Initial impression using mineral salt deodorant

[BuzzinSATX]

I've been trying to get my family away from chemical anti-perspirant/deodorants using "natural" products such as "Toms of Maine" and a couple others, without much luck. I also used things like baby powder, corn starch, and baking soda. Every product I tried was either messy, a pain in the butt to use, or expensive, and by mid afternoon, I could tell the 'deodorant' factor had pretty much wore off and I'd be starting to get 'funky'.

Then, I stumbled across this:

http://greenvirginproducts.com/deodo...-oz-120-grams/

I ordered several for myself, wife, and college age daughter. I asked them to give the product a try for 5 days and I'd do the same. So far, after 10 days, the results are excellent, and we are all very happy with these stones and plan to keep using them.

For $6, it is a very cheap, simple solution. Get out of the shower, wet the stone with water, rub the stone in your pits 8-12 times (you want the minerals to get on your skin), dry the stone, give your pits a few minutes to air dry, and press on. No stains, no visible residue, and thus far, they've kept me "funk free" until I go to bed on the days I don't workout after work.

The stones work by providing a layer of salts and minerals that resists odor causing bacteria. It won't 'freshen up up' if you already sweat and are in a funk, it only works on clean skin, but so far, it's better than anything else I've ever used, chemical or natural.

[Co-gnARR]

I have been looking into this as well, partly because alum is a great skin toner after shaving. What you want is potassium alum; I forget what the other salt is but apparently it is not as good. In the meantime, I have been splashing a little bit of green rubbing alcohol under my arms after showering. This green kind has peppermint scent and a bit of glycerin in it, so it doesn't dry the skin out like regular alcohol. It works basically the same as the salts- it stops the bacteria from propagating. I have noticed a definite positive effect in keeping the funk away- and so has my wife.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Vic303]

I've used it in the past, but it doesn't work as well for me as the sensitive-skin formulation of antiperspirants. Aluminum chlorhydrate makes my skin itch, but the sensitive skin version which uses a different formulation, does not.

[Co-gnARR]

I've used it in the past, but it doesn't work as well for me as the sensitive-skin formulation of antiperspirants. Aluminum chlorhydrate makes my skin itch, but the sensitive skin version which uses a different formulation, does not.

The crystal deodorants are just that: deodorants. They won't work as anti-perspirants. I stopped anti-perspirants for the same reason, but I never tried the sensitive skin formulation.

http://www.tomsofmaine.com/ingredien...potassium-alum

[Vic303]

I understand that, but as one who sweats a fair bit, I found the mineral salts tended to last only a couple hours before they were no longer on the skin.

[Co-gnARR]

Gotcha. You might try the alcohol I mentioned. I think the difference is that it will kill bacteria on contact and remove moisture as it evaporates. And, even though it has peppermint scent, you won't smell like a candy cane

[Vic303]

Hmm...the peppermint stuff sounds interesting. Where do you buy it?

[Co-gnARR]

It is in the same section as regular rubbing alcohol at the grocery and drug stores. All it really is is rubbing alcohol, dyed green, with glycerin added to prevent skin irritation and wintergreen so you don't smell like alcohol(sorry, I confuse that and peppermint all the time). It's not a perfect solution, but I definitely notice less funk as the day goes on. Before this, despite scrubbing in the shower, using deodorant and wearing clean stuff I still had the funk build up. Now, not nearly as bad.
For example:
http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/wal..._ClientGroup=1

[Vic303]

Thanks. I will check it out.

[Co-gnARR]

OP, just to keep the thread going in the direction you started, here's what I was talking about for shaving:
http://www.amazon.com/Bloc-Osma-Alum.../dp/B004NEHR28
It's the same stuff as styptic pencils, but not as concentrated. I don't know about you, but there's no way I would want to put something that's touched under my arms on my face :P
AFIK it's exactly the same crystal as the mineral deodorant, so if the ladies in your family use the crystal after shaving under their arms it may sting a bit. As long as you use potassium alum you should be fine.