Sometimes just the thought of swapping out your antiperspirant might make you start to sweat a bit. But switching to natural deodorant doesn’t have to be scary – and we promise, the sweat will subside. If rumors surrounding the dreaded detox phase may be holding you back from making the transition, we want to clear the air and share what you can actually expect when switching to our natural deodorant – and why this season is the perfect time to start.
SWEAT
Let’s get this fear out of the way first, shall we? Sweat is not the enemy – it’s a healthy, necessary function to detoxify and keep our body balanced. Instead of blocking pores to prevent sweating (like an antiperspirant) with harmful chemicals (like aluminum), natural deodorant allows skin to breathe, rids the body of toxic buildup + regulates its internal temperature.
Although you will sweat when you first switch to natural deodorant (and you may even be extra sweaty as your body begins to purge itself of toxins from chemical-filled conventional deodorants), your body will normalize soon after and you’ll find you sweat even less! Our natural alternative also has a cumulative effect, so the more you use it, the better it works.
Pit tip: When you allow your body to detox through sweat, you’ll be less likely to detox through your skin (aka breakouts + blemishes). Get active, move your body and make the switch to a natural deodorant that doesn’t prevent perspiration!
SMELL
B.O. is a big one. After trying countless natural deodorants, have you found you still smell like foul body odor, but mixed with fake flowers? Don’t be tempted to turn back to your drugstore brand! Steer clear of engineered scents + carcinogenic chemicals to cover odor. And always avoid deodorants with “fragrance” listed on the label, as that term is code for “chemical cocktail”. Our natural deodorant has powerful odor-fighting ingredients like fair-trade coconut oil, baking soda and organic essential oils to prevent odor + keep bacteria at bay.
Similar to the sweat situation, as your body rids itself of toxins from traditional deodorant, you may find yourself a bit more smelly than normal. After a week or two (the detox phase depends on your current chemical buildup), this will minimize and disappear as your pits + sweat glands become more balanced. All day odor protection – without the risks of disease or dangerous side effects – is possible when taking a natural, non-toxic approach to conventional deodorants.
Pit tip: If your body odor continues to linger, you may want to take a deeper look at your diet + lifestyle choices. Eliminating processed and refined foods, eating lots of leafy green vegetables and getting regular exercise can help support the detoxification process and promote balanced pits – and better B.O.!
SENSITIVE SKIN
Does redness, rashes or inflammation make your sensitive skin nervous to try another natural deodorant? Baking soda is an incredibly effective odor-fighting ingredient, but can cause irritation for some skin types. Through years of trial + error, we’ve formulated our deodorant with the perfect amount of baking soda – enough to combat odor but not enough to cause irritation for the vast majority of people.
Plus, our good-for-you ingredients include nourishing vitamins and essential fatty acids with anti-inflammatory + anti-microbial properties help to improve the health of skin, leaving pits smooth and protected.
Pit tip: Here are some helpful suggestions to prevent irritation and protect sensitive skin when applying natural deodorant. Don’t apply after shaving (shave at night + apply in the morning), apply only 1-2 swipes for lasting odor protection (less is more!), allow deodorant to warm up to skin to reduce friction, and try dabbing instead of swiping.
START NOW
Take advantage of these cooler temperatures and start the transition to natural deodorant now! We’re not as prone to sweat during colder months, making this season the perfect time for our bodies to purge chemicals from antiperspirants. Plus, cozy sweaters can easily cover up any initial excess sweat or smell. So when the warmer months of summer arrive, your body (and sweat glands!) will be balanced and you can bare all without fear – or B.O. 🙂
Want even more tips + solutions for transitioning to natural deodorant? Check out our helpful post Natural Deodorant 101.
I have been trying different “natural” deodorant for 2 years now. Unfortunately, I break out with any deodorant with baking soda. I still have not found a deodorant that reduces perspiration and I have to disagree when you mention that the sweat reduces over time. Mine has not and I have been only been using natural deodorants religiously. I’m the summer my shirt is soaked with sweat. I don’t want to go back to “commercial” deodorant but am about to give up. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Shayla! Thanks for taking the time to share your story, we’re so sorry to hear it’s been a struggle finding a natural deodorant that works + helps with your perspiration. As you’re probably well aware, since switching from an antiperspirant that stops your sweat glands from actually doing what they’re supposed to do, you do become a bit more sweaty. While we know that’s a GOOD thing since sweating helps to expel toxins + regulate our body temperature, it can definitely be irritating (and embarrassing).
