Recently, I began “test-driving” a hygiene product I’ve heard about over the years but had never tried…the “rock” or “crystal” type deodorant.
I’ve heard opinions on the purported health risks associated with other sorts of underarm antiperspirants and deodorants, namely calling into question the healthfulness of the active ingredient, aluminum, for long-term users. I know there are some homemade recipes for underarm care out there, some utilizing baking soda or vinegar, but in my own case, I need something tantamount to a Fort Knox of odor control.
Maybe it’s having lived my entire life south of the Mason-Dixon line and its inherent steamy, humid, and often sweltering climes, but I just don’t seem to be the sort of girl who can go from AC to Dante’s Inferno without breaking a sweat. And folks, as many times as that happens in a day down here (even minus the AC), personal hygiene can be a progressive meltdown into an eventual puddle. Or, to state it more succinctly….phewww-eeee! I have a friend who refers to this as “making gravy”…(laughing…GROAN)
Before I go any further, I’ll volunteer the fact that my personal comfort level with All Things Natural when it comes to my own hygiene has been fully explored and is now firmly established. I’ve traveled the campgrounds and rails of Europe, been through my Bohemian Angst-Ridden Artist stage, dated (in younger years) men from many areas of the world, and am still to this day enamored with anthropology, native and traditional cultures, herbs, and the old ways of doing things. I’m open-minded, have gone through periods where I never shaved my legs, and have few hang-ups about what sorts of clothes to wear as long as they’re clean and servicable.
That said, I’ve found my balance, and for me, I don’t like to stink. (And I do shave my legs now…personal preference).
I’m not prissy about real life…I actually love the smell of horses, cattle, county fairgrounds, barns, compost, sawdust, and sunburnt skin. I’m no shrinking violet with an overly-sensitive sniffer, and don’t swoon into a dead faint if my husband and I smell like hardworking people after a long day spent sweating in the yard digging around in the dirt. I just enjoy the shower afterward all the more.
I’ve met plenty of folks who barely perspire, or who naturally just are aroma-neutral…but I’m not one of them. So from an early age, I needed the Rosie The Riveter version of underarm care, which resulted in adopting regular usage of the most heavy-duty antiperspirants. I’ve tried the gamut…creams, solids, sprays, gels. I learned which ones cut the mustard and which ones were lightweights. There were a lot of scents to choose from, too, and halfway through the day you could have your choice of which fragrance began warming to its duty…Lilac, Baby Powder, Tropical Rainforest, Shower Fresh, Arctic Ice, to name a few.
I heard a lot about the dangers of using aluminum, and was told it was one of the main ingredients in deodorants/anti-perspirants. I’m not sure what to make of the various claims about aluminum, but I do know that I prefer to keep things simple, and I decided to try the “rock/crystal” type deodorant someday…on the one condition that it could really do the job.
A couple months ago I looked for one at my local natural foods store, and wasn’t sure what the difference was between similar-looking products, so I chose one that was the solid rock but was formed into a cylindrical shape (stick) and was dispensed like a stick deodorant. It is applied wet, so I used it right after the shower on wet skin, after wetting the stick. There is no sensation when applied and the only caution is to wash my hands afterwards…I have a habit of rubbing my eyes sometimes and think it would be bad to get that into them.
The rock deodorant I have is made of a single ingredient…ammonium alum. There is no smell to the crystal at all, not even when wet. I’ve tried to research exactly what ammonium alum is and isn’t, and I still don’t understand it. Some believe it’s a salt whose molecules are of a different size and type (preventing absorption into the body through the skin) than other deodorants whose main ingredients are aluminum, and others claim that alum IS aluminum in a certain form, and may or may not pose the same risks as aluminum.
Well here, at least, is how the Rock works for me…regardless of what it is.
It’s not an anti-perspirant, so this is not the product you’d need just before a big interview if you’re wearing a white silk shirt on a hot day and driving an unairconditioned car.
However, I really LIKE the fact that there is no talc or anything noticeable that seems to block the pores…my underarms seem free of anything that would clog my skin and have to be vigorously scrubbed off like normal deos.
I refresh mine, which means I apply it up to twice a day if there’s a reason to.
Mine was a small “rock,” and as such cost me about $3.00. The larger ones ran a bit expensive, and I bought mine simply to try. It’s been lasting quite well, and I can see how over time this is an economical product…I’m guessing a standard sized one would last at least a year.
