May 28, 2009
Sweat This.
Bossy is a firm believer in moderation. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say Bossy is a firm believer in moderation except when it comes to raw cashews and wine and staying up late and Tastykakes and loud music and sauces of every variety and stands of peonies and cute boots and cheese slathered on crunchy bread and windows rolled all the way down or hiked all the way up — and aluminum in her antiperspirant.
Bossy loves aluminum in her antiperspirant, and she knows this because she has been inadvertently slathering a film of aluminum under her arms every day for approximately a lifetime, give or take a few dewy years spent in diapers.
This is Bossy’s brand of antiperspirant, and has been for as long as she can remember, which granted isn’t very long given her aluminum poisoning, in fact what was Bossy saying? Mitchum.
Bossy especially likes Mitchum’s slogan, “So effective you could skip a day!” And do you know why, Mitchum? Because there is residual aluminum left on the skin. Under your arms. Aluminum.
Aluminum compounds act as astringents that close pores and prevent sweat and any associated odor from escaping the body. Note this doesn’t mean the sweat and odor have been obliterated, it means all of the toxins associated with sweat and odor have nowhere to go, so they convene in the sweat and lymph glands.
Another problem: antiperspirants are made to be absorbed, and as luck would have it, heavy metal likes to accumulate in the brain:
One solution is to switch to a deodorant that doesn’t contain antiperspirant qualities — these products work to eliminate the bacteria associated with body odor, but don’t prevent the body from perspiring.
Another solution is to switch to an antiperspirant product that doesn’t contain aluminum. Bossy has tried a few of these products, where a few equals two because Bossy is crap at math:
Oh good, Bossy can see the Tom’s she has been using is actually a deodorant and not an antiperspirant even though this post is about the natural antiperspirants Bossy tried for the sake of your entertainment, because Bossy gives until she breaks a sweat! A stinky, stinky sweat because Tom’s doesn’t work.
Next Bossy’s mom suggested this brand, found at most health food stores:
Oh good! Bossy can see this also isn’t technically an antiperspirant which means this post holds absolutely no water, which is a coincidence because Bossy doesn’t hold water either — instead it collects in dark circular rings under her arms!
This Crystal stuff was useless, but maybe that’s because Bossy didn’t know you’re supposed to wet the Crystal thing before each use, which could explain why it hurt so much to rake the dry stone across the peachy underarm.
So, how about it, Bossy’s council? Anyone have a decent, natural, aluminum-free antiperspirant or deodorant to recommend?
I actually like Tom’s Deodorant … the lemongrass one. It smells so good I want to eat it.
Tom’s didn’t work for me, but this is a few years ago – I’ll try the lemongrass one.
The other sort-of-solution is not to shave your armpits (little hair follicles are less irritated and evil aluminum has less ability to soak up into you)… but that’s not a statement a lot of North American women want to make. Sigh.
I will be following this to see what people come up with. You could always make your own a la Angry Chicken: http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/2008/07/homemade-deodor.html It doesn’t look that hard actually.
I have used Tom’s lemongrass before. Actually, I have found using a combo of the crystal and Tom’s to be quite effective on the smelly issue but nothing works as great as aluminum for the actual sweat.
Have you tried just shoving two of those Tastycakes in your armpits? Not sure if they contain aluminum or not, but I’ll bet they are absorbent.
I kicked out deodarant altogether once. The first two weeks were bad but then my body got used to it. Everything was fine for about a year, and then all of a sudden it became clear that aluminium or no aluminium, deodarant needed to make comeback. I tried Tom’s first, but I’m convinced it makes me smell worse. Now I’m back to Dove. No answers here.
My friend gave this to me due to the whole aluminum thing: Adidas Cotton Tech Aluminium Free Women Deodorant – google it.
I have a bit of the oversweating problem, and it didn’t really control that. But if you’re a normal perspirer, give it a shot.
On moderation, I say, Moderation in moderation.
Yeah…I did this last summer…bought them all including Kiss My Face…none of them worked. I’m back to aluminum.
I like the tastycakes idea though.
Dash uses the Crystal and it works so well that Dash has been using it for lo these many years, “many” meaning so many that Dash can’t remember how many. Bossy will have to wet the crystal first, but Dash is certain that if Bossy gives the Crystal a chance, she will find that it really does eliminate the order without making her a candidate for underarm cancer. Bottom line: Trust Dash.
I’ve noticed that when I use antiperspirant, I still sweat, so as long as I have a little deo for smelliness, it’s six of one. Maybe we should go back to dress shields.
