| Body Odor and Deoderants, Everything you want your Friend to know about ================================================================= Excerpted off of TRIBE Regarding Body Odor "I am, shall we say, quite an enthusiastic sweater. I'm fine with that, honestly. I've always been sort of an oily chica (thanks to my half-Italian father, I suspect), and I understand that my body just has to get it all out. I use natural deodorants, because I have a family history of breast cancer and do not want to use products containing aluminum (like aluminum chlorohydrate, ammonium aluminum sulfate, potassium alum, etc.), which most drugstore brand deodorants contain. BUT, it's summer in Sacramento, now. It's 92 degrees, daily. I dance three times a week, minimum. And Pookie is giving me the "stinky hippie" face when I climb into the car with him. Help me help my friends! I need a good, non-aluminum deoderant that is safe for sensitive skin and won't get white stuff on my mainly-black wardrobe! I do NOT need it to be an anti-persperant. I enjoy sweating. It gets the bad stuff out. But either way is fine... just so long as it makes me not-so-stinkalicious. " ------------------------- I am also looking for a natural deodorant that actually works. Right now I'm using one of Lush's deodorants (www.lush.com). It works okay for most of the day... but doesn't last me the hot car ride home and through dance class after work. They also sell powders with things like tea tree oil... I'm considering doubling up on the natural deo plus powder and seeing how that works. Although powders might leave a white mark, I haven't really had any problems with the Lush deodorants leaving white marks. ---------------------------- Everything I see on the Lush forums makes me afraid of their deodorants. It seems like almost everyone has had a reaction to one or another of them, and I have REALLY sensitive skin. I don't want to risk it. --------------------------------- The link between antiperspirants and breast cancer is unsubstantiated, although given your family history I would understand your concerns. Sweat itself is pretty much odor-free. The smell comes from bacteria formed as the sweat breaks down. Thus, if you can reduce the amount of sweat, you reduce the bacteria, thereby reducing the smell. However, it is perfectly natural to sweat and it's your body's way of maintaining a proper temperature. (Lack of sweat is one of the main symptoms of heat stroke.) I know this doesn't help you at all really, Bo, as far as finding a deodorant. Just information for information's sake. Has anyone tried the crystal-type thing? Does it work?? You're right that the link is unsubstantiated, so far, but aluminum products are unhealthy in several ways, including links to Alzheimer's. So many women in my direct family tree have had breast cancer that you're right, I prefer to not risk it, period. Plus, I try to use organic/all natural whenever possible. And like I said, it doesn't have to be anti-persperant, but it can be. I don't really care. I just don't want to stink. I know that many natural deodorants are deodorant only, not anti-persperant. ------------------------------ The crystal thing has been a good lead so far. I have a friend who uses it, but I don't know her natural sweat factor. ---------------------------------------- Actually, the link to alzheimer's is unsubstantiated too (my sis did research on it). -------------------------------------------- I get a little stinkalicious in summer myself and the only product I've found that works for me is the new Secret "Clinical Strength". I can't say whether it contains aluminum etc. but it does work. You put it on the evening before (whether you shower in the morning or not), and it works through the next day. It does block sweat but hasn't really caused any irritation for me. In any case, good luck finding something that suits your needs. :-) ----------------------------------------------- I did a little googling and found a GREAT article with some non-deodorant ideas. maybe this will help (I'm going to try some of it myself.. www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/3645.html Thanks for that link, Nahid. I appreciate your understanding my desire, unsubtantiated or not. The fact that aluminum salts work by clogging your glands up sort of grosses me out. I want my body to be able to do what it needs to be able to do. I DO have hypoglycemia, and I was surprised to learn from your link that it can make me sweaty! ----------------------------------------------- Looks like I'll be test driving the crystal stuff. This is twice now that it's been mentioned. --------------------------------- I dont sweat all that much, but i get stinky. and my skin is really sensitive. I dont like the reg. doeoderants for the same rason. -------------------------------------- I tried the crystal... it made me smell like cat pee. really. it was HORRIBLE. and it made my pits itchy. yeah, so thats a NEVER AGAIN thing for me. ------------------------ Burts Bees (i think) has a spay. its in an aluminum shiny can. its nice. has a pleasant smell. Seems to work well but has to be reapplied. its definitely a carry-around thing. BUT, its totally clear. ------------------------ I have the lonf lasting one in lavendar from natures gate. i like it. smells nice.. but NEVER dries. i kinda feel like i have gooey pits all day, which really is a bit gross. and it ALSO has to be reapplied. I can't find anything that just works all