But what of its effectiveness for folks like me? Does it work? Or can a novice Boy Scout still track you from three miles out, through heavy woods, blindfolded?
Well, good news! It works!
It inhibits bacteria, and thereby there is NO odor…which is a real feat, and a comfort as I watch the spring temps daily edge higher towards summer’s eventual highs.
Clothing still has to be washed because of perspiration, but there is no lingering odor to be dealt with at wash-time, just the dampness.
This, to me, would not be the ultimate answer if wearing business wear on a daily basis, or synthetic clothing a lot…the perspiration issue would still remain.
But since sweating is the body’s natural balancing mechanism and is actually necessary for good health, if you can wear natural fabrics and are in a more relaxed environment, the “rock” as a deodorant choice might be the perfect fit…and is possibly a lot more healthy.
Have you ever tried it? If not, do you use a homemade or natural deodorant product you’d recommend?
I’d love to hear what’s worked…or not…for you!
I’ve read about these but have been wary about trying them. Guess I’ll have to check it out now. Thanks!
Being front and center every day as a Naval Officer, in a uniform not known for breeziness, I guess I’ll have to hold off on this one for a while! However, it sure might be nice to use on the days off when I work all day in the garden.
Great post!
This is something I will have to try. My experiment with cornstarch/baking soda works fine for average days. It does NOT cut the mustard for me on surgery days-hot lights, adrenaline and extra layers of clothes –STINKY.
Thanks for the post. I was starting to slide back into the commercial deoderant.
Kris
great post! I have used the crystal stick for several years – LOVE IT and the cost/health savings. You made a very good point that this does not prevent perspiration, just the odor. Where I work they usually turn the AC way down so I end up keeping a sweater at work and the stick comes in handy in the winter when they turn the heat WAY up. *whew*
Glad to read you took the plunge. =)
I loved it at first, but it stopped working for me – perhaps because I don’t shave my armpits?
Regular deodorant makes me itch horribly (I’ve tried so many brands, including “sensitive skin” versions). I don’t like “natural/organic” gimmick products, so I hesitated to try Tom’s of Maine despite recommendations. I finally tried Toms as a last resort – and it’s been perfect. They make unscented/fragrance-free versions, so I don’t ever have to smell perfume-y.
I use the crystal after my shower. I find it lasts about 24 hours for me, but I often skip days on showering. So, I use baking soda to “refresh”- I am amazed at how I can be so stinky, apply baking soda, and be completely odorless in minutes. And it LASTS. So, between the crystal and baking soda, I don’t have to smell, and I don’t have to worry about toxic chemicals. 🙂 And because both the crystal and baking soda have NO smell, I can be odorless (my preferred state), or I can choose what I want to smell like by way of essential oils or perfumes (I get my perfume from a place that mostly uses essential oils, not synthetics).
I tried the rock, tom’s of maine, the trader joe’s “cotton fiber” natural kind and NONE of those worked for me. Baking soda mixed with water however, does the trick every time.
i’ve been using these since i started college… some 20 years now and i love it. after one particularly energetic houston summer night spent out dancing with friends, i was drenced in sweat and i was the only one in the group who didn’t smell. complete strangers were coming up to me asking if they could sniff under my arms (how weird is that??) and agreeing that there was nothing offensive going on.
I’ve been going back and forth about trying this. I love natural products, but I’m just not sure I can handle the perspiration. By the way, you’re from the south… you know we southern girls don’t sweat – we glisten!
I bought a small rock to try about a year ago and have really loved it. It works really well for me.
Sue, Christy, HickChick, Annette, aaf, herbwifemama, rachel, debra, barb, Sarah–
Wow, what a great response to this in comments…thank you all! I’m noticing how many people have had success with baking soda, and may try this on some of my days at home as an alternate experiment, or in addition, to see if it works for me…I tried once a long time ago and seem to remember it didn’t help like I’d hoped, but I wonder if my body chemistry alters any through the years…it’ll be fun finding out. I’d still like to know if it’s actually aluminum in the crystal/rock deodorants or not…hmmm. Thanks for the wonderful feedback and sharing your own personal take on this subject! (And yes, southern girls “glisten”…ha…but personally I like the Georgia accent “puh-SPY-uhhh” lol)
🙂 Robbyn/thebackforty
Could someone elaborate on how to use baking soda as deodorant? I’d think it would be pretty messy to apply, no? How does it stay? Do you have to reapply often?
