Deoderant is inherently evil.

[Shiloh Acres]

I like the rock. I had thought at first it worked as an anti-perspirant, since I stopped sweating so much after I'd used it a while. I wonder if the regular deodorants actually cause a person to sweat more, and it was because I stopped using them? Hmm ...

Most days I use nothing either. If I take a shower and get ready to go somewhere I will usually use the rock and/or the tiny bit of Kiss My Face active enzyme with lavender that I LOVE but can't seem to replace. I'm having to dig it out of the container as it is, so I guess I'll be looking into a homemade variety before summertime.

But really, I guess I just find I don't need much, and that's ok by me!

 

[Javamama]

abi farrah fowler?

I love it!

I only need to deodorize when I've been eating alot of onions. And then I have to use the powerful stuff or I offend myself So it's all or nothing for me. I've tried the more natural things and they have no effect on me.

 

[HEChicken]

I use nothing most days.

x2. I got scared off a few years ago after my mother and her sister were both diagnosed with breast cancer within 6 weeks of one another AND I read an article that theorized about a correlation between antiperspirant and breast cancer. DH has never used antiperspirant (uses deodorant only) because his grandmother always believed it was bad for you. But when I went to find a deodorant-only product for women, I found the only one available is the Tom's of Maine brand (for men there are many more options but they all have kind of a manly, after-shave sort of scent to them that I didn't like).

I still keep a bottle of Tom's of Maine around and though I don't find it as effective as an antiperspirant, its better than nothing. Most days though, I don't use anything. However right now I'm a SAHM and spend most of my time either alone or with immediate family. I use the Tom's of Maine if I'm going to be around other people, just in case.

 

[chipmunk]

I have a spray bottle of alcohol that I spritz my underarms with every morning. Been doing that for about 7 months, and haven't had a problem yet, even when I spend the day doing sweaty work.

 

[raro]

Interesting. I'm pretty sure that my breast cancer came more from things I ate plus heredity than it did from deodorant, but I've heard that, too. I don't know how you could test the theory, though.

I admit I'm really jealous of those of you who can go without deodorant/antipersperant! I sweat a lot. The only thing that keeps me from being sticky and stinky is Degree, which I am sure is full of chemicals, but other natural things I've tried just haven't worked at all.

I remember my grandmother telling me that when she was young, she was always trying to find something to help her with sweating (she grew up in Florida), and she was totally thrilled when antipersperants were invented. She said she didn't care what they were made of, if they worked she was all for it! I'd love to go without, but my students and colleagues would be complaining pretty fast, even if I showered every single day.

 

[Kala]

Ok so what is this crystal thing everyone is talking about?

 

[LovinLife]

Ok so what is this crystal thing everyone is talking about?

Wondering the same.....

 

[calendula]

Homemade deodorant is something I have been working on for the past year. I had made a mixture of baking soda, vegetable glycerine, and tea tree essential oil. It made a kind of paste that I put into a store-bought deodorant containter that I had saved. It worked out pretty well in the summer, but once winter came, the house got really dry--and so did the deodorant. It started to crumble apart, and made a mess when I tried applying it. So back to the drawing board!

I have never tried that crystal, but I've seen advertisements for it. I always assumed it wouldn't work well since I sweat a lot for some reason. Interesting though, someone brought up eliminating certain things from the diet to help with BO. I'll have to experiment with that.

 

[freemotion]

Women used to put "dress shields" in the armpits of their clothing. It was a little half-moon shaped piece of cloth that fit inside the sleeve and absorbed sweat. You used to be able to buy them at Joann's.

Antiperspirant is the part that is bad for you. It prevents sweating. Sweating is one of the main ways that our body removes toxins, and it also cools us in the heat. We need to sweat. It is healthy. A swipe of alcohol...or a spritz, like chipmunk said....will kill bacteria, too. It may be too drying for daily use for some people, though.

Deodorants are what we can make at home. We sweat, but we don't want to stink! It is bacteria that creates most of the bad odor, so antibacterial essential oils really help prevent this, like lavender and tea tree oils. Petitgrain is very deodorizing, and helps a lot, too.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

The stone or crystal is a hard block of salts. One of mine broke out of the container and the other just came with a little basket, so I don't have any labeling info anymore.

It's just a little hard block that I pass under a water stream and rub under my arms after taking a shower. The salt is supposed to kill bacteria and so prevent odor -- that's how it was explained to me. I never really looked further into it so I'm not positive that's accurate.

It works for me, though I like to use a scented lavender enzyme deodorant with it. I also stopped sweating after using it for a bit, but it might not be the cause.

If you wanna google it for more info, one brand is called "Crystone" -- I hope I spelled that right. Kal also makes one. I expect they are largely all the same, whoever makes them.