Aluminum is one of the main ingredients in deodorant and has faced some harsh reports lately about its safety. Some sources warn that aluminum is absorbed through the skin in the armpit and is absorbed into breast tissue causing breast cancer, although the National Cancer Institute says that no clear evidence has been found proving this. There’s also lots of talk that using aluminum products also causes Alzheimer’s Disease, but again, there isn’t conclusive evidence. Many Alzheimer’s experts did say that although there isn’t any hardcore evidence, it is not outside the realm of possibility and if avoiding aluminum makes you feel safer, to do so. Many cited that lots of products are advertised as completely safe only to be recalled or banned a few years later. Asbestos, anyone? Being safe, rather than sorry, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
For me personally, the desire to limit my usage of aluminum products stems from that being one of the heavy metals I’m poisoned with (I’ll test next week to see if we got rid of it all!). Since we don’t know the actual source of the aluminum in my system, I have to look at the things I use on a regular basis that might be the culprit. This brings me to my deodorant. If changing my deodorant means a greater chance that I won’t get to such a sick, fragile, and scary place again, I’m all for it! So, the search began…
First I tried The Body Shop’s DeoDry™ Dry-Effect Deodorant Fresh & Floral Roll On ($8). It’s a liquid deodorant that boasts of full 24 hour protection, in addition to being paraben and aluminum free. I liked the floral scent- not too girly or too strong, but the scent wasn’t enough to keep me happy with all the negatives I found. I stayed dry and didn’t have any white marks on my clothes, but it didn’t last anywhere near 24 hours. I had to keep it in my bag to reapply a couple times throughout the day, and I still had to do body odor (BO) checks on the sly to make sure I didn’t need to apply again. I also had a hard time putting it on after shaving my armpits in the shower. It burned so much I shouted expletives each morning when I put it on. One roommate thought this was pretty funny. The other seemed a bit uncomfortable with the way I started the morning. Needless to say, this wasn’t a winner for me. So I moved on.
I decided to try The Body Shop’s same deodorant in the solid form ($8). They were out of the “fresh & floral” scent, so I bought the “chilled & breezy” stick. I didn’t scream bad words when I put this one on, but I still felt like I had to constantly smell myself and reapply way more than any normal person should. I got so tired of reapplying I decided, again, to move on.
When my friend and I went to Native Roots Market for shopping phase #1, I bought Queen Helene’s Tea Tree Oil Deodorant Stick ($3.74). At this point, I feel I should tell you that I’m not an overly critical person. However, I really don’t want to spend money on a product that isn’t working for me. Once I found that Queen Helene’s deodorant (also paraben & aluminum free) needed to be reapplied constantly and left lots of white marks on my shirts, I could safely say that it wasn’t the product for me either. I started wondering if I had abnormally smelly armpits, or if the aluminum was what made deodorant work in the first place. Was it hopeless to find an aluminum free deodorant that worked for me?
In a last attempt I bought Tom’s Long Lasting Deodorant Stick (about $4) at Target. I smelled all the scents in the Tom’s line before purchasing one to make sure I picked the best one. I decided on Apricot. I’m not usually a fruity scent kind of person, but I really liked this one. Turns out, it wasn’t just the smell I liked. This deodorant completed my search. It promises 12 hour protection, and I can honestly say for me it works about 10 hours. It never burns when I put it on, it doesn’t stain my shirts or leave white marks on them, and I know I am not adding aluminum back into my system after working so hard to get it out. Hands down, this is one of the best deodorants I’ve ever used, and it’s definitely the safest. I even made my mom try it, and I’m happy to report she’s using it and recommending it to her friends too.
It’s hard work trying to change your life for the better, but it gets a little easier when you know that you never have to stop and check for B.O.- that your deodorant’s got you covered.
