4 Alternatives to Traditional Deodorant

First, I'll start by saying my plans for this plastic free journey have almost immediately been challenged. The problem with going room by room is I have run out of things from different rooms and I don’t want to purchase more plastic products just because I am not working on that room this month. I have completely run out of dish soap. I waited far too long to purchase more, and the shipping time has left me with no dish soap for the last two weeks. I should have planned for this much earlier. We are currently just rinsing the dishes well and running them through the dishwasher. I’m also almost out of laundry soap, but thankfully, I did check the laundry soap early and I will have my Tru Earth Laundry Sheets in a few days. My plastic free journey has not gone the way I expected so I've had to rethink my plan for each month. Rather than focusing on one room at a time I will need to take a weekly inventory of the household items and replace things as they are needed. But today, I'll be talking about plastic free deodorant choices.

1. Arm & Hammer Essentials

The first thing I focused on this month was deodorant. The chemicals in traditional deodorants and antiperspirants are pretty terrible for you so I had already switched to a more natural deodorant, Arm & Hammer Essentials. Arm & Hammer Essentials can be found at any local grocery store on the deodorant isle. I’m somewhat satisfied with the product. It has a pleasant fragrance and seems to keep me from stinking at the end of the day, but I still feel a bit sticky and 16 hours seems to be the limit on efficacy. The biggest and most obvious problem for me, is it comes in a plastic container. So, I began searching for plastic free alternatives. Turns out, there are more options available than I expected.

2. Little Seed Farm Deodorant Cream

BD Provisions is a beautiful little store I found in Newtown CT that sells bulk food, spices, coffee, and cleaning supplies in jars or paper bags. I was so excited to find this place. My daughter and I had a blast looking around their store. I was so excited that they were open during the pandemic and they are taking extra steps to make sure there is not contamination. BD Provisions will definitely be a place I shop frequently.

During one of my trips to BD Provisions, I found a jarred deodorant called Little Seed Farm Deodorant Cream that contains all natural, safe ingredients and smells fabulous. It contains some arrowroot powder to keep the underarms feeling dry, and other certified organic ingredients such as beeswax and essential oils. I love the way it keeps me smelling fresh, without feeling sticky all day, even when working up a sweat at work. The only downside is that it left behind a white smear on my clothing. I had just gotten out of the shower and applied the deodorant, when I got my shirt on, I noticed a lot of smudges from pulling it over my head, however this can be avoided if you put your shirt on first. The fragrance is amazing, it makes me feel dry, it lasts longer than 24 hours, and it comes in a cute little glass jar. I would say that is success. I would for sure use Little Seed Farm Deodorant Cream again. If you want to try this deodorant cream you can check out their website littleseedfarm.com.

3. Crystal Gem

The next deodorant I tried was a Crystal Gem. These crystals can be found at any health food store. This one is made of Potassium Alum. When applied to the underarm, it will prevent bacteria from growing. While this might work for some of you out there, I was not a fan. You apply the crystal gem by wetting the stone and rubbing it on your underarms. There is no fragrance with this one, which is actually kind of nice. Sometimes I don’t want any additional smells, however; the crystal did not prevent me from feeling sticky, nor did it stop me from smelling like B.O. after a few hours of sweating. My mother has used a crystal for years and says she is happy with it, but this option is definitely not for me.

4. Native Deodorant

Finally, I tried Native. This deodorant comes in several different fragrances and is packaged in a paper tube, which I absolutely love! I have teenage children and I don’t want them using antiperspirants, so I bought them each one of these as well. I purchased the Lavender Rose for my daughter, the Citrus & Herbal Musk for my son and Coconut Vanilla for myself. The coconut vanilla is my favorite! It smells so good I want to eat it! Every time I raise my arm or do something physical, I get another whiff the yummy stuff. Even after a week of wearing the deodorant I am still compulsively smelling my armpits (just not when anyone is looking of course.) I feel dry when I wear it and it lasts forever. I am still smelling great before I get into the shower the next day, even after a sweaty hike. I feel great knowing there are no nasty chemicals being absorbed through my skin. Plus, the cardboard tube is compostable, and I know that I am not contributing to the plastic crisis. Extra bonus, my kids love it as well. The Citrus & Herbal Musk is very masculine, and the Lavender Rose is a subtle and calming fragrance that’s perfect for my anxious teenage daughter. Here is a link to their website so you can check them out for yourself https://www.nativecos.com/.

There are quite a few other plastic free options that I would like to try in the future, but for now I am incredibly happy with the options I have found so far.

Questions

Thank you for following me through this journey. I would love to hear from you and incorporate your feedback into my journey to become Crystal Clear and Plastic Free!

· What plastic items are in your house that you would like to see an eco-friendly replacement for?

· What simple solutions have you found to reduce plastic waste?

· Why is a waste free lifestyle important to you, what is your inspiration?