When it comes to deodorant ingredients, some are healthier for you than others. Here are 3 that aren’t great for your skin so avoid them if you can. (Our natural deodorant does not contain them).
Baking Soda Is Not Good For Your Skin!
These days baking soda is used as a natural cleaning alternative, a fridge deodorizer or a tooth whitener. It’s also one of the most commonly used deodorant ingredients, but unfortunately, it’s not good for your skin. Baking soda works by absorbing odor and by changing the pH (the acid/alkaline balance) of your skin from slightly acidic (4.5-6.5) to highly alkalinic (8-9). This helps to kill the bacteria that causes odor, but it also kills the good bacteria that live on your skin and keep it healthy.
The pH change also disrupts the ‘acid mantle’, a fine, oily layer that sits on top of our skin and which helps to protect it from external damage. The result?
- Increased risk for skin damage and infection
- More breakouts
- More dryness and irritation including itchy, burning armpit rashes, and which may take weeks to resolve.
Caution: Baking soda free formulations made with magnesium hydroxide may be gentler but can still disrupt your skin’s pH balance and may not be as effective. Our natural deodorant doesn’t contain baking soda or magnesium hydroxide and is pH balanced with gentle and skin conditioning lactic acid.
Kaolin Clay & Potassium Alum Both Contain Aluminum
If you’re trying to avoid aluminum due to health concerns or a sensitivity, you’ll want to make sure that you stay away from products containing kaolin clay (chemical formula: Al2H4O9Si2 – aluminum, hydrogen, oxygen, silica) or potassium alum (chemical formula: KAl(SO4)2·12H2O – potassium, aluminum, sulfate, heavy water), two deodorant ingredients often found in formulations claiming to be aluminum-free. Aluminum works in anti-perspirants by plugging up your sweat glands to reduce perspiration, technically leading to less odor.
While there has been a lot of worry about the link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s Disease and breast cancer, the data shows that there is no significant link. Aluminum does however, come with other side effects including:
- Staining your clothes yellow
- Causing itchiness and skin sensitivity
Our Natural Deodorant is TRULY aluminum-free.
Parabens. Not So Good For You Deodorant Ingredients
Widely used (and highly effective), parabens are preservatives used in both food and skincare to help keep them safe from contamination that may be caused by bacteria and fungi. They’re considered safe by regulatory bodies like the FDA and Health Canada, but some studies have shown that they mimic estrogens, which have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive problems.
Most scientists consider their effect too weak to cause harm, but recent research out of Berkeley University in California suggests that more research is warranted before deeming them to be perfectly safe. Until we know for certain, all Apothekari products, including our natural deodorant, are paraben-free.
Apothekari is Formulated with Healthier Deodorant Ingredients
We’ve spent nearly two years developing our natural deodorant so that you can remain odor free without potentially harmful ingredients. In addition to being free from aluminum, parabens and baking soda, we avoid waxes, which can cause odors to linger in clothing.
Our Natural Deodorant uses enzymes to neutralize odors plus is pH balanced with lactic acid to condition skin, leaving you to smell fresh and feel clean all day! Want to learn more about our deodorants?
- Some Deodorants Are Healthier Than Others. Here’s Why
- Sweat Confidently With This Natural Deodorant
- How Our Deodorant Is Different Compared to Others
