I have written about deodorant many times here over the years and reviewed my fair share of products to find the best ones. It is actually a tall order to find a good, natural deodorant. You may find many that are made of safe and natural ingredients, that part is not hard. But finding one actually works like their conventional, toxic counterparts is quite a bit harder.
The ingredients list may be impressive but the ability to actually control odors for more than an hour is usually what is lacking. It smells mice, it feels nice going on, and then an hour or two later you reek and you walk around wondering if all your coworkers can smell you. Needless to say that deodorant goes in the garbage can.
Other options may rely heavily on ingredients that are natural but also irritating to the skin…such as baking soda. Many natural deodorant seekers have likely run across the baking soda burn that can be associated with these products. Red, inflamed pits mean another deodorant bites the dust. My own journey to finding the right deodorant has been fraught with misadventure (and burned pits).
So yes, finding a good deodorant is freakin hard! And yet you cannot give up on the search because conventional deodorants are bad news. They often times work well at controlling bad odors but they can have lots of nasty ingredients and more than one report coming from the scientific community has hinted at a possible link between the nasties in deodorant and beast cancer. Just a quick gander at breast cancer rates and you may soon find yourself freaking out about what kind of deodorant you are using. It is said that it only takes 26 seconds for a body care product to be absorbed into our bloodstream. That should make us very aware of what we use on our skin, no?
We don’t want to be slathering our pits with carcinogenic products or ones that will mess with our hormones (think parabens). We also don’t want chemical nasties from deodorant to show up in our breastmilk! The search must go on…
I have been lucky to find a few good ones over the years and I write about the ones I find here on this blog. I have another to add in Spruce Naturals.
Last month I rocked their 100% natural Herbal English Lavender. It is certified organic and made with bacteria fighting coconut oil and a deodorizing blend of essential oils. It is also vegan and cruelty free. Other ingredients include Carnauba wax, arrowroot powder, shea butter, and baking soda.
The baking soda is a side star and not the main star because I am prone to the pit burn caused when too much is used. I noticed no sensitivity at all while using Spruce Naturals. The coconut oil base made it go on very easy, especially since it is summer. I am curious to see how it fairs in the cold winter months. I think it would probably last a bit longer. That is really my only complaint, that is went too fast and I think it may be because it is so soft in summer it is hard to avoid using a bit too much.
But did it pass the smell test? Yes! It lasted my whole work day…which was recently about 9+ hours and I was not the least bit self conscious about smells. I did feel the desire on some days to shower before bed because it was wearing off but I can’t expect miracles here…it did the job for the majority of the day, including some days spent in the hot sun gardening after work.
The verdict is in and this deodorant passes the smell test. I would definitely buy again.
Fascia blasting has turned out to be a more involved process than originally thought. You see, you need to heat your body internally and externally for the best results. You need to exercise specific muscles in specific ways to fire and build the underlying muscle. You also need slippery oils (DIY or purchased) and a way to store your devices without breaking them.
It can get quite pricey when you add up the cost of the fascia blasters and all the accessories that make them work that much better. Yet, once you start following the advice in the book, reading the suggestions from the private Facebook group, and seeing amazing results…it is all worth it. I know I was hooked when I dropped a jeans size with no dieting and no drop in weight, all within three weeks.
Here are some blasting resources, supplies, and products to make your fascia blasting journey smooth and free of bumps (pun intended).
The fascia blaster can cause detox as fat cells lyse and release stored toxins. This is why you can feel sluggish, get headaches, or feel like you have the flu after you start blasting.
Read Hashimoto’s Protocol (even if you have no thyroid issues) for a wonderful liver and adrenals support program for detoxification.
NOW Liver Detoxifier & Regenerator – One of the main ways that the body rids itself of toxins is through the liver. In fact, it is one of the hardest working organs in the entire body. You need a supplement to help support your liver as extra toxins are presented for detoxification.