After hearing a bit of your situation, I wonder if it’s actually not the baking soda that’s causing irritation, but your perspiration. Excess perspiration can potentially get trapped in your pits and cause itchiness, inflammation or irritation.
Thankfully, there are a few simple solutions. Everyday (especially in the heat of the summer) it’s important to make sure you properly cleanse your pits to keep skin clear of trapped sweat and bacteria buildup. You can try our Baby Bar to effectively cleanse + lightly exfoliate. Then spritz our Everything Spray after showering (and throughout the day as a pit refresher!) to keep pores clear and calm inflammation. Or for even more perspiration protection, you can apply our talc-free baby powder to absorb excess moisture and help reduce friction + irritation.
Otherwise, your excessive sweating could possibly even be hyperhidrosis (a common condition which causes a person to perspire excessively), which in that case, we would suggest seeing a naturopath to find natural solutions to help.
Hope this is helpful, stick with it 🙂 Thanks so much, Shayla! XO
I have the same issue. I’ve been using the Primally Pure deodorant (started with sensitive then went to regular) for a year or so, and still get irritated armpits. I follow all the suggestions you guys give. What else can I do? I don’t want to go back to regular deodorant!
Hi Cat! Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback. Have you had a chance to read our blog post about underarm irritation and some natural solutions? https://blog.primallypure.com/underarm-rash/ We hope this info is helpful for you! If all else fails, our Everything Spray is an effective underarm refresher and actually helps to soothe + calm inflammation and irritation. 🙂 XO
I just started using the charcoal deodorant and wrote a review the first week saying I sweat more. Then my boyfriend showed me a similar article to this so I kept using it. The sweat and smelly phase has passed! I wish I had read this sooner or thar it had been linked to the product! Thanks for the thorough explanation.
Thanks so much for your positive feedback, Erica! We’re so happy to hear you stuck with your natural deodorant and are now starting to see results – so worth it! XO 🙂
A year ago, I tried switching over to Primally Pure’s all natural deodorant but I found myself not de-odorizing but smelling the worst I ever have! And ruining shirts along the way. I know it was not the deodorant itself… it was my detox phase after years 12 of chemical products. My body was a little shocked. Detoxing was hard for me handle (I was a wuss) so I went back to Secret – which is terrible for you, I know. Just a few weeks ago, I decided to try it again. I really want to treat my body with care and be as health conscience as possible. It’s been three weeks, which is longer than the last time I tried, and just yesterday I THREW my Secret deodorant away (I’ve been keeping it on my shelf just in case). I am so happy with their product and pushing through the discomfort of chemicals to self-care! I wouldn’t even say I smell great – I just don’t smell! Well, I mean, sometimes my boyfriend looks at me funny after we hug but that happens sometimes… when you don’t shower that day. And that’s what perfume is for! No need to be perfume on your pits with toxic deodorant. Anyways, I’m rambling. Thank you Primally Pure for caring for our skin and holistic health!
Hi Kelsie Mae, Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with us! We’re SO grateful to hear you ditched your toxic antiperspirant and stuck through the detox phase! Your pits and your body (and your boyfriend) will thank you 🙂 Using a natural deodorant is one the most powerful and simplest ways to care for your health and we’re so happy we get to support you in that. Love you, sis! 🙂 XO
I’ve tried primal pit paste, and one other. Both irritated my arm puts. I’ve been told it is the baking soda. I now you mention yours has less.
I tho l I’d like to try – do you have samples?
Hi Julie! Thanks so much for sharing a bit of your natural deodorant journey with us.
Our deodorant does contain a small amount of baking soda and is fortified with kaolin clay (powerful detoxifier) and non-nano zinc oxide (soothes irritation + combats odor). Several customers have found that while they’ve experienced irritation from other deodorants, their skin responds well with ours.
While we don’t offer samples, our 1.7oz deodorant is a great place to start. Be sure to take our deodorant quiz to find which scent would be the best fit for you: https://primallypure.com/pages/pure-fect-deodorant-quiz
Feel free to also check out our other blog post, “Irritation From Natural Deodorant? Here’s What To Do About It.” https://blog.primallypure.com/underarm-rash/
Thanks, Julie! XO
What about salt rocks??
