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I have been sitting on this review for awhile now as I really wanted to do some research into natural deodorants first, but it seems almost overwhelming to dive into. I feel like going the natural way has a certain culture attached to it and while I have been using natural deodorants exclusively since my mid-20s, I haven't had the "journey" that I feel others have had whenever I read deodorant reviews. While I do have the same concerns about sweating and those dreaded yellow underarm stains on white shirts, I've never been a particularly heavy sweater or had issues with odour to the point where I felt uncomfortable. I'm just one of those people where by the end of the work day, I don't expect to smell great and I don't want anyone coming over and sniffing my armpits and it wasn't until I started using the Apothekari deodorants exclusively that I noticed how much BETTER I could have been smelling! Before I delve into my person experience, Apothekari has a VERY detailed explanation on how their deodorants function as well as features and benefits here!
In my day job, I have to wear a blazer and I prefer to wear long sleeves underneath because I don't like my underarms touching the inside lining of the blazer. I have this weird sensitivity to the feeling of cool synthetic materials touching the warmth of my skin which actually makes me sweat more thus staining the blazer. In general, I am picky about fabrics, but will tough it out if it means looking good in a flattering Judith and Charles dress. Being in customer service and in management also means dealing with any number of unexpectedly stress-inducing situations and from what I've learned over the years, "stress sweat" is worse than regular sweat. As this has been my life for the last 5 years, there were just certain things about sweat and body odour that I had come to accept as normal until I put these three bad boys to the test during some LOOOOONG days and was floored by how my body responded!
Now, that I've given you my life story on sweating, armpits and anxiety about the armpits, it's time to talk about what sets these deodorants apart from what I have tried in the past! Firstly, the biggest thing with these deodorants is that there is apparently no detox time! That caught my eye right away for anyone who is wanting to venture into the natural deodorant world. Next are the key ingredients in the formulation with the first and major one being an enzyme termed Deoplex ®, aka Saccharomyces Ferment (made from filtering and fermenting yeast), which destroys bacteria that cause odour. Its deodorizing properties are even used to neutralize MUCH filthier things so you know this stuff is SERIOUS and yet, naturally derived! I noticed that one of my favourite deodorants from Lafes has Saccharomyces Ferment in it so that was interesting to me! Next is lactic acid which helps maintain skin's pH and then a blend of essential oils to further aid in odour control. I know that essentials can get a bad rap for being irritants, but keep in mind that skin cells on the face are different than skin cells on the body.
Sandalwood Myrrh*
This one I gave to my husband to try because it was a "manlier" scent and unfortunately he wasn't a fan and opted for the other two scents instead. He has never had an issue with body odour, which for a guy is insane, but I guess I should count myself as lucky.
Ingredients: Aqua, Lactic Acid, Saccharomyces Ferment, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Caffeine, Allantoin, Boswellia Carterii (Frankincense) Resin Extract, Citrus Paradisi (Pink Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Santalum Spicatum (Sandalwood) Oil, Commiphora Abyssinica (Myrrh) Resin Extract, Evernia Prunastri (Oakmoss) Whole Plant Oil, Citric Acid (May Contain), Sodium Hydroxide (May Contain)
Lavender Bergamot*
This was my favourite scent as I am a big lavender lover and though I would have loved the scent to linger, it pretty much disappeared after it dried down. This was the scent I used mostly for my month of testing and the results were pretty incredible for me! Firstly, I started applying my deodorant at night after my shower on the advice of Dr. Pimple Popper which has actually been working out well! So the first time I really noticed this deodorant doing its thing was when I had a 12.5 shift and I had applied it a 9pm the night before. I came home, smelled my underarms and smelled...NOTHING. I just smelled invisible. I even asked my husband to smell and after much convincing he also said he couldn't smell anything! The next day was also a 12 hour day filled with frustration and still I came home and smelled invisible! It was crazy!
Ingredients: Aqua, Lactic Acid, Saccharomyces Ferment, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Lavandula Augustifolia (Lavender) Flower Oil*, Citrus Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil, Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Lavandula Hybridia (Lavandin) Flower Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Flower/Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Iris Pallida (Orris) Root Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Leaf Oil, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Caffeine, Allantoin, Citric Acid (May Contain), Sodium Hydroxide (May Contain)
*Certified Organic Ingredient
Grapefruit Ginger*
This scent I found a bit odd because it didn't smell like either grapefruit or ginger to me. It smelled a bit "spicy", but that was it. The scent didn't linger though, but when given the option I would still opt for Lavender Bergamot!
Ingredients: Aqua, Lactic Acid, Saccharomyces Ferment, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Caffeine, Allantoin, Citrus Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi (Pink Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Pseudotsuga Menziesii (Fir) Needle Oil, Abies Balsamea (Fir Balsam) Oil, Picea Mariana (Black Spruce) Needle Oil, Abies Grandis (Grand Fir) Needle Oil, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Nardostachys Chinensis (Spikenard) Root Oil, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Santalum Spicatum (Sandalwood) Wood Oil, Vetiveria Zizanioides (Vetivert) Root oil, Viola Odorata (Violet) Leaf Oil, Citric Acid (May Contain), Sodium Hydroxide (May Contain)
Final verdict: The first time I had a conversation with Sharmani (founder and owner of Apothekari) about these deodorants was about the pricing. At $24 CDN for one bottle, it's definitely up there, but I think much like skincare, if you have struggled to find a deodorant that works for you, the price won't be as much of an issue because something like this can have a huge impact on your life. One bottle should last about 3-4 months with daily use which I think is fairly close to most deodorants. While I know there are baking soda-free options (baking soda can cause skin irritations due to pH disruptions) and options that use Deoplex, I have yet to find a combination of Deoplex and lactic acid which may be what's working for me. Honestly, the only thing I didn't enjoy was that "wet" feeling when I would first apply it, but after 15 seconds it dries down AND it doesn't stain clothing so that's a huge plus.
In short, I would buy this deodorant on my own as smelling like nothing is WAY better to me than smelling like "I'm covering up something" or obviously like body odour. I also trust and appreciate the research I know Apothekari has invested into making sure the formulation is scientifically sound so I know that's also partly where my dollars are going. This isn't a brand that scares you into going "organic" or "natural" as they also believe that not everything that's natural is good for you and if anything can be MORE irritating (amen!). They even talk about molecular chirality in relation to product efficacy which is a kind of transparency I have yet to see from the vast majority of skincare brands. When we talk about L-ascorbic acid, that's what chirality refers to as this is the active form. For example, their AHA-Mazing Clean Exfoliating Cleansing Gel even lists the chirality (L or R) of their actives because only one molecular side is active. I would have had good things to say about this brand even if the deodorant didn't work for me, but it did! I only need to apply once a day and I'm good to go so one bottle might even last more more than 4 months at the rate I'm going!
You can find the Apothekari Natural Deodorant at www.apothekari.com/shop
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