Alright, friends. Let’s take a minute and talk about something we all don’t want to talk about. Body Odour. BO. Pit Stank. Armpit Essence. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a thing, and it happens to the best of us. I, since we’re getting all real and honest here, am one sweaty human. I spent the majority of high school wearing baggy sweaters and nothing but black, in a desperate attempt to not let anyone know that I, like literally every other human on the planet, sweat.
So, what do you do about it? You can own it, if that’s your jam. Embrace the essence and avoid cramped quarters. I am not on that level of self-acceptance, yet. I am more of a “let’s find a way to make it look like I don’t actually sweat, and most definitely pretend that my perspiration does not indeed have a natural odour” mindset. So, you can choose to slather your underarms with a chemical concoction that will leave you smelling delightful, keep your shirts dry, and possibly cause any number of horrific side-effects, or, you can run the natural route.
I’ll be the first to admit that natural deodorant scared the stink right out of me. Because, again, I am one sweaty human. I have tried every brand of sport and prescription strength deodorant I could find, and kept it in my purse for reapplications midday. Because I am both a heat-sweater, and a stress-sweater, and wearing nothing but black sweaters makes me hot, and that makes me sweat, which drives up my sweat-anxiety, which makes me sweat more...and you see where I’m going here. Long story short, I don’t leave home without deodorant. Or, at least, I didn’t.
Friends, I am here to tell you that I am a natural deodorant convert. I believe, and I am (obviously) finally happy to admit to the world that I sweat, it stinks, and I finally know how to live with it. Where was this 20 years ago?!
When I first opened the Beauty From Bees Deodorant, I cringed. Why? Because it’s unscented. And what will happen if I don’t perfume my pits with an artificial scent?! Seriously, do you even know what I smell like these days? Nothing. Literally nothing. My armpits don’t have a scent. And I sniff them at least a dozen times an hour, both to confirm that I still don’t stink, and to just enjoy the fact that I don’t smell like an artificial flower. There’s your first natural deodorant win.
This deodorant is applied with your hands. Gross, right? Oh come on. It’s your armpit. It’s not even that bad. It takes a VERY small amount to coat right in your pit - the sweat-zone (not the entire region like you’re used to coating with your stick variety). I use the back of my nail to scrape a little deodorant out of the tub, and it rubs in super easily. It leaves absolutely no residue on my hands, clothing, or anywhere else. It’s kind of like magic, for your pits. I use it first thing in the morning, and again before bed, but I think most people probably only use it once a day. I just happen to be a really sweaty sleeper, as well as a really sweaty day-timer. Thanks, genetics.
I was warned that there would probably be a detox period for the first few weeks of using this, while my body rid itself of all the horrendous ingredients I had been applying for the last couple of decades. I didn’t find that happened at all, but be prepared that you might have a few stinky weeks before you realize how wonderful this product really is. Sometimes, it gets worse before it gets better. And it’ll be worth it, I swear.
After having used this deodorant for a while now, I can honestly say I’ll never go back to my chemical version. I sweat less, I stink less, and I’m not about to give myself some kind of horrible armpit-caused disease just because I can’t handle my body’s biological norms. And, it’s cost effective. I was using one stick of deodorant a month, if not more, and that adds up, especially when you’re paying extra for the extra chemicals, because of the extra sweat. The amount of this deodorant that you actually use is so minimal, one tub is going to last you for months. You just can’t say that about your drug-store brand.
Sometimes, the simplest answer is the best answer, and this deodorant stands true to that in every sense. Its ingredient list is so different than what you’re used to seeing, but that’s exactly why it works. Because each ingredient is carefully selected for what it will do to actually prevent the odour and wetness from starting, rather than trying to sugarcoat it after it’s already there. Confidence is a beautiful thing, and this product has given me the confidence to raise my arms and announce to the world that I was a sweaty human, and now, I’m a recovering anti-perspirant abuser. And that is a wonderful feeling.
Kelsey Kitt is a work-at-home-mom of three in northern Alberta. When she’s not chasing kids around, she is also a freelance copywriter, wine lover, and Parental Guidance content creator. You can follow her and all her family’s adventures on Instagram at @mommydoesntlie.