day. --------------------------------------- At night, i wash with dr. bronners tea tree soap. the tea tree washes all the smell away and i am pretty sure that it keeps me smell free for longer. it could be my imagination as i haven't tested otu that theory, but i am pretty sure it does. ------------------------------------------------- Yes and yes to the Crystal thing. I've had it now for 4 years and it still looks brand new - too. I just can't get rid of it. ;-) Also, a friend of mine who happens to be allergic to a lot uses lavender oil. No odor, but I've notices she does tend to get sweat stains on clothing. probably because it is an oil, even if vegetable based. I'd beware of wearing fabrics/colors that show sweat easily if that is the case. ------------------------------------------ I use a crystal and absolutely love it. It works through the hottest days even when I'm active. The only time I might need to make a "wash-the-pits" stop and reapply is if its that time of the month, because I just plain have a stronger smell then from the horomonal changes. Otherwise I'm good to go with one application before heading out. ------------------------------------------- The natural deodorants don't work on me at all - I STINK from them (more than without), and Tom's of Maine gives me a royal allergy breakout, I suffered for more than a week. Unscented Almay (which has aluminum, I am aware it's not what you are looking for) doesn't completely stop sweat on me, it does not live up to the anti-perspirant - but no stink, no rub-off. ----------------------------------------------- Maybe you could take some unscented, organic baby wipes with you? A swipe under each arm BEFORE class, then after, can make a big difference, because you and Sandee are right: it's not the sweat, it's the bacteria. --------------------------------------------- I haven't read the actual label yet, but I know Tom's Natural deoderants are a good choice. They are not anti-persperants, and they are made with herbs and smell nice. I find that I have to reapply during the day sometimes... other than that, they allow you to sweat, and work pretty good. www.tomsofmaine.com/toms/product.asp ------------------------------ Actually, you may consider a totally different tac. I can't stand anything with aluminum either, as I am allergic to the metal. I do have the crystal stone, and it works well, but better than that is using a tea tree 'soap' regularly. The tea tree kills the stinky bacteria, and when I sweat, I sweat a lot, but it doesn't get stinky, because there is no bacteria for it to feed. Of course, that only applies if I haven't borrowed some one else's bacteria. :) ------------------------------------------ I used to melt down the really cheap clear deodorants that have very few ingredients, and add tea tree and put them back in the container. Its a bit extra fuss for me anymore, but it works really well. Usually these will contain triclosan, an antifungal antibacterial agent. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclosan -------------------------------------- I have made plenty of the stuff from scratch too. I use water, sodium stearate (a preservative and binder in this case, also a major component in soap. I pick it up at the local science store. If the chemicalness of it bothers you, you can use vitamin E or Vitamin C, and keep it in the fridge), and a combo of beeswax and cocoa butter. The beeswax is just to turn it into a stick, and the cocoa butter acts as a carrier, any semi-solid butter type product will work fine. Melt oily ingredients, cool to touchable, add essential oils (some tea tree and lavendar are good for bacteria, others can be added for scents), then as the oil cools, turn on the mixer and whip in the water. It should create a rather stiff warm lotion. You can pack it into deodorant tubes (tap/pound on the table to get out air bubbles), or roll up logs in wax paper and put in the freezer to harden all the way. After it is frozen, cut and shape as needed, and store in the fridge. I wrap the logs in wax paper and then foil for ease of use. ------------------------------------------ Wow, that is REALLY cool Sosenada! If the crystal (which I am currently wearing in mah pits, thanks to a trip to the co-op after work) doesn't work out, maybe I'll just do what I usually do, and DIY. -------------------------------- i was gonna suggest Tom's of Maine, too! you can get it at Rite Aid or Walgreen's now, but i remember when it was only sold at the "healthy" stores, like Whole Foods or Wild Oats! another thing i've heard of to kill bacteria is to pat your pits down with good ol' Listerine! I use Tom's of Maine as well. Fyi, they got bought out by Colgate (or some other large corp), which is probably why they're more available now. I use the Calendula scent. It's not too strong and I haven't had any reactions to it. I haven't tried the crystal consistently enough to form an opinion yet. ---------------------------------- My suggestion would be to wear natural fibers. I find that I stink a lot when I wear too much polyester or other synthetics. Even if it's a blend. So I wear cotton all the time. Sometimes it'll have a little lycra in it, but I prefer 90%+ cotton, if possible. And wash them often. ------------------------------------- I also attest that Tom's of Maine is the bomb. Don't go anywhere without it. -------------------------------- Oh, I also forgot to mention, if you wear synthetics or have costume pieces that don't get cleaned often, try spraying