Natural Deodorant

Yep, I realize I haven't posted in well over a month. But I'm just gonna ignore that little fact and go on as if I just posted yesterday. ( ;

I've said many times that since I had my daughter I've been on kind of a quest to be "greener." My main motivation is to save money, which is why I'm not super crunchy like some people you read about. There are some things that are just more cost-effective to buy premade or even with (gasp!) manufacturer's chemicals in them. I don't have a problem with some chemicals. Of course, my opinions are constantly evolving. I read a lot. ( :

Anyway, my latest adventure in the world of crunchy living is natural deodorant. I NEVER thought I'd be one to try it. After all, who wants to take a chance of having smelly pits? Yuck. But I just kept reading over and over how much people love natural deodorants. There are a million different recipes to make your own. I contemplated trying one out. Then I thought, why go through all the trouble when I can just buy some that's already been tested? One of my favorite bloggers, Stacy over at Stacy Makes Cents recently talked about why she makes some things herself and why she buys other things. Deodorant is one of the things she buys, and she has raved a few times about one particular company: Lexie Naturals.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally decided to take the plunge and order my own container of Lexie's all natural deodorant. I had to do something. I'd been using Dove for years, but for the past 6 months or so it had been making my arm pits break out in rashes. Ew, I know. Rather than try different drug store brands, I decided to try the all natural route and see how that worked for me.

I ordered this stuff on a Thursday or Friday and had it Monday. Pretty fast turnaround! This company only has one scent for deodorant, tea tree and lavender. Luckily, I love both those fragrances. The smell is pretty intense, but it doesn't stick with you, so don't worry about that. A few minutes after applying, I don't smell like essential oils. Which is good, cause I don't like having any scent.

The deodorant goes on just like a regular solid deodorant. It does seem to be a little bit rougher in texture than the Dove I'm used to, but I don't have any issues applying it.

Here's a shot of the backside of the container. Very simple ingredients. I like that I'm not using unnecessary crap on such a sensitive area. (I realize not everyone has sensitive arm pits, but mine are super sensitive, just like the rest of me.) The ingredients are sodium bicarbonate, non-GMO cornstarch, coconut oil, beeswax, shea butter, and essential oil blend (that would be the tea tree and lavender oils that you can smell). Note: GMO vs. non-GMO stuff, I don't care about that. None of that bothers me in the least, though I know its important to some people. 

I had my doubts about this product, I'll admit. And granted, I am not a big sweater anyway. And it is wintertime right now, so there's not even much opportunity to sweat. (And I sure don't exercise, lol!) But I've been using this product for about 2 weeks now and I am pleased with it. I can't tell a difference between it and the Dove I was using.

Except!! My arm pits have completely cleared up. In fact, the rash was gone after just 2 days of using this natural deodorant. That right there made it worth it to me. I feel sure it was the tea tree oil, since that stuff is excellent for skin issues. And who knows, maybe if I had just treated my pits with the oil alone and continued using my Dove deodorant I would have seen the same results. But why take the time to apply TWO products when I can just use ONE? I'm a lazy gal, I tell ya.

It won't be long before things heat up around here in NC, so I'll have plenty opportunities to really test this stuff out. Plus, I am expecting baby #2 in August, so I am SURE I will be sweating more than normal this summer! I'll be sure to post an update if my feelings for this product change. For now, though, I'll be an advocate for Lexie:Deo. ( :

Oh yeah, one more thing about Lexie Naturals. When I ordered the deodorant, I also ordered a sample of her lotion bar. I got the lemongrass scented one and it is HEAVENLY. Lemongrass is one of my favorite scents. The lotion bar looks like a bar of soap. If you order the full size one, it comes with a tin to store it in. You just rub it between your hands or pinch off a bit and work it into your skin. It moisturizes great, but you do have to work a bit to spread it around. Remember, I'm a lazy gal, so its a little too much work for me. I am probably going to purchase a tea tree bar in the future, though. I think it'll be great to have on hand in case C's eczema ever flares back up again. Plus, when I was pregnant with her I had horrible PUPPS. Tea tree oil soap helped a tiny bit, so maybe if I get it again (God forbid), the soap and a tea tree oil moisturizer will make a difference. Hopefully I won't have to test that out!!