Bacteria. This is the main culprit of Body Odor. Mostly we think of bacteria in the sense of causing an infection or some kind of disease for which anti-biotics are needed—and there is that. However, there’s millions of different types of bacteria, both good and bad. Many bacteria, along with other microorganisms, on your body are beneficial to you. They make up part of your “microbiome”, and it helps in keeping your body healthy. Body Odor is actually a part of that microbiome. 🦠 🦠 Now, I’m not saying the stinkier you are the healthier you are, but the body’s odor can tell a lot about your health.
For instance, a person who smells “fruity” may have blood sugar that is way high. Or if there’s a bleachy smell, it could indicate liver or kidney problems. Hormonal fluctuations in women can effect the odor of the body. Someone who smells “sulfur-y”, may have eaten a lot of sulfur-rich foods like eggs or cabbage 🍳 🥬, or they have an enzyme in their gut that is low. Be that as it may, it still comes back to: Body Odor (B.O.) us what you smell when your sweat comes into contact with bacteria on your skin.
Sweat, in and of itself, doesn’t smell. The amount of sweat doesn’t matter either. Whether you’re sweating like a massive linebacker in the superbowl, or like a dainty princess on a yacht somewhere–if there’s bacteria on your skin, you’re gonna stink. So dealing with bacteria is key, and that’s where Essential Oils can shine.
First things first though: Bacteria is best dealt with by water and soap, i.e., bathing. 🛀 Now, you chuckle, but you’d be surprised how many don’t get that connection. A daily or every other daily shower with soap can do wonders for B.O. on it’s own. Another connection: hair is a breeding ground for bacteria. Yes, even the hair on your scalp has the potential to cause you to stink if you don’t wash it often enough. Men are usually more stinky than women because they have more hair and most don’t shave under their arms. Most women, at least in America, shave their pits, and that’s a very helpful step in controlling B.O.
For my own natural deodorant journey, I’ve gone through several different phases of dealing with B.O. over the years. Waaay back in the day, not really knowing any better, I used antiperspirant. This is the stuff that works the best. Not only does it keep B.O. at bay, it also keeps one’s pits from sweating. However, there’s a LOT of health concerns about the aluminum in this type of deodorant. The FDA actually refers to antiperspirant as a drug (i.e., a product intended to treat or prevent disease), which is kinda ironic considering that aluminum has been highly questionable as to whether is contributes to Alzheimer’s Disease later in life. There’s also some question of the possibility of increased chances of breast cancer due to aluminum. The fact that antiperspirants clog the pores so that you don’t sweat can also lead to problems with the lymphatic system. With many instances of cancer in our day of the lymph nodes, keeping the lymphatic system in good working order is vital to one’s health. It is a integral part of the body’s immune function and contributes greatly to the maintenance of fluid and vitamin levels in the body.
When I began hearing some of these things, I switched to regular aluminum-free deodorant. The FDA considers deodorant to be cosmetic (a product intended to cleanse and beautify). Now, plain ol’ deodorant is not as strong as antiperspirant, but, neither does it have aluminum. Even though regular deodorant is healthier than antiperspirant, if you read the label, you’ll see it’s still got lots of chemicals, parabens, artificial scents, and other endocrine disruptors, that can effect your body negatively in other ways.
We spoke of this in our Essential Oils as Meds class, so we won’t cover it in depth here. But to review a little bit, your endocrine system is your hormonal system. Chemicals, artificial scents, and parabens– especially in beauty products are endocrine DISRUPTORS. Meaning, they mess with your hormones. God made everybody’s hormones to regulate many, many body functions. Many auto-immune issues of our day are directly related to chemicals disrupting that function. So… not using synthetic items that mess that process up is just simple wisdom if we want our body to function as created.
As the years went by, learning more and more of these things, I got even more determined to ditch the chemicals, so I searched for more natural alternatives.
