I know, I know….. all the crunchies have been telling you to do this for years. For me, there was never going to be any natural deodorant that could deal with this Florida heat and humidity, not to mention my hot flashes. Until I started getting rashes from the deodorant. Every single brand caused my armpits to itch. I had at that point decided that I would try several of the options on the market. None of them worked.
The worst natural one I tried had a combination of charcoal and coconut oil which stained my clothes as I sweated through them. Not to mention the cost was $16. Who wants to put coconut oil in their armpits and have it end up on your clothes? I needed an oil-free deodorant option.
The two ingredients that will do the trick for an oil free deodorant?
- Milk of Magnesia
- Essential Oils
The simplicity of it. But why would this even work? Which Milk of Magnesia? What essential oils are safe on my armpits?
After suffering through allergic reactions with commercial antiperspirants, and sweating through the natural deodorant options, I was ready to find a solution and learn more about why this 2 ingredient recipe would help.
Why Do Arm Pits Stink, Anyway?
First, let’s find out what the culprit is so we know how to combat the problem. It makes sense that our armpits will stink. It is dark, hot and sweaty there. We can sweat on our arms and never get the same odor we get in our armpits due to the bacteria that grow in this environment.
When certain bacteria combine with sweat (water and nutrients) it can make an odor. The bacteria feed on the nutrients and when the bacteria expel their waste it will create an unpleasant odor. It is the perfect Petrie dish for these bacteria to grow and create a stink!
Using a good commercial deodorant/antiperspirant can help to combat sweaty armpits because you are blocking and absorbing the sweat but are you compromising your health using commercial deodorants that are blocking the toxins?
Diet and Body Odor
Diet can be another factor in smelly armpits and body odors in general. Just eat some asparagus and you will know what I mean. Usually, foods high in sulfur and fiber are the worst culprits. Although these foods are good for you they can react to the bacteria in your gut and create gas and other odors.
- Garlic and Onions
- Asparagus
- Cruciferous Vegetables like broccoli cauliflower and kale
- Alcohol
Eating smaller amounts of vegetables high in sulfur and limiting alcohol intake may help with body odor.
Why Should I Use A Natural Deordorant?
Skin is our largest organ and can absorb toxins, like parabens, and even “natural” ingredients that may not be good for us. You have lymph nodes in your armpits and antiperspirants may cause your pores to become blocked which can affect the lymph nodes and cause them to swell.
A lot of the antiperspirants on the market also use aluminum salts in their ingredients. With concerns over metal toxicity and Alzheimer’s in recent years, more people are avoiding aluminum and other chemicals.
Many of us are trying to avoid toxins on our skin. Doing an armpit detox may even help with odor and toxins that have built up in the pores of your skin over the years.
Detox Your Armpits (Optional)
You can use bentonite clay made into a paste with water to detox your pits quickly. Cover your pits in the paste for a few minutes each day and then wash off the mixture. Your armpits may turn red which is normal. Any other reaction to the clay, like a rash and you should stop immediately.
For the detox, just mix a tablespoon of clay, 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 teaspoons of water. The clay will absorb and pull the toxins from your skin and help to clean your sweat glands that have build up from using chemical deodorants.
Why Milk of Magnesia or MOM?
In an effort to get more magnesium in my system I saw several recipes that included Milk of Magnesia or MOM as we’ll call for the rest of the article. It may get Magnesium into your system transdermally and is relatively inexpensive.
The best part it works as a deodorant! A solid 24 hours! With no nasty additives that can cause metal toxicity and other health issues.
- By using MOM in this way, you may be getting a daily dose of pure Magnesium into your system which is essential for your health.
- As MOM dries it creates a natural barrier for sweat.
- There are no toxins.
Transdermal magnesium application should be the ultimate way to replenish cellular magnesium levels since every cell in the body bathes in it. It passes directly into the tissues via the skin, where it should quickly be transported to cells throughout the body.
NCBI
The studies have been mixed. But the point of using MOM is that it will not hurt you in any way like commercial deodorants.
Don’t worry ….. It is not Magnesium Oil, which can burn our sensitive armpits. And again, who wants oil in their armpits? Not me. And neither does my dry cleaner!
The Recipe
- Milk of Magnesia – it has to be pure with no additives. Many commercial brands of MOM can have flavors and other additives you do not want. You’ll find an ingredient hiding in the “inactive ingredients: sodium hypochlorite. I buy the Good Sense brand on Amazon. The ingredients are Magnesium Hydroxide and purified water. NO sodium hypochlorite which is similar to bleach.
- Essential Oils – antimicrobial and antibacterial, essential oils will help with bacterial growth and they offer a nice scent for your armpits.
If you leave the top off of the MOM for a few hours it will thicken up if you feel it is too thin. I leave it as it is.
When I thought about which oils to use I chose essential oils for additional scent. coolness and emotional support. I added 3 drops of Lavender, 2 drops of peppermint, 3 drops of Frankincense and a combination oil made for stress. It includes Lavender, Copaiba and Cedarwood.
Using a stress combination oil made sense considering all of the commercials about stress sweat!
Here are some other essential oils to consider:
- Peppermint Essential Oil (it has a nice cooling feeling)
- Eucalyptus Essential Oil
- Orange Essential Oil
- Lemon Essential Oil
- Lemongrass Essential Oil
- Tea Tree Essential Oil
Be sure to use the citrus essential oils sparingly and never put them where you have a chance of getting sun exposure. They can burn your skin when exposed to the sun.
Pixabay
Additional Supplies
I also ordered roll-on containers on Amazon as well. If you are using essential oils you can buy the glass ones as the essential oils can leach the plastic.
Fill your roll-on container almost to the top, add your oils of choice and shake well! You will want to shake it before each use so the MOM and essential oils are mixed well.
It literally took me less than five minutes to make and that includes ordering it.
Let’s recap!
- Good Sense Milk of Magnesium – Original Formula
- Essential Oils of your choice
- Roller On Containers
The cost for Good Sense MOM is about $3.00 a bottle. It will last through 4 roll on bottles.
SO EASY!
Let me know in the comments which natural deodorants you have tried! You can also share what essential oils you used in your own deodorant recipe?
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Any product(s) on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Always consult a licensed health care professional before starting any supplement or nutraceutical. Especially if you are pregnant or have any pre-existing medical conditions. Individual results may vary. These are from my own experience and the experience of others and only our opinions.
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