My oldest daughter, who is an organic, free-range, fair-traded, sustainably grown young woman (apples sometimes fall far from trees) swears by Terra Naturals because it has all the Right Stuff and lacks all the Wrong Stuff and Works. Personally, I just affix a sheet of Reynold’s Wrap Heavy-Duty foil under each armpit daily.
I’m going to try Chesapeake Bay Woman’s suggestion! The closest I’ve come to solving my dilemma is just plain old washing with soap and water, followed by some witch hazel applied with a cotton ball, let dry, then a dusting of baby powder. Repeat as often as necessary. In my case several times a day. Not very convenient, I know, but less hassle and frustration than rashes, ruined clothing and $$$ spent on various other “experiments.”
Food for thought, Bossy – thanks!
I think i’m going to try a compromise with deodorant/antipersp use. Maybe use the antipersp on days when it’s important to NOT have big sweat stains at my pits. And use a more body-friendly deodorant when it doesn’t really matter so much.
Florida sweat turned me onto this CRUSHED HONEY POWDER.
http://www.drugstore.com/qxp69151_333181_sespider/kama_sutra/honey_dust_sweet_honeysuckle.htm
The price is high but one can will last for years, and won’t flour your lungs like chicken breast waiting for the fryer. Plus you can tickle yourself, who knows maybe even contribute to pollination.
Sorry, Bossy. I use whatever is on sale.
While Lashbo’s recommendation intrigued me and also made me hungry for honey bbq fried chicken, I have to say that I’m all about the aluminum.
It’s either that or botox injected into my sweat glands because there are only so many white tshirts in the world and I’d sweat through them all in minutes.
Plus…your armpit might not stink using deoderant only, but your shirt will smell to high heaven once your pit sweat dries on it in unsightly yellow high-school math teacher (and I should know, I’m surrounded by them) rings.
ROFLMAO Cheaspeake bay woman !!!
I’m a guy so we’re allowed to sweat, be sweaty, be sweaty and smelly, and smell while we are sweaty. w00t!
But at the tender age of college, when we spend way too much time thinking about things that don’t relate to the term paper due the next day, I decided that products that prevented stuff from coming out of you that were supposed to come out of you were a bad idea and I gave up on antiperspirants and switched to using a deoderant, Mennen Speed Stick, which I have done ever since.
Plus it was what my dad used.
I still sweat like a stablehand.
Trader Joe’s has a unscented deodorant with cotton that works for me.
Lush has a few different deodorant powders and solids. They all worked well but were kind of expensive. http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/body/deodorants
Crap, now I need to read the ingredients on my deodorant. I do have to say I LOL (at work!) when I read the part about raking the dry stone across your armpits. That’s exactly how I envisioned the crystal thing and why I never bought one!
Being sweaty, smelly, and nasty now or slowly poison myself in order to stand being in a room with myself?!?!
I’ve tried Toms and it seems to work durring the cooler seasons to fend off odor on those days when your only exertion is to jog to the back of your local big box store for milk, but otherwise the climate is cool. (Note, don’t wear under you favorite sweater though, as it will stink in the near future and forever after!) But during the hot. hazy, humid summer months you need aluminum to be in public. I know a couple people who swear by the crystals and they stink about half the time. I think they just can’t smell it on themselves anymore. I know a true friend would tell them, but they got all preachy about the crystals so let them reak…
Ok Bossy,
Been using this little concoction for a few weeks. Seems to work pretty well and can be reapplied whenever. I carry it around in the car with me.
4 parts distilled water
1 part vodka
8-10 drop essential oil (I use jasmine)
The crystal works great –even on my stinky husband!
Mitchum has remained my best friend for years. I once tried St. Ives on a thrifty whim and I smelled, well, quite ripe at days end. Back to Mitchum.
botox injections
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/news/20050726/botox-injections-fight-underarm-sweat
you would probably need a ‘poverty party bake sale’ to pay for it.
I *really* wish I hadn’t read this blog because I *really* love DDry Idea unscented, and I *really* don’t want to give it up.
Alzheimer who?
I like Erica C’s idea. I saw on Mythbusters that vodka can deodorize smelly feet so it’s worth a go.
As for smelly clothes, I’ve had luck spraying (soaking) the pit areas of my shirts & sweaters with white vinegar froma spray bottle as soon as I take them off. If anyone knows of a way to get of if the yellow crustiness on shirts — other than buying black shirts — let me know. Hate that!
I sweat like I’m in church and over the past year or so have tried about every non-aluminum deodorant I could find.
I LOVE the Adidas Cotton-Tech one. It’s not natural, but it keeps me from smelling like a dude. I’ve tried the Trader Joe’s cotton one, but it just isn’t the same. Yeah, it’s natural, but I can only do so much greening to my armpits.