I started with using some of those salt ‘crystal’ deodorant stones. I felt they actually did a fair job of tackling B.O., but they sure were ouchy after shaving! (Salt in the wound kind of thing :P) However, apparently you have to be careful of “alum” (which is an aluminum derivative) in these stones. Read labels. Many will say there’s no aluminum chlorohydrate, but will list potassium alum as the main ingredient.
I went through several kinds of crystal stones and then moved on to various natural deo’s from the health food store. There were lots of different textures and smells, some nice and some “ewww, get that off me!”. Many were pretty pricey. Most of them though, to be honest, never really felt like they were completely effective. So, finally, I got a bee in my bonnet, and decided to try making my own deodorant.
I found a recipe online from a natural website that folks seemed to rave about how well it worked, and so jumped in and gave it a whirl. It actually worked fairly well in the B.O. department… until a couple-three weeks into it. I broke out in an itchy rash under my arms that lasted for weeks. (Very NOT fun!). The recipe I used had called for baking soda. I came to find out later that many folks get a rash from baking soda. It was a total bummer cuz it really did seem to cut the smell. So, at that point, I went off everything altogether for a couple months, enduring whatever smell, and allowed my pits to heal. That, in and of itself, was actually an important revelation as far as B.O. goes.
It’s extremely helpful to detox one’s armpits before switching to any natural deodorant. Why? Because after years of using conventional deodorant there is a certain build up of synthetic compounds that accumulates in the pores which actually contributes to the stinkiness. Detoxing can help to pull them out. The simplest detox is to go without deodorant for a few weeks, which is what I did. Your body adjusts by learning to sweat correctly again which helps flush out chemicals. If done in the Fall or Winter, and in conjunction with daily showering, you will find the stink minimal.
Another method I’ve heard of that folks use for detoxing pits is called a mask. When I read the ingredients, I realized we have a similar product. “Luminosity” is our Daily Herbal Face Wash. It’s formulated with Bentonite Clay, Brown Rice Powder, Powdered Rosehips and Powdered Honey, it does a superb job of exfoliating and detoxing the pits which helps to reset and energize the lymphatic system (important for your immune function and to your overall general well-being). Luminosity is designed to be used daily on the face, but once a week or so, I’ll put some on my pits as well and leave it all set on my skin for a few, then wash it all off in the shower.
I get a sweetly soft, more toned (i.e., less wrinkly) face that way–and less smelly pits. 🙂 It’s a win-win!
Anyway, back to my natural body odor journey, it was around this time that I began to get more and more into Essential Oils and so I decided to begin experimenting with oils and making my own deodorant. Remember, I said B.O. was caused by bacteria? Sweat doesn’t make you smelly. Bacteria mixing with the sweat is what causes stink, so since you can’t really control your sweat exactly, then controlling the bacteria is the need.
Lo and behold! There are so many “anti-bacterial” essential oils! A few common and relatively inexpensive examples would include: Lavender, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Orange, Tangerine, Palmarosa, Lemongrass, Geranium, Cinnamon Leaf, Peppermint, Bergamot, Clove, Thyme. Honestly, a majority of oils have some sort of anti-bacterial property to them. The ones listed are some of the more potent ones. The beauty of it is that by using any of these oils, you can effectively add just about any other essential oil to create just the right scent that’s pleasing to you.
As a bonus, the medicinal properties of essential oils are way effective being applied to the underarms. I don’t know exactly why that is, but I would suspect it’s cuz the pores under our arms are larger, and so it gets into the bloodstream more effectively. So, not only can you create deodorant, but you can choose oils that aid in whatever medicinal or emotional needs you have. For instance, you could promote a calming sense (lavender, frankincense), energizing (peppermint, citrus), something to help you focus better and improve memory (rosemary, ginger), to support hormones (clary sage, bergamot)—the possibilities and applications are endless! Sometimes, if I’m sick, I’ll use Oregano oil, Grave Robbers (our Thieves version) or Cough & Cold as deodorant options.
Beyond Essential Oils, there are other natural deodorant helps that I’ve found to be effective and useful.
