Clean Deodorants That Work
We are so grateful to live in a time where there are so many wonderful products on the market. That being said, there are still plenty of not-so Cha Cha products, particularly in the beauty department, that are available. Our goal is to present the research that shows the potential adverse effects of some ingredients, and help give women the power to choose which products they feel are best for themselves and for their families.
Deodorant has been around for forever, but it only recently has seen some major changes. There are tons of potentially harmful ingredients in some antiperspirants, but the one frequently-occurring and incredibly harmful ingredient that has been receiving a lot of attention, is aluminum.
This is important for everyone, but it is particularly important for pregnant women. We came across a fascinating study that examined a large group of pregnant women in rural South Africa and looked at the effects of different levels of aluminum in utero at the time of delivery. Their research suggests that aluminum is in fact toxic in all developmental stages and may produce irreversible health effects, when exposed to even very low levels. They also mentioned how aluminum can cross over the placental barrier, so they advise that pregnant women in particular should reduce their exposure as much as possible. The researchers recommend reducing your children’s exposure as well (Röllin et al., 2018).
The Academy for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has linked aluminum exposure to potentially effecting memory and cognition, and potentially giving rise to bone disease and brain disease. Aluminum levels in healthy individuals who are not pregnant range from 1 μg/L to 3 μg/L, and aluminum levels above 50 μg/L are considered toxic.
The mean aluminum level in pregnant women at delivery in the study mentioned above study was 10.1 μg/L, which is way above what the ATSDR recommends. The researchers also noted that pregnant women who drank citric acid-containing beverages (sodas, some juices, and other drinks) had a significantly increased absorption of aluminum in their guts (Röllin et al., 2018).
Aluminum is not only found in deodorant, but it can be found in places we wouldn’t even think about, such as in kitchen utensils, pots, pans, and of course…aluminum foil. Try to look for aluminum-free products any chance you get!
It may be hard to cut out aluminum all together, but switching to a clean deodorant (a product that many people put on their bodies daily) is a great place to start!
Here are some aluminum-free deodorants that we are loving right now! They are safe, beautiful, and incredibly effective.
