Deodorant for Sensitive Skin: 6 Soothing Ingredients
When you think of skincare, you probably think of products for your face, not your underarms. Knowing what you put on your skin, including your armpits, is vital for taking good care of your skin, especially if you struggle with sensitivity.
Having sensitive skin is tricky, especially when purchasing skincare products that include deodorant. With most deodorants containing harsh chemicals that dry out your skin, finding one that not only handles body odor but that won’t irritate underarm skin can seem near impossible.
Luckily, there are ingredients out there that are soothing and nourishing for your skin. Keep reading to learn more about these ingredients and how Bite can help you switch from irritating to soothing products.
What Is Deodorant?
We all know this one. Most of us have been using deodorant since middle school, whether it be a deodorant with a strong cologne scent, an unscented deodorant, or one that smells like candy. Queue a load of embarrassing middle school memories.
Deodorant is one of the most used cosmetic products since it effectively reduces sweat and odor. Whether it’s a deodorant stick or a spray, most people use it daily as part of their personal care routines.
Many people use deodorant, and others use a product that is both a deodorant and an antiperspirant, but what is the difference? What are the best deodorants?
Deodorant
Deodorant is an odor protection product used to eliminate the odor of the sweat that you naturally produce. Some deodorants contain strong fragrances, while others contain natural ingredients to fight odor.
Bacteria found in sweat is the culprit for the pesky odor you have while on your daily run or during everyday activities.
The focus of deodorant is to decrease the odor your sweat produces, but there are also antiperspirant products that are a bit different.
Antiperspirant
While deodorant aims to eliminate odor, antiperspirant decreases the amount of sweat that you produce.
Sweating is a completely natural process. The function of sweating allows our bodies to cool down when our temperature is too high, get rid of heavy metals and chemicals in the body, and cleanse the body of bacteria.
Though sweating is a helpful natural process, it can be frustrating when you are wearing a white shirt or if you are on an exciting date.
Antiperspirant helps keep your armpits dry, and many antiperspirants also have deodorants to keep your sweat and odor at bay.
What 6 Soothing Ingredients Should I Look For?
With so many conventional products causing allergies, skin irritation, and rashes, we here at Bite know the frustration.
That’s why our natural and refillable deodorant contains nourishing, soothing ingredients to take care of your delicate underarm skin the right way.
Our deodorant contains the following ingredients to moisture and care for your skin rather than causing irritation.
1. Shea Butter
Shea butter comes from the oil of nuts that grow on shea trees and is known for its ability to moisturize skin and soothe irritation.
Our shea butter is rich in vitamin E to nourish and moisturize your underarm skin.
2. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is helpful for keeping your skin smooth and hydrated. We use coconut oil because it creates a protective barrier on your skin to keep moisture in and irritation out — it’s a win-win!
Coconut oil can also help protect your underarms from odor-causing bacteria the natural way.
3. Vitamin E
Vitamin E, also known as tocopherol, is an essential nutrient for keeping your skin healthy.
Vitamin E helps lock in moisture on your skin, softens and nourishes the skin, and helps protect your skin from cell damage.
We use vitamin E to help keep your skin moisturized and prevent dryness that can lead to irritation.
4. Castor Seed Oil
Castor seed oil is a vegetable oil that has purposes that stretch from industrial to medical uses and is another moisturizing agent which keeps your skin smooth, calm, and nourished.
Castor seed oil contains ricinoleic acid, which is a type of monounsaturated fatty acid that can be used to moisturize the skin.
There are different types of moisturizers like emollients and humectants, and castor seed oil is a humectant, meaning that it retains moisture by preventing water loss.
We use castor seed oil to keep moisture in as well as keep your skin calm and happy, thanks to castor seed oil’s ability to help soothe irritation.
5. Jojoba Esters
Jojoba esters is a fancy word for jojoba wax. Jojoba esters is another moisturizing agent that dries quickly and leaves your skin feeling hydrated without that greasy feeling no one wants — let’s be real.
6. Tapioca Starch
Perhaps the most important ingredient, tapioca starch is the main ingredient we use in place of aluminum.
Tapioca starch helps absorb unwanted moisture under your arms without clogging your pores or completely stopping the process of sweating.
While sweat can be an annoyance, it is a completely natural bodily process. However, we know how inconvenient unwanted perspiration can be.
That is why we have included tapioca starch in our all-natural formula to reduce moisture while still allowing your body to do its thang.
Our deodorant is also travel-friendly, meaning that you never have to worry about unwanted sweat or odor.
What Are Common Deodorant and Antiperspirant Irritants?
Deodorant and antiperspirant can come in handy for those tough workouts or moments where you sweat a bit too much from nervousness or stress.
However, many of these products are irritating or abrasive to the skin, even for those who do not have sensitive skin.
Because the skin under your arms is thinner and more delicate, common deodorant and antiperspirant ingredients, like perfumes, dyes, sulfates, phthalates, and parabens (used as preservatives), can irritate your skin to a minor degree.
However, if you have sensitive skin, these ingredients can cause more severe irritation that could warrant a trip to the dermatology office.
Below is a list of common irritants to look out for if you have sensitive skin or want to clean up your skincare routine.