Everyone want a lovely white smile right? Well, whitening your teeth can be a costly process. If you commit to a professional tooth whitening routine, you have to pay for routine visits to your dentist. If you want to do it from the comfort of your home, you may end up purchasing several kits. There is a much bigger issue than cost though. Both of these options use chemical bleaches that are far from natural, safe options for your teeth. Why take the risk? If you want to avoid the nasty chemicals and keep your cost down, you may want to go with more natural teeth whitening methods. Luckily many options are found in your pantry! Here are a few to consider.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a go-to for many things around your home from cleaning to deodorizing. You can use it in oral care routine by simply adding it to a natural toothpaste or making a quickie toothpaste of your own. Take two parts coconut oil, one part baking soda, and a few drops of your favorite flavored essential oil. Use this in place of your normal toothpaste. The oil helps cut down on the harsh abrasiveness of baking soda alone and helps to hydrate the gums. The baking soda will help to work away plaque and toxins and to help you remove them from your teeth and whiten the enamel.
Oil Pulling
Oil pulling has made large gains in popularity over recent years. There are many benefits of adding it to your routine and a whitening effect is one of them. Oil pulling does take time and is not as quick or evident as using baking soda, but it also not as abrasive. When you use an oil pulling method you are breaking down the toxins and bacteria that can build up on teeth and cause staining. You are, in effect, whitening your teeth through the process. You then brush away the remaining oil residue and rinse. This cleans, removes toxins, and leaves you with whiter teeth over time without causing sensitivity or breakdown of the enamel. Coconut oil and sesame oil both work great.
Activated Charcoal
Charcoal is not something you may normally think of when you think of tooth whitening but it can help greatly. The charcoal powder can be used directly on your toothbrush and applied to your teeth. Simply brush as normal, let sit for a few minutes, admire your black teeth, and rinse. It will break up toxins, bacteria, and stain causing agents and remove them from your teeth. You will need to do a long rinse after this to remove all the charcoal powder from your mouth and teeth. Keep in mind, this will stain clothing as well as your brush so do be careful when using it. You can buy a pre-made charcoal paste as well.
Turmeric
Just like the charcoal makes your teeth temporarily black, you can rock orange/yellow teeth with turmeric. This lovely yellow spice makes many dishes taste divine and it is super good for your health. Just add some turmeric powder to your moistened toothbrush and brush as usual. Let sit for five minutes and then rinse. Do this every day for a week and be amazed at the results.
Teeth Whitening Pen
The Dr. Brite teeth whitening pen is pretty nifty and natural. The claim is that you can achieve two shades brighter in as little as two days. Food grade hydrogen peroxide is used as a safe bleaching agent and coconut oil fights bacteria. Comes in mint and green apple flavors.
One of the toughest sells for the more natural, health conscious person is the switch to a better deodorant. It is HARD. Most of us need some sort of odor protection throughout the day and yet it can be really hard to find a good one. That super natural one you made from ingredients in your fridge might be au naturale but if it leaves you stinky after an hour that is a no go. Baking soda may work great for some and others may get a horrendous rash. Our pits can be super sensitive and finding a natural yet effective deodorant is tricky.
My own journey to finding the right deodorant has been fraught with misadventure (and burned pits). Through all of it I have found several good ones. The brand I keep returning to though, is Tom’s of Maine. My current fave is their Long Lasting Lavender deodorant. It works well for me and for my lifestyle. I also LOVE the smell of lavender.
I get up at 4am every morning and have 10-15 minutes to bathe and dress. I don’t wear makeup so my time in front of the mirror is all about necessity…shower, comb my hair, brush my teeth, maybe a use a little toner or a spritz of essential oils, apply deodorant. I don’t have a sink to myself (no double sinks for me) but I do have a side of the sink and the one pictured is my side, pretty minimalist.
