Thursday, April 19, 2018
I've been using natural deodorant for the past few months and I can honestly say that I'm happy with the decision I've made. I'll never go back to using antiperspirant deodorant for reasons I've explained in my previous blog post (check it out here: Why I made the switch to natural deodorant). Finding a natural deodorant that works, is affordable, and can be purchased in store has been a long time mission of mine. It's taken me a couple of years, but I'm happy to say that I found two that fit the criteria. I'm genuinely pleased with each of these deodorants and use them interchangeably, otherwise I wouldn't be speaking of either on my blog.
Before I expound on these two deodorants, let me just say that switching to natural deodorant takes some adjusting. Your underarms will be a little more moist than you're used to, they might even smell a little funny, emphasis on the might. Don't be alarmed, your pores are simply getting used to breathing since they are no longer being plugged by aluminum. As you already know, sweating is a normal bodily function. It's how the body cools and detoxifies itself, just because your underarms are slightly more moist than you're used to, doesn't mean that you stink. Without further a do, lets jump into these two affordable natural deodorants that keep you smelling fresh by fighting odor and absorbing moisture.
Schmidt's Deodorant:
Schmidt's is an all natural deodorant with all natural ingredients that help neutralize odor and absorb wetness. It does not contain aluminum, propylene glycol, or any artificial fragrances. The Schmidt's deodorant line has several fragrances to choose from including a fragrance free option. I'm currently using the lavender and sage scent which smells lovely. To be honest, I really wasn't expecting to find this deodorant at Walmart. On the contrary, I thought I'd find it at a health food store retailing for $9 (its original retail value). However, Walmart sells this product for only $4.72 and I'll take $4.72 over $8.99 any day. That may seem a little pricey for deodorant, but when you compare five dollars to ten or seventeen dollars, in the realm of natural deodorant that's a steal. Not to mention, you don't have to pay for shipping because Schmidt's is sold at Walmart and Target.
You might be thinking, "Yeah that's cool and all but does it work?" The answer is yes. A little goes a long way, it's long-lasting, and holds up well even on gym days. When I wear this deodorant I hardly ever need to reapply because it doesn't lose its strength throughout the day. Although I prefer a gel formula, this deodorant is a solid deodorant. The directions for use advise you to hold it momentarily to your skin. This way your body heat can soften it on contact when applying. Do follow the instructions! This product is grainy in texture and if you don't warm it up by holding it to your skin for a few seconds, it will feel rough when you apply it onto your underarms.
Schmidt's is also a unisex brand meaning that it is suitable for both sexes. My boyfriend is currently using the charcoal and magnesium scent, and his only complaint is that it stains his shirts gray in the underarm area. This could be because the charcoal and magnesium deodorant is dark gray as it contains charcoal, but it does come off when washed. I didn't have any staining issues with the lavender and sage scent.
Arm and Hammer Essentials Deodorant:
Arm and Hammer Essentials Deodorant is a natural deodorant made with natural plant extracts, and pure baking soda that fights and absorbs odor. This deodorant does not contain aluminum, parabens, colorants, or animal-derived ingredients. Arm and Hammer Essentials can also be found at Walmart for $1.88 and at Target for $2.89. I'm currently using the Fresh scent and the name of this scent describes it perfectly. This deodorant is also a unisex brand and my boyfriend prefers this deodorant over the Schmidt's brand. He is currently using the Clean scent which smells like fresh linen, there is also an unscented option. The Arm and Hammer Essentials deodorant has a gel formula, which I love because it's light and goes on smooth. The lasting power this deodorant has is pretty decent. I do bring it with me throughout the day so that I can reapply it after a few hours as it does loose a bit of strength.
Most natural deodorants, such as the Arm and Hammer Essentials deodorant use baking soda to absorb moisture in the underarm region. This can cause irritation of the skin for some people. I experienced some irritation when I applied this product after shaving my underarms. I felt a burning sensation strong enough to make my eyes water but it subsided after a few seconds. Sometimes this reaction happens because your underarms are adjusting to the baking soda or because your underarm region was sensitive due to shaving. It has been said that it is safe to continue the use of natural deodorants that contain baking soda, even though a reaction occurred as the pH level of your underarms will adjust. However, if a continual reaction happens and it is painful, discontinue your use of the product. You can opt for the sensitive skin formulas, or the fragrance free options. Both options are normally formulated for sensitive skin.
