Why You Should Switch To Aluminum-Free Deodorants

Needless to say, you are more or less familiar with deodorants or deos. Their job is to keep your underarm odor-free. Deodorants come in many forms, such as sticks, sprays, tubs, etc. You may have also heard of antiperspirants. Antiperspirants are also a kind of deodorant with the exception of having aluminum in them. But why aluminum? What’s so special about aluminum? 

The aluminum in antiperspirants is an aluminum base salt called Aluminum Chlorohydrate. This ingredient in antiperspirant is used to control sweat as well as body odor. Good thing, right? However, more and more people are switching to aluminum-free deodorants these days. But why? Let’s understand how does aluminum-free deodorants work and why it’s a good idea to embrace them.

Why Is Aluminum Chlorohydrate Used In Deodorants?

Aluminum Chlorohydrate in deodorants is used to reduce wetness on the skin. The base salt deposits in the sweat glands, blocking sweat from reaching the surface of the skin. The salt doesn’t actually make you sweat less but keeps your underarms nice and dry by sealing the pores temporarily. 

Why Do Aluminum-Based Deos Get The Bad Rep?

There are a number of reasons why people are ditching aluminum-based deodorants. It’s because antiperspirants may cause Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer.

According to Dr. Elizabeth Comen, numerous studies demonstrated that patients with Alzheimer’s have an increased count of aluminum deposition in their brains. However, this doesn’t mean that the aluminum is necessarily coming from the usage of antiperspirant.

There’s a retrospective study that suggests that there is an earlier age for breast cancer diagnosis with patients who use aluminum antiperspirants more frequently. However, the study is deemed inconclusive as there is no evidence to back this up. Other studies look at the occurrence of breast cancer in the upper quadrant of the breast near the underarm to understand if it’s related to antiperspirant usage.

In short, there is no substantial evidence that aluminum-based antiperspirants have harmful effects on the skin. With that said, breast cancer or not, we shouldn’t take chances. It’s probably better to switch to aluminum-free before it can do more harm than good.

What Does Aluminum-Free Deodorant Mean?

Aluminum-free or natural deodorants are made of non-toxic and skin-friendly chemicals that aim to fight odor and absorb sweat as a regular aluminum-based deo does. Natural deodorants are much more preferable because they are composed of naturally derived ingredients. 

Aluminum-Free Deodorants Benefits

So, should you switch to natural deos or not? Here are a couple of pointers to consider before you make up your mind.

1. It’s safe to use

Suffering from skin problems such as rashes, inflammation, allergies, or dermatitis? You should switch to gentler ingredients. Natural deodorants consist of naturally-derived chemicals that won’t hurt your skin. Antiperspirants have a negative effect on the human microbiome, the naturally occurring microbes that are beneficial for our skin. Strong alcohol in the deodorants can trigger the skin furthermore.

2. It doesn’t stain clothes

Aluminum in the antiperspirant is responsible for causing stains. When aluminum mixes and gets on your clothing, it oxidizes and leaves a dark stain behind, which can be pretty difficult to remove. Natural deodorants don’t contain aluminum, so you don’t need to be bothered with stains at all. But some aluminum-free deos do stain. This is because they contain substances like baking soda or talc. So, it’s best to avoid natural deodorants that include these.

3. It can control sweat

A misconception revolving around aluminum-free deodorants is that they can’t control sweat. This statement holds no truth at all! Modern natural deodorants can actually control sweat even without incorporating metal salts. Ingredients like starch, arrowroot powder, etc., can effectively absorb sweat without leaving behind the stains. These natural ingredients might not entirely give you a sweatless feel because they won’t clog your sweat glands; however, they are pretty doable.

4. Allows healthy sweating

And lastly, our body functions systematically. You may think sweat is nothing but a product of excretion; you are wrong! Our body produces sweat to get rid of the toxins it produces. Not only that but pollution and toxic consumption are flushed out by the body via sweat glands. If our sweat glands stop working, our body will become a haven for these toxins, which will eventually harm us. So, by unclogging the glands, you are doing your body a great favor!

Natural Deodorants We Suggest

1. Native 

You’ve probably heard of social media influencers and a few YouTubers endorsing Native deodorants. It’s that good! They test the ingredients before finding the perfect recipe that feels light and doesn’t irritate your skin, providing long-lasting protection against odor. Native deodorants are free of aluminum, phthalates, and fragrances. Another reason to love and use Native is they don’t test their products on animals. 

2. Schmidt’s Lilly Of The Valley 

Not only aluminum, but Schmidt’s Lily of the Valley is also free from baking soda. This means that you can bid farewell to dark stains. The deodorant has a natural floral scent with essential oils that lingers for a long time. This award-winning deodorant suits both women, men, and kids. A must-have product for sensitive skin. Just two swipes, and you are good to go!

3. Schmidt’s Lavender & Sage

Another gem from Schmidt’s you can afford to miss! This vegan formula contains no aluminum salts, artificial fragrance, filler ingredients, propylene glycol, phthalates, or parabens. The deo stick is made from natural essential oils of Lavender and Sage and provides protection against body odor all day.

Wrapping Up

Let’s go through what we have learned today from today’s topic. We have explained why aluminum-free deodorants exist and the benefits of using them. As for the deos suggested, make sure you visit our online shop at Wellness Vibes to buy them. 

That’s it for today. Let us know why you like aluminum-free deos and why you don’t. We love to hear from you, so don’t hesitate to write to us. On that note, we are ending today’s discussion. Hope this article has helped you. Take care!