Colloidal Silver is highly antibacterial. Same with Apple Cider Vinegar. I will often alternate between these two after a shower as an anti-stink base treatment. Magnesium Oil is a magnificent de-stink-um treatment. It does sting a little after shaving, but I’ve found that the sting is tolerable and that Mag Oil is most effective and longer lasting as deodorant when it stings a bit (does that make me a masochist?). Of course, if you’re low on magnesium in general, Mag Oil will make you tingle, but that’s temporary; the more you use it, the less the tingle as your body gets up to speed on its magnesium intake. This is again, another good way to use natural deodorant medicinally by getting magnesium into your system just as with essential oils.
One thing to point out when thinking about B.O: our bodies really are creatures of habit, and they tend to get in jags and loops, so it’s necessary to keep the body guessing and on its toes by changing things up on it occasionally (this is even true of areas like food, supplements, exercise, etc.). Because of this, our systems tend to adapt to using the same method of deodorant every day. So say, you’re using Lavender Deodorant and find after several weeks that it’s not as effective. You find yourself having to use more to get the same effectiveness. To counteract that we recommend having more than one essential oil deodorant on hand. For myself, I have about 4 different deodorant oils, depending on how I’m feeling that day or during whatever point in the day. One for energy, one for angst, one for focus, and one for calming. Also of good note: Body Powder applied over any natural deodorant is always an extra barrier of odor-fighter as well.
Sometimes, I smell a bit of B.O. from myself when I’m out and about, and so I usually carry a bottle of natural deodorant in my purse. I’ve never had anyone comment on smelling me, not even on the hottest days have I noticed that wide-eyed look and twitching of nostrils that says, ‘oy, they need deodorant!’. That doesn’t mean they haven’t…. and to be honest, I don’t really care that much if they do (a little)… but what I’m trying to get at is that I feel a pretty high measure of confidence that I’m not Mrs. Stinky-Pits everywhere I go. I have often applied deodorant very non-discreetly (like not really trying to hide it) and no one has ever seen me or known what I was doing (at least no one’s ever said anything). With daily morning use, I’ve found a 10 ml (1/3 oz) roller bottle to last about 3 weeks or so.
The last thing about B.O. that I want to address, is Feminine Odor. You know, under “there” and down “there”.
While Roller bottle deodorants work well for arm pits, they aren’t really much help “boob sweat” or with the pubic area—both places where B.O. is an issue for women. For that, I would recommend and use Colloidal Silver after a shower and Body Powder. I like to use arrowroot powder for this. I put a few drops of Tea Tree oil (you can use any anti-bacterial oil) in a couple tablespoons of powder and use under my breasts and on my privates. Also, remember I said hair is a breeding ground for bacteria? Keeping the hair trimmed “down below” helps a great deal with controlling feminine smell. Combine that with showering, Colloidal Silver, and Essential Oil powder and you’ve got an odor-fighting arsenal for every day success.
Here’s the protocol I’ve landed on in my B.O. journey:
– Shower 🧼
– Spray Silver under arms and “down there”.
(I will change up with ACV every now and then—don’t worry the vinegar smell goes away after just a few minutes).
– Detox my pits once a week or so with “Luminosity”. (I will do under my breasts as well if that area is bothering me).
– Essential Oil Deodorant 1x a day in the winter; 2-3x a day in the hottest part of the summer.
(Any time I feel like my deo is not cutting it, I will change to a different scent).
– And I use Body Powder under my breasts and in the pelvic area as needed.
Mary Beth Wine, CCAT, NHC
The purpose of Jordan’s Crossing Herbal Connections is to promote the sharing of information about healthy, natural products and dietary supplements. JCHC’s views and opinions are INFORMATIONAL ONLY and are not intended to constitute medical advice. If you are sick, injured or pregnant, please consult a licensed health care professional.
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For further research:
http://foodbabe.com/2013/04/10/throw-this-out-of-your-bathroom-cabinet-immediately/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/17/aluminum-containing-antiperspirants-contribute-breast-cancer.aspx
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/04/04/the-toxic-parabens-hiding-in-your-bathroom-products.aspx