Beat the stink naturally: how to transition to natural deodorant

Are you looking for ways to lead a cleaner life? Maybe you’ve already replaced your commercial cleaners with Thieves® Household Cleaner and decided to freshen your home with essential oils instead of chemical-laden fragrance sprays. You might even be using clean makeup because you’re tired of settling for mystery ingredients that don’t do your face any favors.

Today we’re here to help you make another clean swap—get ready to learn how to switch to natural deodorant.

You might have heard horror stories about how switching to a natural deodorant totally stinks (literally). But don’t sweat it; we’ve got your pits covered with these tips to make the transition to natural deodorant easy peasy—and less smelly too!

1. Let your body breathe.

Many people don’t know this, but there’s a big difference between antiperspirant and deodorant. Antiperspirant stops you from sweating by using aluminum to clog your pores. So how does natural deodorant work, you ask? Deodorant is designed to cover your smell, not your sweat. Most antiperspirants are also deodorants, meaning they fight both sweat and body odor.

But here’s the thing: Bodies are designed to sweat. Sweating helps your body get rid of toxins and control your temperature. If you’ve been using an antiperspirant for a while, expect to be a little sweatier when switching to natural deodorant. Embrace the natural glow, baby!

The good news? You may find that your clothes look cleaner after switching from antiperspirant. That’s because the aluminum in antiperspirant can cause those unsightly yellow armpit stains on your shirts—gross!

Tip: Choose a natural deodorant with ingredients that help keep you dry, such as arrowroot powder. Try our Deodorant, which has arrowroot powder in it.

2. Respect the process.

As you make the switch to a natural deodorant, your armpits will go through a detoxing process, which is going to lead to some . . . um, stink. You can expect the transition period to last anywhere from two to four weeks. If you don’t want to embrace your natural musk, try these essential oil body spray recipes to smell like a lush lemon grove or a sunny apple orchard.

Tip: Speed up the detox process by applying a clay mask to your pits to help clear out those toxins faster.

3. Get to the bottom of body odor.

Certain foods can make your sweat stink, so choose wisely to keep your body smelling nice and fresh. Chances are if you’re switching to a natural deodorant, you’re already conscious about what you eat. But nixing processed, sugary, and greasy foods and drinking lots of water while your armpits detox can help combat the smelly stage.

4. Keep your skin happy.

Natural doesn’t always mean free of side effects. As with any product, even the best natural deodorant may contain ingredients that you’re allergic to or that can be irritating to sensitive skin. Prevent redness and rashes by following these tips:

• Check the ingredient list. While many people have no issues with baking soda (aka sodium bicarbonate), it may cause irritation for others. If you’re sensitive to it, we recommend our AromaGuard® Mountain Mint™ Deodorant, which is baking-soda free.
• Warm it up slightly to reduce friction. To do this, gently press the stick against your skin (no rubbing yet) and wait 10–30 seconds to allow your body heat to warm the product.
• Use less product. One or two swipes is all you need!
• Avoid applying right after shaving.
• Go deodorant free at night.

5. Stick it out.

There is definitely a transition process when it comes to switching to natural deodorant, but once you get past the detox phase, it’ll be smooth sailing. You won’t have to worry about harsh chemicals seeping into your skin or gross yellow pit stains ruining your favorite shirts anymore.

Looking for natural deodorants that work? Young Living’s deodorants are formulated without aluminum, alcohol, or synthetic perfumes. They keep you smelling amazing with the power of essential oils.

• For a clean, bright smell, try our Valor deodorant.
• For a spicy aroma, switch to our CinnaFresh™ deodorant.
• For minty freshness, check out our AromaGuard Mountain Mint deodorant.

What are your thoughts on transitioning to natural deodorant?

Blog post from Young Living.