Why Does it Work so Well?
A woman asked me the following question:
Is it completely non-toxic? I’m so impressed with how well it works! It’s amazing!
Brenda: I’m amazed too really, I don’t know why I can make such an effective deodorant for me and the commercial brands don’t.
I have a few theories though:
1) Some people might develop a rash using any product on the skin containing baking soda. Baking Soda has a high alkaline level and odor causing bacteria thrive in acidity. Unfortunately, some people’s skin is sensitive to high alkaline levels.Other people are sensitive to baking soda sometimes but not all the time. One of my clients suddenly became sensitive to the deodorant and we were both mystified why. One possibility is she recently been doing things to lower the acidity in her body and raise the alkaline. We’re wondering if the change in her internal PH has changed her ability to put Baking soda on her body. We’re not sure but we continue to explore ideas. Anyway, I suspect corporations need a product to work for almost everyone and certainly don’t want the headache of some of their clients developing rashes. Therefore, they’ve chosen to not pursue baking soda as a main ingredient to their deodorants. I guess one of the advantages of a small handmade product is that handcrafters can try to respond to individual needs. It is also why Igive out samples to people who come by the booth and why I am willing to take returns (although if it has been shipped, I would be happier to give a 90% refund and have you give it to someone else).
2) Another possible reason my deodorant works better than commercial brands may lie in the application method. Because of the texture and feel of most commercially produced antiperspirants (it’s awful, dry and tacky and won’t come off), the deodorant industry had to come up with ways the consumer didn’t have to touch it, hence the sprays, sticks and gels. Since my deodorant feels good to touch and isn’t bad for your hands (may actually be good with coconut, avocado and hemp oils) , it never occurred to me that one would need to apply it with anything other than hands. This may have been one of the secrects of its efficacy, since my deodorant doesn’t need ingredients that make it thinner (for a spray), hard (for a solid) or gel like, all the ingredients in my deodorant are there to fight odor. Thuis included the essential oils I chose which are both antibacterials and fragrance.
3) For the cynical, there is yet another explanation some people have offered to me, that the ingredients in commercial deodorants are about cost savings and convenience for the corporations.
- The chemicals extend shelf-life (indefinitely?)
- The chemicals are cheaper to procure and, some have suggested) are even sometimes by-products of other products the corporation makes.
- The corporations believe that they could not convince consumers to use products that have a few shortcoming in comparision to commercial brands (for instance oil separating)\