Massive product recall as known cancer-causing chemical found in name brand antiperspirant & deodorant body sprays from 30 different brands, but how safe are “natural’ Crystal Deodorants?
This may raise an eyebrow, but I change deodorants every 6 months. What? Why?
Because odor-causing bacteria can become resistant to your usual deodorant ~ especially when you use it day in & day out. I also switch-up for more active days.
And of course, there’s a huge difference between a ‘Deodorant’ and an ‘Anti-perspirant.’ First-off ~
Your sweat actually does not have an odor. Nope!
Body odor occurs when sweat mixes with bacteria on your skin.
Your deodorant works by combatting bacteria, but it won’t actually prevent you from sweating.
Listen, you NEED to sweat! It’s a natural biological process for your body’s health. Not only does your aMAzing body expel toxins through sweat, but it also helps balance electrolytes in your body. This is important for good kidney health as well as maintaining a healthy blood volume. You create a health risk by continually preventing your body from sweating through the use of antiperspirants.
The active ingredient in antiperspirants is Aluminum ~ Nasty Stuff. When you sweat, the aluminum precipitates into a gel-like substance that blocks your sweat ducts. Consider this though ~ aluminum is classified as a metalloestrogen, which is a synthetic xenoestrogen.
Xenoestrogens cause endocrine disruption by mimicking natural estrogen in your body. This may also increase the risk of breast cancer and cysts for both women AND men. Numerous studies now show elevated concentrations of aluminum in breast tissue from women afflicted by breast cancer.
Aluminum also contributes to neurological disruptions, including decreased attention, learning, and memory. Scientists have found elevated aluminum content in the brains of persons with Alzheimer’s disease.
Okay, you’re feeling a little better about just using a deodorant now ~ Aren’t you?
Right on your nearest grocer’s shelf, most Anti-Perspirants and Deodorants, have some other seriously toxic ingredients that should never be used on your skin.
According to the Environmental Working Group, the average adult exposes him or herself to over 126 chemicals each day ~ just from our personal care products.
Did you know that “Fragrance” is actually a very ambiguous term? Without ANY disclosure of what those ingredients are, the FDA permits manufacturers to legally hide hundreds of synthetic chemicals in this one word. In truth, “fragrance” can include various petrochemicals and phthalates, which may cause developmental delays and allergic diseases.
Recently, one of those, ‘Benzene,’ was in the news. Exposure to Benzene can be dangerous, by increasing the “risk of developing leukemia and other blood disorders,” the National Cancer Institute said. Yet it was found in over half of 108 batches of antiperspirant and deodorant body sprays from 30 different brands.
The list is here on Page 12: https://www.valisure.com/wp-content/uploads/Valisure-FDA-Citizen-Petition-on-Body-Spray-v4.0-1.pdf
You need to know that none of the products actually have benzene as an ingredient, experts say, so the only way the chemical could have been introduced is via an error in the manufacturing process ~ or by the way the chemical is delivered to the body. So, even if you are looking for it on the label ~ you’ll never know that it is there. The independent watchdog, Valisure said in a press release that one possibility is that benzene could come from ingredients such as hydrofluorocarbon 152a, butane, isobutane, propane and alcohol used to propel sprays onto the skin.
You’ll find that Benzene’s listed as toxic by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the World Health Organization and other regulatory agencies. Get this ~ The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines benzene as a carcinogen and lists “inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact” as exposure routes. And your very own Food & Drug Administration (FDA) currently recognizes the serious danger of benzene and lists it as a “Class 1 solvent,” that “should not be employed in the manufacture of drug substances, excipients, and drug products because of their unacceptable toxicity.
None of that is ‘Good News’
And you’ll be alarmed to know that the toxicity of Benzene in humans has been well established for over 120 years. 120! The hema-totoxicity of benzene was described as early as 1897. A study from 1939 on benzene stated that “exposure over a long period of time to any concentration of benzene greater than zero is not safe,” which is a comment reiterated in a 2010 review of benzene research specifically stating, “There is probably no safe level of exposure to benzene, and all exposures constitute some risk in a linear, if not supra-linear, and additive fashion.” Many epidemiological studies of petroleum workers exposed to benzene have clearly associated the chemical with the development of cancers of blood tissues, such as leukemia.
So, how did Benzene end-up in your deodorant along with other known toxins ~ like….
Parabens, Triclosan, Butanes, Formaldehyde, Propylene glycol, Phthalates, Triethanolamine (TEA) and Diethanolamine (DEA)?
Okay, we’ve established that an Anti-Perspirant is probably not the way you want to go ~
What about “Natural” Deodorants?
Beware the Salt Crystal ~ “But my crystal deodorant is ‘Natural’ ~ it says so right on the label. “
Yes, and Hemlock is natural too, but it will still kill you.
Crystal Deodorants are made from Potassium Alum ~ and yes, it’s a naturally occurring mineral salt, more specifically Potassium Aluminum Sulfate. It is also toxic, and is considered an environmental toxin.
Have you noticed that the manufacturers typically do not reveal the source of their product?
~ Well, that leaves a multitude of core issues in terms of quality which I’ll tell you about in a second.
But, let’s go deeper into the chemical itself.
Crystal deodorants will often boast that they’re free of aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum chlorohydroxide and aluminum zirconium. That’s good news but…. there’s more to it. Much more…
Manufacturers claim that the difference is that Potassium Alum is a much larger molecule, and it’s understood not to be absorbed by human skin. Really? Well, that’s odd because pharmaceutical companies are exploring use of alum-based powders as an alternative to injectable vaccines specifically because of its properties helping other ingredients absorb into the skin and become active in the body. This completely contradicts the ‘non-Absorption’ argument. Strike one.
Now consider that, when moist crystals are actually broken down into ions, the smallest possible form of aluminum, which is easily dissolved in water.
And considering that crystal deodorants in stone form specifically require that you ‘apply water before use,’ and that the first and largest ingredient in any crystal deodorant spray is water. Oh, and your body is largely made up of water ~ hmmm…. now the theory that any aluminum in a Potassium Alum-based deodorant won’t be absorbed through your skin just completely fails to stand up. Nope ~
While manufacturers say that ‘it’s understood’ that Potassium Alum isn’t absorbed into the skin, what they really mean is that there has been no research done on this.
What we definitely know is that using antiperspirants containing aluminum may significantly increase the aluminum absorbed by your body….and that is NOT a ‘Good Thing’ EVER.
What you’re seeing here is that Potassium Alum does contain Aluminum, it could very well be absorbed into your skin, and we’re learning more every day about what the build-up of this extremely abundant element will do to destroy your health ~ so I’ll leave the judgement up to you.
One More Thing! Potassium Alum can also be synthetically produced. That’s right ~ laboratory created ~ which is why you need your product manufacture to reveal its source. Because they often use aluminum hydroxide (a white cosmetic opacifying agent) mixed with Potassium or Ammonium Sulphate in Sulphuric Acid. So, there’s a little ‘Gotcha’ kind of moment ~ where even though you know the right ingredients, it’s not going to help you if they’ve been synthetically produced using the very toxic chemicals you’re trying to avoid.
How DO you find a good ‘Natural’ deodorant?
You’ll need to look beyond your supermarket shelf to find it. Consider baking soda or a citrus or tea-tree based deodorant. There are some great alternatives and it really comes down to what works for YOU.
Please Sweat Responibly,
~Jeanne Ricks