Although the Arm and Hammer Essentials deodorant does not contain aluminum, parabens, colorants, or animal-derived ingredients, it does contain propylene glycol and its by-product dipropylene glycol. I've done some extensive research on these two chemical compounds and what I have found is that research on both of these ingredients are pretty obscure, but they are deemed safe by the FDA when used at the correct concentration. Some companies use propylene glycol that are produced from petrochemicals while others use propylene glycol that are manufactured from a plant-based by-product of the biofuel industry (blog.honest.com). In regard to the Arm and Hammer Essentials deodorant, their website states that "all the ingredients are safe at the levels used." Being that they use natural plant extracts in formulation of this deodorant, one can assume that they use plant-based propylene glycol, but there is no statement of this on their website. However, this information does not make me dislike the product.
As I stated earlier, I use both of these deodorants interchangeably and I'm pleased with each. I tend to gravitate more towards the Arm and Hammer Essentials deodorant because of its gel formula. I have always enjoyed using gel versus solid deodorant but that's just my preference. However, if I know that I'm going to be in a humid environment for most of the day and I don't want to have to reapply, I will wear the Schmidt's natural deodorant because its lasting power is a little stronger than the Arm and Hammer Essentials deodorant. This might be because the Arm and Hammer Essentials deodorant is a gel, and since it's a gel it's lighter than the Schmidt's deodorant. The Schmidt's deodorant is solid in consistency making it a bit thicker and less soluble. However, this doesn't mean that the Arm and Hammer Essentials deodorant wears off easily. If you apply enough it does hold up, but after a few, hours it might start to lose some strength. The same goes for the Schmidt's deodorant, only it might not loose strength as easily because it's thicker in consistency.
I've had these deodorants for two months now, and it doesn't seem as though I will be needing to hit the store for repurchase anytime soon. What I love the most about these deodorants is that they don't buildup on my skin. In the past, when I used antiperspirant deodorant it was tough to remove, soap and water wasn't cutting it. Regardless of how well I thought I cleaned my underarms, the day-to-day layers of deodorant where sitting on my skin with questionable chemicals. That's no longer a problem for me thanks to the Schmidt's and Arm and Hammer Essential deodorants.
So there you have it, two of the most affordable, effective, natural deodorants that can be found at your local drugstore. If you can't find either of these at your local drugstore, you can purchase them on their respective websites or on the Walmart and Target websites. I recommend purchasing both deodorants from Walmart as it offers the most affordable price for each. I hope this blog post was helpful to you if you've been on the hunt for an economical yet effective natural deodorant.
Love,
Des.
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
A couple years ago, spin brushes were a sensation on YouTube and beauty bloggers were reviewing all kinds of expensive ones. Eventually, I found a good spinbrush at an affordable price from Ulta Beauty. The Dual Action Cleansing Brush was the tool that lead me to really think twice about using antiperspirant deodorant. How? Just keep on reading.
The Dual Action Cleansing Brush comes with one brush head and one foam pad for moisturizing. There was a promotion going on when I purchased this spinbrush, so I grabbed a set of two extra brush heads to use them on my face, neck, back, and eventually my underarms. Just after a few uses, I saw the benefits of exfoliating my skin. My skin was softer, less dry, and looked more alive.
To make a long story short, one day I decided to use my spinbrush to exfoliate my back, as I was dealing with a few breakouts. In the process of doing so my underarm got itchy and I scratched the itch away. Now, I had showered the day before and did not wear deodorant to bed, nor had I applied any yet. Immediately after scratching my underarm, I noticed a thin layer of gunk under my fingernails. I was thrown off because as I mentioned I had showered the day before. I certainly cleaned my underarms to the best of my ability while I was in there, and I didn't wear deodorant to bed. So, what was this waxy, gray, rubbery, gunk that was underneath my nails? You guessed it, deodorant. After I made that discovery, I put my spinbrush to work in my underarm regions and let me tell you, I had no idea how much buildup I had sitting in my underarms from previous applications of deodorant. The crazy thing was that my skin appeared to be smooth on the surface and the buildup wasn't evident at all. I guess this explains why you can see deodorant stuck in-between your razor blade when you shave your underarms, although you scrubbed the area clean prior to shaving.
This made me think back to some of my high school days when I would go to bed late and tell myself I'd shower in the morning. Consequently, I'd wake up late for school, couldn't shower because I had to catch the bus, and in the process of getting ready in a rush I'd forget to wear deodorant. I was bummed the first time this happened to me, and I was scared that my underarms were going to smell funny throughout the day. I asked my friends if they had any deodorant to lend me, but they didn't have any on hand. So, I was forced to face the day deodorant free. However, through that experience I realized something and that was that the layer of deodorant I applied the day before still had some lasting power and it got me through the day without smelling crazy. That really got me thinking, if my deodorant isn't wearing off after a single use, is still on my skin even after I shower, and is only effectively removed through either shaving or abrasively cleaning my underarms, are my underarms even breathing? In my opinion, deodorant should wear off. Our bodies are meant to sweat and yes it's necessary to prevent our underarms from smelling, but deodorant should not be so difficult to remove either. I'm convinced that the only time my underarms were deodorant free while using antiperspirant deodorant was when I either shaved my underarms or exfoliated them. Other than that the day-to-day layers of deodorant were still on my skin, though I'd shower and scrub the area clean because I knew in my experience that gentle cleansing wasn't enough.
