Deodorants: Essential Components of Natural Body Care Products

Sweat Smarter, Not Harder: The Science Behind Effective Deodorants


Deodorants: Essential Components of Natural Body Care Products

natural body care products, skin and body care products, organic body care products,

I never thought much about deodorants until I felt my body betraying me. Initially, it was just a straightforward feeling of itchiness. I tried to de-fuzz as best as possible, but soon after, my underarms, once bald as a baby, were sore and redrawn.

I was losing a battle every waking day against it. But I had no idea that that irritation heralded a much bigger adjustment within my routine, one that ended up with me re-evaluating everything I thought I knew about deodorants and body care.


When Trusted Products Turn Against You: A Sudden Change in Routine

Not that I’d been letting my hygiene slide. As a skin and body care product consumer, I was an ingredient nerd, never hesitating to read ingredients and follow the trends. My bathroom shelf was full of what I believed were the best deodorants — with 24-hour freshness, odour control, and invisible protection. 

These products contained all the right stuff—chemicals, fragrances, and antimicrobials. The ones that smelled the “best,” according to the labels, could combat odour and sweat. I had always been one of those people who thought sweating was to be controlled at all costs.

When My Trusted Antiperspirant Turned Against Me

But then came the rash. Not because it just decided to break out, but as a response to the aluminium in my antiperspirant. I had used the same brand for years with no second guess that it worked because it kept me dry. I saw a dermatologist and was told that my skin reacted to the product I thought was doing the most good. 

These painful rashes resulted from my skin reacting to the aluminium salts clogging my sweat glands to keep moisture from escaping. So, the doctor advised him to change to a milder deodorant. At first, I was sceptical. Would something natural do the trick, like my medicated, extra-strength antiperspirant?

I was about to find out.

Discovering the Benefits of Natural Deodorants

My introduction to natural body care products came with an open mind and some scepticism. It was an organic lavender deodorant infused with lavender essential oil. It boasted that it was free from synthetic fragrance, parabens, and aluminium, using coconut oil, baking soda, and potassium alum as naturally derived ingredients. Using a product without all those chemicals sounded liberating, but would it work?

To my surprise, it did. I struggled a bit in the first few days. As I was used to the firm and often overwhelming scents of conventional deodorants, I began to doubt whether I was doing something wrong when the light, natural smell of lavender and eucalyptus soon faded. Even then, I saw a significant change, but I took a week to notice.

My skin wasn’t itchy — but I also felt strangely liberated. My body could breathe again. Goodbye, clogged pores and skin-absorbing chemicals. Instead of masking the smell,  the natural deodorant just neutralised it. It was reassuring that my skin was adapting  and getting better.

A New Approach to Skin and Body Care

During my transition to natural body care, I did some research on the science of natural deodorants and how they work. It wasn’t the sweat that smelled, as I learned; it was the bacteria on the surface of my skin metabolising the sweat into stinky compounds. 

For decades, many traditional deodorants and antiperspirants relied on several synergistic antimicrobial agents, including the controversial triclosan, which targeted and killed bacteria as the mechanism of action. Still, these agents often also had the potential for side effects. 

My secret weapon was my new natural deodorant that used naturally antimicrobial ingredients like tea tree oil and witch hazel. They stopped the bacteria in its tracks without hurting or irritating my skin.

The deeper I dove into it, the more intrigued I became by the fact that there are key differences between deodorants and antiperspirants. 

I had always believed they were synonymous, but deodorants were meant to cover odour, whereas antiperspirants were all about stifling sweat. Neither was perfect, but I discovered that sweating is a natural bodily function that serves a purpose, and it should not be inhibited! Sweating was my body’s natural method of maintaining temperature, and I decided at that time I didn´t want to be stuck in this process anymore.

That was a real catalyst for a shift when I started using more organic body care products. Then, I started looking into more holistic skin and body care options: body wash made with aloe vera and honey instead of sulfates, a moisturiser made of shea butter and rosewater, and face oils made with botanical oils. 

As I adopted more of these elemental, nature-based products, I realised that my overall skin health was improving. My skin looked more glowing and softer, and there was sheer luminosity and radiance from using ingredients I understood.

At this point, I was sold on the whole natural deodorant concept. These products had ingredients that complimented my body, not fought against it. They facilitated rather than disrupted natural processes. I was free from the worry of the long-term effects of using products filled with chemicals. 

Even more, I began to find my body odour had dimmed—not because the deodorant had gotten rid of it, but because my skin had adjusted to a natural state. From here, this journey only made me more confident and comfortable with the products I was using.

This necessitated no longer sweating the small stuff (definitely, pun intended!) I figured out a way to take better care of myself. Going natural with my deodorants improved my skin, allowed me to be more in tune with my body, and was a gentle reminder that less is sometimes more.

Now, instead of fighting my body, I was helping it, supporting the way it functions. It was something I could be genuinely proud of. Every morning, as I apply my (frankly, very cheap and basic) natural deodorant, I stand in the mirror, reminding myself how far I have come.

The rash is gone. The irritation has faded. So I know my body and its natural cycle—sweaty and all—sound here to stay, and I have made peace with it.