Yes, my first blog post on a blog I’ve procrastinated in creating for two years is about armpits.
I promise, the title is the only bad pun in this post.
Anyways, I’ve been saying since I moved back to Maryland two years ago that I’d start blogging again. Had a fun, creative title…”B-More Adventurous.” If I had purchased that domain name back when I’d said I’d start this thing, it would be mine…instead, a far cooler blonde than I did so that same year and chronicled her move from Baltimore to New Zealand. I can’t even be mad; that’s way more adventurous than this will be. Instead, this blog will be about what I personally strive to do…live boldly and passionately. And I work in B-more.
Now, transitioning to natural deodorant may not be bold for some. For me? I am obsessively afraid of having body odor and was terrified of the potential failed consequences. But, I have a family history of breast cancer and debatably, antiperspirant can increase that risk…and I’ve already had a cancer scare and not sweating seems unnatural, so I decided to take the plunge.
The first time I tried, I went with Schmidt’s lavender natural deodorant. And wow, was it awful. My armpits looked like the aftermath of a wasp attack…I was clearly allergic. After a random late night Facebook post (I struggle with sleep, hence the current “let’s create my first blog post at midnight on a work night!” ramble), I received a surprising amount of interest and feedback regarding natural deodorant that led me to determine I am most likely sensitive to baking soda.
Baking soda is found in MANY popular natural deodorants, so if you have sensitive skin, I recommend steering clear. I also know many people who have tried countless brands without success, so I’ll spoil the surprise now – I decided to only try two, and ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY WORKS! These choices were purely based off of recommendations – I’m not being paid to review. The first is Meow Meow Tweet, and the second is Fancy Free Hair and Skin (a local Baltimore business, woo hoo!)
After looking at both companies, both recommended an armpit detox. If you believe in science, you know you can’t actually externally “detox” your skin. Detox foot baths, for example, continue to be a massive scam involving a reaction with metal that turns the water brown…that isn’t random nastiness coming out of your feet, folks. BUT, what does matter in terms of keeping your skin happy are your pH levels, and both sites recommended a method involving an acid, so the logic seemed sound. In a nutshell, you combine bentonite clay powder, apple cider vinegar (both of which can be found at most natural food stores…I personally got mine at Vitamin Shoppe), and water to make a mask for your pits. So, I spent three ridiculous nights before trying any deodorant watching TV topless with my arms above my head for 20 minutes – and fair warning, your pits will stink of vinegar until you’ve washed them and you’re dry. Bonus – this mask is also an AMAZING face and hair mask…new fave!
The first brand I tried is the Meow Meow Tweet. I purchased their cream versus their stick deodorant because it comes in a trial size. The full size is expensive ($22), and I didn’t want to blow money on a product I wasn’t confident would work.
I also ordered their armpit primer. I have extra sensitive skin, so I wanted to give going natural it’s best chance!
At first, the primer made my armpits sting a bit, but that subsided quickly. And it made my pits silky soft! I tried it at night, and then the next morning, I layered the deodorant on top of it. I felt a little strange using my fingers, but after the first day, discovered I prefer it. You only need to use a little bit of the deodorant, so despite the price tag, this stuff will LAST. The grapefruit scent smells very naturally citrus and is light.
I was extremely nervous. Did I smell? Every time I went to the restroom I would sniff my under arms! And then the next day came my first stress test…barre class. If you want to see me looking my absolute worst, come to M·Power Yoga with me in Canton for a class. It’s intense, sweaty gloriousness. Tuesday barre is my favorite because the instructor is absolutely wonderful and motivating (and also the only genuine “classic barre” instructor I’ve had. I took ballet growing up and I’m pretty sure he’s the only person who has actual dance training that I’ve had as an instructor. Or he’s just very graceful…I could be wrong.). It’s also a packed class, so if I smelled…people would be able to tell. I re-applied my Meow Meow Tweet and went to class. After an hour of anxiety, I discovered my pits STILL SMELLED LIKE GRAPEFRUIT!
Stress test #2…melt yoga class. With a yoga studio that is 40% humidity and 104 degrees, I re-applied my…oh, let’s be honest, everyone in that class pours sweat, so I have no clue if I smelled worse than usual afterwards!
Conclusion after a week? This stuff is AMAZING. No itchy pits, controls odor and makes my skin feel great. Shout out to Ricky for an awesome sauce recommendation! I’ll be ordering a full-sized jar and using the trial size to keep in my purse. Here’s the ingredients list:
Next, because it arrived second, I tried my Fancy Free. This company was recommend to me by a fellow Salisbury University alum (shout out to Passion4Fashion…I wonder if that club is still around? Haha) whose opinion I respect, AND I love, love, love that it’s a female-owned local Baltimore business. I purchased the stick deodorant in the original scent:
It smells SO good – reminds me of orange oil. Unfortunately, my trial with this one ended quickly…my pits were itching and red by the end of the day. Thankfully, another round of the armpit mask fixed that fast.
Despite having a reaction, I would recommend Fancy Free. Try the deodorant if you don’t have super sensitive skin, because the price was reasonable and the customer service was unusually amazing. I notice such things! The owner goes out of her way to show her customers she is grateful for them, and I was genuinely impressed. Even though I can’t use the stick deodorant, I’ll be ordering some other skincare products to try.
Bottom line in all of this? USE THE ARMPIT MASK. That was key, and I used it for a solid week even after beginning my first deodorant trial. It made a huge difference. Also, cease using a natural deodorant immediately if you have an allergic reaction…I made the mistake of “waiting to adjust” back when I first tried Schmidt’s, and it took ages for my poor skin to normalize.
Now my pits are happy and soft. My only unwelcome side effect is particularly healthy armpit hair…my stubble has been growing back so fast, possibly because of the coconut oil. Yuck.
I hope this helps anyone looking to transition smoothly to natural deodorant!
Much love,
Andrea ♥️
BMore Bold 