The way I see it, if you’re not sweating from your pits, it’s gonna come out somewhere else. Gross, huh?
I sweat like a priest in a whorehouse (if you’ll pardon the effective but tacky phrase) – and I’ve tried ALL the natural deodorants. I keep coming back to Dove or Secret.
That said, I had a good run a couple years back with the J/A/S/O/N Naturals deodorant line. Also? Kiss My Face makes a good one. Give ‘em a shot.
@Erica Cozby vuboq thinks carrying around an open bottle of vodka in the car might be a bad idea. Don’t Deodorize and Drive!
The Crystal is the ((only)) one which has worked, no matter what, for me. Wet it. Wet it good.
Do persevere with the Crystal stuff, Bossy, I think you’ll find after a couple of days that it works really well. You have to really slather it on (think about coloring in a large area with a Magic Marker, how you have to go over every inch of it a couple of times in order to get it all filled in), and it’s better if YOU’RE wet when you put in on than trying to wet the Crystal thing. I take a shower every morning and put it on as soon as I get out. I live in New Mexico, where it gets wicked hot in the summers, and the Crystal thing is the only deodorant I’ve found that works without fail.
My grandmother, the original “crazy health food lady” who was proved, 25 years later, to be right about nearly everything she ever said to me, told me never to use antiperspirants. She said there’s a REASON why your body does what it does (i.e., perspires), and you shouldn’t “plug up the works” under your arms. You also shouldn’t use anything with aluminum in it that will be absorbed by your body – the skin is a two-way street, letting things OUT (perspiration) as well as bringing things IN (lotions, creams, etc.), and you really don’t want a pile-up of aluminum in your brain – that’s a common thread with Alzheimer’s, and Bossy has enough agitta in her life without THAT.
I guess I’m thankful I only get night sweats. In anticipation of high perspiration days, I use Secret.
Now I can worry about turning out like Tommy Lee.
I started using Tom’s and also found out that it doesn’t work. But what am I supposed to do with it, use it as art work?!
My new thing is to stop sweating and start glowing. Not in a radioactive way, of course, just in a super feminine way. But not the “she’s pregnant, she’s glowing” way, either. Maybe I’ll just move to a cooler climate.
I heart Bossy, but this post totally stressed me out. And I think agita has only one “t”. But I’m still spelling it wrong. Fuck.
I use one I’ve picked up at both Whole Foods and Target. It’s called J/A/S/O/N. You can find them here: http://www.jason-natural.com/products/deodorants.php
I’ve also used Herbally Clear that you can also get at Target. It’s a yellow container.
The men here use Speed Stick or Old Spice Deodorant. It works great for them.
Has anyone else noticed that Tom’s lemongrass starts to smell like froot-loops cereal when it gets old? Took me forever to place why it smelled familiar, and not in a good way.
It also doesn’t actually work, at least not for me.
My current fave: Earth Science’s Mint Rosemary. Hard to find but seems to work better than Tom’s.
I’ve really been struggling with this too. Nothing works, so I tend to use nothing.
Yes I smell, but smelling like armpit is SO much better than smelling like armpit and crystal hippie juice. I find that I’m better smelling on the days that I don’t eat onions or garlic or consume mass quantities of adult beverage.
Oh, and I carry babywipes so I can give myself a good rubout a few times a day.
I have heard a buzz on the interweb about this $$$ option: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P237120&categoryId=C8330&shouldPaginate=true
I am going to give it a shot when my not-all-that-great Terressentials deodorant runs out.
Toms does not work. I have had good luck with the mineral salt stuff, which is what the Crystal is. However, use the roll on kind instead of the rock. I sweat a lot and would be a little moist at the end of the day, but not stinky. I bought a different kind of mineral salt roll on on the reccomendation from a Whole Foods clerk and it is awesome! I am at work and cant remember the name, so I will post it tonight. I highly reccomend the roll-on form of mineral salt stuff for odor and wetness protection
Damn, Marinka, you’re right – agita only has one T. Thanks for the heads up – I’ve been spelling it incorrectly for years. Who knew??? (Other than you, of course…)
Just sitting back and watching this one. For going to my office and sitting all day Tom’s Apricot (mmmm) works great. For running around after toddlers, I pull out my Secret – even though the smell of secret is just….meh. Those crystal things are one toe closer to all things Woo Woo than I’ve been willing to go…
My southern mom always told me:
Horses sweat,
men perspire,
and ladies simply glow.
I glow, sans use of any underarm goo, except on days I know life will be stressful. Then I use Tom’s something or other, and maybe it’s the Think System but I THINK it works.