Thanks!
K.
Although I’m not a chemist, I do have a pretty decent chemistry background. I will vouch that alum usually refers to a compound that _does_ contain aluminum. (One of my first college chemistry labs involved making alum from aluminum cans.) I’ll leave it to others to debate how harmful or safe it is.
Thanks from a (mostly) lurker to all the writers at Not Dabbling for creating such an interesting resource!
Well, I must be even stinkier than you, because I still get stinky even though I bought one of these “rock-in-a-dispensing-cylinder” things. But I don’t refresh; maybe that would help? (Mine does say to only use on clean skin, so I didn’t think I could refresh without disrobing and scrubbing down.) But I don’t think the active ingredient is aluminum, because I recently went in for my annual mammogram. The tech always tells you to clean the product from your pits with provided wipes because the aluminum interferes with the image. I told her I use the rock deoderant and she said that shouldn’t be a problem, and it apparently wasn’t because my images came out well.
I loved my crystal rock until I asked a chemist friend about it. She said pretty much what Diane did above, and I was scared off. I make homemade deodorant now. Here’s my recipe:
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil (please do not use grocery store hydrogenated oil)
4 tbs baking soda
2 tbs arrowroot powder (some people use cornstarch, but I’m allergic to corn. You could also use more baking soda, or just skip this step altogether)
8 drops lavender essential oil
(Some people use 2 drops tea tree essential oil, and 6 drops of a nicely scented essential oil but my body does not like tea tree oil.)
I melt the coconut oil and let it cool a little, then put the rest of the stuff in. As it cools, there’s a point where it starts to firm up. When it gets to that point, I stir thoroughly so the solids get suspended in the oil. It stays firm at room temperature and liquifies at body temp for easy application. To use it, I scrape off a tiny amount with my fingernail and apply it. It’s not an antiperspirant, but it works well for me.
I have used the crystal/rock rock for quite a few years and have been happy with it. I recommended it to my sister and she gave it back to me because it was “too hard”? After inquiring further I had to tell her it would work better if she got it wet first (; It was a photo moment! Another thing is I have found that my diet is BIG for reducing odor. If I eat chicken NOTHING works. I have had gallbladder digestion problems and have learned to watch what I eat that aggravates the underarm odors. Otherwise the crystal/rock has been sufficient. And for smelly days and emergencies I make a trip to the restroom, Wash up a bit (if I can) and then take a small squirt of smell good liquid soap (antibacterial works really well) and smear it on my shirt (inside or outside) in the underarm area. Works every time! I used to carry Tom’s Deodorant in my car to spread on my shirt, but it kept melting on hot days (messy to clean up){:
Great post! I am glad I “stumbled” across your blog and will be back regularly to visit now that I know about it! Thanks!
I mix baking soda and water in a little cup (with a lid, I store it for a week or more) until the consistency is runny. I’ve found if there’s too much baking soda and it’s pasty or even just a little thick than I could get a little irritation, so remember, it doesn’t take much at all! I just put it on before I get dressed with my hands, just dip my fingertips in it and apply!
I make a deodorant with baking soda, corn starch and coconut oil. I mix it together and am careful not to use too much baking soda or my skin gets irritated as well. I posted a recipe on my blog if anyone is interested
http://frugalhsmom.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-to-make-deoderant.html
As one proponent of baking soda, I just put a lil in my hand (I keep it in an old caper jar), and pat it on, brush off the excess. It’s not messy at all, as long as I don’t try to put it on after I put my shirt on, and I don’t mind the rest landing on the floor, cause it can just deodorize my carpet. :p
I use a natural ‘stick’ deodorant. The ingredients say mineral salts. I have used it for close to a year. The only reason why I have used more than a fraction of an inch is because I dropped it and chipped some off. I have lost more in that droppage than I have used in that year. This is LONG LASTING stuff and well worth the money I paid for it. I think I paid 10 or 12$ for something that looks to last me a literal lifetime.
I have to admit that I go back to a commerical anti-antiperspirant in the summer because I can not stand having completely wet shirts in the underarm area. I buy a stick of deodorant at the beginning of summer and use it until it is finished – which basically coincidences with the end of the hot weather.
Perhaps mineral salts are the way to go for folks that are worried about aluminum – or maybe mineral salt is just another word for aluminum alum.
Actually, it does have aluminium in it chemically, as it’s chemical formula is KAl(SO4)2.12H2O–note the Al.