After packing a lunch bag and spending some time on the computer checking emails I am off to work where I spend 9-10 hours doing a pretty physical job. I sweat most of the day because of the physical activity and also because my place of employment blasts the heat whenever the temperature drops below 70 degrees. I also do a lot of walking some days. One particular day I brought a pedometer to work with me just to see how much I was walking and was flabbergasted to find I had walked 15 miles that day! So yes, I need a deodorant that can keep up with that. I don’t do CrossFit much anymore due to my hectic schedule but when I did…yep, I used Tom’s.
Wetness doesn’t bother me but a foul odor most certainly would. Lucky for me that Tom’s keeps up with me all day long. I care about what I put on my body and I can feel good about this deodorant. They share the ingredients that go into their products so I can make an informed and educated decision in age when so many other companies want to hide this information. Why make a fuss about organic, whole, non gmo food and then NOT care what you rub all over your skin each morning? I care, as do many folks these days. Transparency and integrity in consumer products means a lot to me.
And you know what also means a lot to me?? No rashes or chemical burn! Yay! The formulations and ingredients certainly work well for me and my body chemistry when others have failed. If you ARE sensitive, you have allergies, or you are pregnant then quality, natural ingredients are even more important.
Tom’s of Maine natural deodorant contains no aluminum, artificial fragrances or preservatives and no petrochemicals
Clinically proven, 24-hour odor protection using odor-fighting hops and the mineral zinc and only natural fragrances
Fully recyclable packaging through local municipalities or the TerraCycle Tom’s of Maine Natural Care Brigade
No animal testing and no animal ingredients
With every purchase, Tom’s of Maine gives 10% of profits back to helping people and the planet
This post was developed in partnership with Tom’s of Maine. All opinions are my own.
I have shared my deep and abiding love of all things coconut before. I cook with coconut oil all the time and I use coconut in lots of recipes. I use coconut to clean my teeth, I use coconut in my shampoo bars, I use coconut as a moisturizer, and I use it in many homemade essential oil products…it is a deep, deep love. My only big no-no with coconut oil is putting it on my face. It has a high comedogenic rating which makes it likely to clogging pores.
I was super jazzed to try some new products from Skinny & Co Coconut Oil. I got some lovely little jars with coconut for oil pulling, sugar scrubbing, removing make-up (not for me), moisturizing and healing, and boosting metabolism, energy, and clarity. They supposedly have the only 100% raw alkaline, coconut oil in the world. They have a patented system that crafts the only coconut oil under 100ºF. In my humble opinion you can see, smell, and taste the difference. Their products are fantastic!
I loved the oil pulling oil because they have infused it with yummy peppermint. It tastes pretty darn good and oil pulling isn’t usually the most enjoyable process. I think I found my preferred brand for sure. Oil pulling helps keep teeth clean, remove plaque, improve breath, and can even help whiten teeth – naturally.
The metabolism boosting moisturizer has the yummiest coconut smell. The inflammatory moisturizer has essential oils in it and it smells quite nice as well.
My fave though is the sugar scrub which uses coconut sugar and vanilla. I use in the shower daily to exfoliate and it is does the job while still being gentle. Love the smell too! It is like rubbing myself with fresh baked cookies. It is so natural you can add it to your coffee and tea! Wowsa!
If you want some new coconut products to try that are ethical and raw, give these products a go. They have no toxic chemicals, no fillers, and no solvents. There are never more than five ingredients. The coconuts are wild harvested, handpicked, and cold processed. I was super impressed and I know you will be too.
Disclosure: I received these products free from Skinny and Co but I was not monetarily compensated, nor did I have to write about them. I almost always say no to product offers but I had to say yes to these because hello…coconut oil! I am glad I did.
Tiffany is an urban homesteading, wife and mother of three who is always striving for health, happiness, sustainability, adventure, creativity, beauty and intention. Enjoy!
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Fascia blasting has turned out to be a more involved process than originally thought. You see, you need to heat your body internally and externally for the best results. You need to exercise specific muscles in specific ways to fire and build the underlying muscle. You also need slippery oils (
