Today I’m going to post something a little different. It’s something I have been trying out for a few reasons. I may have mentioned a time or two: my thyroid is broken. Well, maybe not broken, but it doesn’t work the way it should. Because my thyroid has gone on intermittent strike, I also have a hormone roller coaster of imbalance. I know it sounds like fun, but it’s not really.
After podcasts and reading and searching, in addition to seeing a naturopath, I have cut soy out of my diet. It means I now do a lot of cooking and reading, as there is sneaky soy in all sorts of things. Soy has been alleged to inhibit thyroid function, and potentially create hormone disruption (among other things which you can read about here). I was cleaning my bathroom and glanced at the ingredient list on my body wash. In the first few ingredients; soybean oil. I did some reading about the absorption rate through my skin and decided there wasn’t enough concrete evidence to give up my favorite shampoo and eyeliner, but at the same time, I spent all this time and money putting whole, chemical-free food INSIDE my body. I should treat my skin, the largest organ, with natural whole ingredients as well. I did find an interesting resource for deciphering the actual ingredients of listed chemicals. It certainly couldn’t hurt to use natural ingredients on my skin, at least the majority of the time.
I went to the farmers market with my new resolve and purchased some chemical-free sunscreen. I know the sun is good for a body and the vitamin D is best absorbed via dermis, but… I am a freckled strawberry blonde, and unless I want to impersonate a lobster I need sunscreen sometimes. I also bought an all natural deodorant. I hated it. It smelled, well, like the transient orchard workers that come into my store (stale beer, dreadlocks and months of camping) mixed with lavender. I would rather smell like body odor than the all natural pit stick. There were a couple times where I actually stopped what I was doing to try to determine where that terrible smell was coming from… it was me. I smelled terrible.
I looked at other alternatives: Crystals? Magic stones? Alcohol sanitizing wipes? Smell good mantra I repeat to myself? Misting rose water into my pits? I even used scented hand sanitizer a couple days, can you believe I am single? I was scrolling through Instagram and Mary the Paleo Chef (who I have a bit of a girl crush on) posted her DIY deodorant solution. Genius. She also mentioned that she had noticed more male suitors approaching her since her switch from potentially hormone-disrupting deodorants.
Remember, I’m single. I was game.
I recently read about an interesting dating site that matches people by odor! I have been on more than 50 internet dates (over the last couple years) and can attest: Someone perfect on your computer screen doesn’t always transfer into Prince Charming in person and vice versa. This chemistry matchmaking is a little sci-fi, but interesting. Yes… more than 50 internet dates, and if you are lucky, I’ll tell you more about it someday.
The chemistry behind why this works is simple: sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) neutralizes odoriferous compounds through an acid/base reaction. Coconut oil is full of essential fatty acids for healing and is anti-microbial, so this makes sense. The essential oils just give me a little variety for my pit “flavor”. And, well, I had 4 little containers with different colored lids to fill. I asked my co-workers and friends to tell me if I smelled bad, and I used this DIY deodorant thru the hottest month of the year. If someone you can fire is given the go-ahead to tell you frankly that you smell bad, well, that’s something. I invaded some personal space and asked them how I smelled. I did get a couple funny remarks/looks but no detection of BO. I suppose I have to go somewhere besides home and work to test of the opposite sex reaction, although I did have one boy approach me in a bar; I think it was more my breasts and the ssundressI was wearing than the natural wholesome pheromones I was emitting. Maybe it was both.
Paleo Deodorant is a little messy. I apply it with my fingers fresh out of the shower. It’s a little gritty as well, which I don’t mind. I did see recipes for arrowroot powder instead, but whatever works best for you. I’m sure you could use a small sponge or cloth to apply, which I hadn’t thought of until right now. Wow. You guys are so smart for thinking of that. I’m impressed. Paleo Deodorant: the chemical free, smell good formula! If you had told my 22-year-old self I would one day be making my own deodorant (and single), I would have laughed you out of the building! The things we do for better health…
Paleo Deodorant
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tbsp baking soda
- 2–4 drops of essential oil
Instructions
- Mix ingredient together in a small container or jar.
- Apply liberally as needed.
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