Let’s face it, no one wants to be remembered for their bad body odor. But sometimes, no matter how hard we try, our sweat glands can get the best of us. If you’re looking for an alternative to your current deodorant that doesn’t involve letting your pits go free-range, then natural deodorants might be the answer you’ve been searching for. Read on to find out why natural deodorant is a great choice for women over 40 or 50.
Traditional antiperspirants use aluminum as their main active ingredient. Aluminum is known to clog your pores so sweat can’t escape. While this may work in the short term, aluminum has been linked to skin irritation, allergies, and even cancer. Natural deodorants don’t contain synthetic ingredients like aluminum, so they’re much gentler on your skin.
While we can’t conclude that deodorants containing aluminum are bad for us, why would you want to use products containing aluminum when there are so many natural products are on the market these days!
What are Natural Deodorants?
Natural deodorants are an alternative to traditional antiperspirants. Unlike antiperspirants, natural deodorants use plant-based ingredients such as moisture-absorbing cornstarch, baking soda, arrowroot powder, and tea tree oil to naturally absorb moisture and neutralize odours. They won’t stop you from sweating, but they will help keep you smelling fresh throughout the day. There’s nothing wrong with a little sweating!
Benefits of Natural Deodorants
Unlike conventional antiperspirants and deodorants which are full of chemicals like aluminum, Additionally, most natural deodorants are free of aluminum, phthalates, parabens, and synthetic fragrances which makes them an easy choice for those looking for clean beauty products. Natural deodorants let your body do what it needs to do without worrying about artificial fragrances or toxins irritating your skin. That’s why many people choose natural deodorants—they don’t contain any nasty ingredients that can clog your pores and disrupt hormones. Plus, they are usually made with organic ingredients that are gentle enough for sensitive skin types.
Benefits specifically for women in the 40-50 range include not having to worry about smelly armpits when hormone levels drop during perimenopause (the years leading up to menopause) or menopause. Sweat production decreases naturally as we age anyway, so using a natural product like an aluminum-free deodorant makes a lot of sense.
How To Choose A Natural Deodorant
With so many different brands of natural deodorant on the market today, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. The key is finding one that contains ingredients that won’t irritate your skin while still providing all-day odor protection.
Look for products with baking soda as the primary ingredient since this helps absorb moisture and neutralize bad odors without being too harsh on your skin. You should also look for deodorants that contain essential oils instead of chemical-based scents. Lastly, make sure to read reviews from other users online before making a purchase—this will give you an idea of how effective the product is in real life situations.
Everyone has different body chemistry so what works for one person may not work for you. The types of activities you engage in throughout the day will affect how long your deodorant needs to last. If you’re looking for an all-day solution, be sure to choose a product designed specifically for active lifestyles.
You may need to switch formulas if the first one didn’t work for you. Also, keep in mind there may be a transition period where you won’t smell like roses. Don’t give up!
Once you find one that works well for you – stick with it! It takes time for your body to adjust after switching from traditional antiperspirants so give yourself 2-3 weeks before deciding if it’s right for you or not.
How To Apply Natural Deodorant
Wash & Exfoliate
Remember that it’s not the actual sweat that smells. It’s the bacteria on your skin. Deodorant does help but even that needs to be applied to clean skin. Best way to have clean skin? Shower and exfoliate very gently. That will get rid of dead skin and bacteria.
Dry Your Underarms
Your underarm skin remains a little damp after a shower or bath. Try to get rid of as much moisture you can without irritating your skin. The natural ingredients absorb more readily if your skin is dry. Speaking of irritation, if your underarms are freshly shaven, your skin isn’t ready for deodorant yet anyways (see next step).
Post-Shaving
If you don’t shave your underarm hair, you can ignore this step.
If you’re shaving before putting on deodorant, treat your underarms with some respect and wait a few minutes before applying. Tiny cuts are created when you shave so avoid applying deodorant right away. Let those freshly shaven underarms breathe for a little bit before putting product right on top. Your underarms are worth the wait, we promise.
Get Swiping!
You can finally swipe and apply your deodorant!
Some deodorants don’t glide on easily. If this happens, you can try warming it up by putting it in contact with your skin.
Others will not make you smell that great. And yet others will be a bit wet or create creasing in your underarm. The key is to be patient. It a particular brand is not working for you, try another!
With these tips in mind – don’t sweat it – natural deoderats have got your back!
13 Best Natural Deodorants To Try
Schmidt’s Charcoal + Magnesium Natural Deodorant
$10, Schmidts.com and mass retailers
Schmit’s Naturals is a personal care company that touts plant- and mineral-based products. This deodorant has a “smells like it just rained” scent in a good way. It glides on smoothly which is desirable for some. It’s not sticky, non-greasy and absorbs into the skin fairly quickly.
