The theme of the day: How to choose an effective deodorant that respects your skin as much as the environment?

Did you know that we produce on average ½ liter of sweat per day…
Fortunately for us, deodorants are here! Yes, but…
If we told you that your deodorant could be dangerous, you would look at us with round eyes and wonder if we are really serious !?
And of course, you wouldn't consider 1 second to go without!

Of course not, but it is nevertheless essential to be vigilant. The skin of our armpits is fragile and the composition of deodorants can attack it or even be extremely harmful to our health!

VS Deodorant. Antiperspirant?

What question is the same? Well no !

Indeed, we use the term "deodorant" to designate anything that we put under the armpits and sometimes we can even read on the label "deodorant - antiperspirant".
But the 2 categories of products are very different, both in their composition and their action. And that changes everything!

• Deodorants mask odors without blocking the natural process of perspiration. They fight bacteria in the skin, which are responsible for unpleasant odors.
• Antiperspirants reduce the amount of sweat emitted, which prevents the formation of sweat odors. They contain aluminum salts which will clog the sweat glands (the ones that secrete sweat)

So which one to favor?

It all depends on your body, your allergic sensitivity and your level of sweating.

We would of course recommend a deodorant that respects the natural process, but if your perspiration is excessive, an antiperspirant may sometimes be necessary.

However, it is important to know the components of each other to choose your deodorant or antiperspirant knowingly ...

Like any cosmetic widely distributed in supermarkets, deodorants and antiperspirants contain different substances that can be harmful : paraben, triclosan, aluminum salt and various alcohols ...

We know well paraben and triclosan which are endocrine disruptors (besides, we wrote an article about this) . And certain denatured alcohols (“alcohol denat” on the label) which provide the freshness effect, are irritants.

Components to avoid

Aluminum Salts

What is this? Metal!

THE controversial COMPONENT you have all heard of: aluminum salts .
They are present in about 80% of anti- sweaty.

Aluminum salts trap sweat and tighten the pores of the skin. They penetrate the skin barrier, enter the body and attach themselves to organs and tissues.
We have no real proof of their harmful nature but they are suspected of promoting breast cancers , neurodegenerative diseases and causing anemias and bone damage .
Obviously, a certain threshold must be reached, but while the recommendations of the ANSM (National Medicines Safety Agency) are not to exceed 0.6%, some antiperspirants contain 20%!
So as a precaution, it is better to do without! At least, do not apply them to freshly shaved or depilated skin because the product penetrates through microcracks

Then you are probably wondering, why are they still used if they are so dangerous?
And good because they are very effective against perspiration and, a major advantage for manufacturers: they are inexpensive!

How to identify them?

On the labels, they appear under the following terms: Aluminum hydrochloride, Aluminum Chloride, Aluminum Chlorhydrex, Aluminum Sesquichlorohydrate, and Aluminum Zirconium Trichlorohydrex GLY.

Conclusion

Avoid using an antiperspirant that contains aluminum salts (complicated since 80% are concerned!)

Propylparaben

From the paraben family, this compound is used as a preservative.
Present in the list of endocrine disruptors suspected of strongly regulating the hormonal system, we avoid choosing a composition comprising it.

Cyclopentasiloxane

Same as his sidekick propylparaben, except he is from the silicone family.

Triclosan

Very effective antibacterial agent, this molecule is strongly suspected of reducing reproductive capacities, among other things…

The stone of Alum

She's all the rage right now, and at least she's natural!
Yes, originally it is a mineral found in deposits of the earth's crust in the Andes and Mediterranean countries.
After discovering the harmful effects of aluminum salts, there was a buzz around it.
So, is this translucent stone the right alternative? Well, we're going to disappoint you, not that much ...!

It regulates sweat and leaves a light odorless anti-bacterial layer, of course.

It can be natural ( potassium alum ) but more often often synthetic (ammonium alum ) and in both cases, it is still a derivative of aluminum ...
Its toxic potential is still debated. There is no way out ! If in doubt, we prefer not to use it.
One clarification: it is sold as a deodorant and not an antiperspirant.

So there you are definitely desperate ...

Solution: Natural deodorant

Rest assured, there are of course healthy solutions!
First of all, you have understood it, we choose a deodorant (with neutral pH if possible, to limit the risk of irritation) rather than an antiperspirant and without components harmful to health or the environment.

Preferred ingredients

So, we adopt the deodorants composed of natural ingredients that we see on the labels:

Vegetable oils, waxes and butters: shea butter, coconut oil, candellila wax, carnauba, etc .
Powders: such as baking soda or clay
Vegetable hydrosols: hamamelis, sage, etc.
Essential oils: palmarosa, tea tree, noble laurel, lavender, rose, peppermint , l avandin etc.

Do you think that organic or natural deodorants are less effective?
Not at all, their formulas are evolving They absorb sweat with their powder base and the cleansing and perfuming properties of their essential oils are very popular.

Preferred shapes

Prefer solid deodorants or in the form of balms , economical and more ecological packaging . And anyway, ban highly polluting aerosols and asthma-causing.

And for our planet?

Even today, the majority of deodorants are packaged in plastic packaging.
The production of plastic is a process requiring the use of non-renewable natural resources : petroleum, natural gas or coal.

Then, even if plastic is recyclable, it is only in theory!
In France only certain types of plastics are recycled, and the process is very long, very expensive and requires the consumption of a lot of energy.

In addition, the plastic of the packaging contains substances and non-biodegradable toxic particles , added during production, which, when discarded, infiltrate into the water and soil, and remain toxic for several tens or even hundreds of years.

To combat this scourge, healthy and ecological deodorants are booming, there are some in particular in solid form with minimalist packaging, to be applied with the fingers.
An interesting alternative, but not always very easy in terms of daily use, especially for those who are new to natural cosmetics ... Ditto, when you do not have access to a tap to wash your hands, this can be restrictive ...

There are also some deodorants natural (healthy), ecological (recyclable) AND practical by their packaging in a tube, easy to use.
We advise you to take a look at the new deodorants Les Petits Prödiges : The 1st dedorant in a biodegradable tube, 100% natural, vegan & Made in France.

Effective, it naturally neutralizes odors, absorbs humidity, and is suitable for all skin types, while being super practical with a tube and its push-up system that releases the "balm-deodorant ".

The +? The tube is recyclable (yellow bin) and even biodegradable.

They contain ingredients of exclusively natural origin: Shea Butter, Arrow Root Powder, Sunflower Oil, Carnauba Wax, Candelilla Wax, Oil of Coconut, Sodium Bicarbonate, Magnesium Hydroxide, Lavandin Essential Oil and Vitamin E.

In addition, there is something for all tastes and desires with three different scents:

Lemon & Bergamot : An exotic zest with Lemon and Bergamot Essential Oil.
Cotton Flower : Very soft with a fragrance of 100% natural Cotton Flower.
Charcoal & Eucalyptus : For a little freshness with Powder of Charcoal and Eucalyptus Essential Oil.

I CRACK

In summary :

We opt for a deodorant rather than an antiperspirant because of the aluminum salts, we drop the Alum stone and we rush to the solutions natural products or "home made" for the bravest.

To make your choice, you can use some applications such as Yuka, INCI Beauty and Clean Beauty! Besides, we compared these tools for you, here is what to remember from these 3 applications !

Here we are, we hope that this theme will help you make more conscientious choices for you and our beloved planet, you have to dare to take the step because science works wonders! Even 100% natural ..!

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