So if you’ve been reading my blog the last couple days you’ll find I’ve been educating myself on a few products. Today I’m picking on deodorant and antiperspirant. (oh, I’m such a bully!)
Go, right now, grab your stick/can of deoderant/anti-perspirant. Right now. Go ahead, I’ll wait. ((Jeopardy Music – do do do do, do do do))
Okay, what is the active ingredient? I bet it’s something with Aluminum in the name. Am I right? Or possibly some type of glycol, like Diproplyene Glycol.
We wear antiperspirants so we don’t stink. No one likes to smell. Usually the main ingredient in antiperspirants is some form of aluminum. The aluminum ions are absorbed into the openings of the sweat glands and water enters the ions. This makes the openings of the sweat glands swell and close, keeping the sweat in the gland. So where does that aluminum go…if it’s all swelled up and stuck in your pores? Well, your body absorbs it! Ewwwe.
This is what I’ve found with a few quick google searches on Aluminum: It’s been established as a known neurotoxin which affects the blood-brain barrier. What’s that? Well, the blood-brain barrier protects the brain from “foreign substances” in the blood that may injure the brain. It protects the brain from hormones and neurotransmitters in the rest of the body and maintains a constant environment for the brain.
Aluminum can also cause damage to DNA and when cells divide, the divided cells can be damaged. The aluminum used in antiperspirants adversely affect animals like dogs, mice, and primates significantly increasing production of urine, serum and whole brain aluminum. In studies with mice, they found that the aluminum is passed in the placenta of pregnant mice.
I’ve also found quite a bit of information linking aluminum to Alzeimers. Scary.
Diproplyene glycols are just as dark and spooky. I’m guessing that by now you are probably not even reading my post anymore, but rather researching what is in your own pitt products. Oh, one last little piece of interesting info? The FDA says Aluminum in deodorant is safe but yet the same agency does not require these products to be tested prior to being put on the market. Although…back in 2004, the FDA did require a warning on the label warning consumers not to use the aluminum containing products if they have kidney disease. Hmmmmmm.
WHAT YOU TALKIN BOUT FDA?
Now I actually started looking into aluminum several months ago, and have tried very unsuccessfully to find a product on any store shelf withOUT aluminum. How sad is that? I think I will look into a natural one or make one myself.
I'm Sheila. In addition to raising 1 husband and 3 teens, I've founded 
try tom’s of maine at http://www.tomsofmaine.com/products/deodorant.aspx .
i’ve tried different brands to go more natural…but ultimately found that i become a little too natural (more like gamey) to those around me
fingers crossed, it’s mitchum for me.
Another yikes. Am I really going to have live like Laura Ingells?
Jen@OurDailyBigTop’s last blog post..What I learned this week – water park edition
Come on now, are you going to try to scare me daily?? I’m not going to move into the woods and start making my own toothpaste and deoderant I swear…lol. I saw one wife swap where they made some nasty toothpaste and he had green around her gums………no joke!
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Wow! I had no idea. Thanks for sharing this Sheila. I think you should make your own natural aluminum free deodorant.
Cascia @ Healthy Moms’s last blog post..Healthy Moms Needs Your Help!
I was amazed at the cosmetics database (forget the link) and how badly most of the products ranked. It’s been a challenge replacing everything with the better version.
Thanks for posting this.
I tagged you for a meme, so visit me if you want to participate.
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Is this a new feature? “What’s killing us or make us broke today”
I’ve heard that the aluminum is bad but I hate having sweaty pitts in the summer. Eeeeewwww!
If you find a recipe for natural deodorant would you post it, pretty please?
Aliceson’s last blog post..Oh It’s Green Alright
GREAT!! Just GREAT! Now my teeth are gonna fall out thanks to the window clear and my pits and brain are going to rot because they are clogged with Aluminum. I am SO F*(ked!
Jennifer Suarez’s last blog post..DOW Plunges, Jen… Cheers?
ACK!! It’s already happening!! Look how I wrote window “clear” instead of “cleaner”
MY.BRAIN.IS.ALREADY.ROTTING!!
*runs around screaming*
Jennifer Suarez’s last blog post..DOW Plunges, Jen… Cheers?
PS ~ Check out some makeup next. I was SHOCKED at the crap in foundations. Which is why I loooooooove Everyday Minerals powder foundation. That stuff is seriously awesome. Over the weekend I did a little makeup tutorial with it. (I took the photos but haven’t blogged about them yet) so you’ll have to check that out once I get around to it.
OK I promise, that was my last comment.
Jennifer Suarez’s last blog post..DOW Plunges, Jen… Cheers?
Eek! Wow! Let’s just say I’m too adult for the natural thing. LOL! Oh, how I miss the pre-teen days when this wasn’t an issue.
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Make your own deodorant? Yikes! I was at the gym today laboring away on the treadmill right next to a hefty fellow who clearly overlooked the deodorizing aspect of his daily preparations. I would happily have dumped aluminum all over his body to quench the stench.
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sheila Reply:
March 3rd, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Yeah, I’m not so sure anymore if I’d be willing to compromise stink for fresh pitts. lol. I just really wish they’d use something besides aluminum. Now wouldn’t you think that in this day and age, they’d have another product? Good Gravy.
Scary. I’d heard about the connection of aluminum to Alzheimers, but never about the deodorant. Do let us know if you find a product that doesn’t use it… I am not about to start stinking.
Mozi Esme’s Mommy’s last blog post..Bottles
This is why I have used Kiss My Face products for years and years now. I refuse to wear any other deo than theirs. I have found another brand at Wal Marts that are natural too. I prefer Kiss My Face, though. Great post.
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Yeah, I know it’s bad for me. I gotta stop using it. My friend just showers, shaves and puts a dab of natural perfume oil in her pitts.
I WILL start doing that too. I promise. Lemon would be nice.
THANKS FOR CARING ABOUT OUR HEALTH!!!!!!!!!!!
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Scary, No wonder we all smell good but are dumber than door nails, lol!
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