By
Alexis Wilson
iStock -- avemario
Lots of people take pride in howthey smell, goingto great lengths to ensure there's no funkandthinking if they're not always fresh from the shower, nobody will want to be around them. And so many turn to deodorant, making ita $70billion per year industry.Astudy fromthe University of Bristolfound that of 117 women who didn’t produce odor, three-quarters of them still used deodorant.
Conventional deodorantisn’t very good for your body, as manytypes contain toxic chemicals that may harm human health and the environment.Deodorant soaks directly into skin, so it’s important to know its ingredients and their risks.
Here are some of deodorants’ most common and toxic ingredients:
Aluminum:Aluminum is the main ingredient in most antiperspirants. It may alter the balance of odor-causing bacteria in your armpits, which canactuallymake you smell worse.Aluminum is linked tohealth issuesthat affectthe liver andkidneys.
Parabens:These arecommonly found in makeup and deodorant and are used to prevent bacterial growth. However, theycan interrupt hormonal balance in the body, and they'reestrogen mimickers that can lead tobreast cancer.
Propylene Glycol:Often listed as PG, thisingredientis asuspectedskin and kidney toxicant.It's also skin sensitizer, meaning itcould result in allergic reactions on the skin.
Triclosan:Triclosan isa chemical that’s used to help keep the odor-causing bacteria out of your pits, but it can also kill the good bacteria in your body. Killing the goodcan mean that when bacteria repopulates, the good might be replaced by even more bad, which could make you stinkier or even sick. Consequently, triclosan has been linked to rising numbers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The FDA has issuedwarningsagainst this ingredientbecause ofits ability to disrupt the functioning of thyroid hormones.
Silica:Silica is added to deodorant to help absorb moisture from sweat, but it is also known as askinirritant. The silica in deodorant may also becontaminatedwith a compound called crystallinequartz, which has been linked to the development of cancer cells and respiratory diseases.
Solution: Natural Deodorants
Opting for a natural deodorant is saferthan using a deodorant with one or more of the five ingredients from above. Most natural deodorants use ingredients likebaking soda and coconut oil,whichhave antibacterial properties. Natural products tend to be deodorants, not antiperspirants, meaning they stop the smell but not the sweat itself.Most have essential oilsforscentandare gentle on the skin.
Creating Harmony LLCsells theSage & Rose Deodorant Mist.This mist is made with mineral salts, which helps prevent odor.
SchmidtsNaturalssells Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant Stick, whichis enriched with mineral-derivedodor-fightingingredients such a magnesium andbaking soda, andhas plant-based powders that help absorb wetness without aluminum.
North Coast Organicsoffers 100 percentvegan and cruelty-freedeodorant in five different scents.Natural ingredients include coconut oil and baking soda.
