What is the armpit detox trend all about?
More and more consumers are becoming aware of the harmful chemicals often used in conventional deodorants. Over time, these deodorants build up chemical residue that can be detrimental to your skin and body. This is where the armpit detox comes in handy. It’s the perfect way to transition to natural deodorants as it cleanses all the toxins and buildup on your skin while canceling odor. It’s no surprise why armpit detox is such a hot topic in the world of health and beauty right now. You can either buy a pre-made detox or whip one up yourself with some ingredients you can find in your kitchen. According to Medical News Daily, the armpit detox consists of 3 simple ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of bentonite clay
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (unfiltered works best)
- 1-2 tablespoons of water
Instructions:
Start by mixing all ingredients with a non-metal spoon until it has the consistency of yogurt. Make sure you wash your armpits and give them a good scrub before using the mask. Dry with a cloth. Then apply an even layer of the mask onto your armpits. Let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes– increase time-periods by a few minutes every time you repeat the remedy (no longer than 20 minutes). Use a cloth to wash off with warm water. Apply natural deodorant as normal.
Use the mask daily until your armpits are odor-free. To fully detox, this process may take as long as a week.
Note that this may leave your armpits a little red, however, it’s normal and harmless. If you feel any kind of reaction to the clay, wash it off immediately.
Why switch to natural deodorant?
Effects of Conventional Deodorants
Armpits are the body’s exit points– where toxins escape your body via sweat. But nobody wants to sweat, nor do we want the odor that comes with it, which is why we use deodorant. From the day we start puberty, applying deodorant becomes a part of our daily routine. It makes us smell good, and if it has antiperspirant, we hardly sweat. However, many deodorants and antiperspirants contain potent chemicals to help fight your armpits from producing sweat and odor. It temporarily clogs our pores and after conditionally using for a long period of time, our skin is left with chemical residue. Some synthetic ingredients to watch out for are aluminum, parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates, antibacterial substances, and propylene glycol. These can all disrupt our body’s natural processes and can lead to more damage than just clogged armpit pores.
Aluminum and parabens are the most commonly used chemicals in antiperspirants that temporarily block pores and prevent sweating. As helpful as this may be, our bodies need to sweat to release toxins. The National Cancer Institute suggests that after frequently applying toxic deodorant, the skin absorbs the chemicals resulting in estrogen-like (hormonal) effects. Although there is no evidence, aluminum-based compounds and parabens in antiperspirants could very much contribute to the development of breast cancer.
Benefits
Well for starters, it’s all-natural! Anything natural will be much better for your health than products filled with a bunch of chemicals. Secondly, your pits need to breathe! Natural deodorants don’t clog your pores with toxins or leave chemical residue like conventional cosmetics. Thirdly, it allows your body to sweat, which is necessary to expel toxins and keep your body cool. Lastly, using natural ingredients will have a positive impact on your health in the long run. If this hasn’t made you want to throw out your conventional deodorants, what’s stopping you?
Just be aware– even “natural” deodorants can contain chemicals too. This is why it’s important to always read your labels– or you can always make your own deodorant. Here is a great DIY deodorant that is 100% natural.
Bottom line, it’s in your best favor to do an armpit detox and give natural deodorants a try. The more you opt for safer, more natural alternatives, the better and healthier you’ll feel. We may not be able to avoid all chemicals in the products we use, but we can at least try.
Sources:https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319624.php
https://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/detox-your-armpits/
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/myths/antiperspirants-fact-sheet