Natural Anti-Perspirants

In another thread the issue of carcinogenic anti-perspirants came up and I highlighted the controversy regarding most commercial products and conditions like cancer.

Poster Mups said she gets her products from "HandmadeNaturals.co.uk" so I looked them up hoping for some "aluminium" free solution.

Sadly I didn't find it. Their products still contain "potassium Alum" which is simply another form of Alum (aluminium). In fact most supermarket products contain some form of alum and it is this I am wanting to avoid. An article I found when researching Potassium Alum stated this:

“Several components of cosmetics have genotoxic properties, including the aluminium salts..
..Dermal absorption of topically applied antiperspirant aluminium salts has been demonstrated through intact mouse skin and the skin of the human underarm. Aluminium in the form of aluminium chloride or aluminium chlorhydrate has been shown capable of interfering with the function of oestrogen receptors of human breast cancer cells both in terms of ligand binding and oestrogen-regulated gene expression.”

. . That is, these compounds may act as hormone disruptors.

" there is no doubt that alum contains aluminium, often hydrated potassium aluminium sulfate (potassium alum). Anyone who thinks that using a natural crystal deodorant eliminates aluminium is kidding herself."

There must exist a truly natural and aluminium free product that can be used as an anti-perspirant. Has anyone found one?

Re: Natural Anti-Perspirants

I only perspire in high temperatures or when I'm working hard. In both cases I would have a shower using soap and water. Natural enough IMO.

Re: Natural Anti-Perspirants

Good article here in regards to what NOT to use and how shady manufacturers disguise their ingredients.

http://healthwyze.org/index.php/comp...ural-ones.html

Re: Natural Anti-Perspirants

Realist - have you come across these :-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crystal-Deod.../dp/B00028QA72

Re: Natural Anti-Perspirants

Likewise Alan and clean clothes .

Re: Natural Anti-Perspirants

Silver Tabby

Please read the article in the link I provided above. There are numerous hooky products on the market who happily promote the fact that their products have "No Aluminium Chorohydrate" but invariably they contain instead Potassium Alum.

Since the product you highlight is happy to state what it has NOT got and doesn't state clearly what is HAS got, I have to assume it contains ALUM and on that basis I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole until the ingredients are confirmed.

Re: Natural Anti-Perspirants

What about this brand they make several types of deo and other products.

http://usa.weleda.com/our-products/s...deodorant.aspx

Re: Natural Anti-Perspirants

I agree with Alan (though use plain fragrance free soap) and when I want to smell 'nice', I put a few Cedarwood essential drops into some water and mist over my body

Re: Natural Anti-Perspirants

Arthur, I am going to write to the company and query that ingredient. I am really surprised because they are normally so against this type of thing. I must add though, that this particular deodorant is not their own brand. I trust their own brand products.
I will let you know what they say as soon as I hear back. They are normally pretty good, and reply within a day.

By the way, did you read their "About Handmade Naturals" page on their website?

Re: Natural Anti-Perspirants

Cheers Cass

That looks a fairly natural and un-harmful product. That said, it's not an anti-perspirant, it is merely a deodorant. In hindsight though and after some research it seems that the entire notion of people wanting an anti-perspirant is a mislead. Sweating is a natural process of the body. It's function is to detox the body and rid it of unwanted toxins. So we really shouldn't be looking for ways to block that process, in fact we should be looking for ways to encourage it. Things like exercising, sitting in a sauna (or in the bathroom with steam from a hot shower) and so on.

One thing I have started recently is adding things to my bath (instead of commercial bath gels/oils etc). Bicarbonate Of Soda for example is relaxing and anti-fungal and some natural crystalised salt too.
I have read that adding some grated fresh ginger to your bath is also very healthy and cleansing but so far I haven't done it because it is also said that you very quickly start sweating profusely from the ginger. Since sweating is detoxing then I shouldn't really be worried about this, so I will endeavour to try it.