Armpit care is kiiiinda a big deal, and if you haven’t thought about what you expose this area to and how it can have an impact on your overall health, then let me be the first to tell ya all about the importance of loving on your underarms.
The armpits are ridiculously porous and full of glands as this is a primary place that the body releases toxins through sweat. (PS- We’re supposed to sweat!) There are also a large number of lymph nodes here that circulate fluid throughout the body, so the products you apply and grooming tools you use day in and day out can really affect your other body systems.
As someone who went toxin-free to get pregnant with endometriosis, and now sticks with that “as natural as possible” lifestyle to continue the endometriosis fight postpartum, I can tell you that some of the easiest and most effective swaps I’ve made had to do with armpit care and I’m excited to share what worked for me here.
DEODORANT
We don’t often consider that what we swipe once or twice over the underarms can make a difference, but the equation of a super absorbent area coupled with a product that’s meant to be strong enough to stand up against smell and sweat often equals chemicals in the body that can lead to sickness and disease.
If you pick up a stick of deodorant from the drugstore, you’ll likely find ingredients like aluminum, parabens, phthalates, triclosan, and artificial fragrance- all chemicals best kept in a lab and no where near your body. You should care about this, and it should leave you slightly concerned that this is allowed in the “hygiene” and “self care” space.
“But I’ve tried the natural stuff and it didn’t work!” Is this you?
Here’s the deal- if you’ve been using regular ol’ deodorant for years, your body needs time to detox, to get rid of the bad stuff and essentially start fresh. And you must give your body the opportunity to do so. When I first switched to my now go-to deodorant (keep reading to get the low down on my absolute fav), I stunk and sweated like crazy for the first three days. Then…nothing!
And trust me when I say this has been personally tested through workouts, new mom stress, and looooong days at work.
While I know there are multiple good options out there, Primally Pure’s deodorant line is the best, IMO. With baking soda, zinc oxide, and essential oils providing multiple scent options, this deodorant is just as fun and effective as the other stuff, but with your health in mind. Plus (!!!) they have a subscription program to make sure you’re never compromising with another brand in the event of an emergency. I can personally speak to the lavender and charcoal scents *chef’s kiss* and can’t wait to try lemongrass next!
If you want to give this goodness a try, use code MANDM10 for 10% off your order or subscription, wait a few days for your body to get used to it (trust me on this one), and then join me in never turning back.
RAZOR
If you’ve ever looked at a disposable razor and wondered about that blue strip at the top (if not, then I’m the only crazy person asking these kind of questions in the shower…cool cool), I found that it’s so much more than moisturizer or lubrication. This strip contains polyethylene glycol (PEG) which can be contaminated with carcinogens in the manufacturing process.
Every time you shave your underarms (or any body part for that matter), you open your pores and PEG glides right in. I argue that this is not worth “the closest shave ever”. The bad news is there aren’t many choices when it comes to good disposable razors without the poison strip, but the good news is that it’s totally doable to remove with a pair of tweezers and a little effort (I did this for months before upgrading to the razor below).
For a reusable option with a feminine touch, I personally use and love the Oui the People razor in rose gold. It’s a single blade razor and a bit of a splurge (I put mine on my birthday list), but I get the best results without using any sort of shaving cream, and feel oh so fancy every time I pick it up. The only thing you throw away is the blade itself, producing significantly less plastic waste and making this type of razor an overall win.
SHAVING “CREAM”
So that PEG in the moisturizing razor strip? It’s in most shaving creams too. As well as sodium lauryl sulfate, emuslifiers, aerosols, and artificial fragrances…all ingredients that, again, should not be soaking into our underarms. But praise be, there are actually quite a few other things that can be used in place of shaving cream to avoid skin irritation and help your razor glide smoothly.
I love Dr. Bronners soap for EV. ERY. THING. from head to toe, even household cleaning, dishes, and pet care. I tend to use their bar soap on my armpits and liquid soap when shaving my legs, and as long as my razor isn’t dull, I get the results I’m looking for every time.
This brand isn’t a must, because as I mentioned, there are thankfully so many options in the toxin-free soap world. To make sure products are as “natural” as they claim to be, I recommend downloading the Think Dirty App where you can scan or input just about any product and it will rate how “clean” it is on a 0-10 scale so that you can be more aware of and confident in what you’re puttin’ on your pits.
LAUNDERING
Your clothes sit on your armpits all day long, and what you use to wash and dry your shirts and bras will eventually make its way into the glands of your armpits. Surprise surprise…many laundry detergents and dryer sheets contain chemicals that can be harmful to your body and even more so in an area as susceptible as the underarms.
Dryer balls are an easy swap for dryer sheets, and if you want more on the reasons I love this option beyond the armpit health benefits, I have an entire post here on the “favorite things” page of my website. When switching to clean detergents, there’s thankfully more and more options on the shelf, but the norwex brand has my heart and I’m never going back.
Again, the Think Dirty App can be a super useful tool as you make your detergent selection.
It can be so hard to think of everything…because sometimes we don’t even connect the dots between what can be contributing to or sabotaging our health. But when you understand the reality of your clothing touching your ridiculously absorbent skin all day, changing how you do your laundry becomes a no brainer.
TIMING
Optimizing the timing of when you do all the above is possibly the easiest change of them all. Remember that shaving opens your already porous underarms even more, and adding deodorant too soon afterwards, no matter how good it is, can contribute to skin irritation. So here’s what I recommend-
Deodorant in the AM, shaving in the PM.
I personally groom my armpits about every other evening, and those hours of sleep give my skin time to “heal” before waking in the morning and applying deodorant. This means no redness, bumps, or burning and I truly feel like it makes a difference in the longevity of my deodorant as well.
When it comes to all natural living, even the best of intentions can fall short when overwhelm takes over. We want to do all the things and buy all the products, but you must be realistic and intentional if you want to keep these changes for the long term. I recommend picking one place to put your effort, then move to the next once you’ve got a good routine going.
Underarm care is a great place to start, as these changes are easy to implement and even easier to maintain.
Are the options I shared a bit more expensive? Yes, and as a girl who loves a bargain, I’m not going to downplay the potential costs. It’s important that you do what you can in the season you’re in and are mindful in your decision-making. But let’s not forget that sickness and disease are expensive too, and I’d rather spend my money on fancy razors, special laundry detergent and how-can-it-be-this-good deodorant over medical bills any day.
(If you’re limited on resources and can only implement one of the above, I’ve gotta recommend making the switch to clean deodorant. Your current and future body will thank you for making your hormones, nervous, system, and immunity a priority.)
The body hygiene space is vast when it comes to available products, instructions, and opinions. Those options narrow down when trying to keep things chemical-free, but navigating these topics can be confusing and even misleading when all you want to do is make better choices for your health. My hope is that by sharing these tried and loved ideas that personally gave me the results I was looking for, you’ll walk away with more information and a bit of inspiration to take your health to the next level.
If this post motivates you to make a swap or two, I’d love to hear about it. Like seriously…few things would make me happier. And if you have a must-share product that I didn’t mention, please comment with your recommendations below as I’m always searching for new and better options!
– Amanda
Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure, but I have a feeling you’re gonna like what I’ve taken the time to put my recommendation behind.
