Skin Food: Tom's of Maine Natural Deodorant

Tom's Aluminum-Free Deodorant; Vita Coco hanging out in the back.

Sure, you may slather on loads of SPF 45 daily to protect your skin from melanoma, but did you know that a skincare product you use every day could be contributing to Alzheimer's?

That's right. Deodorant. Most deodorants are made with aluminum, which clogs pores and doesn't allow your skin to 'breathe.' In essence, the toxins that are usually emitted from your sweat are restrained and held in check by antiperspirant deodorants. New research indicates that there may be a link between breast cancer and antiperspirants.

But it's not just our bodies that suffer from aluminum. After you shower, the toxins are released into the water system, contaminating our water and our environment.

You might be thinking to yourself -- Well, the FDA regulates antiperspirant deodorant, so shoudn't it be safe? This is a foolish and dangerous line of reasoning. In actuality, it's considered safe only because it's intended for "external use only." But aluminum absorbs into the skin. Would you entrust the care of your newborn infant to a robot? Of course not! So don't depend on the FDA.

After all, they were also the ones who said that high fructose corn syrup wasn't harmful. Today, we know that high fructose corn syrup is a genetically modified processed sugar that contributes to obesity and causes diabetes, cancer and heart disease, among other illnesses. Please, do your own research! Don't trust the industry at face value.

Perfumes and scented creams aren't immune either. There are components in fragrances that can cause infertility. Makes you think twice before you sniff yourself out, huh?

No trace of aluminum to be found.

On to my experiment: Alzheimer's and infertility aren't on my high list of 'things to experience,' so I went to Whole Foods and picked up some aluminum-free deodorant by Tom's of Maine. I trust this company because their natural products are not tested on animals and their environmentally-friendly packaging is recyclable. Plus, I'm already familiar with Tom's toothpaste, floss and soap, having used them in the past.

The long-lasting care deodorant line professes to keep you odor-free for 12 hours. It's also Kosher and Halal-friendly. I showered at 9:30 p.m. Monday night and hopped into bed. Unfortunately, I forgot to do a sniff-check at 9:30 a.m. so I had to re-do the experiment the next day.

3/09_1 p.m.: Showered after a one-hour dance workout.

3/10_10:30 a.m.: Woke up and conducted a sniff-check. Although I wasn't smelly, my previous Dove deodorant's fragrance is definitely stronger in the scent department. Not that I'd go back to that toxin-infested mess again, which contained 14.8% of Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Gly. If you can't pronounce it, it's usually not a good thing.

_1 p.m.: So far so good. Although aluminum-free deodorant doesn't work quite the same as antiperspirants, I still detected a faint whiff of apricot. No odor, no skin irritation. I'd use this again. Plus, the long-lasting care line also comes in other delectable scents. Try Lavender, Lemongrass or Unscented/Fragrance-free!


Rating:
Tom's of Maine long-lasting care aluminum-free deodorant - apricot - 4.5/5 stars