Considering ditching my crystal and returning to Antiperspirant

[CathToria]

4 years ago, I switched to natural deodorants. I was pregnant, about to be nursing again, and I wanted to do the best thing for my body and my baby through my body. I remember the 1st 3 weeks off of regular antiperspirants resulted in teh stinkiest arm pits, LOL. It has gotten better. I use the crystal every morning after my daily shower, and will sometimes refresh with a wash cloth and more crystal, or some natural lavender stick deod, or some hand gel if we are on teh go.

But I work out most days, and I live in teh South. I'm participating in more outdoor activities with my kids. And I stink . Though I am pretty "crunchy", I still like to dress and smell cute and sweet, LOL.

I'm done having babies, and my last has weaned. FWIU, I can't really choose some days to wear antiperspirant and some days to use the crystal b/c the crystal days will be super stinky. I've heard that if I go to a raw foods diet that the stink will go away, but my family and I are not ready for that right now.

Any advice for me? Will I really put myself at danger if I go buy some Secret and use it every day??? I know that I smelled better when I used it. Advice? TIA

[bygones75]

I'm with you in that the crystal didn't seem to work much. But I apply baking soda to my armpits (still damp after the shower) and it works GREAT. I only need to apply it if I get really, really sweaty towards the end of the day.

Might be something to try before you go back to antiperspirant. Good luck!

[Arduinna]

I used the crystal 20 years ago and frankly I think it's all gimmick. I've used Toms for years now and like it much better.

[amcal]

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=907210

[CathToria]

Thanks amcal. That is a good thread. INteresteing about teh alcohol, b/c if I get stinky, the alcohol gels really work. I just wonder if it's all worth it.... I mean, the Degree that I used 4 years ago just worked so much better.. all day, every day. It was so easy, adn I never stank. ... it's tempting now that no one else (pregnancy or nursling) is depending on m keeping my body pure........

[sunnysandiegan]

Originally Posted by CathToria

Thanks amcal. That is a good thread. INteresteing about teh alcohol, b/c if I get stinky, the alcohol gels really work. I just wonder if it's all worth it.... I mean, the Degree that I used 4 years ago just worked so much better.. all day, every day. It was so easy, adn I never stank. ... it's tempting now that no one else (pregnancy or nursling) is depending on m keeping my body pure........

They are still depending on you be healthy.

[jadekat]

I use Kiss My Face lavendar roll on and it works alright. I was having a few problems with "thinking" that I smelled. I even had DH smell and he said I was okay. I recently switched to Dr. Bonners lavendar bar soap and I think that is helping alot. I was using Dial for Men before. Maybe you should try to switch soaps intead of switching back to regular deo.?

[tankgirlhi]

I see someone in the other thread suggested funk butter I would like to second that. http://www.oyinhandmade.com/

I am usually ok with most of the natural deodorants but being 9 months pregnant and the hot days I had to find something stronger. It works great. I got the fig and the unscented. It takes a little getting used to applying but it works great.

[CathToria]

So.. what would I be risking by going back? Is it the alunimum in reg deods/anti persp? Alunimum can cause alzheimers? What else woudl I be risking? TIA

[jadekat]

Originally Posted by tankgirlhi

I see someone in the other thread suggested funk butter I would like to second that. http://www.oyinhandmade.com/

I am usually ok with most of the natural deodorants but being 9 months pregnant and the hot days I had to find something stronger. It works great. I got the fig and the unscented. It takes a little getting used to applying but it works great.

I ordered some the other day. It's too bad that I have to wait 2 weeks but I'm sure it's worth the wait.

[nora--not a llama]

Originally Posted by CathToria

So.. what would I be risking by going back? Is it the alunimum in reg deods/anti persp? Alunimum can cause alzheimers? What else woudl I be risking? TIA

It has also been linked to breast cancer.

This is what I use:
http://www.bubbleandbee.com/servlet/...Organic/Detail

She offers a deodorant guarantee, so you really have nothing to lose by trying it.
http://www.bubbleandbee.com/Shipping...html#deodorant

And I live in Missouri where summertime temps and humidity are INSANE, and I love this deodorant.

[His Own]

Nora,

I see that you like Pit Putty. Have you tried Funk Butter? I wonder if they have a similar consistency. The Funk Butter worked for a short while for me, then my sensitive skin rebelled, and my armpits were two fireballs. OUCH!

