I Switched To Natural Deodorant For A Week & Here's What Happened
Ever since I could remember, I've been a sweaty person. Especially as a preteen during puberty (as most of us were).
After deodorant causing breast cancer became a big thing in the news, I remember my grandmother buying me natural deodorant to replace my Teen Spirit. I hated every second of it. When I used it on days that I attended school, I was super self-conscious because I knew it wasn't doing quite the job that my preferred deodorant did. I was used to my fruity-scented deodorant and I felt like the natural deodorant left me with wetness under my arms by the end of the day. Since that time in middle school, I stuck to my Dove and Secret, which have been my favorite deodorants over the years.
I've contemplated trying natural deodorant again as an adult but I kind of have PTSD from my childhood experience. I'd try it one day and be back to my holy grails the next. There was something major that I didn't understand about deodorant as a child that I now understand as an adult. Deodorant and antiperspirant are two totally different things. While deodorant is meant to mask the smell of odor under the arms (hence the name), antiperspirant is meant to control the wetness or how much you sweat under the arms. To me, this discovery was eye-opening and pushed me to try one of the natural deodorants that I had laying around.
One of the deodorants that I tried and gave up on was The Crystal Mineral deodorant stick. Not only was trying this pulling me out of my comfort zone, I decided to start the experiment around the time of a vacation. If worse came to worst, I could buy a new deodorant while travelling, but luckily for me that would not be the case. The Crystal Mineral deodorant stick is made of one ingredient and one ingredient only: mineral salt.
According to the label, one stick can last up to one year, can be used by men and women, and prevents body odor for up to 24 hours. Though it isn't an antiperspirant, I was still willing to give it a second chance. Here's how it went.
Day 1
I thought about totally giving up on my natural deodorant experiment...but I stuck through with it. To be completely honest, I made a huge mistake on day 1 and that was not reading the instructions. It explicitly says on the label that you must moisten the stone/deodorant in order to apply it. Oops! That explains why it felt like I was applying a dry stone to my underarms.
Day 2
I was so used to smell-good deodorant that I had to cocktail my regular deodorant and my Crystal Mineral Deodorant to get through the day. Sometimes, taking baby steps is necessary to get to the finish line. I missed the smell of my usual Secret clinical strength deodorant. It may be all in my head but getting a whiff of my deodorant is super gratifying and makes me feel extra fresh. Not having my deodorant scent linger was a little off-putting while using the mineral deodorant, so I decided to go half and half just one last time.
Day 3
Finally, I was able to go full on with the natural deodorant; I just had to suck it up. I must say I did not sweat nearly as much as I thought I would have. Being in the NYC cold and then Canada may have played a part, but usually heavy sweaters do contribute to my perspiration and odor.
Day 4
I cheated.
I started missing the smell of my Secret deodorant and just had to apply a little before heading out the door. After years of smell-good deodorant being a part of my body care routine, it's quite hard to break away.
Day 5 & Day 6
These two days were a breeze. Honestly, making the switch is mind over matter more than anything. After I embedded that in my head, it was much easier to stop myself from applying even a tad bit of my usual go-to deodorant.
My Final Thoughts
The one major downfall for me with trying out this natural deodorant was the fact that you have to wet the stone before you apply. For starters, I hate the feeling of any wetness under my arms and it was another step that I had to remember when getting ready in the morning. Yes, it only added a few more seconds to my routine but it makes putting on deodorant a bit more of a conscious effort.
Natural deodorant might not be for everyone but it's definitely worth trying out. With the exception of those who perspire excessively, natural deodorant may be good for those who just need to feel fresh throughout the day. If you're like me and choose deodorant based on scent, making the switch over to natural deodorant may be tough in the beginning, but with its overall health benefits, it might be worth the move. For me, it's still going to take some time to get used to the naturalness of a natural deodorant but I find myself reaching for it more and more.
Featured image by Getty Images
Have you ever tried natural deodorant? What was your experience and what brands are your favorite(s)?
- 11 Best Natural Deodorants That Really Work - Reviews - Allure ›
- 4 Best Natural Deodorants to Try! | Beauty with Susan Yara - YouTube ›
- The best natural deodorant for women in 2018 ›
- Why Natural Deodorant Makes You Smell Like Butt - Tonic ›
- I Tried 8 Natural Deodorants So You Wouldn't Have To. This One ... ›
- Best Natural Deodorant: I Tried 11 to Find One That Works | Greatist ›
- I Tested All-Natural Deodorants So You Don't Have To | Babble ›
- 'I Used Only Natural Deodorant For 3 Months—Here's What ... ›
- We Tried 10 Brands of Natural Deodorant. Here's What Worked ... ›
- I Tried Natural Deodorant For 6 Months, Here's What Happened ... ›
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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