Curious about what we put in our deodorant, and why? Let's dive in with a few of our main deodorant ingredients! (In alphabetical order, of course!)
Activated Charcoal: Activated charcoal absorbs bacteria and other impurities, thereby helping to reduce odour. In addition, activated charcoal is known to draw impurities from the skin to have a detoxing effect. (Found in our Tea Tree and Eucalyptus, and Berganot and Cedarwood deodorants).
Arrowroot Powder: Arrowroot powder is widely used in a variety of skincare products for its moisture-absorbing abilities.
Candillila Wax: A harder, plant-based wax that is rich in skin-loving nutrients and provides a smooth glide. We use this wax to help bind ingredients together while also creating a soft product without causing it to drag on the skin.
Cetyl Alcohol: Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol that is both conditioning and skin-softening, while also adding a creamy thickness to the product and improving its spreadability.
Essential Oils: Our scents come from essential oils, which are the oil products of plants. Essential oils contain aromatic compounds that are believed to have the ability to alter mood or affect the body in other ways; for example, many people self-report an improvement in headache symptoms or nausea when they smell peppermint essential oil. Because essential oils have strong scents, we create our own scent profiles for our products using different combinations of essential oils instead of fragrance oils that are synthetically made and not legally required to disclose any number of ingredients (some known to contain toxins such as phthalates).
Fractionated Coconut Oil: Fractionated coconut oil is a clear, liquid oil that is known to absorb into the skin quickly without staining clothing. It also adds "slip" to the deodorant, helping the formula to glide smoothly. Coconut oil is known to be anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, thus preventing the development of an odour.
Hemisqualene (INCI name: C13-15 Alkane): Hemisqualene is sourced from sugarcane and has a light, dry feel that increases the product's spreadability and creates a light, nongreasy, silky feel on the skin.
Laurel Berry Wax: Laurel Berry Wax is a very hard, plant-based wax with a low melting point that lends to its ability to improve the glide of our product, while also creating a rich, creamy feel.
Magnesium Hydroxide: Magnesium hydroxide is effectively absorbent, naturally balances pH levels, and is antibacterial.
Mango Butter: Mango butter is a beautiful skin softener, conditioner, and moisturizer. We love mango butter in our deodorant because while it does wonders for underarm skin (hey, our underarms need love and conditioning too!), it is also less greasy than other butters like shea butter.
Unrefined Shea Butter: It is no secret that shea butter is one of our absolute favourite skincare ingredients! Shea butter effectively maintains and conditions soft skin, and is a great moisturizer; particularly for dry, irritated skin.
White Kaolin Clay: White kaolin clay is an absorbent, mild clay and does not draw oils from the skin, making it an ideal clay for dry skin conditions. (Found in our Lavender and Bergamot deodorant).
Zinc Ricinoleate: Zinc ricinoleate is known to trap and absorb odours without interfering with the skin's natural microbial flora.
- Chelsey and Eileen
1. Sources: Parker, Susan M., Power of the Seed: Your guide to oils for health & beauty. (2014). 2. www.soapandmore.ca