Never let 'em see you sweat...

You know, I've always tried to be a friend to the environment. I love the earth that God made and the creatures in it - well, except for mosquitoes. I've tried and tried, but I cannot find any value at all in THIS creature. Disease-bearing, itch-manifesting, blood-sucking... THINGS.

Anyway, lately I think a lot about what I put ON my body as well as IN my body. I try to eat healthy: few processed foods, no 'fake' supplements. Let me ask you a question: Do you have trouble finding helpful deodorants?? I always have. I don't like putting chemicals under my arm-pits when 'who-knows-what' is going into my body system. I avoid the aluminum-containing types. I'm leery of the ones that claim to STOP perspiration from happening at all. How does that work? It can’t be healthy or natural.

I have been reading about making my own soaps – with natural ingredients and oils. I just love nice smells! I began studying this more and more. I found interesting recipes for creams and soaps of all sorts. Then I found an article about using ‘natural’ materials to make my own deodorant.

Believe me, I was skeptical. I wondered what that would feel like under my arms. And would it stain my clothes? Or break me out? I hate that. As a full-time hospital nurse (and artist), I wear white tees under my clothing nearly every day. I like the feel of natural cotton and I appreciate that they make an outfit sparkle (important in healthcare). I buy a dozen at a time and purge a few times a year. I wear long sleeves and short sleeves, Vee neck and round neck – sometimes a boat neck. I digress…

I tried mixing a blend to wear at home – just to try it out. Again, I purchased my usual baker’s dozen of whites. Oh, my word! I am shocked at how well my ‘home-made’ deodorant works. Although there are many variations to try I used cocoa butter, lavender essential oil and baking soda. I will experiment with other ingredients in the future. I see NO outlines in my clothing, no stickiness, very little scent (I wanted to make sure it wouldn’t overcome anyone else or me). When I shower now, the soap lathers the same way under my arms as it does on any other body part. (I used to notice that I had to wash several times to make sure the old wax-like deodorant was off – am I crazy?). Now, it’s simple.

So, I’m not sure you feel about it, but I put my under-arm cream on the same as I would on any other part of my body: put it on my hands, rub into the skin under my arms. I use the deodorant first, then my face and body cream. There is nothing in it that will harm my skin or break me out. No itching. No more discolored pit marks on my clothes – those ugly yellow ones. No more ‘odor-absorbing’ smell in the cotton clothing. I do not sweat any more than usual. I may even sweat less, but I’m not sure why. I changed shifts at the hospital to a busy day shift with a lot more pressure. You’d think I’d be a sweaty ball of mess, but I’m not. Just cool, comfy, cozy and cottony. J And did I say, I smell good??