How To Make Homemade Deodorant And Why It’s Healthier
Certain ingredients found in commercial deodorant are potentially harmful. You can avoid them with safe natural formulas that you can prepare at home.
More and more people are choosing to make deodorant at home with natural ingredients. And it happens because there is scientific evidence to suggest that some of the common ingredients in regular deodorants may not be beneficial to your health.
Biologist Heather Patisaul of North Carolina State University cautions that potentially harmful chemicals found in deodorants and cosmetics reach the bloodstream more directly than if we ingested them.
Once inside the body, they accumulate, for example, in the fatty tissue of the armpit where they bind to hormonal receptors and trigger alterations that could even lead to cancer.
On the other hand, these substances also threaten the balance of the microbiota that inhabits the skin and which is essential for its good condition.
According to a study published in the journal PeerJ , people who do not use chemical deodorants have colonies of Corynebacterium that are responsible for body odor, but also protect against pathogens.
In contrast, people who use deodorants have hardly any bacteria and these are from the Staphylococcaceae family , which can be both beneficial and harmful.
Why prepare your deodorant at home? Your health will thank you
Dr. Patisaul warns of the danger posed by these five categories of common ingredients in conventional commercial products (without natural or organic certification).
1. Preservative parabens and carcinogens?
They are preservatives that can interfere with female hormones. A few years ago it was discovered that these substances were concentrated in cancer tissue samples.
It has not been possible to establish a cause-and-effect relationship, but the fact that these preservatives are also hormonal disruptors is at least suspicious. They are best avoided and many manufacturers have already removed them from their composition.
2. Aluminum salts, eliminate sweat and bacteria
They are used to reduce the amount of sweat, but cause instability in breast tissue genes and alter skin microbiota populations.
Although researchers have not determined that they are carcinogenic, it is advisable to reduce or eliminate their consumption.
3. Triclosan, antibiotic and hormonal
It is an antibiotic substance that is related to the appearance of bacterial resistance and abnormal hormonal activity, as has been proven in studies with animals.
It is also found in soaps, acne products, and toothpastes.
4. Phthalates, endocrine disruptors
These compounds are endocrine disruptors that interfere with testosterone (in men and women) and affect the nervous system.
They are capable of reducing the fertility potential and, even, in the case of pregnancy, affecting the development of the fetus. They have been associated with a lower IQ and a higher risk of asthma.
5. Unknown fragrances
It is practically impossible to know what is behind this generic identifier in ingredient lists. Most likely they are derived from petroleum, which can be phthalates or other potentially allergenic and irritating compounds .
How to prepare your homemade deodorant
Organic products and homemade preparations are a safer option than supermarket or drugstore deodorants.
- With bicarbonate: mix 1 g of bicarbonate in a few drops of water (without completely dissolving) and apply it to the armpits.
- With lemon: the citric acid in lemon juice kills excess odor-causing bacteria. You just have to pass a thin slice.
- In pasta: mix 30 g of cornmeal, 30 g of baking soda and 5 tablespoons of coconut oil. You will get a deodorant paste.
