Ever wonder how to get rid of those yellow stains left behind on virtually every white top or t-shirt you own? That is perhaps the most annoying thing and what’s worse it can’t be bleached or washed away. Those yellow stains, contrary to popular belief, is actually caused by a chemical reaction between our sweat and the chemicals in most deodorants. This just goes to show how chemicals can have reactions to our bodies natural chemicals too.
Deodorants are one of those things we use on a regular basis without giving it much thought. But honestly, what is there to think about? A deodorant does, well, deodorize odors, right? Yes, in essence that is the fact, but have we questioned the processing and ingredients in deodorants and how they interact with our arm pits?
A Brief History
The ancient Egyptians were no strangers to pleasing scents and it was integral to their culture. They bathed in perfumes and even washed their clothes in alluring scents to avoid foul odors at all costs. Fast forward to modern times and the deodorizing industry has become a highly profitable business behind this concept of minimizing body odors.
The first marketed deodorant, Mum, was patented in the late nineteenth century by an inventor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The first deodorant appeared as a cream and evolved to aerosol sprays which in those days the most popular ingredients in deodorants contained aluminum zirconium and chlorofluorocarbon propellants. These however were banned in the late 70’s by the FDA due to its suspected effects on health & the effects on the environment as a whole.
Fast forward to 2016.
Modern Concerns
Today, it seems as though the deodorant market is highly saturated with all types of deodorizers and antiperspirant.
A deodorant deodorizes odor, while an antiperspirants works by blocking the sweat glands which in turn blocks the amount of sweat from reaching the skin’s surface.
Just like in the late 70’s, concerns still linger in regards to the chemicals used in our deodorants today. Here are the most common concerning chemical ingredients & their health effects.
- Parabens: Synthetic preservative. Linked to breast cancer + Hormone disruption + reproductive issues
- Aluminum: Linked to breast cancer + Hormone disruption
- Fragrance (Phatlates): Eedocrine disruptors (may interfere, mimic or block hormones), development toxicants (can interfere with the normal development of a fetus or child), and a reproductive toxicant (can harm the reproductive system)
Alternatives to Consider
“As you might guess, the underarm lymphatic networks perform lymph filtering of nearby tissues, including the hands, arms and chest region. In fact, the lymph nodes in the armpit are often the first place that cancer cells spread to outside the breast, in the case of breast cancer.” -Silver Botanicals
Our body’s lymphatic system is very delicate and crucial to fighting off diseases by keeping our immune system properly regulated and protected. So anything you apply to your skin, especially along those delicate glands can cause major disruptions within that system. There has also been direct links to breast cancer and the aluminum in deodorants considering the proximity between our breasts and armpits.
Below are some of my favorite all natural, Aluminum Free Deodorant brands
I’ve tried Nubian Heritage for the past 6 months and I’m almost out and excited to try new brands. It has also been eye opening to me how something we take for granted can be so toxic to our health. I finally don’t deal with razor burns or dryness as I used to and will give up conventional deodorants for good.
Sources:
Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal-Care Products Endanger Your Health – By Samuel S. Epstein
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.