The Nibbana Family

Stinky Pits

posted by Kelsi on May 25, 2008 7:58 PM under Natural Family Living

As you may be figuring out by now, my main "hobby" is trying to find ways to live more naturally, or as Chuck sees it, "harder."  My response to an item we need to purchase might be "get the organic one" or "eww, that is filled with chemicals," at which point we usually choose my product or a happy medium (ok, occasionally he wins).  My reasons are not to be difficult or annoying, but because I feel that there are so many potential hazards in products available that choosing something with fewer chemicals is less likely to be harmful to myself or my family.

Now, to get to the point of this post - stinky pits.  One of the products I am trying to avoid is antiperspirant.  Why, you ask?  Because of the aluminum.  Aluminum compounds are the most extensively used antiperspirants, and they work by stopping or limiting perspiration, which reduces the moist climate in armpits for bacteria, the source of the stink.  You may wonder why aluminum is a problem - I did.  I found out that aluminum is neurotoxin, "a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells, usually by interacting with membrane proteins such as ion channels."  The effects of neurotoxins are based on the toxin itself and the dosage, but I decided not to take any chances.  I threw away my antiperspirant.

First, I tried walking around with nothing on and discovered that I after a few hours no one wanted to be near me.  Over the next several months, I tried a lot of different deodorants - mostly the natural ones, but nothing worked for more than a few hours.  I finally discovered Funk Butter.  The stuff is amazing - it works for 12-48 hours with no stink and the Black Cedar Fig scent is wonderful!  I was delighted to find that this cream deodorant was handmade too.

Months went by.  One day I noticed a rash appearing under my arms.  After some research I found that many users had the same issue (usually attributed to the baking soda, but sometimes also to the essential and fragrance oils).  Sadly, I switched back to antiperspirant for my wedding.  did not want rashy armpits with my sleeveless gown!

After we returned from the honeymoon, I began my research again.  I tried everything, but found that one of the best "armpit regimes" was washing with baking soda and using Thai Crystal Spray Mist.  The baking soda can be harsh, so I can't do it every day, but I mix it up with washing with Burt's Bees Shampoo Bar (I have no clue why this works) and the baking soda, using the crystal spray after both.

I'm not saying I smell like roses, but you can get close to me and not hold your nose, even after most long days!