What happens when you wear natural deodorant for a week
If you were told you had to go a week without deodorant, how would you feel? The thought of winter train journeys in heavy knitwear and no antiperspirant genuinely has me breaking out in a cold sweat. Using an antiperspirant is something that’s been ingrained into my daily routine for years and seems as essential to me as a toothbrush. But are deodorants any good for your skin or can they cause damage?
The use of antiperspirants has been in debate for some time now. Antiperspirants work by using aluminium salts that react with moisture in order to block your sweat glands from producing more moisture.
Some experts believe that the aluminium content is bad for the skin, eventually being absorbed into your system through constant use and disrupting kidney and hormone function.
Others believe that antiperspirants are bad because the natural sweating process shouldn’t be paused. Sweat has several purposes for the body including regulating body temperature and getting rid of toxins, so stopping that for the sake of avoiding sweat patches can be a difficult choice.
I decided to try a week without commercial antiperspirants and only use aluminium-free alternatives and deodorants. Products which combat the bacteria that causes the smell, rather than products designed to plug up your sweat glands. The results were definitely a surprise, but can they replace my trusted deodorant?
[Photo: Getty]
First of all – let’s clarify the difference between an antiperspirant and a deodorant. Whilst antiperspirants are designed to stop you producing more sweat, deodorants allow you to sweat but target the bacteria that causes body odour.
Did you know that sweat is actually odourless when produced? Seriously, it is. On average, our bodies produce a litre of sweat a day but we barely notice it as much of it evaporates from our skin. It’s only when sweat has had time to linger, that bacteria starts to feed on it and it starts to smell.
Day 1
I started off with something familiar to what I know. Bionsen Sensitive Deodorant Spray £2.19. Boasting no aluminium and no parabens, it’s inspired by Japanese volcanic spas (known as ‘Onsen’) and the spa minerals found within. The minerals prevent bacteria from growing, thus neutralising body odour.
Coming in a pressurised metal tube, with the same spray application, this deodorant was not really any different in feel to my regular bottle of Dove antiperspirant. Thanks to the aerosol, application was clean and quick, drying fast and leaving no visible marks on clothes. So far so good, but would it last once I left the house?
Throughout the day I definitely did notice sweat but no tangible bad odour. On a crowded train home, I could definitely smell the Bionsen on myself, but it was a clean smell – not particularly floral or perfumed, but noticeably clean. My underarms didn’t feel the freshest at the end of the day, but they definitely didn’t smell bad at all.
Day 2
Boosted by my apparent success in Day 1, I trialled Sukin Natural Deodorant £8.10 next. Hailing from Australia, where they have a huge natural skincare market, this stuff is also aluminium and paraben free. It uses tangerine, mandarin and lavender oils, combined with a hint of vanilla extract to keep you smelling fragrant all day.
It definitely doesn’t dry as quickly as an antiperspirant spray but I love the scent, it’s much more natural and less cloying. It doesn’t hit you like a wave of perfume would and it feels like water on your skin.
Did the fresh fragrance last though? Come lunchtime I was feeling, let’s say, a little less than fresh and totally self-conscious about whether I smelt or not. My trusty colleagues assured me I was fine (thanks for checking guys!) but I was paranoid for the rest of the day nevertheless. I had to have a teeny spritz of perfume in the afternoon and after that, I was much more relaxed.
So far, my feeling towards natural deodorants were generally positive. Depending on the level of activity expected, I might have added an extra spritz of perfume here or there, but many of us wear perfume daily anyway.
Day 3
Today was the turn of Aurelia Botanical Cream Deodorant £18. Frankly, it’s the most bizarre deodorant I’ve ever applied, since it comes in a jar but it’s pretty powerful stuff. This cream deodorant has a range of sweet smelling botanicals like lavender and bergamot, alongside antimicrobial arrowroot to fight bacteria and kaolin clay to absorb natural perspiration. I was really excited to try this – could this be a proper alternative to aluminium antiperspirant?
But how to get it out of the jar? We’re constantly told about the evils of sticking our fingers into pots, so I used a cotton bud to get out some of the balm. It applies like a soft cream, which melts easily into skin and turns into a sort-of powder upon drying.
During my morning commute, I could feel myself sweating because my underarms were experiencing a cooling, minty tingle. Started to panic slightly because it felt exactly like a cold sweat, so I was wondering whether my Aurelia deodorant could deal with the moisture, and thus started sweating more in my panic.
Crisis averted when I got into work and had a quick check in the toilet. The Kaolin clay was definitely doing its job because I was sweat-free and without any bad odour. Throughout the day, I did notice that it was doing a great job at keeping me dry. I’m not exactly a physically active person, I sit at a desk and type but I do take the 4 flights up and down the stairs for coffee breaks.
By the end of the day, I still felt dry and comfortable – although there was no fragrance left, my underarms were as dry as a bone. Super impressed and the only downside was the mild cooling/cold sweat sensation every now and again.
Day 4 & 5
Another format of deodorant to try, the next two days were all about the new Neals Yard roll-on deodorant £8. Coming in the classic rollerball shape, clinical trials show that it provides 24hr protection. The roll-on formula is designed to naturally guard against odour and wetness with cleansing shikimic acid and moisture-absorbing bamboo powder. Combined with skin-loving, organic essential oils, it comes in two fragrances – Rose & Geranium and Peppermint & Lime
Rose & Geranium is the more powerful when it comes to smell – when I put it on in the morning, I felt like I’d actually spritzed some perfume. It kept a detectable fragrance for at least half the day and still lingered slightly at the end of the day. The Peppermint & Lime version is very different in fragrance. It’s a bit more subtle and very minty, almost like mouthwash. Surprisingly, I found clinical scent quite reassuring and it’d also be good for men to use. The scent had gone by the end of the day though.
Both roll-ons did a great job at keeping odour at bay but I didn’t feel as protected when it came to dampness and I started to get self conscious in the early afternoon – not the day to be wearing a grey top!
When I got home, my underarms were feeling quite healthy and moisturised – not bone dry but not uncomfortable at all. I think this will be one of the long term benefits of using natural deodorants. They’re non-irritating and actually feel like they’re conditioning my skin , rather than drying it out.
Day 6 & 7
To test if it was a one off fluke or not, I went back to the Aurelia cream deodorant. It really does keep your underarms dry, despite the cold sweat feeling (which panicked me a lot less this time!). Although it has no detectable scent when wearing it, I was confident that my underarms were dry – even in my grey marl top.
I still can’t get over the deodorant in the jar though. Years of using roll-on or spray products make it seem weird to be physically touching your underarms – it would have been easier to use if it was a push up stick.
One week later
My underarms are feeling noticeably more comfortable and less irritated. Some antiperspirants can give an itchy, dry feeling if worn over a long day and I feel like I get more ingrown hairs and bumpy skin. The natural deodorants were really surprising. They work well for a work day, particularly if you have a desk job and I love the idea that they’re not actually trying to block my pores.
I would recommend that natural deodorants are boosted with a bit of perfume but scent-wise, I’ve been fully converted to their ability to prevent bad smells and odour. There is still a big cultural taboo around sweat, so it might take a little bit longer for some of us to get used to the idea of sweating. However once you do, you won’t be disappointed with some of these natural deodorants, especially if you’ve got sensitive skin. Try one for a week and see for yourself.
Would you switch to a natural deodorant? Does sweat bother you during the day? Tweet us your thoughts @YahooStyleUK.
