Natural deodorants back in my grandmother’s time were baking soda mixed with a little rose oil or something like that. I never experienced a time when she would pass by me and I’d smell anything besides that or Vick’s vapor rub – this stuff was like her perfume. lol As time and traditions have moved along, my mother and other female members of the family used various over the counter deodorants to control their sweat glands.
Natural deodorants eventually evolved to being separated by scent, some made for women, others made for men. Strong enough for men but made for women. The antiperspirants, which contain aluminum, controls the underarm sweat, whereas, the ingredients that make up the deodorant, controls body odor. According to Ben Rose’s article 5 Best Natural Deodorants for Men That Really Work!, body odor can be embarrassing, but what’s a man to do when the majority of deodorants out there contain carcinogens and other harmful chemical ingredients? In this post, I will provide you with some brands of deodorant that are not only are the ingredients natural but made for men and women.
SWEAT
Let’s say this loud enough for the people in the back of the room: SWEATING IS NATURAL AND DOES NOT HAVE AN ODOR. All bodies sweat. You sweat on your scalp, forehead, the top of your lip, under the folds of your neck, if you have that. You sweat under your arms, under the breasts – yes men have breasts too, you sweat in your private areas as well as the bottoms of your feet. Now ask yourself, do you apply antiperspirant on all of these areas? I will hope not.
Bacteria is what creates the odor in these areas, not sweat. Using soap and water to these areas of the body and then applying a natural mixture of ingredients once or twice throughout the day, controls any aroma from bacteria that builds naturally on the body. If you are the rare individual who lives in a bubble, you may not be exposed to the elements of the world. It doesn’t hurt to cut down the hedges in these areas as well. No hair, nowhere for the bacteria to latch on to. It makes sense to me.
DEODORANTS
There are SO MANY types of “natural deodorants” on the market these days. insert eye roll Be mindful of the label on the deodorant. If you’re not able to pronounce most of the ingredients, use Google and find out what the product is made of and what it is used for. I need to look on the label of the deodorant and see arrowroot and know it’s for absorbing moisture aka sweat. Natural oils mean exactly what it says. I shouldn’t need to go to my dictionary and search for the long scientific term for a preservative.
Saige & Ivy
Saige and Ivy is an all-natural deodorant and skincare brand. The glass spray bottles provide about a month worth of liquid deodorant made up of all-natural ingredients, with apple cider vinegar being the main ingredient. If you have an allergy to coconut, then this brand will not be good for you. Subscribe to receive 10% off of your next order and be the first to know of seasonal discounts.
Other Saige and Ivy products: Body Powder, Deep Detox Underarm Mask, Replenish Underarm Scrub, Pumpkin Cleansing Bar
Native Deodorants
My family and I have also tried this brand. The only thing that differentiates the deodorants for men and women is the fragrance, and maybe that is not the case as well. Another brand of deodorant that works well for a while before a need to reapply. The ingredients are easy to interpret, coconut, starch, baking soda, Shea butter, and others make up these deodorants. The only downside to stick deodorants, you must exfoliate your underarms to remove the buildup of the deodorant. I use Saige and Ivy’s scrub – it works well and leaves your skin lightly scented and soft.
Tom’s of Maine
Similar to native, my family and I have used and currently use this brand in these hot and humid NYC days. As their site indicates, “effective line of long-lasting, aluminum-free deodorant sticks [that] odor-fight providing 24-hour odor protection. Like most other “natural” deodorants, 24 hours is a stretch but it does last an 8-10 hour workday. Exfoliating, removal of underarm hair, and of course washing of underarms, helps with the lasting of the deodorants. This may be the only one of the three where I had to look up some of the terms and their use in this deodorant, like propylene glycol – which is from vegetable oils and its purpose is for consistency.
As a fan of CBD products, I’d be interested in trying natural deodorants that have cannabis oil. In my research, I came across apothecanna. In comparison and contrast with Saige and Ivy, apothecanna is a liquid spray deodorant. Instead of apple cider vinegar, the neutralizer in this natural deodorant is zinc salt. I can see why the directions mention to not use after shaving – that would sting.
Do you have a natural deodorant that you use and work for you and your whole family?
