Do Natural Deodorants Actually Work? Sigourney’s Edit

It’s a toasting hot topic and a question that readers love to throw my way: is antiperspirant dangerous and do natural deodorants actually work? Since reports came out over ten years ago linking aluminium in breast tissue and breast cancer, people are increasingly hesitant to reach for the Rexona. While there are multiple arguments around it, the jury is still adjourned on whether it’s actually dangerous. If you prefer not to take your chances, the good news is there are many options out there by way of natural deodorants, but the difference is how they work.

SIGOURNEY AND LULU

“Sweat is odorous and sterile,” explains MooGoo founder Craig Jones who formulated the brand’s popular Fresh Cream Deodorant. “Deodorants let you perspire (unlike antiperspirants), as we naturally should, but control the bacteria that causes the odour using an alkaline formula,” he says. “Unlike antiperspirants with Aluminium, you will perspire when using natural deodorants. Depending on how well the formula controls the odour-causing bacteria determines their effectiveness.” Craig says that when he couldn’t find a natural deodorant that worked or that “didn’t smell like a Tea Tree forest”, he set about creating his own.

He wanted to create a roll-on product that was easy to use (many natural deodorants come in the less convenient paste form) and wasn’t riddled with essential oils “Essential oils may smell wonderful at first, but after a few hours tea tree starts to smell quite bad in our opinion. A lot of people experience irritation when they use essential oils,” he adds. The finished Fresh Cream Deodorant was so pure that it’s actually edible. And while Craig doesn’t suggest sucking on the rollerball like a lollypop, he says it’s important because the skin under the arms needs to be treated with the utmost of care. “A lot of people don’t realise that the skin in this area is actually the thinnest on the body. If you don’t like to put chemicals on your face, why would you blast such a delicate area with them?” he asks.

MOOGOO FRESH CREAM DEODORANT

The natural deodorant is one of the brand’s most popular products – but Craig mentions there’s a technique to try when you’re switching over from conventional antiperspirants. “You may need to reapply it quite often at first because it seems that once the sweat glands have been blocked for a while, it’s smellier when they start working again,” he says. “After a week or two you shouldn’t need to worry about reapplication, it’s just a detoxification period.”

When it comes to exercise and stressful situations I still reach for the heavy duty antiperspirants, but I wish I didn’t have to. To decrease my chemical load however I do use natural deodorants on at-home days and times when a bit of wetness under the arms isn’t going bother me. And I love having an option that is safe enough to eat. Because you never know when a small child might treat your products like a lollypop!

The lovely people at Moo Goo are offering Beauticate Readers an awesome offer on their deodorant – Buy 1 Get 1 Free Fresh Cream Deodorant using the code MOOGOODEO