Who knew there could be so many opinions about this. I wonder when/why Americans started fretting about sweating?
I’ve tried J/A/S/O/N, Kiss My Face, Tom’s, and the crystal thingy, all with tepid results at best. My compromise these days is to use my aluminum-filled stick once a week or so, followed by several days of whatever natural one I’m experimenting with at the moment. Usually I can go about four or five days before I suddenly feel as though I should go plant my feet in the compost bin because I am so over-ripe. Then one day of aluminum… They DO tell us to go ahead and skip a day, as you observed!
What’s our next killing-ourselves-slowly topic going to be? I’ll nominate chlorine-bleached tampons, which we use X days per month for Y years, equalling ZZZZZZZ….
I don’t stink when I sweat really (I don’t think so anyways)– so deodorant only is kind of silly– but I sweat like CRAZY. So, it’s either aluminum or ruining all of my shirts, always, even when it’s ten degrees outside. I actually have gone so far as to get prescription Drysol, which I think has so much aluminum in it you might as well powder some and snort it, but it works amazingly. I have tried every natural anti perspirant out there and just haven’t found one that works.
Ok, I too have had my fair share off deoderant diasters!!
Tom’s is sub-par. But natural.
Deoderant Crystal (in three forms, crystal ouch, spray, and roll-on)are decent, If you sweat alot – you have to reapply!!
Hearbal Clear is also decent (so my husband says) I haven’t had luck with it…
Aubrey Organics has one that I love! (if wearing white top, let it dry first!) It is called E PLUS HIGH C . It rolls on pink and has calamine in it, thus the pink. But it has a nice subtle smell and has been the only thing to work so far.
It is about $8 a bottle! If you can keep your teenage daughter from using it at night before she goes to SLEEP!?!? It may last…No, I’m not bitter.
You could try EWG’s website and search for some brands… http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php?nothanks=1
Hope this helps
Sorry so long
I use a natural deoderant I found at martendale’s. It’s Nature’s path. Nature’s gate. Something like that. It smells great. And so do I.
i NEED spell ck I swears!!
My sister had some of that Crystal deodorant down the shore a few years ago and the type she had smelled so awful (in the tube), I wouldn’t put anywhere near my body. When I was pregnant, I abstained from the aluminum versions and used deoderant (and probably stunk up the joint). I should consider the alum-free options now, too – thanks for an informative post!
Ok, been here done this. You do have to give yourself some time to detox from reg deo, you may sweat even more for a while til your pits adjust. My fav is Dermalogica Environmental Control, it’s 20 bucks but has lasted forever (more than a yr) it smells fantastic, I also alternate with Kiss my Face LIQUID rock lavender.
why am I suddenly craving vodka and lemongrass
I’m straight on aluminum. I’ve tried all those natty things, too…I’m convinced that NOTHING in the Tom’s line works…my breath is stinky two minutes after brushing my teeth with his paste. Yuck. I use Secret Vanilla Chai…because I like my armpits smelling like a hot beverage.
Last summer I went all natural and did this: http://www.welcometomybrain.net/2008/07/wanna-know-what-i-do-with-my-pits.html for arms and also the baking soda & vinegar route on my hair. The first week or so was…bad. For the hair anyhow. The pits were good, and since pregnancy 4 years ago I sweat like a cold diet coke on a sunny porch. (Ok, so I’m just making up similies; all the good ones were taken)
I finally abandoned it when I had to travel and wasn’t sure how the jar of gooey oily deoderant would do with security. And the olive oil was leaving residue in my clothes; perhaps I applied too much? dressed too quickly? I don’t know, just got tired of cleaning olive oil out of my sweater pits.
Also I feel compelled to tell you that welcome to my brain (the link) is not my site, just one I read a lot. I don’t want anyone thinking I’m taking credit for Christine’s work.
I use good old Speed Stick (by Mennen!) deodorant because antiperspirants actually make me stink MORE and sweat in weird places. It works just fine for me, and I live in non-coastal California.
Chesapeake you’re slaying me…
…The crystal thing works okay for me…but in another brand am too lazy to go see which one…also Jason works well for me, Tom’s doesn’t…and hello? Kama Sutra honey dust? For deodorant? Who’d have thunk it? And meanwhile, I have always wanted to try the vinegar/oil concoction. I’ll smell like a summer salad, no doubt…but the vodka should offset that. My husband will no doubt be that much more attracted to me if I smell like supper.
P.S. Could we discuss why americans hate to be dirty/messy/sweaty or otherwise REAL?? Could bossy next discuss body hair shaving?? Please. I”m so conflicted over that….