Antiperspirant deodorants contain aluminum, a chemical that is used to plug your pores in order to prevent you from sweating. Aluminum has been linked to very serious health issues, but because there isn't enough scientific evidence to support the claims they are considered "harmless". At the end of the day everything we apply onto our skin is absorbed into the body and makes its way into the bloodstream. Not every product I use is natural or chemical free but my main issue with antiperspirant deodorant is the fact that it builds up and plugs my pores with the use of chemicals. I for one hate buildup, and I certainly don't want chemicals sitting on my skin for long periods of time especially in an area that has lymph nodes.
For quite some time, I searched and searched for natural deodorants. I tried the TOM'S brand but it didn't work for me. As a result, I reverted back to the use of antiperspirant deodorant sprays and gels versus stick deodorant to reduce that residual buildup. As time passed, I still felt uncomfortable using antiperspirant deodorant because I knew my pores were being congested with the use of chemicals. So after a couple of years, I started looking for options once again. I just wanted to find something natural that worked and be done with it. In my search, I learned that most of the options were pricey and there was no way I was going to spend money on a pricey product, considering the last natural deodorant I had tried didn't cut it. However, I'm happy to say that I found two natural deodorants that work for me, are affordable, and can be found at your local drugstore (most natural deodorants can be found online only). I've dedicated an entire blog post regarding these two deodorants. If you are interested you can read my review on them here: Affordable natural deodorants that work.
Love,
Des.
Saturday, April 14, 2018
After the worst blonding experience with a previous hairstylist, I refused to let another stylist touch my hair. Over the course of a year, my roots grew in leaving a sharp contrast between my natural color and the rest of my pale-yellow hair. I grew so tired of my hair that I began watching hair dyeing tutorials on YouTube in hopes of somehow fixing this yellow mane. I knew that doing this myself was far too risky and I didn't want to make matters worse. With that being said, I turned to Google and came across a few salons, but one in particular stood out.
You can find them here: @Privesalon_orlando
In all of my search, Privé Salon Orlando was the most socially active salon I had come across. They frequently post pictures and videos on Instagram which allowed me to see what they were really about. Through the pictures and the videos I was able to see some amazing hair transformations. I also discovered that they have hair stylists that specialize in cutting and styling curly hair which was a HUGE plus for me being that I have curly hair.
So, what did I do? Gave them a follow and stalked them for months. In March of this year, I finally felt ready to let someone work on my hair; so, I called and scheduled an appointment. The receptionist that I spoke with kindly answered all of my questions and was very informative. As the day of my appointment approached I received a text message from the salon reminding me of my appointment, and asking me to confirm my attendance which was really neat. When the day of my appointment came I checked in at the front desk and within seconds I was being assisted. Shortly after, I was given a salon gown and guided to my colorist's chair. I was highly impressed with how prompt and smooth my check in experience was.
A few minutes later my colorist approaches me, introduces herself, and begins the consultation. Gabriela was very thorough and listened closely to my hair wishes. She asked to see a reference picture of my desired hair color and gave me her suggestions on how to achieve just that. My main concern was my budget, but she worked with me and made sure that I was fine with the estimated price before starting to work on my hair. If that's not a perfect example of how consultations should go, I don't know what is.
While washing my hair, Gabriela informed me on the products she was using. She also shared the benefits of each product with me, and took the time to teach me how to properly style my hair with the products used. This was the first time EVER that a stylist took the texture of my hair into consideration and used products specific to my hair type. Stylists that have worked on my hair in the past, quickly jump right into blow-drying and flat ironing my hair.
I was at the salon for a total of six hours, and I was taken care of the entire time. After getting my hair styled with the necessary products, my colorist lead me to the stylist who was going to give me my very first deva cut. Prior to getting my haircut the stylist introduced herself and consulted with me about my desired haircut. At the end of it, she thanked me for trusting them with my hair and I'm so glad I did. I definitely look forward to my next hair appointment at Privé Salon Orlando, and I know that it will be an enjoyable one.
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See more of Gabriela's work: @Gabrielathecolorist
I was treated so well, and I was so impressed with the professionalism of this salon that I wanted to share my thoughts and honest experience. I definitely recommend Privé Salon Orlando or any salon you have done your research on. If the salon you are interested in visiting has a social media page, check it out and see what they're about. Getting your hair done is an investment. With that being said, you want to make sure that you're investing in a salon that is going to take good care of you and your hair, and give you the results you want not dread. Take it from someone whose been there. Love,
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