odour

I recently bought a crystal deodorant (not this brand but it's the only link I could find). I can't figure out if it works. It certainly doesn't feel as if it's doing anything - in fact it doesn't feel as if anything goes onto my skin. The crystal stick feels like plastic. You're supposed to wet it before applying, which I do, but it doesn't seem to make any difference. There is no smell, in fact no sensation at all.

Now that I'm doing my walk-run program (week two and going fine), I haven't felt able to risk trying it out under conditions of heavy exercise. Maybe I will on the weekend, when I can go straight home and shower if I've broken through the odour barrier.

Before crystal, I was using a Body Shop men's deodorant. The men's was the only one they make that doesn't use aluminium. How come they don't make one for women like that? Not that the men/women label would normally matter to me, but this one has that "for men" perfume which I don't particularly like but which is pretty strong. I imagine all the other mothers at the school wonder why I smell like their husbands.

Before Body Shop I was using a Nivea unperfumed and non-alcohol deodorant, which I liked a lot.  Except it had aluminium in it. I know they're contentious, but I've read the aluminium=breast cancer risk articles and just to be on the safe side, I want a non-aluminium deodorant, for those times I wear one (which is about half the week).

Comments

[Vanessa]

I love the crystal deodorants and have been using them for well over a decade. Only rarely (during episodes which I think are big hormonal shifts or something) do I need something else as well. If you want to feel them "work" try touching it to a cut. It stings very convincingly :-O. They also last for much longer than advertised. I think I have bought four in the last 12 years and each time it was due to loss, not because I was anywhere near running out.

[webfrau]

Avon used to have aluminium free deodorants - though the scent was so revolting I opted for the aluminium. Clarins also used to have one that was a cream but at an extortionate price.

[Ron]

Thursday Plantation (Ballina NSW) has aluminium-free deodorants:

http://www.tphealthshop.com/health/home.php?cat=6

Coles used to sell it (I don't know if they still do or not) and so do many chemists.

[susoz]

Thanks everyone. Vanessa, with your encouragement, I've tried out the crystal under trying conditions (bike ride in the middle of a very hot day) and it worked! No BO at all! I was amazed and pleased. I borrowed co-p's Nivea the other day for a walk-run session and it *didn't* work. So I'm a convert to crystal.

[Lori]

I tried out a crystal deodorant when we were in Canada but it gave me a fungus. That one was sold in a supermarket so probably was contaminated. I'm thinking of ordering one of the crystals from the site you found unless I can find one locally. I find the product I use doesn't really do the trick so end up using a back up in hot weather and for exercise.

[susoz]

The one I have is Deo Nat Sports Stick.

See bottom product on this page:
http://www.theorganichouse.com.au/category193_1.htm

[Link]

Well this is hot topic! (Har dee har). I use one called 'Body Choice' bought at the supermarket, claims to be aluminimum free. Being a cool climate girl, I never bothered with the stuff until I went to semi-tropics. I don't like deodorants much. They're hell on clothes.

[Helen]

I use a Redken deodorant which doesn't contain aluminium. Look for a purple bottle, and it's a slim pump pack rather than a stick with a rounded top.

[Helen]

Um, REDWIN.
The crunchy granola line of cosmetics, sorbolene an' that.
Redken, of course, is the hair product brand.