They make that rock stuff as a spray on as well. My routine includes that and Tom’s calendula deodorant. Not fail proof perfect, but lasts most of the day and I figure if we weren’t meant to smell a little, we wouldn’t. Funny that.
Use half an onion under each armpit. By the end of the day, you’ll smell like an onion anyway. Cut to the chase.
Why does Bossy want to be the only one on the block without heavy metal deposits in her brain?
Bossy always has to be so Different!!
and Bossy, please know that, the day you can smell your own B.O. is about 2 days AFTER everyone else in a 15 foot radius can smell your B.O.
just sayin…
Dove most days and the Adidas Cotton Tech one on days with lower sweat-potential. Can I ask why are we concerned about aluminum exactly? I’d like to know if there is some danger besides the one about Alzheimer’s. From what I hear aluminum has been ruled out as one of Alzheimer’s Disease’s causes..
http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_myths_about_alzheimers.asp
http://alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/406
http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/controversial-claims-risk-factors
All of ‘em make me break out badly, even the Tom’s and especially the crystal, so I haven’t used anything for about ten years now. Mostly I just resolve not to sweat, but I have found that wearing any kind of synthetic or synthetic blend shirt increases the risk of stinkitude. They just don’t breathe the way cotton or other natural fibers do. I also take more showers in the summer.
My lifelong deodorant solution came from meeting a busload of Germans on vacation. “Please, don’t wave — no really DON’T.” Love Germans, no hate here, but a busload of friendly waving German tourists in the summer can set in stone your deodorant choices (Dove or something, five days a week, not on weekends).
: )
Vodka, baby!!! No lie! I tried Tom’s lavender but smelled like a sweaty aromatherapy shop.
Almay unscented and fragrence free works for me. not sure if its available in all markets of the country.
I got nothin’. This is Tucson, after all, and I’m committed to my aluminum.
(And I’m familiar with the KS Honey Dust but, uh, armpits ain’t where we used it. Just sayin’.)
I did a bit of googling and it seems that all the brouhaha over aluminum absorbing into your skin is just that – brouhaha! We will get most of our Al contamination from airborne/food sources.
Here is a good description that is not trying to sell you anything:
http://www.truthinskincare.com/2008/01/will-my-deodorant-give-me-cancer-or.html
I’m sticking with my Al based antiperspirant…so there!
I like the Tom’s
Works great for me.
BH
My mom was a long term Mitchum user, I used it through high school and college, and I just recommended it to my teenage daughter. I now use Dove – cheaper, and it keeps my pits from itching. Plus, since I sweat from my head, face, chest, etc., it doesn’t really matter what I put on my pits. However, my mom (“long term Mitchum user”) now has Alzheimer’s. Just saying.
I am in the process of going “natural” with my cleaning supplies, bath soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. I love my Charlie’s Soap and my Dr. Bronner’s and my Burt’s Bees and my Tom’s of Maine toothpaste. But there is a line. And that line stops at my pits. Lady Mitchum in the summer, Secret in the winter.
Please, oh please, Lady Mitchum, please continue to clog my pit pores with your aluminum chemical-y-ness. I love you and the fact that after a few days of use, there is an actual film on my pits that never quite seems to go away. That’s how I know you are working. How I know that after showering at 5am, I will still stay fresh at day’s end. BRING IT ON, ALUMINUM!!!!
Laughed out loud POD.
I’m also using Secret Vanilla Chai. NOT Aluminum free, but the first time I wore it, I kept walking around wondering what smelled so good. Turned out to be my pits.
I happened to notice the other day that I have missed one small spot of pit when shaving…and the hair was like LONG and I gagged a little. which has nothing to do with this post. What does have to do with this post is Mitchum makes my armpits ITCH and burn. And it seems like no matter what deodorant i use it turns on me at some point and refuses to work. SO! I am useless here in your comment section
I’m a Mitchums girl from way back; it’s the only thing that keeps me dry and smelling like the sweetheart that I am. The directions say shake the bottle, stir that aluminum up, you know? After several apps you really don’t need to use it every day. Something is going to give me brain damage if I live on this current earth long enough. I might as well be dry while I’m crazy.
Burt’s Bee’s herbal spray (yay!) deodorant for me. It’s sort of pricy, and wont keep you from sweating-but it will keep you from smelling, uh…, too organic. I work outdoors and its keeps me smelling nice and lemony.
All the gloppy conventional stuff is just too gross.
After reading this post and all the attendant comments, I am having a bad case of TMI which makes me want to break out in a hot, pre-menopausal sweat that no anti-perspirant can cure. Maybe I’ll just have some of the above-mentioned vodka please?
Has anyone tried the Arm & Hammer stuff? My boyfriend swears by it and he is never stinky!
