3 Jan 2018
Around ten years ago, my mum suffered from breast cancer. She was lucky: after some treatment, she survived and remains cancer-free to this day. But the scare did something to our family, and we all started to rethink our choices from how many vegetables we ate (patently not enough), to how many chemicals we were in contact with daily (quite a lot, as it turned out).
Deodorant came under fire during this sweep of any potentially noxious chemicals, and I accordingly worked my way through about seventeen hundred natural aluminium, paraben, preservative and fragrance-free deodorants (and endured many - MANY - a rather whiffy day) to find the one that really worked for me, which was Salt Of The Earth’s spray deodorant. The salt in it is natural antimicrobial, so kills body odour-making bacteria, and it has remained a favourite deodorant that I go back to time and again.
Since that episode, however, I’ve done some reading, and it seems like the reasoning behind ditching parabens and aluminium is a little spurious, with researchers into breast cancer repeatedly squashing claims that there’s a connection between cancer and the chemicals in deodorant.
But that's not to say that applying chemicals daily does the body any good. Founder and Chief Pharmacist at The Organic Pharmacy advises steering clear of aluminium and parabens, reminding us that parabens 'mimic the hormone oestrogen and have been found in breast tumours,' while founder of Ila Spa, Denise Leicester, adds that while 'parabens and petrochemicals may not be the cause, they may still be part of the story - everything in our body functions in the flow, and it's really important to not block anything to allow our body to heal itself and to be as healthy as possible.'
My view? On balance, I'm with Margo and Denise as I suspect that the fewer unnecessary chemicals we apply to our bodies, the better so am really glad to have found some that actually work. Like, really, really work, remaining effective even after work outs, long days commuting, and whatever else you might get up to…
 isn’t good news. Just get the spray. Much easier. from InStyle.com)
Salt of the Earth Natural Spray Deodorant, £5.67.
My all-time favourite - though I have a caution to make here: don’t buy the stick version. It deodorises equally as effectively as its spray counterpart, but dragging it across the delicate skin on your armpit (even though it glides with ever so slightly more ease if slightly damp, as per the instructions) isn’t good news. Just get the spray. Much easier.
Available at Amazon | £5.67
Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Botanical Cream Deodorant, £18
Bear with me here - I know the idea of scooping deodorant out of a pot and smearing it on your pits isn’t exactly the dream situation, but this one successfully neutralises BO, and if your armpits are prone to post-shaving rash or are just sensitive in general, it may just be the one for you.
Available at Net A Porter | £18
Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant, £18
If you’re after something to sling in your gym bag that’s easy to just whizz on and forget about: this. Also, it smells instantly ‘clean’, so is great if you’re all about mega HIIT work outs and want to feel less sweaty and flustered post.
Available at Liberty London | £18
