Putting Trust in Your Deodorant

When we started to write this newsletter, we wondered if our customers actually care about what’s in the deodorant they use? After all, they would never swallow a spoonful of toxic cosmetic ingredients, would they? Yet smearing the under-arms with deodorant or antiperspirant is what most of us do on a daily basis. The problem is that far too many of these products contain chemicals that are not good for us.

Are roll on deodorants a better option?  

Rubbing something on your skin doesn’t mean all—or even any of the constituents of the ingredients—will make their way into your bloodstream; it depends on the chemical. But blood tests show that many of the substances commonly included in deodorant products can worm their way past the epidermis and into the body. Known as potential endocrine disruptors—these chemicals can mess with the function of the body’s reproductive and developmental hormones. If you are using a roll on, you need to know what it contains. Absorbed in this area, the chemicals are stored in fat cells, prevalent in the underarm tissue, says Philip Harvey, Ph.D., editor in chief of the Journal of Applied Toxicology.

Are anti-perspirants worse?

It’s not that long since many anti-perspirants contained Triclosan. Otherwise known as Agent Orange, it was used in the Vietnam war by the US, to strip leaves from the trees. The US army were being outwitted by the Viet Cong soldiers, and they would hide in the dense vegetation. The US had the idea that this would solve the problem, but the US still lost the war.

But that was then. Today, the most-worrying offenders are Parabens of which there are many used as preservatives. Research suggests some parabens may interfere with the way your body produces and regulates oestrogen-sensitive tissue in the breast. And it goes for men as well as women.

What about stick deodorants?

Propylene glycol (a chemical that gives a stick deodorant its shape), is also used as an antifreeze in your car engine, where lowers the freezing point of water, and keeps the antifreeze product liquid. But why on earth would you put it on your skin?

Many of them contain biological additives, parabens and man-made fragrance, otherwise known as parfum that all have sinister attributes.

Making False Claims

Delivers 24-hour protection. Keeps you feeling fresh all day. No aluminium salts. Etc. These words are all very well, if the claims can be substantiated. But what is the truth? Are the words just advertising blurb with no substance?

Deodorant v Antiperspirant

We find it interesting that the US Food and Drug Administration considers deodorants to be cosmetic: a product intended to cleanse or beautify. But why does it consider antiperspirants to be a drug: a product intended to treat or prevent disease, or affect the structure or function of the body?

Antiperspirants stop us from sweating. But why would we do this, when it’s a natural body function? All of them, from what we can see, contain aluminium based compounds – the dangers of which are worthy of an article on its own.

Can Essence of Egypt help?

First off, we need to be honest and tell the truth. Keep the customer informed. Explain exactly what’s in the good deodorant for women, and men’s deodorant we manufacture, and why. Our aim was not to stop you sweating but rather to eliminate the smell that comes with it when it lands on the under-arm.

After an enormous task in three years of research to find the right blend that would eliminate these under-arm aromas, we came up with something unique, a ball deodorant for women and the best deodorant for men.

What about safety?

The safety of what any of our customers use is paramount and it’s here that we turn to the world expert in essential oil safety, Robert Tisserand. His concise, weighty publication on essential oil safety (780 pages) is our go-to for everything concerned with essential oils. With regard to the essential oils that we use the answers are: Hazards: none known. Contraindications: none known.

Of course, there will be a few people who are allergic to essential oils, and it is for this reason that we always ask the customers to patch-test if you have any doubt.

Other than that, we use clean Scottish water that is further purified in our own filtration system to remove any microscopic particles that may be there. Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) that you mother uses in baking. Two preservatives that are mild and non-irritating to the skin and are used in food preservative too. Food-grade Xanthan gum as the thickener, a little citric acid to help balance the pH. That’s all.

To try our Deodorants, simply give Essence of Egypt a quick call on 0800 099 6065 or order online at https://eoegp.com