Over two months ago, I complained that using baking soda on my armpits as a deodorant made my pits very, very itchy. Organic Needle suggested mixing baking soda with corn startch. I started using that mixture immediately.
So how did it work? It worked somewhat well. I don’t have itchiness every single day and my pits are not red from all that scratching, but I still have itchy pits. I’ve been showering more frequently now that its summer, and I go without using my deodorant mixture of corn startch and baking soda on some days to give myself a breather. But I still have scratchy pits. As I mentioned before, I’ve used the following natural deo solutions: Tom’s of Maine, the rock, apple cider vinegar and rubbing alcohol to no effect. I smell bad when I use rubbing alcohol and apple cider vinegar - the smell does not dissapate. And it doesn’t work.Plus I can’t stand the smell of apple Cider vinegar or rubbing alcohol on me.
Are there some other solutions I could try? I used Dove’s deo before switching over to these eco-friendly options. And besides having a slimy feeling pit I had no problems with odor or itchiness or anything else.
I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I’ve pretty much given up on deodorant because all of the natural ones I was using (Toms of Maine, Trader Joe’s, Kiss My Face) were give me horrible red itchy peeling-skin-patches pit rash. I might try the rock at some point. (Which makes me imagine rubbing the actor/wrestler in my pits, which is just amusing.) Anyway, I haven’t had any complaints of stinkiness so far, but I also try to avoid activities that cause sweating.
Comment by Cyn — July 16, 2008 @ 5:17 pm
Good to know I’m not the only one with itch problems.
I usually go without anything on the weekends (husband doesn’t care how stinky I am). But when I have to work I try to use something, because I don’t shower every single day. I could just wash my pits which I did when I went without any deo last summer, but it was tiring and I just have a bad BO prob that bothers me and I still have the tendency to care about what other people think.
I do eat stinky food which probably plays a part in how I smell, but I like my stinky food.
Comment by Beany — July 16, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
Cyn: you’re not the only one who thinks of The Rock for rubbing purposes.
Comment by Beany — July 16, 2008 @ 5:30 pm
I just bought Oyin’s Funk Butter (quite a name, huh?). I haven’t tried it yet, but you might want to look into it. It uses baking soda, so that may not avoid your itching problem, but it comes in a cream form that may be less irritating.
http://oyinhandmade.com/oyin/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=7
Comment by Lauren — July 16, 2008 @ 8:59 pm
Unfortunately I have been using Oyin Funk Butter and that too has caused itching. In June I just dusted my pits with the mixture of baking soda and corn starch, since the itching didn’t go away, I tried Oyin. And its slightly better, but I still have an itchy problem. But my pits smell like mango.
Comment by Beany — July 16, 2008 @ 9:14 pm