Natural Deodorants

     About a year ago my family switched over to natural deodorants.  Many deodorants on the market contain aluminum and parabens.  According to the National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet reviewed January 4, 2008, scientists know that aluminum causes a temporary plug within the sweat duct that stops the flow of sweat to the skins surface.  And scientists also agree that parabens, which are preservatives used in deodorants, have been shown to mimic the activity of estrogen in the body’s cells.  Although there is no conclusive evidence that links deodorants with breast cancer, if the above ingredients are not needed to make effective deodorants why would consumers want to use them?  If the sweat glands are being blocked, that means the toxins your body is trying to release naturally are being trapped inside your body.  And if an ingredient is strong enough to change your hormones is it necessary to use?  For my family the answer was easy, we didn’t want to use any unnecessary and potentially harmful ingredients. 

     We began using deodorants made by Tom’s of Maine, the same company that makes the toothpaste and mouthwashes we are currently using.  We tried the regular and long lasting deodorants and although they worked, they needed to be applied frequently through the day and they really didn’t work well to cover odor if you were working out.  Given that, we tried another brand by a company called Jason Pure, Natural and Organic.  We started using their fragrance free deodorant and it lasts through the day keeping odors away.  If I am going to work out, I apply some right before and it seems to last for the workout like any other deodorant I’ve used in the past.  They list their deodorant as aluminum free and paraben free.  So far we are happy with this product.  However, I noticed that Tom’s of Maine has updated a few of their deodorant products and I haven’t tried the newer versions yet.  If anyone else out there has tried them, I’d like to hear how the newer versions are working.  It’s nice to know they are working to make improvements to their products.    It is good to know there are alternative products out there we can use that are effective and can also give you peace of mind.