There are different forms of alum than just from aluminium, but they are used for different things. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lower percentage of aluminium in alum.
Alum and aluminium also have the same root from Latin, alumin (pl. alumen).
Thank you for the info. I am using the cyrstal rock now for few days. It seems like it is working. I am still observing it. I am really frustrated with my body odor that I used many products but nothing works. I hope this one works, if not I will try the baking soda.
I work in a stressful area that I sweat most of the time. It is embarrassing to see people covering their nose when I am in the room. I am really frustrated because I am suffering for 25 years now. When will I find the answer or what works?
Three weeks ago, out of desperation, I tried botox on the underarm to control the odor and hopefully get rid of the odor. Well, the perspiration was controlled but there’s still 50 % or lesser odor. That’s when I decided to use the crystal rock. I don’t want to smell like Secret deodorant anymore. I just want to smell normal.
At work, I have to go to the bathroom, almost every two hours to check if I smell. I just want to be stress free and free from the body odor. If nothing works, I heard about Laser lipo. Is that safe and effective. The commercial said it permanently get rid of sweating and body odor.
Maria, I find that I have to re-apply it at intervals on days I know I’ll be sweating a lot. I hope it works well for you 🙂
Robbyn/thebackforty
Maria,
Dont use anything that prevents you from sweating!!! Its an important body function to remove toxins from the body (hence the odor), and even though you are desperate in the moment, you will only create a worse problem down the line ….like cancer.
Have you considered the food you eat…what comes out of us (smells, flatulance (gas) and even our stool and urine) is a result of what we eat. Change your diet, do a detoxification process with a cleansing or a fasting (there are many good cleanses out there that help detoxify), resulting in better things excreted from the body.
Just dont do anything that stops your bodys processes!!!!! See a Chinese herbalist, an acupunturist, a homeopathist….there are so many choices!
Good luck!
The “liquid rock” mineral deodorant works for me ONLY if I add one or more of the following: a bit of lemon juice, a couple of drops of tea trea oil, teaspoon of baking soda, or a bit of mhyr powder. I add atleast two of these ingredients, shake and I’m good to go. Learned this trick from a friend who sold the mineral sprays. I’ve also recently tried Listerine, someone SWORE by it! I didn’t have good results with it but try it for yourself.
I have wondered about the safety of the deoderant stones myself. I know at one time, many years ago, you could get a stone, that was actually a stone, to rub under your arm and it was very pricey. Now you get this new stone, that appears to be a man-made concoction of mineral salts that is way cheaper, but someone other than mother nature produced it. For the almost chemist, Diane, I found this on the “pure and natural” site. The research is certainly self serving, but perhaps someone can validate their “facts”
Pure and Natural deodorant stones are made of potassium alum. It is a pure product made without the addition of chemicals, fragrances, oils or alcohol. The chemical formula for potassium alum is K2SO4Al2(SO4)324H20. Potassium alum is a colorless substance that forms octahedral or cubic crystals.
Bauxite is the ore from which alum is drawn. It is formed by the rapid weathering of granitic rocks in warm, humid climates and can be purified and converted directly into alum.
Potassium alum is soluble in seven times its weight of water at room temperature and is very soluble in hot water. When crystalline potassium alum is heated, some of the water of hydration becomes chemically separated, and the partly dehydrated salt dissolves in this water, so that the alum appears to melt at about 90 degrees C (approx. 392 degrees F), potassium alum swells up, loses all water, and becomes a basic salt called burn alum. Potassium alum has a density of 1.725. Alum’s are used for a variety of uses including as a powerful astringent.
If an aluminum compound, such as aluminum chlorohydrate or aluminum zirconium, which is very soluble, is used as an antiperspirant, that compound is readily absorbed. Once in the body, the aluminum portion of the molecule ionizes, forming free or radical aluminum (Al+++). This passes freely across cell membranes, and forms a physical plug, that when dissolved is selectively absorbed by the liver, kidney, brain, cartilage and bone marrow. It is this concentration of aluminum that has been the source of concern in the medical community and has prompted the research being done on ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE and BREAST CANCER victims. See:
http://cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/05/eveningnews/main1098995.shtml?CMP=ILC
Potassium alum molecules have a negative ionic charge, making it unable to pass through the cell wall. THEY ARE NOT ABSORBED. This is why our deodorants are safe to use and will not cause high levels of ALUMINUM in your system. ALUM and ALUMINUM are two different substances, with distinct chemical signatures. They possess different chemical properties which create different chemical attributes.
