Is a deodorant paste right for me?

2014 was the year that natural deodorant paste and cream made their first mark in Australia. The concept was well adopted early on, but not everyone liked the idea of sticking your fingers in a pot and poking around under your arms. They work really well at stopping odour, but they're not right for everyone. Today, we're giving a brief rundown on how natural deodorant pastes are formulated, how different they are than traditional roll-ons and whether they will suit you.

What is natural deodorant?

While the term natural deodorant isn't a regulated term like sunscreen is, when people ask the question 'what is natural deodorant', the answer is this, something that still allows you to sweat but stops you from smelling. The majority of what you'll find at the supermarket are an anti-perspirant, which is a product made to stop you from sweating, usually done with aluminium to block the pores under your pits. It is effective odour control, but it's blocking a small portion of your body's natural detox system, which is not ideal for those living a natural lifestyle.

The History - Soapwalla

Deodorant creams first came to our attention with the Soapwalla Deodorant Cream. Soapwalla is a USA based company and while a handful of Australian companies had it available, stock was very hard to come by, so we kept looking. A little different than those we're stocking now, this one was based on jojoba oil, sunflower oil and rosehip oil and then using shea butter, corn starch, bi-carb soda and some essential oils. The fundamental ingredients are certainly here and it is this concept of ingredients in a formula that forms the basis for most other products that follow.

The internet is full of homemade recipes for deodorant pastes. Whether the homemade versions came first or Soapwalla, we're not sure. If you do some Googling, they're all based on oils (usually coconut oil), shea butter, baking soda, arrowroot (or corn starch) and some essential oils.

The first deodorant paste in our store - Black Chicken

If you read blogs and follow health & wellness guru's on social media, you will have heard about the Black Chicken Deodorant aka Axilla Paste. It's made by an Australian company and is based on the same group of core ingredients. This one has a strong essential oil blend and has an excellent reputation for being one of the hardest working natural deodorant products on the market today. We no longer stock Black Chicken due to some logistical issues.

Touching your pits to apply the deodorant paste

This is the one area that people turn their nose up at when making a transition. If you're used to a roll-on or a stick and all of a sudden you're sticking your fingers in a little pot and rubbing a paste under your arms, some people don't like that level of tactile and will not even try the product.

Don't worry, there's more options on the market for natural deodorant application, including roll-ons, sticks and sprays.

Will I react to the ingredients of a natural deodorant?

We have had a handful of reports from customers who develop a rash using deodorant pastes. Sometimes it's just the Black Chicken Axilla Paste, other times, they'll react to any of them. There are two potential things that will cause this, despite them being a totally natural formula.

1) Essential Oils - they are potent and powerful and hard working in these deodorants, but they can also be a source of skin irritation in some. The Black Chicken deodorant has a strong formula, which is why it works so well. However, the combo of peppermint, cajaput, mandarin, clove, rose geranium, lime, lavender and cedarwood can be too much for some noses and some skin. This is why we also sourced the milder Neroli & Vanilla from Erica Brooke (which is sadly no longer on the market) and now we have the bi-carb free versions from Woohoo Body that people rarely react to.

2) Bi-carb Soda - this is more likely to be the cause of the skin irritation and unfortunately, it's a common ingredient to all formulas. It's really quite rare, but it happens enough that it's worth knowing about and patch testing for several days before you end up with two completely itchy armpits. You can either patch test with one of the products, or make a rudimentary paste from some bi-carb, coconut oil and rub it on your skin in the same spot for a few days. If you react to the bi-carb, we suggest you visit our natural deodorant department and take a look at the Fresca range.

Cream vs Roll-on

While the creams are coconut oil, shea butter, bi-carb and corn starch based, other roll-ons and sprays are based on ingredients like aloe leaf juice, water, witch hazel, salts and more. They are totally different bases but both designed to stop the bacteria growth after you sweat. It is the bacteria that smells once you sweat, and the body needs to sweat for healthy detoxification each day. Your skin is the largest detox organ in the body and it's important to allow your body to sweat.

Whether you choose a spray, a roll-on, a stick or a cream, finding the perfect natural deodorant that suits your body can take a little trial and error. We have a really wide range to choose from and everything in the store sells well. The top of the pile (in no particular order) is the Fresca range, Dr Organic & Woohoo Body.

Going waste free with natural deodorant

Those brands who developed their natural deodorant paste in to stick form that's housed in cardboard cylinders really got the eco mix perfect. While glass jars or tins are a step in the right direction, brands who embraced fully biodegradable packaging have certainly come out on top.