After my little one was born, I upped my green beauty game even more and started only using products that have edible ingredients. With breastfeeding and all the smooches, I decided I needed to figure this out, no excuses. And, I am home for a few months in the winter, so a perfect time, right? Right.
I’d read that after decades of conventional deodorant usage, pits collect bacteria, the ingredients clog the pores and interfere with your body’s ability to remove toxins, and make you reliant on these chemicals to prevent the stink. Enter the armpitdetox. Detoxing your pits is supposed to immediately reduce unpleasant odors, and rebalance the bacteria, allowing you to use a less toxic deodorant.
So, detox I did!
Mask
I had never done a mask for my pits. But, in an effort to clarify and remove toxins, this was my first step. With a tablespoon of bentonite clay, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (two DIY beauty basics), and enough water to give it a creamy consistency, I whipped up a toxin removing armpit mask, using Wellness Mama’s recipe.
Make a little extra and put it on your face. I promise, it is amazing. More on that later.
While having a mask on your armpits for 10 to 15 minutes isn’t the most convenient thing in the world, I promise you this is the one step that makes natural deodorants actually work. Skip this step, and you will be like me – struggling to find a natural deodorant and feeling sweaty and stinky.
Next is maintenance:
Dry Brushing
I have been a big dry skin brusher since I read Wellness Mama’s post on cellulite removal. Turns out it also works for detoxing armpits and helping the lymphatic system release toxins. I started to focus more on my pits, not just my thighs during my pre-shower session.
Moisturizing
Most of us forget that our armpits are skin that needs to be taken care of just like every other part of our body. Slathering with coconut or other body friendly oil at night will help with clogged pores and bacterial buildup.
Finally, more water, more sweat (nature’s toxin removal), and good clean eating will all help maintain newly detoxed armpits!
After one armpit detox treatment, I am much less stinky. Not perfect, and I am still not exactly happy with the natural deodorant I have now. I will continue my hunt, but won’t go back to my conventional deodorant, at least not while I’m breastfeeding.
Update: 03/18/2018: I have found two deodorants that I like, Schmidt’s and Fatco. I’ll post more later… maybe!
Have you made the switch? Any favorite natural deodorant? I would love to know!
