How Antiperspirant Affected My Body After 17 Years

Meet Heather, a previous PR intern at kaia naturals by day and a professional dance instructor by night. As an individual who sweats excessively everyday while she teaches dance, she became self-conscious when she smelled body odor even after using antiperspirant. Heather shares her experience with switching from antiperspirant to natural deodorant.

My Antiperspirant Stopped Working

It was about two years ago when I realized I had an odor problem. I hopped out of the shower after a dance rehearsal and suddenly became aware of something very strange. I didn’t smell fresh. I had just shampooed, shaved, and scrubbed my whole body, but I still didn’t smell clean.

Within the next few days I became very conscious of the fact that no matter how much antiperspirant I put on, it was as though a sweaty smell followed me everywhere I went. It is important to me that my antiperspirant is long lasting because I work closely with the dancers around me in rehearsal and I teach sometimes for 9 hours a day. No one wants to partner or be taught by stinky girl. I was alarmed that my antiperspirant seemed to suddenly stop working altogether.

Using Antiperspirant Since I Was 7 Years Old

I had been using antiperspirant ever since I came home from ballet class in Grade 2 and my mom tossed a stick of it at me with her fingers plugging her nose. Pretty much every brand of drugstore deodorant made for women is also an antiperspirant. What this means is that it contains aluminum which blocks your pores to stop your body from sweating.

My Doctor Recommended Clinical-Strength Antiperspirant

After consulting my doctor, I was simply told to try using a clinical strength antiperspirant instead. Displeased with this recommendation, I started to do my own research. I quickly learned that my beloved antiperspirant was actually trapping toxins in my body! I also stumbled across several testimonials by women just like me who found that their were negative effects of antiperspirant and was suddenly causing them to smell worse.

The best solution? Switching to natural deodorant. I figured that it was worth a shot, but had a slight fear that I would smell deadly as I sweat profusely teaching dance every day.

My Armpit Detox Experience

Due to the fact that I’m so active and was already experiencing odor issues, my transition to natural deodorant was more intense than what other people may experience. My body was suddenly releasing a lot of sweat – something that had become so foreign to me after years of antiperspirant use. A sweat towel became my best friend at dance to help keep me feeling dry during rehearsal. For about a two week period, I found myself reapplying deodorant as often as possible.

The Game-Changer

The biggest game changer for me during this time was the underarm bar by kaia naturals. I had already been using this even before starting my internship here. The underarm bar is a natural antibacterial soap formulated with apple cider vinegar and activated charcoal that helps to kill the odor-causing bacteria in the shower so that your deodorant is more effective. I noticed that if I ever forgot to use it in the shower, there was a huge difference in how long my natural deodorant lasted throughout the day.

Natural Deodorants For The Most Active Lifestyles

By the end of the month, I could go the entire day without thinking about whether or not I was getting stinky – even if I had a five hour rehearsal. While the transition process was not the most lovely experience of my life, it was SO worth it. I never thought that natural deodorant would be strong enough to keep me smelling fresh through dance class. I no longer deal with embarrassing body odor and have peace of mind knowing that I’m not using a toxic product on my body every day.