For many of us, putting deodorant on in the morning is part of our daily care routine. Since launching our new deodorant, we have received lots of positive feedback, so thanks a lot! While many are impressed, some are still sceptical: you feel like you are sweating more and sometimes smelling more.
Perspiration varies from one person to the next and when switching from a conventional deodorant to a natural and organic one, you may go through a transitional period. To help you in this transition towards natural products, we wanted to give you a bit more information about perspiration, what types of deodorants exist and to give you some tips to help you go natural.
Some people suffer from hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). We recommend seeking advice from a health specialist who will be able to help you.
Why do we sweat?
Perspiration is a natural and even vital body mechanism. Yes, the body is made to sweat.
Sweat glands (most of them are found in the armpits, hands, and feet) help to regulate your body’s temperature once it goes over 37°C. For example, when we exercise or are concentrated, this leads to an increase in body heat. The sweat dampens the skin surface and therefore reduces the body’s temperature.
The skin is an emunctory organ. Sweating also plays a major role in detoxifying the body. Their action combined remove metabolic waste, such as urea and toxins.
Sweat is made out of water (99%), minerals, lactates, and toxins, and is odourless.
So, where does the smell come from?
When we sweat and the drops are in contact with bacteria present on our skin or dead skin, this is when odours can appear.
There are also other elements that can increase the level of perspiration and therefore body odours. Our lifestyle, hereditary factors, hormones, our diet are only a couple of examples that impact our perspiration and can make it more malodorous.
Hair also contributes as hair under our armpits traps the sweat. The number of bacteria therefore increases, creating a bad smell. Whether your skin is shaved or not, the skin surface can still produce a smell.
For some, sweating isn’t very pleasant, if not embarrassing, and that’s why we turn towards products such as deodorant.
What are the differences between an antiperspirant and a classic deodorant?
The name says it all: an antiperspirant stops the sweat and a deodorant prevents the smell.
It is important to keep in mind that antiperspirants contain powerful ingredients that block the pores creating an accumulation of toxins. True, you won’t be sweating anymore, but these astringent and antiperspirant products make the body unable to naturally regulate and therefore eliminate waste and toxins.
Unlike antiperspirants, classic deodorants don’t block the perspiration. However, their composition (just like antiperspirants) can contain synthetic perfumes and substances that can disrupt the skin’s balance, create irritations, and even affect the body.
Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of controversial ingredients we need to keep an eye on:
- Aluminium salts are very often seen as part of deodorant’s ingredients even though they are recognised as irritating.
- Endocrine disruptors, present with additives such as triclosan, are still common in deodorant formulations.
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mainly in sprays, are inflammable as they contain gases such as butane, ethane. They also increase air pollution by dispersing in the atmosphere when used.
Whether it be an antiperspirant or a classic deodorant, it has been noted that the product itself penetrates the skin’s barrier, entering the system. The best solution is to opt for a deodorant with natural and safe ingredients.
In our solid deodorant, we have of course banned all controversial substances and made a product with only four ingredients. Whether you use our deodorant or another one, make sure to carefully read the label and the ingredient list. Even though some deodorants contain only ingredients of natural origin, you can still be intolerant to one of them. For the second version of our deodorant, we decided to avoid using sodium bicarbonate as it isn’t always well tolerated by all types of skins and can sometimes cause irritations.
Why and how to move to natural deodorants?
A natural deodorant doesn’t necessarily mean it is ineffective. It is a product that doesn’t block perspiration and helps to reduce body odour by regulating and limiting bacteria from appearing.
As well as respecting the skin and the body, they are often in eco-friendly packaging. It is true most classic deodorant and antiperspirants are in single-use plastic or sprays, impacting the environment. To avoid these issues, at Comme Avant, we chose a fully biodegradable cardboard packaging for our solid deodorant.
According to our community’s feedback, we noticed that the transition towards a natural deodorant can be slightly more difficult for some people. It is true, the body may sweat or smell more for some time. This is perfectly normal, your body is regulating itself naturally. The pores will open up and therefore liberate the accumulated toxins. Don’t worry, this perspiration overproduction and the increase in smell is only temporary. You simply need to give your body some time to get used to its natural functions.
Top tips
To help you in this transitional period, we would like to give you some useful tips.
First of all, it is important to wash your armpits every day (morning and night, if needed), with our soap for example. Don’t forget to properly dry them to avoid them from getting damp. This will also help to remove any chemical, dried skin, as well as bacteria linked to bad smell. You can also exfoliate your armpits once a week (unless you have sensitive skin).
Then, take some time to analyse your lifestyle. It’s best to avoid any stress as well as stimulants such as theine, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco. This will only increase your perspiration level and therefore your body odour.
A healthy diet also plays an important role. Some food can make your perspiration smell more such as onion, garlic, chili, spices, etc.
Drink lots! It’s recommended to drink around 2L of water per day. On average, a person eliminates 1L each day (this can of course vary according to your activities, the weather, etc.). Drinking enough water contributes to your body’s good functioning, to eliminate toxins, and fight against dehydration.
Opt for appropriate clothing. The best is to choose wider clothes (or simply not to tight) and mainly made out of natural fabric. Synthetic materials should be avoided as they keep the damp and encourage bacteria proliferation causing bad smell.
Last but not least, simply to accept perspiration as something natural!
We know that perspiration and sweat marks under the armpits are still negatively perceived today but we need to remember that perspiration isn’t our enemy but rather our ally. This body mechanism is essential for good health. It’s perfectly normal to sweat when the weather is hot, when you’re stressed or when you’re exercising! For your health and the planet’s, the best solution is to go natural (or even no deodorant at all if you can/want!). Don’t give up during the transitional period. Each deodorant is different, you simply need to find the one that suits you best. 😊