It is no secret that more people are becoming more conscious of the products they are buying. With the 21st Century, access to previously unknown information becomes more accessible. That means that manufacturers of personal hygiene products are under more scrutiny than ever over the contents of their ingredient labels. For deodorant specifically, previously used ingredients are proving to have negative long term health consequences.

The Harmful Ingredients

Parabens – These can be used in body care products as a preservative. So why is that an issue? Research suggests some parabens may interfere with the way your body produces and regulates estrogen and other hormones. There is estrogen sensitive tissue in the breast, so the concern lies in exposing this area to preservatives every day because they may promote cancer cell growth.

Aluminum – This can mostly be found in anti-perspirants as opposed to other deodorants. Aluminum can cause gene instability and once again, the sensitive breast tissue in this area could be in jeopardy. That instability can possible promote cancer cell growth. However, there is no confirmation that aluminum is a direct cause of cancer.

Triclosan – This ingredient is used by manufacturers to prevent bacterial growth. So, in theory, this should be good right? While this ingredient is not considered carcinogenic like the other two, it has been linked to affecting hormone levels.

Phthalates – This is the key to making any fragrance stick to your skin for long periods of time. However, staying fresh all day may not be worth the havoc it can wreak on testosterone production.

Switching from Traditional to Natural Deodorant

While many people worry about the efficacy of a natural deodorant solution, there are many brands that are taking the market by storm. Here are a few things to remember when making the switch from traditional deodorant to natural. Your sweat doesn’t actually smell, it’s the bacteria that interacts with the sweat that causes the stink. According to the director of cosmetic and clinical research of dermatology at Mt. Sinai Hospital, “Deodorants cover up the smell with fragrances or ingredients that lower levels of odor causing causing bacteria, while anti-perspirants contain aluminum bass salts that literally form a plug within your sweat glands, blocking sweat from reaching the surface of the skin.”

Don’t worry, after switching, experts say your body only needs about a week to naturally get rid of any plugs under your arms. Unsurprisingly, the largest demographic making the switch to natural deodorants is Gen Z and Millenials. The younger generations are more concerned with natural products and how the ingredients will affect them in the future. More surprisingly though is that only 19% of users are worried that aluminum is a harmful ingredient.

Brands to Buy

Previously small natural body care brands are now able to become a competitor in the deodorant market. Brands like Schmidt’s is making a big splash in the natural alternative world right now. Another popular brand that can be found at Target and other large retailers is the Native brand. Both of these brands boast that they are free of parabens, aluminum and leave no residue.

While natural deodorant brands are able to take advantage of this recent shift in consumers, some main stream brands are following the younger demographics concerns. Brands like Dove, which is a titan in the health and beauty industry is also beginning to offer aluminum and paraben free solutions to deodorant.