http://www.care2.com/greenliving/deodorant-easy-greening.html
Deodorant: Easy Greening
By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Healthy & Green Living
In ancient Egypt, long before the cosmetics industry hijacked personal care, body odor was disguised with citrus oils and spices. By the 20th century marketers had convinced the population that social success was a stretch unless body odor was quashed. The problem is that the products promoted in this scheme may not be the best for our health.
The Issues
Body odor is the result of bacteria (naturally found on skin) which feeds on sweat. Antiperspirants work by plugging your pores with aluminum salts, blocking the route for sweat to exit your body. Deodorants don’t reduce the amount of sweat, but make the skin acidic and thus unfavorable for the odor-generating bacteria.
The problems with non-natural, commercial products start with aluminium compounds (particularly Aluminium chlorohydrate) which are easily absorbed through the skin. Aluminum compounds can accumulate in the brain and have been linked to Alzheimer’s.
Next are parabens (short for para-hydroxybenzoate) a class of preservatives widely used in cosmetics and personal care products that are being investigated for their possible role in breast cancer. Parabens mimic the activity of estrogen in the body. Since estrogen promotes the growth of breast cancer cells and a woman is eight times more likely to develop breast cancer in the part of the breast closest to the underarm, scientists are studying the connection. A 2004 study found parabens in 18 of 20 samples from breast tumors. The research is considered inconclusive in linking the use of deodorants to breast cancer, but it has sparked further studies and is enough to have us breaking out in a sweat.
And then there’s propylene glycol—a humectant originally developed as an anti-freeze. Found in many commercial deodorants and antiperspirants, it is a neurotoxin known to cause contact dermatitis, kidney damage, and liver damage. In propylene glycol’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), published by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, workers are urged to avoid skin contact with the toxic chemical as it may cause eye and skin irritation. (Yes, the same ingredient commonly used in products applied to the skin.) In addition, it states, “chronic exposure can cause gastro-intestinal disturbances, nausea, headache, vomiting, and central nervous depression.” Well alrighty then, how about some nice wholesome alternatives?:
Do-It-Yourself
In addition to using plain witch hazel, or baking soda, here are some refreshing recipes inspired by Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair by Dina Falconi (Ceres Press, 1998). These should be mixed and applied with a cotton ball.
Witch Hazel Tea Tree Double Whammy
10 drops tea tree essential oil
1 ounce of witch hazel
Ken’s Deodorant
4 ounces witch hazel
8 drops lavender essential oil
4 drops rosemary essential oil
2 drops patchouli essential oil
Woodland Deodorant
1/4 cup 80 proof vodka
1/4 cup distilled water
10 drops tea tree
16 drops cedarwood essential oil
20 drops sandalwood essential oil
Exotic Deodorant
1/4 cup 80 proof vodka
1/4 cup distilled water
10 drops geranium Egypt essential oil
10 drops patchouli essential oil
15 drops lavender essential oil
Choose Green Products
You can check the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database to see the hazard score of your current products or an alternative you might be considering. Here are a few other suggestions:
Crystal Body Deodorant is hypoallergenic, fragrance free, non-sticky, non-staining, and is made of 100% natural mineral salts with no artificial coloring or ingredients.
Avalon Organics Deodorants come from a company whose “Consciousness in Cosmetics” principle guides the formulation of all of their yummy products—for deodorant, that translates to no aluminium compounds, parabens or propyelene glycol.
Cleure Body Spray Deodorant provides 24 hours of natural deodorant protection.
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9 comments
add your comment »I finally came up with a deodorant which works (for both husband and me); it's in a bar lotion base, so can be poured into a re-used deodorant stick container:
In a microwaveable measuring cup (or double boiler)
3 T wax beads
4-6 T olive oil (more if bar dries too hard)
3 T baking soda
10 drops each EO lavender, peppermint, tea tree, & patchouli (amounts can be varied)
Microwave for 20-60 seconds or until melted
Pour into deodorant tubes (this actually made enough for 1 full sized and 1 travel bar)
This has worked so well for each of us! On the hottest days, a re-apply may be needed and sometimes I'll spray first with a lavender-peppermint alcohol spray before applying.
It's a bit wierd texturally--almost like a loofah on the pits (no need to worry about ingrown hairs though!).
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I'll try baking soda again, as it's hot. I had an allergic reaction to Tom's of Maine, Trader Joe's cotton version didn't work at all, a Zinc+water roll-on from Dr. Clark purity did nothing but whiten my armpits...I'm kind of at my wit's end because I don't want something harmful but am tired of smelling bad with all of the natural versions I've tried!
Also--the "rock" deodorants are still Alum salts, which may or may not be harmful (some claim that being a source of Aluminum is just as bad as what is in traditional deodorants, others claim that it's perfectly safe since it's paraben-free).
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Mariela, you can just take a small bowl of baking soda, add about 10 drops of essential oils. Shake. Then, if you want to spray it, take that mixture and add it to water in a spray bottle. Hope it works as well for you as it did for me.
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Derevaun, i just wanted to know how you made your mixture and what measurements you used, also does this mixture make you sweat a lot that it shows on your tshirt?? thanks again
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I have used just about every deodorant from the health food store. I have also made my own using pure essential oils and witch hazel. No matter what I always had an (armpit odor). Not stinky like body odor, but just not a neutral smell. I started using pure baking soda with some eo's added just for scent and it works better than ANYTHING I have ever made or paid for. I have stepped it up a little by putting it in a spray bottle with water and one spray per side and I'm good all day. The best testimony is I went to Asia for 8 days and it worked the whole time!
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The connection between alzheimer's and aluminum is a very old theory and has never been proven. However, it is true that what is put on your skin is absorbed, so it is good to use all natural deodorant anyway.
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Just a note...I bought Avalon Organics lemon deodorant and couldn't use it as it had a horrible smell.
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The Cleure deodorant spray we recommended was given the lowest hazard score a product can receive from the Skin Deep Database...
but that doesn't mean all Cleure products are necessarily pure!
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Did you check out the Cleure products before advertising them here?? They use FOUR parabens in their hair products. They are certainly NOT committed to safe and pure products. Tell me please, WHEN will there be truth in advertising???
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