Oh thank God I’m not the only one who thinks Tom’s doesn’t work. But I just keep using it because it doesn’t irritate my pits. No rash. Just smelly.
Don’t you just adore reading everyone’s pit situation?
I use the Crystal and like it a lot. Going through chemo I had to switch and so far it’s working.
Heard a comedian on Bob&Tom talk about using minipads stuck to the inside of his shirt to keep the sweat from soaking thru. They actually make products meant for this
http://www.armpitperspiration.com/
NOT an endorsement – just a google giggle
Can’t help you, but I am in the market for an effective one, too………trying to go natural with as much as I can since cancer.
Oy Bossy – you had me cracking up!
I too tried Toms, and it didn’t work for me either. I finally stopped using it when my cat got overly excited (not sure if it was Toms Lemongrass or my own natural stink) and bit me in the armpit.
The crystal didn’t work for me – tho I did remember to wet it.
My answer was to move to SF, where it rarely gets hot enough to make me sweat. Kind of an expensive option, but it works!
A cheaper alternative would be to hit up the men’s deodorant section – they have a lot more options that don’t contain aluminum.
The heavy metal accumulation in the brain would explain why the people who use those products spell aluminium wrong. Heh.
LOL! I thought I had spelt it wrong as well, so I looked it up – and either spelling is used in the US.
I think the only people who can recommend aluminum-free products are the FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND COWORKERS of people who use aluminum-free products. I’ve worked in two workplaces (imagine that! working! in a workplace!) where co-workers were hardcore anti-antiperspirant, and in each case, THE CO-WORKER claimed to be WELL-PLEASED with the results—and _I_ begged to differ.
Oh, Bossy, I have been down this road. Back in ‘99 I had the mother of all plugged lymph nodes (and the fastest set of x-rays and mammogram ever delivered someone with a lump the size of an orange cutting off the circulation down her right arm in her arm pit) and I have been aluminum free ever since. You should know that those stones have potassium alum in them and alum is code for aluminum. Tom’s does have a calendula roll on that worked for me as far as odor goes, but eventually (after a couple of years) I ended up with a rash from it. Right now I am using Nature’s Gate, but not the organic stick, that one didn’t cut it odor wise for me, I use the not organic roll on. In general, I can tell you that in my experience the roll ons seem to work better than the sticks and the scented ones better than unscented. Good luck!
I’m afraid that I am also a Mitchum girl. I have tried Tom’s and all it did was add a faint lavender scent to my BO (which for some miserable reason has increased tenfold since I hit my late thirties). I wouldn’t have even bothered with the crystal. I buy mainly natural products but Mitchum and Scrubbing Bubbles will always be a part of my life. Sorry girlie.
Nothing seems to cure my nasty sweat, so I just stick to smelling decent with a basic deo. Sorry! Maybe Bossy could make sweat rings the new black?
geez lou-eez now I have to worry about alluminum poisoning!?!?! When did this happen?!?!
Excuse me, waiter? Hello. Yes may I please have a Jasmine Lemongrass Deodorantini …oh, and a side order of TastyKakes? Thank you.
Oh, Bossy did you want something from your Council? I’m sorry…what was that again?
My husband used the crystals for about 6 months– he’s a heavy sweater and they really helped. THEN he broke out in fungus in both armpits. It took months to clear up. SUPER ICK
I just barely do ok with Dove. But I think I’ll wash it off overnight.
In the winter, I use Tom’s Calendula, but I can never, ever skip a shower the next day or you don’t want to be anywhere near me. It isn’t a scent that I find everywhere, so I’ve bought the Lavender and Apricot scents but they both feel like I’m putting a combo of hot sauce and fire under my arm pits. I have no idea why this happens, but it is ridiculously painful.
In every other season, I go back to my Secret full-of-evil stick b/c it is the only thing that works.
I too suffer from ‘da stink. Mitchum was my bestie for YEARS! The only one that would work because I gotta say, I can stink like a man! I even made the deodorant rock smell!
Try the Thai Salts spray (beside the “rocks) a the healthy store. It is basically a spray rock, followed by a dusting of baby powder. Works here. I can get some breakthrough funk if I really get sweaty. Yes, I have pit rings but stink free!
Damn, I just ran to the bathroom and grabbed my deodorant, prepared to wow everyone with my secret, natural elixir, passed on to me by my grandmother in a secret ritual involving her whispering to me after an 18 hour non-stop drive that I smelled. It was from her basement stash of Amway products and until this very moment, I assumed (yes, I know all about assuming) that it was pristine, healthy and (not really) organic only to find that the main ingredient is aluminum!! I’ve been deceived for 3 years now by this antiperspirant that I never bothered to read the ingredients of! I gotta go call my grandma now and give her a talking to (two? too?) BTW, it works great!