Aluminum
Aluminum is the active ingredient in most antiperspirant deodorants. Aluminum as an antiperspirant usually takes the form of aluminum chlorohydrate, blocking your pores and preventing you from sweating.
Aluminum compounds, even for people without sensitive skin, can be irritating and are sometimes combined with alcohol to make roll-on and aerosol antiperspirant deodorants.
Alcohol dries out your skin, so combining this irritant with aluminum is only a recipe for unhappy skin.
Not only is aluminum irritating, but it also blocks a natural bodily process that is crucial for maintaining balance in your body.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is the perfect product for cleaning and absorbing odor in places like bathrooms and refrigerators, but it is also a common ingredient in aluminum-free deodorant.
Being a seemingly natural ingredient, it is assumed that baking soda is the perfect aluminum alternative, but this is not always the case.
Though baking soda can help cut back on odor, it can also cause irritation in the form of redness, itchiness, and rashes. Baking soda also dries out your skin which can worsen your discomfort. You may need to look for baking soda-free deo if you’re experiencing skin issues.
Lanolin
Lanolin is an ingredient in deodorant that is meant to moisturize the skin, but lanolin has side effects that cause quite the opposite.
Lanolin can be irritating to the skin and cause burning, redness, and irritation as well.
Ingredients like lanolin, baking soda, aluminum, and fragrances can cause a skin condition called contact dermatitis.
Contact dermatitis is an allergic reaction that can be caused by any substance found in products like soap, cosmetics, and deodorant with harsh ingredients.
Though lanolin is meant to moisturize, it can cause more harm than good. Combined with other ingredients like baking soda and aluminum, using deodorants with these ingredients can cause skin irritation that is uncomfortable and frustrating.
Fragrance
Adding harsh fragrance to deodorant to help hide underarm odor may sound like a good idea, but it may not be so great for your skin.
Many people with sensitive skin can only use products that are fragrance-free, like unscented soap and laundry detergent. When you pair irritating ingredients with fragrance, the result can be a bit itchy.
At Bite, we are committed to full transparency about our products. We have taken the Nothing To Hide Pledge, meaning that we are devoted to honesty about our products.
We do offer deodorants that contain fragrances, but we list this and provide you with information about all of our ingredients so that you know exactly what you are putting on your skin. We also have a Fragrance-Free Deodorant if you’d prefer to steer clear of fragrance entirely!
Because of our commitment to transparency and providing safe products, we have also included a fragrance-free deodorant option for those who have sensitive skin and those who want to stay away from using fragrances in their everyday routines.
What Is Natural Deodorant?
With more research on the effects of common deodorant ingredients, there is a growing number of natural deodorants that are hitting the market, but what makes a deodorant natural?
Natural deodorants are classified as products that do not contain ingredients like aluminum or hard to pronounce ingredients. These deodorants are made with clean, safe ingredients like magnesium hydroxide instead of aluminum. They may be alcohol-free or include essential oils for scent instead of heavy artificial fragrances.
At Bite, we know how hard it can be to find effective personal care products that will not irritate your skin or that do not contain harsh chemicals.
That is why our line of personal care products are made with clean, safe ingredients, packaged in refillable containers that will not end up in a landfill, which includes our refillable deodorant.
If you can remember the first stick of deodorant that you have ever used, it is probably still in a landfill somewhere. Even worse, 15 million pounds of deodorant end up in landfills every year.
The truth is that we only have one earth to live on. That is why taking care of our earth is just as important as taking care of our bodies, from ingredients to packaging.
We decided to keep metal out of deodorant and put it into recyclable, refillable cases instead. Our natural Deodorant is refillable, with refills sent to your door packaged in sustainable and biodegradable materials. Because every action, no matter how small, counts.
Why Natural Deodorant?
Natural deodorants are some of the best deodorants for sensitive skin, but they aren’t only for people with sensitive skin — a natural deodorant is a perfect option for everyone!
While conventional deodorants leave you with dry and irritated skin, natural deodorant keeps odor in check while nourishing and soothing or gently exfoliating your skin at the same time.
At Bite, we believe that taking care of your body and the earth should work together. We include essential oils like eucalyptus, sandalwood, and tea tree oil.
Our unique formula and packaging are designed to keep moisture on your skin and plastic out of landfills. Our deodorant is made for refills, not landfills.
With compostable refills, you are reducing waste while also giving back to the earth. With our deodorant, you can help keep plastic out of landfills while freshening up and deodorizing at the same time.
The Bottom Line
Knowing what is in your personal care products is important for being informed and confident about what you are consuming and putting in and on your body.
We live with our skin every day, so it is only fair to take care of our skin and to give it the pampering that it deserves.
While none of us can follow a perfectly sustainable and healthy personal care routine, we can take small steps like replacing products little by little. Whether it’s swapping out the sunscreen, toothpaste, or deodorant we use daily, those small steps can lead to a significant positive impact on the planet.
With Bite, you can be confident that you are helping out your skin and the planet each time you choose our cruelty-free products.
Sources:
The Health Effects of Aluminum Exposure | PMC.
Can you be allergic to baking soda? | SidmartinBio
What Vitamin E Does for Your Skin's Health | Cleveland Clinic
Lanolin: Generic, Uses, Side Effects, Dosages, Interaction, Warnings | RX List
