6 Things You Can Use Instead Of Deodorant

I can never leave the house without wearing deodorant. I’m not one of those people who can get away with it.

Summer, winter, it makes no difference. I sweat. And sweat gets whiffy.

Of course, the ingredients in antiperspirants freak a lot of people out. I try not to think about it, because I’m a bit of an ostrich with these things, but it is in the back of my mind whenever I give my armpits a spray, what sorts of chemicals I’m absorbing into my body in the name of not stinking.

Antiperspirants have been linked to things like breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease because of their active ingredient, a compound that contains aluminium and can prevent you from perspiring by temporarily plugging your sweat ducts. There’s a lot of debate around this still, and there’s been no definitive proof that deodorants are the cause of these diseases.

That aside, there are other times when you might be caught out leaving the house without wearing deodorant, or if you’ve run out suddenly and have no time to get to the shops. There are lots of alternatives out there that people swear by to keep themselves smelling sweet on the stickiest of hot days. Here are some alternatives to deodorant you can try if you’re feeling funny about the chemicals in your spray can:

1. Baking Soda and Cornflour

Seriously, is there nothing you can’t use baking soda for?!

It’s recommended to mix 1/8 of a teaspoon with little water, not dissolved, and then rub it under your arms. A mixture of baking soda and cornflour can also be used to fight the odour and prevent any wetness in your armpits. To do this, you mix one part baking soda with six parts cornflour and dust the powder in your pits.

2. Lemon Juice

Applying lemon juice to your armpits can help keep the smells at bay as it kills off odour-causing bacteria. This method is for deodorising only and isn’t an anti-perspirant, you’re still going to sweat. Lemon juice also has a slight bleaching effect.

More Reading: How To Get Blonde Highlights Using Lemon Juice

3. Witch Hazel

Put witch hazel on a cotton ball and rub it on your armpits. This method isn’t messy and doesn’t leave any residue on your pits or clothes. You can pick up Witch Hazel from most chemists!

4. Hand Sanitiser

Have you ever accidentally left the house without deodorant and you realise that you’re going to start stinking up the joint? If you carry hand sanitiser around with you, it can actually save the day. Squirt some under each armpit to kill the bacteria and keep the stench at bay.

More Reading: Where You Can Buy Hand Sanitiser Online in Australia

5. Essential Oils

Try blending some of your favourite essential oils like lavender, lemongrass and so on and apply those to your armpits. When they wear off, you can keep reapplying throughout the day. Not only do they work, they smell incredible too!

More Reading: Where to Buy Wholesale Essential Oils

6. Coconut Oil

It’s claimed that if you take a little bit of solidified coconut oil from your coconut oil jar and rub it into your armpits, letting it melt, you’ll not only smell great all day long but your armpits will be wonderfully moisturised as well. In fact when you look at most of the natural deodorants on the market, they nearly all contain coconut oil!

More Reading: 14 Amazing Uses For Coconut Oil for Personal Hygiene

Other Natural Alternatives to Deodorant

If none of these methods work for you (and everyone is different!) – maybe look at one of the many beautiful natural deodorants that are on the market now. Many of them have wonderful reviews and only contain natural ingredients. Pastes are also very popular and you just warm them up with your fingers and then smooth the paste onto your underarms.

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