The only downfall was that at the end of the workout, the formula really seemed to crease in my armpits. So, during my next use, I made sure to rub on a very small amount.
Saje Exotic Crystal Fresh Deodorant
$13, saje.com
This one is a spray which a lot of people like because it is less messy. To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about it. It seems to me, much of the mist goes to waste. Spray aside, you might like the sandalwood and lavender scent. It is possible that I just have not applied sprays properly. So give it a go if you like spray deodorants.
Taos AER Lavender Myrrh
$24, thedetoxmarket.ca
This product was kind of cool. It went on as a gel but became a light powder after I put it on! Upon application, it left my armpits with no residue, feeling non-sticky and completely dry. It is available in various scents and contains baking soda, tapioca starch and essential oils.
Sol de Janeiro Rio Deo
$16, soldejaneiro.com
Sol de Janeiro Rio Deo is an aluminum-free deodorant that contains tapioca starch. There are two scents available. The best part of this product? Refill are available that just plunk into the main container!
Secret Aluminum Free Deodorant
$9, secret.com
Like its other deodorants, the Secret Aluminum Free line comes in eight scents which are reasonable priced. The product is marketed as being effective for 48 hours. I wouldn’t go quite that far but it will definitely give you bang for your buck!
Kosas Chemisty AHA Serum Deodorant
$16, kosas.com
Kosas’s Chemistry AHA Serum Deodorant goes the extra mile by gently exfoliating your skin. The cooling rollerball applicator is especially soothing for hot summer days and post-workouts.
There are three versions to choose from: Fragrance Free, Serene Clean, and Beachy Clean.
Megabyte Rosy Pits
$14, megababebeauty.com
Megababe’s Rosypits Daily Deodorant is loved by many users. Ingredients include green tea, sage, and cornstarch. It’s also free of aluminum, alcohol, and other common chemical irritants, so it’s safe for sensitive skin types.
Nécessaire The Deodorant Gel
$15, necessaire.com
Nécessaire The Deodorant Gel’s eucalyptus scent opens the nasal passages and goes on clear with no staining. It dries quickly and goes on smoothly without feeling wet. The special ingredient in this product is five percent alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), which gently exfoliates skin, and minimizes odor. Additionally, it contains chamomile extract that soothes any sensitive areas you might have.
Caudalie Vinofresh Natural Aluminum-Free Deodorant
$16, caudalie.com
I am a big fan of Caudalie’s skin care products and this one also did not disappoint! In fact, it’s the one I am currently using as you can see from the photo above! Caudalie’s Vinofresh Natural Aluminum-Free Deodorant is a product that comes from France and is made from recycled material. The formula swipes on easily without blocking pores or leaving any residue. It contains organic prebiotic grape water, which hydrates the underarm skin, and eucalyptus which smells lovely.
Dove 0% Aluminum Free Cucumber & Green Tea Re-Fillable
$18, dove.com
This compact deodorant glides on smoothly and contains calming, hydrating cucumber and antioxidant-rich green tea to help you feel fresh all day. It claims to provide 48-hour protection. That’s a long time so I would personally test that out!
The Men’s version, Dove Men+Care 0% Deodorant is scented with eucalyptus and birch, is infused with plant-based moisturizers and is also touted at providing 48-hour protection.
Alo Supernatural Deodorant
$18, aloyoga.com
Alo Supernatural Deodorant feels like a hydrating, non-sticky moisturizing deodorant. It contains a unique ingredient called amla (Indian gooseberry) which is packed with vitamin C, tea tree oil, prebiotics, and hyaluronic acid. As an added benefit, it comes in scented and unscented varieties.
Native Deodorant in Coconut & Vanilla
$13, nativecos.com
Native Coconut and Vanilla Deodorant is formulated with coconut oil, shea butter (an antioxidant that keeps the underarms moisturized), and tapioca starch. Native’s deodorant comes in a variety of scents like coconut and vanilla and cucumber and mint. You can count on this one to not cause irritation.
Ursula Major Hoppin’ Fresh
$18, ursamajorvt.com
Ursa Major has a similar gel texture as Caudalie and also doesn’t create a wet mess. Its unisex scent make it a hit with a lot of people. It contains baking soda and suppresses odor as well as absorb moisture.
*As you can imagine, prices will vary depending on the retailer.
As you can see, there are numerous options our there. You can pick according to texture or scent or how it feels when it is applied or all of these criteria! I only included one brands costing more than $20. There are obviously many many more options to choose from. As I mentioned earlier, be patient and let your body get used to a natural deodorant. So what are you waiting for, give it a go!
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