I KNEW it was too good to be true. My deoderant odyssey has been arduous—staring with Secret, then for some freakish reason they discontinued the Powder Fresh scent, then a year period where I think I blacked out trying everything from Arrid XXXXXX to Old SPice I swear (Tried Toms once and kept thinking that day “what’s that smell? oh. it’s me.”) and now I have finally found peace with Sure in Powder Fresh but I just went and looked at it and it has aluminum. Back to the Armpit Drawing Board.
I do the kind of Middle Ages thing: Strong perfume that has lots of alcohol in it.
Combined with Kiss My Face Liquid Rock.
I never smell on day one. On day two, if it is hot, I might smell. I sometimes shower on day two. Doesn’t last through day three. Your typical American will have showered by then. Usually, I have as well.
I recommend L’Occitane or other natural-ish scents. I use this but rose is not for everyone. It’s quite nice though.
http://usa.loccitane.com/FO/Catalog/Product.aspx?prod=24ET075R9
Kiss My Face: http://www.kissmyfacewebstore.com/detail/KMF+1900372
No aluminum has been accumulating in my brain for quite some time but it hasn’t really done all that much for my brain.
I’ve been trying to find something that works well for years. Aluminum makes my underarms itch and better sweaty than itchy any day. Lately though (as hot weather sets in) I’m with ranchgirl, I use the aluminum type once a week and the natural deodorant the rest of the time. It works pretty well; cuts down sweating and no itching so far. I agree Toms doesn’t work. I use the Dove once a week and some other natural brand in a yellow container that I am too lazy to go upstairs and find out what it is!
Wow…as if there isn’t enough to worry about you HAD to remind me about the aluminum thing…Hmmmm I think I’ll go w/CB’s Tastykake idea and also a vodka tonic. (orange Stoli, please)….ooohhh…does it matter which Tastykake I pick? I’m partial to both butterscotch AND jelly Krimpets…
Bossy – this is the best:
http://www.sourcevital.com/products/body/deozein.html
My husband and I have been using it for several years now. Great deodorant and people are always telling me how great I smell!!
xoxo Bonnie
I’ve tried the crystal deodorant and it did NOT work. And yes, I did try it for a while.
I remember running out of deodorant once when I was a teen and my sister and I used some Cuban rose lard/shortening cream because we were desperate. It worked, but I have no idea where to get more of that or WHY it worked.
Women’s deodorants quit on me after a couple of hours. I remember having some success with a deodorant called Shower to Shower, but I’ve not seen it around anymore. I also liked Latin American Teen Spirit, but that would just make you reek of flowery girl smells, not necessary kill the perspiration.
Now, I use men’s deodorant. Which is ironic because my husband has odor-less armpits. So not fair.
My crazy (and I do mean crazy) sister gets botox injections in her armpits to make her stop sweating. She is SO hardcore, they don’t even use the topical anesthetic anymore.
My best friend takes chlorophyll tablets, which supposedly clean you out from the inside and kill the armpit smell.
So in the end, I guess it depends on the person and some other random elements in life that bring a person to not sweat/smell as much.
Oh Bossy! You have to get a scented Tom’s! Pfff! I have my mom send over the apricot because it is the only thing I will ever use again. Or the Calendula. That one is yummy too. I wish I could buy a whole boat load and drop them in the Paris Metros…
Without reading other comments to see if someone already recommended this…
Arm & Hammer Essentials is the ONLY one that doesn’t make me smell all bad.
http://www.amazon.com/Arm-Hammer-Essentials-Antiperspirant-Deodorant/dp/B001CI6RQK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1243598597&sr=8-3
Hard to find, but works so well. My friend recommended it to me (after trying every crystal every Tom’s, Dick’s, and Harry’s, etc… she is a “heavy sweater” so I took her opinion seriously). I recommended it to some other friends. And now there is a cult.
My armpits guffawed at Tom’s of maine. Maybe because I’m from Queens!?
I use Axe (deodorant, NOT antiperspirant)
http://pics.drugstore.com/prodimg/143471/200.jpg
I use Arm & Hammer (they have an unscented I think), which is a baking soda based antiperspirant, so unless Bossy has something against baked goods like cookies or cakes, this should be safe.
I sweat alot too and I hate it. I use non-natural stuff to control it though. And about it coming out somewhere else, it does. For me, it’s under the boobs, so on really hot days, I may not have sweat marks under my armpits, but my bras and t-shirts are soaked.
