Dear Rona, Why did it take a Pandemic? [The Series]
I thought it was time to do a little reflecting on the good things that have come out of this pandemic because it puts me in a better headspace when I take the time to count my blessings and because on those days that are tough, it’s my faith and these precious moments that renew my resolve. The underlying themes being time spent with family and self-care. I hope that at least one of these posts will encourage you to reflect on those bright spots that continue to bring you joy. And now I present…
My Journey to Natural Deodorant
Is this post really about deodorant? Why yes it is. I’ve had skin sensitivities for as long as I can remember and sometime way back in the day when Secret Platnum deodorant was discontinued, I began a mostly unsuccessful mission to find a good replacement. I’ve tried many deodorants over the years. Some would smell great but not hold up to a long day at work. Others caused too much irritation. Fast forward to March 2020. We’re teaching remotely from home so that meant I could 1) say who cares about deodorant, who’s going to tell me I stink? or 2) I could finally test out natural deodorant. There were many deodorants that I went through (regular and natural). Here are some of them:
Dove advance care invisible seemed like a good fit at first because it didn’t irritate my skin. I bought it because it was said that it would not leave behind white marks on your clothes. That was true. I also liked that it was both a deodorant and antiperspirant. It did actually hold all day. I, however, didn’t find it to be an effective antiperspirant. Also, the texture made it feel like the deodorant was caked on and I would rather not have that experience. My daughter who is an athlete suggested I try the dry spray so I moved on.
This brings me to Dove dry spray invisible. This one also delivered on the no white marks promise. Plus it was much lighter in weight and for the first half of the day I thought it was pretty good but I found myself wishing I’d kept a can at work too so that I could do a quick refresh. Also, I found that my skin would sometimes feel irritated with this one. So much of it would spray out into the air that my husband said he wondered how much of it was actually going on my armpit. I wondered the same.
Next up was Sure which promises 48-hour confidence (just like the Dove products did) and that always cracks me up because I can’t think of a circumstance by which I wouldn’t put deodorant on every day. This one is also a deodorant and antiperspirant but it surely did not hold up all day long nor did I test the 48-hour claim. It also wasn’t the best one to wear for working out. I didn’t experience any skin irritation but considering that it wasn’t really a great deodorant, I moved on.
So then I started thinking, okay, let’s see about 
trying a natural deodorant. I went to Feel Rite (which I love!) and searched their shelves for something. That’s how I found Crystal invisible solid deodorant. It wasn’t an antiperspirant but it did claim to absorb wetness. I, however, found the opposite to be true. This deodorant couldn’t keep me dry on just a regular workday and I surely couldn’t count on it for my workouts. Needless to say, I didn’t use this one very long at all. I wasn’t willing to keep using something that wasn’t even working.
Alright, Honestly pHresh was next. They got me with a promise to maintain my natural pH. I figured that would be a good thing. It even said something about being a prebiotic deodorant and I had no idea what that meant but sure, let’s try it. This deodorant didn’t cut the mustard either. Next.
And then there was Native. Finally. This one really works and I love the fragrance I selected (Citrus & Herbal Musk). It holds up well all day, never irritates my skin, and lasts through my workouts. At almost $12, this is the most expensive deodorant I’ve ever had but it’s worth it. I will likely keep using this one and I may even try some of the other fragrances but then there’s one more.
This final deodorant is one that I found on Etsy while I was searching for an underarm detox. My search led me to the Crunchy Mama Bear. I ordered her Armpit Detox as well as her Sweet & Fresh deodorant. I’m on day 2 of using both. You’re supposed to use the detox for 3-7 days and it is supposed to be helpful for those making the transition to natural deodorant. The deodorant helps to balance pH, kill odor-causing bacteria, and absorb moisture and is scented with pure essential oils. I really like both products but I’ll have to update this post after I finish the detox. I have experienced no skin irritation from the detox or the deodorant and it just smells fantastic! I was sent a sample of their citrus spice deodorant too and it smells phenomenal. I also received a Sweet Polynesian Body Butter sample which feels really nice on my skin. I plan to hold off on using Native for a while to measure how effective the Crunchy Mama Bear’s deodorant is. Check back soon for an update. In the meantime, if you are curious about learning more, you can visit: https://www.crunchymamabear.com/
Well, that’s it. Have you also transitioned to natural deodorant? Do you have a favorite? Please do share in the comments.