We are all afraid of raising our arms. The world isn’t ready to see or be anywhere near our pits. For our pits are dark and full of terrors.
Sometimes we choose to keep a distance from people. This way people can’t sniff us out. Other times, we choose to hide in dark colored shirts. Could we ever be people who didn’t fear pit stains and sweaty armpits?
Here’s a secret, our armpits need special attention as well. Bacteria buildup, not washing our underarms at the end of the day, and chemical buildup from deos will lead to funky armpit smell.
Here are ways to keep your pits happy and healthy.
Keep the pits away from deodorants and antiperspirants
Who doesn’t want to smell like a rose garden all day? Grabbing a deodorant might seem like the easiest thing to do. But it’s one of the worst things we could do to our armpits.
The idea behind a deodorant is to combat body odor, while antiperspirants are to reduce sweating. Deodorants help you to smell fresh and amazing. But they are packed with unfriendly substances. Antiperspirants prevents sweat glands from doing their job. It blocks up the pores so that our sweat is reduced. We don’t need clogged pores to our list of problems.
Watch out for the following chemicals which are widely present in our scents
Aluminum: These compounds may lead to the development of breast cancer. Aluminum might be absorbed by the skin around breasts. This could create estrogen-like effects and this would lead to growth of cancerous cells.
Formaldehyde: This is a strong-smelling substance that may lead to the growth of cancerous cells.
Parabens: Studies have found traces of parabens in breast tumors. This ingredient is found in a lot of make up and hair products. They are predominately used as preservatives and as food additives.
Phthalates: This is found in almost everything with fragrance. It has been linked to reduced fertility, obesity, and affects the male reproductive system.
Propylene glycol: This petroleum based material causes damage to the nervous system, liver and heart.
Imagine smearing all that gunk onto our skin. But that’s not all. The lymph nodes present in our armpits would be in direct contact with these chemical substances. That’s definitely not what we want.
But we do want our armpits to be free from BO and nasty stains. Here’s where a good armpit cleansing comes in.
An armpit detox helps to remove all those nasty chemicals that get caught in our skin tissue. After a detox, make the switch from commercial to natural deodorants. We know it’s difficult to get rid of old habits. Especially when it’s as convenient as stick deodorants and antiperspirants. It’s going to be tough. But our armpits are worth the effort!
Here’s a DIY Armpit Detox to try:
- Apple cider vinegar: 1 teaspoon
Everybody’s favorite apple cider vinegar has powerful properties. In this DIY, it helps by lowering the pH level in the area. It helps unclogging pores as well. This leads to sweat reduction, and eliminates those weird underarm odors. No more funky smell! - Bentonite clay: 1 tablespoon
The clay gives an “electrical charge” when it’s hydrated. Once it absorbs, it removes toxins from the skin. - Water: 1-2 teaspoons (depending on the texture)
This is added to make the paste into a consistency that works for you.
Method:
- Mix the ingredients and apply it on the underarms.
- Rinse it off after 10-20 minutes.
- Word of caution, try out a patch test to see if there’s no adverse reaction to it.
- Do it for two weeks. Voila! Happy underarms!
Armpit Detox DIY 2
Essential oils are made up of natural healthy components. Just pick one or do a combination of oils for the detox. Dab a few drops of oil and apple cider vinegar onto a cotton ball. Rub it on the armpits gently before getting into bed. Rinse it off in the morning, and do it the next day as well. It’s as easy as that!
Rosemary oil: Besides the amazing smell, the nutrients from this oil helps to protect skin cells from damage. It also has natural antiseptic properties.
Lavender oil: It enhances blood circulation and prevents fungal infection.
Tea tree oil: It has antibacterial and antiviral properties. The oil is known to treat minor wounds and encourage healing as well.
The feeling of squeaky clean underarms would come in a few days. Seal it with a natural deodorant.
Go ahead and flash your underarms to the world!