I think it was probably the baking soda, but I wonder of the Pit Putty might be just a tad scratchy too. And the EO's scare me (again, that rotten over-sensitive skin!) as I often react to fragrances. I tried making my own using the two main ingredients (I think it was coconut oil and arrowroot powder,) but this was completely useless. I have very little BO when I use nothing, but my concoction caused real BO. Maybe the EO's are necessary for it to be effective.

Most days I can get away with nothing, but if I feel stress or do some really hard work I can get a little whiff of something. Roll on deodorant stone works perfectly fine, but I have just a little concern about the alum being a close relative of aluminum. (I know about the too large cell size, etc., but I would prefer to find something that I KNOW is harmless.)

Cathtoria,

I hope you find something that works well for you!

[CathToria]

Thanks for the replies. I'm still using natural stuff, but the thought of me volunteering at tomorrow's swim meet in a tank top makes me want to get some Secret. Maybe I'll just apply the alcohol every 30 min or so. I don't want cancer, LOL

[nora--not a llama]

Originally Posted by His Own

Nora,

I see that you like Pit Putty. Have you tried Funk Butter? I wonder if they have a similar consistency. The Funk Butter worked for a short while for me, then my sensitive skin rebelled, and my armpits were two fireballs. OUCH!

Yep. I too tried the funk butter and it broke my underarms the hell out. It was horrible!! I haven't had any problems with any of the deodorants from Bubble & Bee; I've used the Pit Putty and the Odor Be Gone in Lemongrass Rosemary.

[amcal]

Originally Posted by CathToria

Thanks for the replies. I'm still using natural stuff, but the thought of me volunteering at tomorrow's swim meet in a tank top makes me want to get some Secret. Maybe I'll just apply the alcohol every 30 min or so. I don't want cancer, LOL

You shouldn't have to apply it every 30 minutes. I live in Phoenix - it's been in the 100s for quite a while - and I spritz once in the morning and I'm generally good all day. On super hot, active days, I may have to spritz again in the afternoon but generally, not more than 2 times a day.

[treehuggermama]

Originally Posted by amcal

You shouldn't have to apply it every 30 minutes. I live in Phoenix - it's been in the 100s for quite a while - and I spritz once in the morning and I'm generally good all day. On super hot, active days, I may have to spritz again in the afternoon but generally, not more than 2 times a day.

What kind of alcohol are you using? I just recently moved to the midwest and am in dire need of something that works for the crazy heat/humidity!

[amcal]

I use regular rubbing alcohol you get at the store. I put it in a spritz bottle (an old hair spray or body spray bottle works great) with some essential oils. You can also buy commercial body sprays and use them as deodorant. Make sure the main ingredient is alcohol (it will probably be denatured alcohol which is fine).

[Bensmommy]

BAKING SODA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I used to use the crystal, and had fair luck with it, but I'm in FL with high heat and high humidity so by the end of the day it wasn't pretty. I just started using straight baking soda about a week ago--works better than ANY of the deoderants I've ever used (I used to break through Secret, Ban, Degree, etc). Give it a shot on a day when only your family will know if you're stinky! That's what I did! Just scrub a little all over each "pit" and surrounding skin and that's it.

[ckumelos]

Well the deodorant crystal is alum crystal (mostly, with natural contaminants usually). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alum
Being a chemist - I think you can get this thing to be more effective if you can get more on your skin at a time. Try letting it sit in a small amount of water overnight and mixing the (hopefully saturated) water with some sort of powder (baking soda, baby powder, corn startch) and using the resultant paste as the deodorant. I bet this will work better becasue
1. You get more alum salts on your skin to stick, and
2. as mentioned above these powders are good for odor absorption as well

I've always been concerned about aluminum in my anti-perspirant becasue it is, well, nasty stuff - chemically speaking.

I use Arm-n-Hammer deodorant which is aluminum free. It's like $1.50 a bar, so you could give it a shot (it's made with arm-n-hammer, so goes along iwth all the above comants about bs)

[spmamma]

Originally Posted by amcal

I use regular rubbing alcohol you get at the store. I put it in a spritz bottle (an old hair spray or body spray bottle works great) with some essential oils. You can also buy commercial body sprays and use them as deodorant. Make sure the main ingredient is alcohol (it will probably be denatured alcohol which is fine).

Okay, so this is probably a really stupid question but... won't that burn like heck if you shave? I like the idea of using something as simple as rubbing alcohol, but fear the burn and am unwilling to let my armpit hair grow out.