Is Your Deo Doing More Harm Than Your BO?

Let’s face it, we humans can raise a stink, especially during summer.  One doesn’t have to be super-active to sweat, and that sweat feeds and fuels the bacterial hoards that cause body odor (BO).  That’s just how it is, and while it’s natural and normal, it can be…unpleasant.

While the store shelves are overflowing with hundreds of options when it comes to products designed for keeping the BO at a minimum, we need to be on the look out for potentially dangerous chemicals that could do us more harm than good.  As you’ll recall from science class, our skin absorbs to some degree or another almost everything that comes in contact with it.  That means both the good and the bad chemicals can and do pass through your skin, even when this protective barrier is sound.  Unfortunately, some of the chemicals in deodorants may be linked to cancer and other diseases, could be neurotoxic, and may be hormone and endocrine disruptors so, in general, minimize use of, or stay away from products containing any of the following.

Top Chemicals to Avoid

• Aluminum (or sodium bicarbonate that isn’t explicitly aluminum-free)
• Propylene Glycol
• Synthetic Fragrance
• Parabens (Ex: methylparaben, sodium butylparaben, etc)
• Petrochemicals (Ex: paraffin wax, benzene, PEG, mineral oil, petrolatum, etc)
• Phthalates (Ex: di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), etc)
• Sulfates (Ex: sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, etc)

Healthier Alternatives 

After reading that list you’re probably thinking, “Come on, dude, I get it, I’m with you, it’s all bad, but what in the #@%* am I supposed to use then?” 

Thankfully, there are many healthier alternatives formulated with natural ingredients that do not contain these harsh chemicals, and some of the best can be found on our Deodorant page, so click over and take a look.  

Sure some of these healthier choices may be a little more expensive than the standard, probably tainted, $1.99 roll on, but then again, your health is worth a few extra bucks, isn’t it?  

Yes it is, and more.