The majority of potassium alum today is made via the reaction of bauxite with sulphuric acid(environmental hazard). Alum is precipitated from this mixture by the addition of K2SO4. If this is how the alum used in aluminium chlorohydrate, the usual salts of AL antiperspirants. Bauxite is the ore that virtually AL-based products are made including aluminum foil. Are they “natural” too!? Like all AL salts they dissolve to give AL3+(postive charge), they may be less soluble than some other AL salts, such as aluminum chloride, and this is why they are less effective deodorant.
if your planning to get an x-ray and if you have been using either of the mentioned deodorants. Alum salts are really a form of aluminum and residual salts can absorb the radiation from the x-ray. If your sweat ducts are clogged with years of usage from these deo’s, I would expect you could suffer damage causing a back up to the nearest Lymph nodes. I recommend first to detox the underarm with a detox cleansing deodorant first to ensure you have flushed out the metal ions. Detox Deodorant.
Rock/Crystal deoderants have alum in them—-a form of aluminum. If you are trying to avoid that metal in your body—like I am you have been warned.
I went to a local food store recently and the lady there told me about using pure aloe (dime size amount) and tea tree oil (2-3 drops) and apply that to the PITS! So fat it’s worked for me! The tea tree is a bit strong at first, but after a few hours it goes away.
I bought my first mineral crystal stick about 6 years ago. Cost about $7. I’m still using the same one. Talk about economical. I suggest newbies try it in the less extreme months because it does take your body a little while to get used to it. Once your body adjusts to not having blocked pores, you’ll not sweat as much just because you have a deadline to beat. You’ll actually have to be hot or exerting yourself. But at least it won’t smell bad. Also, I find that sweat stains on my clothes are less frequent (except some of my yard-work clothes). Mostly, you’ll be satisfied that there is no sticky residue on your skin that you get from regular stick deodorants. The few times I’ve gone back to traditional anti-perspirant/deodorants, I’ve been repulsed by the stink I try sweat through it. Ugh.
I am looking for a deodorant +/- antiperspirant for my son. He is 22, and has armpits fit for a gorilla, though he is a slim, low-key guy. Mitchum works for him, but it and most other regular commercial products break him out. I think i will get him a rock and see how it does.
I’m not really against natural smells, etc, but it affects professors’ opinions of you, job interview results, etc.
Rebecca H – I look forward to hearing how the rock works for your son. Let us know. I have seen it in health food stores in two forms – an actually “rock” and also in a normal looking deodorant container. I have tried it in a liquid form (with good results), but also want to try the natural rock form. You can rad from the comment above yours (BSBrown) the natural rock will last forever. And it is easy to travel with too
You should check out pennylaneorganics.com – one of the few natural deodorants that has wooed for me. Not an antiperspirant, but will leave you smelling great! I sweat like a gorilla myself and I always used antiperspirants until I hear about the health concerns. Switching to natural deodorant was tough for the first week or two, but once my body sweated out all the toxins, I don’t ever stink anymore. My favorite is the lemon/lime scent, it just smells fresh, no one can disagree with the citrus smell!
I began using a mineral stick sometime last year because using normal deodorant was leaving stains on all of my shirts. I tried a homemade deodorant but it would smell sour after about an hour and i would have to remove it. The stick works very well most of the time except that I sweat really hard (i’m also from the south and i swear if it gets above 70 down here i immediately break into a sweat) so I end up having to put on multiple times which can be hard seeing as i can’t always get somewhere to wet it or have a continent time to do it. The only thing I would complain about is that it isn’t a antiperspirant so even if i don’t smell you can still see that i’m sweating. I feel I should try a scented one and see if that makes a difference.
I just started using the Crystal brand stick and so far I love it. I’m in a military utility uniform most of the day, so I don’t worry about visible wet spots on my undershirt. I was mostly concerned about my ecological footprint, and the fact that I only have to buy one stick a year, cutting down on plastic waste and dumping more chemicals down the drain, really sold me. Deodorant was the last of my bathroom products to go all-natural, and now I really am happy to say that my bathtub isn’t draining anything harmful! Not to mention I no-longer have to deal with rashes (sensitive skin) or that annoyingly harsh chemical perfume of all those nasty Axe type deodorants.