I'm a major supporter of wearing natural deodorant. Using it for over a decade has changed my life, and I mean that in the least dramatic but most honest way. If you had asked me in high school or college how the transition to natural deodorant was going- I'd tell you how I was embarrassed to wear it during warm weather and kept a spare with me to discreetly reapply in the bathroom after wiping my armpits. It was horrid! Despite my light sweat, I often felt that the toxins would not stop leaking out of me when I first began using natural deodorant regularly. My sweat seemed to reek whenever I had a long day, but I knew there had to be a way to make natural deodorant last a full working/school day. So I persisted in trying different brands and formulas because I refused to have my pits break out from bad chemicals again.
One hot Georgia summer day, I tried remaking a lovely spray that was given to me by a relative who also strongly believed in the duality of natural deodorant and cleanliness. It worked wonders even in the most humid June and July days, so I wanted to find out her special ingredient. She credited magnesium as the active deodorizer, which piqued my interest because I thought that was a chemical you wouldn't casually have at home. I began online researching the benefits of it and found magnesium chloride flakes (similar to Epsom salt) along with a basic recipe from a vegan mama blog that gave me a base to experiment with my own formula.
The first formulation was a 1:1 ratio of magnesium oil (magnesium flakes dissolved in distilled water) and 91% isopropyl alcohol with a few drops of natural essential oils. It was super quick to make, long-lasting, and had a pretty good shelf life. My main issue was certain scents made my armpits sensitive. After a few trials and errors, I found that storing it in a certain type of bottle and using the highest quality therapeutic grade essential oils was important for the integrity of the mixture. Amber glass bottles are necessary to keep sunlight from penetrating the glass and causing oxidation as well as preventing essential oils from degrading the bottle materials. Although many brands market their essential oils as "premium quality" "pure" or "all-natural"- they are not legitimately safe for topical use unless they have gone through purity testing that says it's safe for skin and not only for diffusing into the air. I source from GC/MS-tested essential oil brands to maintain a product safe for even the most sensitive skin (unless you have allergies to certain plants, of course). With this vital information, I eventually perfected my magnesium spray deodorant which works for all skin types and has ingredients you can recognize.
You may read more on the extensive benefits of magnesium because it is beyond a deodorizer, but I created this comprehensive list of benefits to topically applying magnesium so people can get an understanding of how it works and what to expect.
Now that you know a bit of a backstory about my natural deodorant and the way I have combated mustiness for several years now, I hope you're intrigued enough to try it for yourself! If you would like to order some spray or view other natural products, here's the link to my shop: naturallyle.com.
