I prefer to go natural whenever possible… eating clean, using natural remedies for ailments, etc. So of course I decided to switch over to using a natural deodorant versus antiperspirants with aluminum, especially since I’m in the gym or yoga studio sometimes twice per day.

Throughout the last year, I’ve tried everything from just coconut oil to the most expensive brands; I even considered making my own! After narrowing it down to Native, Beach Organics and Schmidt’s, I chose to go with Schmidt’s. It seemed to work the best and didn’t discolor my clothes. I LOVED it. I felt like I actually smelled better naturally once I detoxed from the traditional antiperspirants I had been using. Not having dry armpits 24/7 was a bit of an adjustment, but it was a sacrifice worth making.

After a year of using natural deodorants with multiple scents, I started to develop a rash under my left arm. I thought it was razor burn, or maybe I put it on too quickly after shaving and it irritated my skin. No big deal, I moisturized it before bed. It persisted, so I thought, hmm, maybe I’m allergic to one of the ingredients in the new scent I had just purchased. Changed that up, and it only got worse. I’ll save you the details and gnarly photos, but after two weeks and sometimes multiple applications per day, I had developed a rash in both underarms. It was raw and itchy and not pretty. I began to research what this could be, and unfortunately, I found a TON of cases just like mine… There were some schools of thought that I could be sensitive to some of the ingredients (like baking soda) in the natural blend, and others suggested the constant moisture combined with heat and friction was irritating my skin to develop intertrigo.

I found suggestions for using hydrocortisone (didn’t work) and others for baby powder. I happened to have some talc-free baby powder with aloe that I began using right away. This was messy but seemed to work to dry my skin, dry out the rash and leave me smelling fresh. For about three weeks, this was all I used in lieu of deodorant. The rash started to clear up, although it wasn’t 100%, but man, what an inconvenience!

Next step: dermatologist. My annual was already setup, so I knew if this irritation didn’t go away, I could ask her. She knew right away. Between the moisture AND the essential oils, I was having a bad reaction. She said this is very common among natural deodorant users and there’s not a great way to prevent it. She prescribed me an anti-fungal cream (gross) to use twice a day for two weeks. After 2 days it was 90% better. Wow, to think I was doing this to myself with natural products was frustrating and embarrassing. Sadly, my dermatologist had no natural alternatives and suggested I begin using Almay Sensitive Skin Antiperspirant. I immediately went to buy that, but it still had aluminum in it, and it was a gel that left a white residue behind.

The disappointing conclusion is that I went back to Secret Active Invisible Solid Antiperspirant & Deodorant for women. Working out and teaching yoga, I can’t have nasty armpits! I use a lot less, and go back to the baby powder just around the house, but my armpits are now smooth and pretty — back to how they should be. It pains me to use it every morning because I feel like there’s potential for the aluminum to be harmful in the long run, but by using such a small amount and not while pores are open directly after a shower, I have come to grips with it.

This was an embarrassing, self-conscious time for me, but I’m sharing this in hopes that it can help others. AND, if you are reading this, and you have found a magic solution without going back to antiperspirants, please share your knowledge!