personally think deodorant is the best first place to start.

Buuuuut, most people think natural deodorant just doesn’t work. The scent, the texture, the way it goes on is all just a little, well…. weird, at first.

(Like, hi, I’m right there with you. I tried at least 25 before finding one I loved.)

Maybe you’ve tried others too, and just felt like it wasn’t actually working. You felt sweatier/smellier than ever…. what gives?

LET’S BREAK IT DOWN:

Did you know that most traditional deods are actually antiperspirants? Which are made to physically block and clog your sweat ducts using lots of chemicals (mostly aluminum) to block your natural sweat production.

Lots of people end up thinking sweating is bad or “not normal”– but!!! It’s actually the #1 way for your body to detox! We are MEANT to sweat. We NEED to sweat. It’s actually so, so healthy.

It just doesn’t have to smell.

Antiperspirant, on the other hand, is not natural and not normal. 

So, step #1?

Look for a deod without aluminum and without antiperspirant (or any other funky words on the label) so that your body can start releasing what it actually needs to get out.

Yes, you might feel a little sweatier at first, but it doesn’t necessarily have to smell bad. (There’s sooo much more about why aluminum and other chemicals in traditional antiperspirants/deodorants are dangerous, including increased rates and crazy connections to breast cancer, prostate cancer, infertility, etc.)

The goal: that you can recognize everything on the ingredients label. Ideally, it could be clean enough to eat (not kidding, this is how I measure the safety of both my food AND my products, but don’t worry, I won’t make you take a bite 🙂 )

My top 5 tips for making the switch to natural deodorant:

01. Change your mentality from sweat being BAD to sweat being good, healthy & normal.

Sweat’s okay, it’s just the smell we don’t want! Which THIS natural deodorant can help with (trust me, it’s the only natural one I’ve found to work, and I’ve tried… way too many).

02. Find a product that works for YOU.

You know my vote (I love all of Primally Pure’s scents— tea tree, vanilla-citrus and unscented are probably my favs, charcoal is great for a little extra strength, and blue tansy is best for sensitive skin).. and lavender is so calming and relaxing too, but ask your friends. Ask around. Pick whatever scent you’re naturally drawn to at first… Just make sure you can recognize the ingredients!

03. Give yourself 2-3 weeks to adjust. At least.

Everyone’s body is a little different. It can be anywhere from 2 days to 2 months.

Not just to the newer, okay yeah, slightly-sweatier you. But also to the mentality it requires. That it’s okay to sweat. That it’s human and natural. And that you are healthier when you sweat.

Also, there MAY be a bit of a “detox” phase involved in this 2-3 week window. Think of how many toxins your old antiperspirants were blocking and keeping inside your body. If you DO notice a little extra smell/sweat for the first little while, see that as a good sign you’re switching and giving your body a chance to get all that stuff out. Just give it some time. This is a longer term move. It all balances out after that beginning period, once your body adjusts. Over time you’ll notice WAY less stinkiness & way less irritation.

Be patient with yourself and don’t make too quick of a judgment because I can guarantee that phase will pass.

If you want to speed up the process, or you are going to make the switch from a conventional deodorant to a natural one, try this little tip out:

There is a natural mask you can make for your pits that helps the detoxing process:

1 tablespoon bentonite clay (I use my Indian Healing Clay Mask) 

1-2 tsp water 

1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional but helps if you feel like you need a extra detox boost).

Mix all ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl (do not use metal), and apply the mixture to your armpits. Leave it on for 10 minutes (or more, until it dries) and then rinse off in the shower as you gently wipe it away with a washcloth.

You can repeat this daily for a week (or as much or little as you want) as  you make the swap. Clay draws impurities and toxins out like a magnet, so this can def speed things up.

I promise that after this initial phase, the benefits are soooo worth it. It just takes some powering through, but I know you can do hard things. 🙂

04. Let your sweat be an indicator of other areas of health.

Yes, there’s an initial detox phase but if you’re finding that the smell just won’t quit, I like to use that as an indicator of what else I can be doing and upgrading. When our body is releasing smellier toxins through armpit sweat, it’s usually proof that we either aren’t eating clean, whole foods, drinking enough water or eliminating toxins through exercise/healthy sweating. Check these areas and let your sweat be your guide to your full-body health.

05. LESS IS MORE!

Remember middle school when you couldn’t get ENOUGH deodorant on your armpits? Let’s leave those days behind, mmk?

You only need one, maybe two light swipes of natural deodorant for it to work. Remember: we’re not trying to cover anything or block anything (anymore). We want sweat to be able to release easily. We just want it to smell nicer! A little swipe or two gets the job done, mama.

It also helps to hold the deodorant on your body for a couple seconds before swiping to “warm” it up and make it glide easier. There aren’t a bunch of chemical softeners in natural deod, so your body heat can actually help it go on smoother!

(PS, two swipes in each armpit a day? Talk about deodorant that lasts FOREVER. Another benefit of the natural stuff!)

Have you made the switch to Primally Pure deodorant and still feeling you’re getting some irritation? I did too, in the very beginning. But it did go away, the healthier my pits became. Here are a few tips to help in the meantime:

1) Shave your armpits at night only.

2) Spray your pits with their Everything Spray before your deodorant. It’s pure magic— and so healing for any cuts, wounds, as a face toner or face spray too. Or anytime you need a refresh.  It’s so healing on skin, and the combination of apple cider vinegar and a few other things neutralizes bacteria that causes the stank 🙂 Spritz away! 

3) Use less deod overall! Like 1 swipe people.  Or try a gentle ‘dab’ motion instead. 

4) Do a armpit detox mask to help your skin there heal (recipe above)

4) Try going deod free  1x/ week to let your skin adjust. I love to go d-free when I workout (at home, it’s perfect), or on the weekends. 

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Check out my favorite natural deodorant and make the switch! I mean, there’s really no better time.

I promise, you won’t regret it. And get 15% off your order with code ‘simplyrealhealth’!

• my favs are the unscented deodorant, the tea tree and the charcoal, but pick whatever scent is most appealing to you (think of essential oil scents you typically like).
• Or– try their starter kit. It includes ALL of my top favorite things: the body butter (vanilla almond please), a deodorant of your choice, the Everything Spray and 2 lip balms (cocoa and creamsicle are my favs). You won’t regret it, and all of those products last soooo long! It’s worth it.