Hi Tonya! From our research, while salt rocks are free of aluminum chloride + aluminum chlorohydrate, the key ingredient does still contain naturally-occurring aluminum that could potentially penetrate the skin. Check out this link for further info: https://www.wellandgood.com/good-looks/does-crystal-stone-mineral-salt-deodorant-work/slide/4/ We hope that’s helpful! XO
Is skin discoloration also something to expect with detox? I’ve been using a natural deodorant (not PP) that has significantly discolored my underarms. I’m wanting to try the charcoal deodorant but wonder if this is something that I can expect with PP as well and if skin discoloration will improve with use. Thank you!
Hi Lyndsey! Underarm darkening is potential side effect of using a deodorant that contains baking soda. PP natural deodorant is formulated with minimal amounts of baking soda and is fortified with kaolin clay (powerful detoxifier) and non-nano zinc oxide (soothes irritation + combats odor). Many who have experienced irritation or discoloration with other formulas have found ours to be an effective alternative. We hope you’ll give our charcoal deodorant a chance and are excited to hear about your experience! XO
What if you have struggled with hyperhydrosis and use clinical strength deodorant?
Hi there! We’re so sorry to hear about your struggle with hyperhydrosis. While sweating is a healthy + natural function that keeps the body balanced, excessive sweating can be irritating + embarrassing. We are firm believers that as we minimize our toxic load + stress levels, that also helps to powerfully bring health + balance back to the body – and using a natural deodorant (without aluminum and other harmful chemicals) is an effective first step in doing so. There can be so many factors related to hyperhydrosis and we always try to take a natural approach to finding solutions – so here is an article that provides some potential solutions to naturally help hyperhydrosis. https://draxe.com/excessive-sweating/ We hope this is helpful! XO
What if it stains your clothes? Oil is hard to get out. I’ve tried waiting to get dressed to let it absorb.
Hi Meghan! That’s great you’re giving your deodorant time to absorb before getting dressed, that’s definitely a tip we suggest. Also, in almost all cases of staining, too much deodorant is being applied. All you need is 1-2 light swipes per pit for all day odor protection because our deodorant is very concentrated, made with only a few pure ingredients and no cheap fillers.
However, some fabrics are particularly vulnerable to oil stains even when a very small amount of deodorant is being used. Tops that cling tightly to the underarm area are also susceptible to stains. In most cases, these stains easily come out in the washing machine using just about any type of detergent – we love the non-toxic cleaning product company called Branch Basics 🙂 Please keep this in mind when wearing our deodorant with any tops that you couldn’t imagine parting with. The chances of them being ruined are VERY rare, but the possibility is still worth mentioning. Hope that is helpful, Meghan! XO
Hello, I just recently purchased your deodorant after trying other natural formulas I finally found one that works!
That being said my arm pits are now discoloured. Is there a way to prevent this? Or do i have to discontinue use to make it go away?
Hi Melanie! We’re SO happy to hear you discovered our deodorant 🙂 Underarm darkening is a potential side effect of using a deodorant that contains baking soda. Try sprinkling a lemon wedge with sugar and gently rubbing it onto the affected area a few minutes prior to bathing/showering. The exfoliation combined with the brightening properties of lemon may help to normalize any pigmentation issues and allow for continued use of our deodorant. Hope that’s helpful! XO
I started using Toms about 3 weeks ago, after using regular deodorant/antiperspirant for over 35 years. No problems so far, BUT I have been trying to get a straight answer about detoxing. What exactly is it, and should I have done this prior to the start of using Toms? Will the Toms not work correctly unless the other deodorant residue has “detoxed” out from under my arms? Some sites I read have called the whole detox thing bogus and really wanting feedback to see if this is legit!
Hi Gretchen! We’re so glad you’ve made the switch to natural deodorant and we completely understand that all of the different opinions about detoxing + deodorant can be a bit confusing. Because every body and background is so different, we always want to make sure we communicate the potential of a detox period and support our community in the best way possible when transitioning to a non-toxic product after years of using conventional ones. While for some, this switch may be simple and painless (and odorless!), for others, the purging + detox period is real and can last for several weeks. For this reason, it’s challenging to give hard facts or a blanket statement about this detox process! If the deo swap has been going well for you, congrats and enjoy it! 🙂 XO
How do you remove stains from clothing?
Hi Debbie! Branch Basics is our go-to 🙂