I have known for a long time that antiperspirant is not healthy. They generally contain aluminum, which is not good for your kidneys, can lead to cancer, and so on and so forth. And it really makes sense, when you think about it, that preventing your body from doing something as natural as sweating is weird. But the thing is, I don't want to smell bad. And I'm not a huge fan of sweat stains, either. So I try not to think about the health risks involved and use it anyway.
But recently deodorant has really been bugging me. Perhaps it is partially due to the heat here. My deodorant is a little melty when I put it on, leading me to put more on, and then I have little pockets of it in the creases of my armpit. I have to scrub it off in the shower. Why is that stuff so sticky? I seriously spend more time scrubbing my armpits than doing anything else in the shower. And then, if I don't get it all off...I get the gross gray residue in between the blades of my razor. Extra gross!
So I started thinking...this stuff is bad for me anyway. There has got to be a better way. So I started doing a little research. I typed in "no deodorant," and it turns out...a lot of people have been thinking like me! There are solutions as simple as just using baking soda or lemon juice to eliminate the odor. I do still want to address the sweat issue, seeing as temperatures will be getting into the 80s this week. So I found people suggesting mixing cornstarch with baking soda...one for the smell, one for the sweat! Genius!
I just mixed up a batch of homemade deodorant I found a recipe for on a blog called "Tammy's Recipes." It is 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and 5 tbsp coconut oil. I haven't used it yet, but I'll tell you one thing...it smells delicious! I want to eat it! I will keep you updated on how it works!
Day One: I have probably done the sniff check 25 times today. But every time, the only thing I smell is coconut! Yum! I did start to perspire a little bit after about seven hours, but this was after spending my lunch hour at a barbecue in at least 75 degree weather. And I still don't stink! And it has been nearly eleven hours now. Let's see how well this stuff holds up this weekend in hotter temperatures and with more action!
One Week: A whole week of homemade deo, and I am loving it! I do perspire a little bit more than I did with normal, aluminum-laden, carcinogenic antiperspirant, but I don't stink! And I really do love that I don't have a bunch of gunk sticking to my armpits when I shower. It's just oil, so it comes off so easily! I think it's safe to say that I'm sticking with the homemade deodorant for the foreseeable future! Yay!
My new deodorant!
Here's the website where I found the recipe I used: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/homemade_deodorant_recipe
And here's a little more information on the health risks of deodorant: http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/underarm-care/tips/is-antiperspirant-toxic.htm
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