Best Green Toiletries: Sniffing Around For Greenest Deodorant?

Upon moving to Washington, D.C., about a year ago, I quickly realized two things: Our Nation's Capitol was built on a swamp and The Hill is called that for a reason. So biking -- my chief form of transit in the city -- can be quite the damp, smelly affair. After arriving at more than a few congressional hearings smelling certifiably ripe, I realized my hippie stick wasn't cutting it anymore and decided to try out some new options.

I spurned traditional deodorant sticks a few years ago, after hearing news stories about how some researchers have found that aluminum in antiperspirants might be leaching into my breasts, possibly causing cancer. And apparently some types of deodorant contain phthalates, a chemical that has been linked to negative reproductive health effects in both men and women. Others contain propylene glycol, a chemical that may cause eye and skin irritation. The National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety actually warns consumers to avoid skin contact, so applying it to your armpits doesn't seem like the best plan.

Read the full story

Related:
::More from Kate Sheppard on the Huffington Post
::Read how to make your beauty bag more eco-friendly from the Huffington Post

Comments

[Checquoline]

I am allergic to all deoderants. I developed this alergy about ten years ago. What to do? What to do? I came up with these solutions. Keep the underarms dry starting with after the shower. Then about every two hours in the summer months I wash under the arms with a wet wipe or towelette from a package I carry in my purse. It works. It is a nusience but I have no other choice. My point is that there is an alternative to deoderants.

[Guitarsandmore]

Head on, apply directly to your forehead !
Head on, apply directly to your forehead !
Head on, apply directly to your forehead !

If headache reliever can travel directly through your skin and into your bloodstream then so can other lotions and potions you might rub unto your body!

Got high cholesterol? Then why are you rubbing your hair and scalp with products that contain highly saturated fats? Don’t you think that hair dye is helping you die at a younger age?

I got no proof, but think about it.


Next time you have to clean up gas, oil, paint, paint thinner, etc., where some gloves and a mask.

[DavidMG]

Greta homemade cosmetics of all kinds are in "Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair"