A quick read on all things deodorant and safety

Sometimes I stink and that's okay. A look at the ingredients in deodorant, usage and alternatives.

Key takeaways

1. Reduce the amount of time that you have deodorant on your skin (sweat allows your body to remove toxins so avoid when sick, working out or if you are just alone)

2. Review the ingredients in your deodorant

3. Try a DIY recipe (coming next) if you find buying a safe deodorant to be too expensive

Maybe we are past the initial shock when scientists started making a connection between deodorant and the rise of breast cancer and now consumers have subsided and again trust that the deodorant lining the shelves is safe. That we have identified the problem and can move on in peace. What strikes me is that deodorant is regulated as an over-the-counter (OTC) drug because of its ingredients but unlike other OTC pharmaceuticals deodorant lacks any type of usage instructions about what age it is safe for, how long should I wear it and how many days in a row is okay. Without this important information the consumer is left to feel that the product is safe at any age, and to apply any amount and wear it for however long- for every single hour to every single day. While I couldn’t find in the literature that a study has assessed the length of deodorant use, my assumption is that most people put on deodorant in the morning and have it on all day.

Why do we sweat? 

We sweat to regulate the body’s core temperature. Stress, anxiety, exercise, diet, and illness can all trigger us to begin producing this initially odorless liquid made up of water, electrolytes and proteins. How much we sweat and the odor that is a result of microbes and bacteria on the skin is what makes sweat start to have an odor. 

What is in deodorant? 

There are 3 primary active ingredients in deodorant

• Antiperspirant- this works to actually plug the sweat gland and before the connection to breast cancer these were almost always an aluminum salt. 

• Deodorant- a chemical that masks the smell of bacteria and microbes that form in the warm and moist environment of the underarm. 

• Preservatives- these are to keep it shelf stable but also for a stick deodorant have to be working to keep fungus and bacteria growing after you apply it. 

Grab your current deodorant and lets do a review! The ingredients in deodorant and potential health impacts.

Use	Chemical(s)	Would I use it?
Antiperspirant- forms a plug on the sweat gland	Aluminum based ingredients (aluminum salts, aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum sesquichlorohydrate, aluminum bromide, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrate, and aluminum lactate	Absolutely not! Breast cancer, Alzheimer’s. Prepubescent children should never use it.
Fragrance	Can be composed of parabens if a specific essential oil isn’t listed I would avoid these products	Absolutely not! Parabens have been linked to thyroid issues, infertility and severe endocrine dysfunction in the body.
Fragrance:Essential oils	Limonene (citrus scent) and linalool (lavender scent)	Yes!  Not a known risk for health risks but could cause skin irritation. They are from the same chemical group so if one bothers you there is a strong chance the other will as well.
Carrier	Ethanol (Alcohol the same structure as what you drink for happy hour)	Yes! All alcohols pose a minor health risk for the chance of DNA damage.
Carrying/ Antimicrobial	Propylene Glycol	Yeah (but will be monitoring).  Toxicologist’s extensively tested this and found that in deodorant it is nontoxic. However if it is mixed with a compound that allows it to penetrate the skin that would pose a health risk. Toxic Free Future has completely different information that I couldn't find a source for review.
Antimicrobial	Ethyllauryl arginate hydroxychloride	Yes! Sounds like a great chemical for this use, couldn’t find for sale for individuals but would use if I purchased deodorant. It is hydrolyzed rapidly in the body and have a very high antimicrobial properties.
Antimicrobial	octoxyglycerin, 2-ethylhexylglycerin,	Yes.
Antimicrobial	Triiclosan	Absolutely not! Currently up in the air but thought to contribute to thyroid issues, skin cancer and antibiotic resistance.
Antimicrobial	Quaternary Ammonium salts	Avoid, but it is hard.  The health impacts of these are currently being debated but they can cause irritation to the skin. I have been getting irritated by these conditioners, so I personally avoid.
Odour absorbs	Sodium acid carbonate (baking powder), Zinc Carbonate Talc (baby powder)	Yes, to baking soda!  Absolutely not for Talc! After the baby powder and asbestos contamination.

I need to have a quick call out for parents that you need to be careful with your children’s deodorant. There is an elevated risk of causing long-term negative health impacts in a child if they are exposed to endocrine disrupting chemicals (chemicals that interfere with their hormones) before puberty. I can only say what I would do as a parent and it would be to make this simple at home recipe that will help them mask odor and I would accept that they might be a little stinky at home and have them wash their underarms when they get home from school. 

Recommended Dosage 

Sometimes I stink and I think that’s okay. I strategically choose when I want to wear deodorant, in the office, at a gathering of friends, yes please, but when I get home I wash my underarms to remove it from my skin. If it’s just me working from home for the day I skip the deodorant and just wash my underarms before my family arrives or if I have to run a quick errand. Get ready for the cringe. I do not wear deodorant to work out. I always plan to shower after fitness or at least wipe the pitties down so I let my body sweat naturally. Lastly, if I am sick, sweat can expel toxins from our body so when I am fighting a cold or even I just had surgery after I did not’ wear deodorant so my body could naturally release what it needed to without interference. I just would a few times a day using a mild soap and washcloth wash my armpits to help keep the smell away. 

Part 2: DIY Spray Deodorant

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