From baking soda to name-brand solutions, we look at all the options and tell you why you should switch over

Perspiration stoppers can seem like our best friend, and they are, when used correctly. If you’re like some of us out there who sweat profusely, the thought of not using something on our armpits to stop the odour and wetness is unthinkable and embarrassing.

However, there are drawbacks to using certain types of products that stop sweating. Namely, antiperspirant can be a dangerous substance to us. People often think that antiperspirant and deodorant are the same, but they are not. Here’s the main difference: antiperspirants actually stop you from sweating, whereas deodorants simply mask the smell.

Ok, so you’re thinking ‘well, I’d rather just not sweat to begin with, so I’ll stick with antiperspirants thank you.’ The thing is, sweating is a natural bodily function to keep you cool. So when antiperspirants stop you from sweating, what they are really doing is using chemicals, namely aluminum to clog your pores and prevent sweat from coming out. Aluminum is showing in studies to be harmful to our bodies, and is being connected to Alzheimer’s (a memory-loss disease) and breast cancer, though those studies are not yet proven. Sweat is important for more than just cooling – it’s also how your body gets rid of toxins. You should sweat often actually; it’s good for you!

Not only that, the other chemicals in non-natural deodorants are said to be harmful to adolescent development, and even babies since they can get the chemicals in the womb or from breast feeding! The chemicals are claimed to affect our hormones (from the fragrances) and even our lungs. To take it further, most deodorants and antiperspirants contain an ingredient called propylene glycol, which is a petrochemical.

But…no one likes to sweat at times when society begs us not to. Ok, we understand. However, using a natural deodorant is actually quite effective. You see, sweating is actually just water coming out of your body. It only starts to stink when bacteria sticks to the sweat, which is inevitable, because bacteria is everywhere. So using a deodorant with antibacterial properties can help kill that odour-causing bacteria to prevent embarrassing situations!

It gets better. Deodorants come in natural forms with ingredients that are actually naturally antibacterial. That’s right! Things like lavender and tea tree oil can naturally kill bacteria, and they’re harmless to our bodies! This is a great alternative to triclosan, which is an antibacterial ingredient in non-natural deodorants and antiperspirants.

There are also home remedies. Baking soda can be a lifesaver when you’re out of store-bought deodorant. All you have to do is sprinkle some on to a damp cloth and wipe it on your armpits. It might leave a stain, so be careful when wearing black!

Of course, for those of us with busy lives, it’s easier to just buy natural deodorant from the store. Luckily, supermarkets are giving us plenty of options these days! Here are some to name a few:

Crystal deodorants – These are made from potassium alum, which is different from aluminum. They’re also called salt crystals sometimes. From consumer reports we’ve heard so far, this natural remedy to stop sweat seems to work very well, and lasts forever too. If using a stone isn’t appealing to you, this type of product comes in other forms now, like sprays.

Natural deodorant sticks – brands like Tom’s of Maine, Jason, Kiss my Face, Terresentials, Avalon Organics, etc. have natural deodorants that look just like the mainstream stuff but without the chemicals. This would be a good transition product into the natural stuff. They use ingredients like tea tree oil, lavender or aloe vera to help kill that bacteria and provide a better smell for your armpits.

Baking soda deodorants – let’s not forget that Arm and Hammer makes a natural deodorant with our favourite home-remedy ingredient, baking soda.

The claim to be natural and organic

As with all things ‘natural’, be aware that there are many products out there that claim to be natural or organic, but actually are not. Or maybe only a percentage of their product is organic or natural, so they put the label on just for sales. If you are looking for a truly organic product, and you can’t tell or understand what’s in the deodorant from reading the ingredients list, you should look for a seal of certification from a third party.

Other odour-stopping natural sweat remedies:

Here are some things we’ve found that people swear by, though we can’t say we’ve tried them ourselves, so don’t take our word for it!

• Milk of Magnesia
• Baking soda mixed with ingredients such as corn starch or glycerin (to soften it), olive oil (for added moisturizer) and rosewater.
• Virgin coconut oil
• Eating super healthy (apparently going all organic, etc. has reduced the odour that comes out of some folks. The idea is that bodies produce odours because they are unhealthy, just like any other living organism starts to smell when it is going bad).
• Apple cider vinegar (you can mix it with essential oils or almond oil to help reduce the vinegar smell and to moisturize)
• Sage tea
• Lemon (this can also help people whose underarm skin gets dark after using baking soda as a deodorant)
• Vitamin C crystals (it has ascorbic acid that probably kills bacteria)
• A blend of zinc-oxide powder, witch hazel extract, aloe vera and geranium oil (this would need to be kept in the fridge)
• Vinegar

*PLEASE NOTE: Many people have testified of getting rashes and having other reactions from any or all of the above remedies. It must be that different bodies react differently to different remedies, so please be careful and not take this as a prescription to your sweat problems, but only a guide of things you can try.