ARMPIT DETOX… DOES IT WORK?

I never thought I would be writing a blog about my armpits, we are about to get real personal, so here we go. Detoxing my armpits never really came to mind. I mean, I wash my body everyday so is there really a need? The answer is yes!

I personally have never tried an all natural deodorant but after everything I have read, it’s SO much better for you. So I am switching! (That will be the next blog, so keep an eye out!) I did a bunch of research as I have seen more and more natural products hit the market and actually work. Detoxing your armpits is essential, especially when you are converting to natural deodorant. Unlike other detoxing regimens, this is just supposed to pull toxins from the skin.  Some claims even say you may not even need deodorant after fully detoxing… I don’t necessarily buy that portion of the detox. I am also not about to be caught in a situation where I smell, because I thought I wouldn’t need deodorant.

I’m not an expert, but solely based on my research the reasons why you should detox are as follows:

• Odor – If your armpits are smelly, no matter what deodorant you are using, it’s likely that the deodorant isn’t the issue. Regular deodorant has chemicals that cause you to have build up and clogged pores. Showering may help immediately but won’t do the trick long term. Similar to the process of pore strips/face masks for your face, your under arms need a deep clean, hence the detox.
• Chemicals – Regular deodorant has chemicals and additives that are preventing your body to function normally. Knowing that alone, it’s a good idea to want to detox those out of your system.
• Swollen Lymph Nodes – Your lymph nodes help to fight off bacteria and illness, which is why when get sick the nodes in your neck and even your armpits may swell. Putting all of the chemicals on top of them and blocking all of the drainage in your armpits may be the reason for swollen lymph nodes in your armpits. A detox isn’t going to be a “cure all” by any means, but it will help.
• Itchy or Bumpy Underarms – This maybe due to clogged pores, dried out skin (since there is alcohol in most deodorants), and many other things. A detox is a safe and natural way to help pull all of that nastiness out and soothe the skin.

Like I said, everything seemed pretty convincing, so I gave it a try. I figured that I wasn’t out anything other than the 25 minutes this whole process took and the $14 for the cost of the Bentonite Clay powder. (I will link below) And if it worked, then I just found a new affordable way to be even healthier!

What you need:

• 1 Tablespoon Bentonite Clay (Click the link to see the brand I used)
• 1 Tablespoon Water

Instructions: Mix the two ingredients together until you get a paste, add more water/ powdered clay as needed to get the right consistency. Put paste on each armpit and let it set for 15-20 min. or until it’s dry. Then wash off the mask with soap and water. Don’t use a metal bowl or spoon for this, I used a coffee cup and the end of a bamboo spoon. Bentonite clay leeches toxins out of whatever it comes in contact with, which is good for a detox but not so much when it comes in contact with metal prior to being lathered on your skin.

My experience went really well. To be honest, my powder was really hard to mix into a paste, but you have to work it a little bit for the lumps to break up. Several of the recipes that I found included Apple Cider Vinegar, my armpits are pretty sensitive, so I didn’t want to use anything that may be harsh on my skin.

(I was going to add a picture here but you really don’t need to see a picture of  me with goop on my underarms.)

There is no way I was going to stand with my arms raised 20 minutes, I was lazy, which is the best approach in this situation. I laid on my couch with my arms back and watched Netflix for about 20 minutes… okay maybe 30 minutes, let’s be real I had to finish the episode. After washing the mask off my skin, I immediately noticed my under arms felt really clean but no other apparent difference. Exercise and washing with lemon is also supposed to help with the detox process. It varies based on what website you look at, but the detox can take from 1 – 4 weeks to be fully “detoxed.”

Have you tried out an armpit detox? Did it work? Let me know if you have any tips or tricks I should try out to make this transition to Natural Deodorant easier, I start tomorrow… wish me luck!