Long are gone the times when people had to use lots of perfume to conceal body odour. Today, numerous manufacturers offer an impressive selection of deodorants and antiperspirants that effectively prevent body odour. Unfortunately, not all of them are equally safe. Consumers who are really concerned about their health tend to prefer mineral deodorants to their mass market counterparts.
In fact, deodorants aren’t an extremely recent invention. The first commercial deodorant was developed and patented in 1888. The first commercial antiperspirant became available in 1903, but the modern formulation of this type of deodorant was patented in 1941.
What is the difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant? Deodorants inhibit the growth of bacteria that thrive in hot, humid environments, such as the human underarm, and cause body odour. They are usually formulated with alcohol or more persistent antimicrobial agents such as triclosan. In addition, deodorants contain essential oils or perfume fragrances that help to mask the odour of perspiration.
Antiperspirants, in their turn, significantly reduce or stop perspiration and thus reduce the warm and moist environment where bacteria thrive. The most common active ingredients that can be found in antiperspirants are aluminium chlorohydrate, aluminium chloride and aluminium-zirconium compounds.
The main problem with antiperspirants is that perspiration is an essential body function necessary for proper thermoregulation. In addition, prolonged exposure to aluminium compounds is associated with certain health concerns. And while alcohol-based commercial deodorants are considered safer than antiperspirants, they can irritate the skin or dry it out.
That’s when mineral salt deodorants come into play as a safe and effective alternative to mass-market products. Mineral deodorants, also known as alunite deodorants, consist of potassium alum, a naturally occurring chemical compound that has antibacterial, antiseptic and astringent (styptic properties). Potassium alum kills the bacteria responsible for body odour without affecting perspiration. In addition, it soothes irritated skin and speeds up the healing of shaving nicks and other minor skin injuries.
Although there are many brands of mineral salt deodorant, they aren’t usually sold in retail chains, and most consumers buy them online. Our online shop Organic Store, for example, offers alunite deodorants produced by EcoSunna, a Ukrainian-based brand that sells mineral deodorants made from high-quality raw materials imported from China.
EcoSunna alunite deodorant sticks are made from 100% pure potassium alum. They do not contain any aluminium chlorohydrate, aluminium chloride, aluminium zirconium, parabens, phthalates, alcohol, synthetic dyes and fragrances, and other potentially harmful or irritating ingredients. This makes them safe to use for everyone, including people with allergies or asthma as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Alunite deodorants by EcoSunna provide all-day protection from body odour. All you need to do is slightly moisten the top of the stick and apply it to your armpits. Mineral deodorant doesn’t stain clothes and has no scent, which enables you to combine it with all kinds of personal care products and perfumes. The product is compact and long-lasting. A small crystal will last for about a year even if you use it daily.
The only drawback of crystal deodorants is that they are fragile and break easily. However, even when your deodorant has broken, you can still use it. Just put the shards into a spray bottle, add water (preferably distilled) and use the solution as a deodorant spray. It will be as effective as the crystal itself.
Thanks to its antiseptic properties, you can use alunite deodorant for other purposes, for example, to speed up the healing of shaving nicks and first degree burns, to soothe irritated skin, to reduce itching and swelling caused by insect bites and stings, to eliminate blackheads, and to treat some skin conditions such as acne, herpes, eczema and fungal infections.
You can buy alunite crystal deodorant by EcoSunna in our online shop Organic Store. We also offer natural deodorants produced by other brands such as Grace (Thailand), Cocos (Ukraine), Balea (Germany), Aasha Herbals (Russia/India), Agor (Ukraine), Crystal (USA), Lafe’s Natural Body Care (USA), and Chandi (Ukraine).