Should You Be Using Natural Deodorant?

 

Yes to Charcoal Lavender Natural Charcoal Deodorant vs Schmidt’s Rose and Vanilla Natural Deodorant Review

 

It is no secret natural deodorant is becoming more and more popular.

Being mindful about what you put on your skin and in your body are key factors in determining your overall health. So, it goes without saying that you should be mindful of the products you use and the ingredients in them.

Natural deodorants have received more attention and notoriety as society has become aware of harmful ingredients in more traditional forms of underarm protection.

I, for one, can say learning about the harmful ingredients in some products prompted me to take the plunge to try a few natural deodorants.

To be frank, my first experience with natural deodorant was quite disappointing as the product I used did not meet any of my expectations or the product claims. Initially, that experience hampered my interest in trying natural deodorants for a while. But over time I changed my mind because I knew my body deserved the best care I could give.

Disclaimer: Everyone may not be interested in natural deodorants and that is totally understandable. In no way am I saying my health journey is better than anyone’s whose practices are not my own. My experience, reviews, and opinions are just that…my own. They are firmly based on my own values and desired outcomes. Also, affiliate links may be used within this text.

So, I sought out to give natural deodorant another try due to my desire to use natural products, support companies that value customer safety and the low-key product junkie in me!

 

Pros and Cons of Using Natural Deodorant

Photo by Godisable Jacob from Pexels

 

Before I get into my experience using natural deodorants, I want to acknowledge some common misconceptions that may deter you from wanting to try natural deodorant out for yourself.

Common Misconceptions

 

1.  It doesn’t work

Every product will not work for everyone. You may expect products to work right away, but this will not always be the case. Like with any other beauty products everyone’s experience will vary. The only way to know for sure is to try it out yourself.

 

2. It will damage or irritate my skin

 

You may have heard several horror stories about someone who’s skin reacted negatively to natural deodorants. These stories can be scary. Also, they can make you not want to try them out but the best way to avoid this outcome is to do a patch test. Once, your skin passes the patch test try the product out for a couple of days while continuing to pay close attention to your skin. If you notice any drying, peeling or irritation then stop use as the product may not be for you. It is important to keep in mind that many natural deodorants have essential oils in them and other ingredients such as baking soda which may irritate sensitive skin.

 

3. You should detox your underarms before using

 

There are many articles that explain how to detox your underarms. Some of the methods seem time-consuming and intense while others I am honestly not sure about. I did not choose to detox my underarms using any remedies I found online. Instead, I decided to forgo using my routine deodorant product for a few days. I also made sure to exfoliate under my arms before trying any natural deodorant brand. I want to mention I started testing both products out while it was cool outside. So, I was not perspiring much, nor did I have much body odor.

 

Natural Deodorants to try

 

Types of Underarm Protection: Deodorants vs Antiperspirants

Deodorants

  • Deodorants are meant to mask natural body odor caused by sweat and bacteria

 

  • The right deodorant should work with your body’s natural odor by producing a pleasant and subtle smell whenever you sweat.

Antiperspirants

  • Antiperspirants inhibit your body from sweating by blocking sweat glands. This lessens the amount of sweat a person my experience.

 

  • One of the main active ingredients in antiperspirants is aluminum. Aluminum has been linked to cancer among other health concerns. You can read more about this here.

In order to manage your expectations of natural deodorants, there are a few things you should and should not expect

 

You should expect natural deodorants to

 

  1. Have quality, safe and natural ingredients
  2. Have a pleasant smell
  3. And be easy to use

 

 

You should not expect natural deodorants to

 

  1. Have all natural ingredients
  2. Stop you from sweating
  3. Be perfect

 

Bad Rep of Natural Deodorants

At times, it seems like natural deodorants get a bad rep because people expect them to act as antiperspirants. But as we now know they are not. So, if you plan to use a natural deodorant with the expectation of it curing your sweatiness you may want to try antiperspirant instead.

 

Okay, now that all that is out of the way lets get into the details and review. After all, I know that is why you are here 😊.

 

Below you will find my review and experience using two natural deodorants: Yes to Charcoal Lavender Scented Charcoal Natural Deodorants and Schmidt’s Rose and Vanilla Natural Deodorant

 

Yes to Charcoal vs Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant Claims

Claims of Natural Deodorant

 

My experience using Yes to Charcoal Lavender Natural Deodorant

I had no problem when applying this product as it went on smoothly. In fact, I loved the application process and the texture of this deodorant. However, this product took a while to dry. To work around drying time, I decided to apply right after I showered or at least 30 mins to an hour before I left my house to make sure it was completely dry. If you are not someone who applies deodorant last, in your routine, this may not matter much to you, but deodorant is one of the last things I apply to avoid transfer from my body to my clothes. So, drying time is important to me.

While I really wanted to love this product, I could not get over how ineffective it was at masking my body’s natural odor. Initially, I could smell the product working in the morning. However, this only lasted a couple of hours. So, if you want to try this product out you may want to reapply it a few times throughout the day to get your desired results.

While the smell did not last very long, I can say this deodorant scent is very calming and relaxing. If you love fresh clean scents you will love this scent of the Yes to charcoal natural deodorant. The smell is not overpowering so it is perfect for the office or for individuals who may be sensitive to scent due to allergies or headaches.

Overall, I would say this deodorant was light in every sense of the term (scent, application, weight, and efficiency). I think it would most likely work best for individuals with sensitive skin.

 

 

My experience using Schmidt’s Rose and Vanilla Natural Deodorant

Initially, I noticed the application of this product was rough which was very annoying and discouraging. However, I quickly learned you must warm the product up before applying it if you want a smoother application. Although, I noticed with continual use this was not always necessary.

This deodorant smells amazing and the smell lasted throughout the day. I used this product while conducting field research this summer. There was one instance when I was in the field and could not help but notice a faint warm smell with a hint of rose. I found myself looking around to see if there was a plant or individual where the smell could be coming from until I realized I applied the deodorant that morning smh. All I could do was smile as I realized it was me, haha I was the one who smelt nice and that felt good!

When I first started using this deodorant I noticed some dryness under my arms. I should note that at times my skin can be sensitive to certain products. This product was no different. When I applied the deodorant twice a day, day and night, I noticed my skin became drier. To combat this issue, I decided to skip application at night (which is technically better for your skin) and I solely applied the product in the morning. Other times I would reapply every other day (I am not a heavy underarm sweater, nor do I have strong body odor). This worked and is still working for me.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience with Schmidt’s Rose and Vanilla Natural Deodorant. In my experience, it lasted the longest and smelled the best according to my preferences. However, I will say this may work best for individuals whose underarms are not very sensitive.

Okay, here is one last overview of both natural deodorants

I hope you found this review helpful! Have you tried natural deodorant? What is your favorite so far? Share in the comments down below.

 

Peace, Love, and Joy

 

~Shalanda

 

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