Deodorant vs antiperspirant - choosing what’s right for your body

Sometimes our pits really are the pits, but understanding what is actually happening in there can help you tackle the issues and choose natural products that are best for your body. Your skin is your largest organ and it’s sort of like a second stomach, but with absorption instead of digestion. Taking a closer look at what we let our skin absorb has a direct link to your overall health and can help to choose products that are better for you and the world around us. 

The first thing to know is that sweat doesn’t stink. Seriously, it’s not the sweat that has an odour but the bacteria that lives on or under your skin that causes an odour. Deodorants work by neutralizing these smelly bacteria and then providing an alternative scent (the neutralization is why it doesn’t smell like deodorant and BO but instead just the deodorant scent.)

Antiperspirants are different because they are made with an aluminum-based compound that is designed to temporarily blocked the sweat gland and prevent your body from perspiring. Parabens and other preservatives are also used in antiperspirants to make sure the products has the longest possible shelf-life. This compound is then absorbed through the skin or through nicks from shaving and processed through our body’s system on a daily basis. 

Alternatively, deodorants won’t stop the body from producing sweat but will address the natural body odour that occurs in our pits. Sweating is an important part of our bodies cooling system, and preventing sweat interferes with your bodies natural balance. When the body is not able to sweat it can’t properly expel toxins, which can accumulate in the body instead.

Mother Nature already has all this figured out, we just forget to listen to what she has to offer sometimes. Ingredients like Arrowroot Powder and clays are a natural solution to absorbing moisture without blocking the glands, and nature knows how to beat bacteria too. Baking soda and essential oils like tea tree oil are bacteria’s worst nightmare, and have no intention of clogging your pores or disrupting your body’s natural functions.