Toss it Out Tuesday - Deodorant

Since my current Secret deodorant was rated a 9 on the Think Dirty app and contained a dangerous concoction of toxic ingredients I decided it was time to "toss it out".

I have listed a few of the dangerous chemicals that may be lurking in your favorite deodorants:

• Aluminum compounds mimics estrogen (linked to breast cancer)

• Petroleum mimics estrogen (linked to breast cancer)

• Talc (linked to ovarian cancer)

• Fragrance (organ system toxin)

Below are a few safer deodorants options for you.

Penny Lane Organics

• Not currently rated on the Think Dirty App

Ingredients include: Coconut Oil, baking soda, Non-GMO cornstarch and pink grapefruit essential oils.

This is my favourite deodorant! I love the smell of the pink grapefruit one. You can apply this deodorant two ways, dry or you can add a little bit of water to the top for a smoother application. I usually apply it wet and rub it in with my fingers to make sure it blends well.

This deodorant caused me zero irritation and lasted ALL DAY long even through my workouts!!! AMAZING!

Bare Organics - Canadian Shield Deodorant

• Not currently rated on the Think Dirty App

Ingredients Include: Arrowroot powder, Coconut Oil, (aluminum-free) Baking Soda, Organic Shea Butter, essential oils of peppermint, rosemary and tea tree.

This is my second choice for natural deodorant. I use the fresh scent one. Unfortunately this one did have a tendency to irritate my underarms due to the baking soda. In order to avoid irritation I would alternate between this brand and another one every other week.

You can apply this deodorant right from the container to your underarms. I found this formulation had a tendency to melt at a slightly higher room temperature so I again had to blend it with my fingertips. This also lasted all day!

Crystal Body Deodorant

• Rated a 3 on the Think Dirty App

This deodorant is free of Aluminum Chlorohydrate, fragrance and parabens but still contained Potassium Alum (Natural Mineral Salts).

This deodorant didn't really work for me, maybe because I chose unscented. I could still smell some body odor at the end of the day. I liked the spray bottle application however the deodorant kept dripping down the side of my body and I was constantly using a towel to dry myself off.

Note: The jury is still out on the potential harm of the Potassium Alum ingredient. These natural salts are suppose to be too large to pass through the skin, however research suggests they could build up in your body like the other aluminum compounds in our traditional deodorants which are linked to breast cancer! This is very interesting considering it's endorsed by "Cancer treatment centers". For that reason I decided to discontinuing using the product.

Tom's of Maine Naturally Dry

• Rated a 6 on the Think Dirty App

This one worked the best for me because it is really the most similar to the traditional deodorants I am use to. However since it's rated a "6" on the Think Dirty App I decided to not continue using this one.

The good thing about this deodorant is that it contains no silicones and was petroleum free but it did contain Potassium Alum, like the above product, and might not be safe to use! So while this one worked great, the potential dangers are not worth it for me.

Tom's of Maine - Long Lasting Deodorant

• Rated a 0 or 3 on the Think Dirty App

This deodorant is Aluminum free and free of artificial fragrance and preservatives and has a very low rating on the Think Dirty app. However, I had to apply this deodorant several times a day to make sure body odor stayed at bay. Since I need something that will last all day long, reapplying every few hours was not an option! This one and Crystals Deodorant were the least effective for me.

You can purchase Tom's of Maine and Crystal Body Deodorant at any drugstore.

If you have a Well.ca store in your local mall you can buy the Bare Shield and the Penny Lane deodorants there otherwise you can go online to purchase them and I have linked them above.

Finding a natural deodorant did take a bit of time and a few extra dollars to find one that worked for me but eliminating those cancerous chemicals was very important since breast cancer is so rampant in our society today.

Be patient... a lot has to do with personal preference and "detoxing" from your current deodorant which will take a bit of time. The consistence of these natural deodorants can also take a little getting use to but that's an easy compromise to make to optimize your health!

Simply Truly Jenny....