I’m just disgusting all the time. I may just have to start botoxing the whole body.
Detoxing pits from aluminum addiction only to replace it with Vodka?! Well… I’m game!
I have never tried a natural/non-aluminum that worked. But I don’t think I’m into paying attention to my pits all day with touch-ups or worry.
If I can’t take the heat, I MUST stay out of the kitchen!
you mean we’re supposed to wear deodorant? damn. i think i know where that smell is coming from after all.
People’s armpits smell because the bacteria there get really frisky when it gets wet and dark. And since it’s almost always dark there, all it takes is sweat. BUT … if you wipe out the bacteria in the pits, you won’t stink. So, if you don’t mind the sweat, just slather some antibiotic ointment in your pits at night for about a week. That’s about how long it will take to wipe out the stinky bacteria. After that, you’re good to go – you might sweat but you won’t stink! You only have to reapply the antibiotic if you start to get gamy again, but that usually won’t happen for months. If you’re trying to avoid sweating, don’t ever expose yourself to non-air conditioned/cooled air for more than 30 seconds and don’t ever exert yourself – hire people to do that for you.
I’ve used Arm and Hammer (so manly) for years and it works even in summer. The unscented has really minimal, uhm, scent. That being said it seems my local Wally World has stopped carrying it.
Phillips Milk of Magnesia, tip from The People’s Pharmacy.
I’m with Maggie, who sent you the angry chicken link. I’ve been making my own (very similar recipe) for about a year now, and have been very happy with it.
I third the angry chicken link. Been making that one for a long while now, and I think it works great. I use orange oil, tea tree oil, and lavender oil. It smells great, and the texture in similar to regular deo. Not like Tom’s of Maine (which is sticky and gross.)
Oh! the awful memories that just popped into my head. I used Mitchem ONCE when I was about 25 years..old. (I’m twice that now and much smarter) My armpits swelled to the size of grapefruits with a burning sensation that kept me up for three nights. I had to walk around with my arms in the air and with the flaming grapefruits exposed to the air. How nice of me to share that lovely image, huh? It was baby powder for me until the deodorant companies got their act together and eliminated all the nasty stuff.
Tom’s made my armpits peel. And then sting. Ouch. I hope you do find a solution cuz I am pretty tired of rubbing the aluminum badness into my pores.
I checked mine just for you, Bossy. I use Lady Speed Stick. It say’s it’s not only a antiperspirant, but also a deodorant. Unfortunately, it contains aluminum…but it’s cheap and works very well. Sorry I was of no help. I had no clue about the aluminum. Now I need a new pit-juice-inhibitor.
I’m chiming in late, but I am an expert on this particular matter since I spent months trying every possible non-aluminum deodorant and NOTHING was a match for my stench. Nothing. I sweat a lot, and easily, and deodorant does not cut it. I am apparently allergic to one of the ingredients in some of those natural deodorants (including Tom’s), and that was not a fun discovery.
The closest I got to a non-aluminum solution, and it worked actually really well, was chlorophyll tablets. They actually served to make all my body odors less smelly–morning breath, smelly poo, and sweat. I took chlorophyll for about 7 months, including during the hot summer, but I stopped when my supply went out and I got sick in the meantime (not from that). The one warning is that chlorophyll will make you have, er, runny and sort of green stools, but if you’re cool with that I say try it! Make sure you get the kind that is most bio-available.
Eventually, I went back to aluminum based antiperspirant full force–I use prescription strength! I’ll probably go back to chlorophyll someday.
i have been a heavy stinker all my life and my deoderant love is from the Weleda brand (probably Whole Foods if not Trader Joe’s). It is (pump) spray on, alcohol-based, so I can just give myself another hit if I’m not showering that day. It has NOT let me down.
I read part way down and didn’t see this but didn’t read all 117 so it may be mentioned. I go without since discovering the perils – as does my husband. On occasion, I may use a little baking soda or lemon juice if things get a little gamey. I do shave, I do perspire (such a dainty word, hmm?). The first month or so, I’ll admit, we both got a little ripe now and then, but after what I guess was a detox period, I’ve really no complaints. I have noticed that if we eat food that’s greasy or contains garlic/onion that isn’t organic, we might get a little smelly.
I am WAY late to the party, but thought I’d add my two cents: I used the JASON organic brand deo, in Apricot scent. It works great for me, but since it’s a roll on, I have to make sure it completely dries before I put my shirt on.
Good luck!
I get email updates from http://www.instructables.com and today’s update included how to make your own deoderant: http://www.instructables.com/id/Deodorant/
It is not an antipersperant so you’ll still sweat – but your sweat will smell good?
Hope you’ve found something suitable!