I have a confession to make. I sweat a lot. For reals. (Grey t-shirts in summer? Hells no!) For a long time the only antiperspirant I would wear was by Rexona because it really did stop me sweating. But did you know that conventional antiperspirant is one of the worst products you can put on your body?
Conventional antiperspirants contain high levels of aluminium compounds which seep into your pores and block up your sweat glands. These blocked sweat glands may then cause odour-producing bacteria to grow on the skin, which can actually give you bad BO.
And even worse than bad BO are the concerns that aluminium may cause breast cancer as it has an oestrogenic effect on the body, and may also be linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
But this is just the start. The fragrances and preservatives used in antiperspirants and deodorants contain allergens that commonly cause asthma and skin irritations, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde, which is not only toxic to the skin, respiratory, reproductive, and nervous system, but has been officially recognised as a carcinogen.
In fact, formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing ingredients have actually been banned or restricted for use in cosmetics in a number of countries for these reasons, but not in Australia or the USA.
What the hell??? (The implications surrounding this issue are a whole other story…)
Luckily, there are some natural, chemical-free, safe deodorants out there. Granted, they don’t completely stop you sweating but I’ve come to realise that sweat is not the enemy. It should be your friend as it is your body’s way of cooling itself down, and some studies suggest that sweating can help eliminate toxins from the body. These deodorants do, however, fully stop you stinking. As you’d hope. Want to know my favourite natural deodorant? I’ve reviewed it here!
Jem xx