a 50/50 vodka/water combo onto the underarm area of the garment. The alcohol kills the bacteria without leaving a scent behind. Also, Carolena of FCBD makes a Costume Cocktail with the same concept in mind, but has essential oils to add scent. If you're interested, you'll have to contact the studio to find out if it's in stock... fcbd@earthlink.net ------------------------------------- tom's just makes me stink all day long as well as my clothes! i think it just doesn't mesh well with me. i use the crystal and it is fabulous. the only time i end up stinking is after sabrina kicks our asses for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. i suppose it would better if i did a little wash and reapply before class, but sometimes i go straight from work and don't have the opportunity. oh well, everyone else in class smells the same afterwards and i go straight home. ;p ----------------------------------- the crystal works like a charm for me, and I can be *insanely* stinky. One trick, though: your pits need to be *totally* dry when you go to apply the crystal. I have no idea why this is true, but it is..... ----------------------------------------------- So where do you find this crystal, and what is it called? I avoid all aluminum in my home- no foil, no meds with aluminum in them, no antipersperants, no pots and pans made of the stuff. I generaly wear clothes that dont show the sweat, and shower often. My biggest problem is how wet my hair gets, I have it braided down to my waist, and I find that on a really wet day that sweat will soak all the way down and drip from the end. THAT is REALLY unpleasant. ----------------------- The latest issue of Body & Soul magazine has an article ranking effectiveness of aluminum-free deodorants. The top-ranked one was Dr. Hauschka Deodorant Fresh ($20), next was Adidas 24-hour Control ($2.99), and so on. Good article! --------------------------------------- I use the Adidas 24-hr and it does help a lot with BO so happy to find it! ----------------------------------- A friend of mine has the same problem and she told me once she uses Betadine shampoo. It's a brand of antiseptics with Iodine. She explained to me that if you wash your armpits with the shampoo it kills the bacteria that smells. And you can buy the shampoo at an apothecary, so maybe if you ask there, they can help you too? Even with the more natural stuff. ---------------------------- I agree with you, Tink, and in a pinch the Neutragena acne wash or anything with salicylic acid helped me a lot with body odor as well. Now that the weather's warming up, I'm trying to get in about a gallon of water in me a day; I've noticed the more hydrated I am the less "strong" my sweat smells. This is an experiment on my part, if nothing else the rest of me will appreciate the H2O. ----------------------------------------------------- I use adidas since its made from cotton! I love this stuff. I used to use this Aloe deoderant from Target that was pretty much 100% Aloe, but since it had no drying effect it would always feel like my armpits were wet. I have used tons of the natural aluminum free deoderants but since they have no aluminum in it (the anti-perspirant) you just end up sweating and becoming stinkier. I seriously reccommend the Adidas cotton stuff since its one of the only aluminum free anti-perspirants. It works! ------------------------- the one I use is called Crystal Stick, and I bought it in the organic section of Fred Meyer. :-) It's only a deoderant, though--in no way an antiperspirant. ----------------------------- My sister uses a Crystal Deoderant (my sisters an all natural freak and works for a lady that owns our local health food store) and says it works really good and unless I don't have anything else I use a perfume that mixes well with my pharamones (however you spell that) and works well for me. Its a really light perfume though. Btw me and my sister both live in the cool part of Arizona where its right now close to 90 degrees in the shade so we sweat ALoT! ------------------------------ By the way you can find a crystal deoderant at any health food store and severaly different ones at that.. Bo, here are som elinks to check out... www.anaturalperspective.com/home.cfm www.pureandnaturaldeodorant.com/ www.lafes.com/index.htm Good luck finding something that works for you! : ) ------------------------------------------ I have used the crystal-- it was actually in crystal form- not in a tube or applicator -just a crystal. The kind that I had said to use it while in the shower while still wet. Let it sit there for a minute then rinse off to prevent irritation. Worked great- but I haven't been able to find it in that form again. I now have some 'Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal" brand spray mist. Both work great for me. Honestly though- most of the time I use Lady Speed stick on my pits. I use the spray mist in other areas that can get sweaty when I'm going to be active or in the heat. --------------------------------- One of these days someone is going to get smart and make a tea-tree oil deodorant. Maybe Dr. Bronner's will go into the business! :) -------------------------- Hm, good to know! I'm going to compare the Tom's (my staple) & Jason ingredients... No more allegience to Tom's now that Colgate or Nestle or whoever bought them. --------------------------------------- I also use Tom's of Maine, mainly because I'm allergic to nearly all synthetic fragrances. Hives in the armpits is