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Do you ever wonder if those “natural” deodorants work? I remember a time in my life when I’d rather not sweat and use antiperspirants than mess with some weird natural or hippy body care product.
And then I started down this path to a more natural and simple life. It started in my kitchen, moved into my laundry and cleaning supplies, then to my critters, and now into our personal body care products.
If you do research on the internet, you’ll find a study for just about anything and everything. Trust me, I’ve gone crossed eyed looking things up until the wee hours of the morning. From the research I’ve done, I believe the less chemicals or processed things we use, the better.
If I can’t pronounce a name of a ingredient or I don’t know what it is, then why should I feel safe putting it on my body? Our skin does an amazing job of absorbing things and we need to be careful what we expose ourselves to day after day.
Aluminum- this gets mixed reviews on if it does or doesn’t cause cancer or Alzheimer’s disease. It’s the main ingredient in antiperspirant’s and it blocks your glands from sweating. Some of the studies suggest it doesn’t cause cancer, but I’m not willing to take the chance.
Plus, the assurance from the FDA, well, I’m less likely to trust the FDA’s decision on anything safe for us after their repeated promise that GMO’s aren’t show to be harmful and continuing to lift the “safe” threshold of pesticides on our food, meaning more and more is okay. So the FDA says it okay doesn’t hold much sway with me.
Parabens- used as preservatives in many cosmetics and some anti-perspirants. They mimic estrogen, may increase cancer risk, and linked to early puberty in girls.
Propylene Glycol- a synthetic liquid substance that absorbs water. It’s also used in paint solvents and plastic. It affects the skin, kidneys, urinary and respiratory system.
Fragance- Can be a mix of synthetic chemicals (considered a trade secret, so they don’t have to disclose the ingredients) including neurotoxins and allergens.
Did that just give you chills, and not in a good way? It did me. No longer was the glammer of not sweating worth all of that.
Antiperspirant’s keep us from sweating, where as deodorants are supposed to keep our sweat from stinking.
I tried an all natural deodorant from Tom’s. I felt wet under my arms the moment of application and despite it’s “honeysuckle” scent, I swear it smelled like a cat sprayed under my arms after about three hours. I honestly asked my co-worker if he smelled it, and he said no, but I think he was just to polite to tell me I reeked. Regardless, after only 4 hours of working in a temperature controlled room, I was sweaty and stinky. Total fail.
Determined not to give up, because us homesteaders don’t give up easy, I decided to look around a bit more. I’ve come across a lot of homemade deodorants, and I make a lot of things at home, from almost all of our cleaners and food, but I only have so many hours in a day so I have not made a homemade deodorant yet.
And then I found Truly’s all natural deodorant. It had some of my favorite ingredients in it, organic coconut oil, powdered sugar (it’s antimicrobial ya know), and baking soda.
But still, did it work?
Truly’s offered to send me some to try for free and I took them up on their offer. The catch, both me and my husband had to try it… Now, I’m all for trying things, especially natural, but my husband, his thoughts are more why mess with something if it’s doing it’s job just fine.
But, after begging convincing him to give it a try, he begrudgingly agreed.
His first comment, “It’s not in a stick? It’s cream, how’s that supposed to work?” But he put it on anyways.
My first comment, “It goes on like a cream but it drys to a powder. I’m not sticky like the other one!!”
It promises to keep you odor free for 24 hours, but we all know how things rarely measure up to their package promise, right? This one did. Really, truly.
We wore it to work, wore it around the house, while working out, and I never smelled anything. My husband works as a sawyer cutting guitar tops, taking care of our seven cows, and the rest of the critters here on the homestead. After three days he said, “I’m surprised, I even sweated in church and it still worked.”
Because I live in the Pacific Northwest, I wasn’t sure how it would hold up to hot temperatures and real sweat.
Well, we had a record breaking 92 degree day May 1st this year. And because I’m dedicated to testing things for ya’ll I headed outdoors to transplant twenty three tomato plants on our back deck in the hottest part of the day. It was hot. Like sweat dripping down your body hot, like nasty I should be stinking to high heaven hot.
But guess what? Can you guess? Okay, I won’t keep you in suspense, my underarms did not stink. And as gross as this may sound (I can’t believe the things I bare on here) I did a sniff test or two. No stink! Scouts honor.
Another awesome thing, my underarm skin has never felt better. No irritation or itchiness like some of the other products we’ve used. And, Truly’s is 94% organic my friends.
My husband and I are both converts and can proudly say, “Yes, natural deodorant’s really do work!”
The only way this get’s cooler. Are you ready? Truly’s shipped me extra deodorant to giveaway for two lucky winners! ***Contest Closed***
This giveaway and review is sponsored by the awesome Truly’s.com but all opinions are my honest (and hubby’s) opinion.
You can read our full disclosure here if ya want.
Melissa K. Norris inspires people's faith and pioneer roots with her books, podcast, and blog. Melissa lives with her husband and two children in their own little house in the big woods in the foothills of the North Cascade Mountains. When she's not wrangling chickens and cattle, you can find her stuffing Mason jars with homegrown food and playing with flour and sugar in the kitchen.