not something I enjoy. I think using a carbolic soap like Lifebuoy, or a coal tar-sulfur soap/shampoo would help lessen the bacteria and hence any odor. Honestly I kind of like the smell of clean sweat untainted by false deodorant smells. Why are most americans so afraid of their natural bodies? I think if you're working hard enough to sweat profusely you should smell like *something*. ------------------------------- Ya, and please don't try to cover it up with perfume! It doesn't work. And it makes me nauseous and headachey. "Synthetic Stink", a friend calls it. -------------------------------------------------- If you can take one more...try this site. I've tried Tom's of Maine and it made things worse and the product built up in my pit. Since it is the bacteria on your skin that makes the sweat stink, make sure you are using an antibacterial soap like lever 2000. I love the deodorants form Melaluca. www.melaleuca.com/ my sis gave me one to try and I love it. also I've heard soaking your feet in an warm tea bath helps keep the stink down, why not try washing your pits with tea? You just never know what can happen. ------------------------------------------ FYI - "melaleuca" is a tree...yep, as in 'tea tree'! -------------------------- Update: I'm using the crystal thingy right now, and it works pretty well. I'm going to try adding Treja's suggestion of the Burt's Bees spray on top of that, for mid-day pit-freshment. I'm also going to make myself some dusting powder with tea tree oil to apply over the crystal stuff in the morning. ---------------------------- Pookie's verdict is that the crystal makes me "stink better". ---------------------------- "Stink better". I like it. If you care to hare after you've made it, I'd be interested to know about the tea tree oil dusting powder. ---------------------------- My contribution: Weleda. I'm currently using "Wild Rose" but I think there are more types, on the box it says "Free from antiperspirants such as Aluminum salts, free from Phthalate, free from propellants", it works really well: usa.weleda.com/products/body_care.asp --------------------------------- Hi, I use the Weleda Salvia, it has sage and lavender in it and a really nice 'herby' smell. You have to re-apply though, through the day. ----------------------- Hey Bo, Hope you problem is solved by now! I make a dusting powder with arrowroot, talc and baking soda, I add my favorite essential oil blend, keep it in a jar and apply with a big makeup brush. I recently stopped using commercial aluminumed deodorant/anti-perspirant, so I'm getting use to that moist not super fresh all day feeling. I have found that sometimes I'm not stinky at all but I think I am, you know somebody loves you if they sniff your pits for you. ;) The Natural crystal spray mentioned by someone else works well for me, the solid crystal leaves chalky pits, dusting powder leaves powdery pits and with all, on really hot days gotta wipe down the pits at least once and re-apply. Sometimes there's a trade off for going natural. Good luck on your quest. --------------------------------- If you are avoiding anti-persperants, then you'll probably have to resign yourself to the fact that whatever deoderant you try *will* have to be reapplied during the day (since you're not trying to stop the sweat), maybe more on really hot days or when you dance. -------------------------------- Just seems like in my searches, I can't seem to find a natural deoderant with a safe anti-persperant as well. ---------------------------------- WoW this post got BIG! Guess it's all the sweaty people... ------------------------- I just found "Nourish" at my local grocery store. They also have a website(yhst-74174172543537.stores.yahoo.net/nourish.html). The ingredients are all organic (see below). I've tried it for a week or two now and I really like it. It works through a whole work day (I do reapply before going to the gym, dance class, etc. just to be on the safe side). Also, even though I shave everyday, I have not suffered any irritation. :-) I found/bought a crystal at the grocery store too, but I haven't tried it yet (I like the Nourish too much). Ingredients: Cocoa Butter*, Coconut Oil*, Beeswax*, Corn Starch*, Shea Butter*, Vegetable Protein Extract, Essential Oils of Grapefruit*, Sweet Orange* and Lime*. *Certified Organic ------------------------------------ You may not belive it, but I've been trying the colloidal silver in a spray bottle, and while I do still sweat, I don't seen to smell much. It kills the bacteria that actually cause the smell, so the sweat doesn't get the odor it usually does. Whether it would hold up to dancing 3 times a day, I don't know, but figure a quick spritz here and there would feel good anyway, and if it helps, it's absolutely natural. Zinc supplements may have been mentioned here too, I didn't see it, but that helps a lot, according to my esthetics teacher back in hair school. She was a big health nut, but she was thin and looked good, so ya can't really argue with success. ------------------------ Hey! Bo pit update! I got the Adidas aluminum free sport deodorant... WOW! WOW! Go get some, yeah? The Powder scent is a little too girly for me, so my next tube will be the other "fresh" scent. A week of using it, and I'm in love with this stuff. Finally, success - thank you to whoever posted the info about this! Copyright © 2007 Utah Street Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. |
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