Do Mineral Crystal Deodorants Really Work?

February

Do Mineral Crystal Deodorants Really Work?

We thought you might be interested in this email exchange with one of our favorite fans, Wendy Wild, who does the weekend show on KTU radio from New York.

Wendy wonders: Hey, I haven’t contacted you in a while, so just wanted to see how you were. I really enjoy reading your site each day! Thanks for the great entries.

Here’s a product I recently bought that I’m absolutely baffled by. Naturally Fresh Crystal Deodorant Stick. It’s one of those no-aluminum deodorants, however… It’s just a damn rock, lol. The weirdest thing is that it works (WELL). I still don’t understand how because it smells like nothing and looks (and feels) like a piece of plastic. However, it’ll magically keep you smelling like NOTHING for at least 24 hours. Any insight here?

Sarah Bellum replies:

Hi again Wendy, nice to hear from you. We’ve been busy here at the Beauty Brains, getting ready to publish our first book. Exciting, huh?

To answer your question, the Beauty Brains have seen these mineral deodorants before. They do look like a hunk of plastic, or glass. That’s because they’re made from a mineral known as potassium alum, also known as potassium aluminum sulfate. Yeah, that’s right these mineral deodorants do contain aluminum! I always thought they were aluminum free. But unlike the aluminum salts used in antiperspirants, alum doesn’t stop you from sweating, it only helps control the growth of bacteria that makes your sweat stinky.

If you like the way these mineral crystals work for you, that’s great. But don’t fall for all the advertising claims made by some of the companies that sell this kind of product. For example, Crystal Body Deodorant claims that regular deodorants are made with highly toxic chemicals. (If that was true we’d all be dropping over dead!) Others claim that mineral deodorants are being better for you because they don’t block the release of toxins like other deodorants do.

While it’s true that antiperspirants do plug the opening of the sweat gland to reduce sweat, there is no data that proves deodorants (or more accurately, antiperspirants, are harmful because they block the release of toxins. Since your body doesn’t use sweat glands to rid itself of toxins, this really isn’t an issue. (This discussion reminds me of our post on Kinoki Detox foot pads. Hoo boy, what a controvery ol’ Lefty stirred up with THAT one!)

If you can want learn more, read our previous post on the difference between antiperspirants and deodorants.

27 Responses to “Do Mineral Crystal Deodorants Really Work?”

Anabeana Says:

I have used crystal deodorant in the past and it is effective in preventing odor. I use it when I’m wearing something sleeveless and don’t want white marks on my clothes. I just keep my arms up a lot so I don’t sweat on my clothes. If you aren’t wearing sleeveless, I wouldn’t use this deodorant because your underarms will be sweaty.
This Week in Style Blogging » Smarter Fashion Blog Says:

[...] The Beauty Brains sniff out the truth about Mineral Crystal Deodorants. [...]
Chic Clicks 2/29/08: The Best Of This Week’s Beauty Blogs | Beauty Secrets Blog Says:

[...] Beauty Brains sniff out the truth about Mineral Crystal Deodorants. Posted in The better you RSS 2.0 | Trackback | Comment Get post updates via emailEnter your [...]
Blog Round-Up: Heard On The Web This Week Says:

[...] something for every shoe lover – at every price. The Beauty Brains sniff out the truth about mineral crystal deodorants. According to Top Button, neon makeup trends are red hot for [...]
The Beauty Brains » Blog Archive » The Mystery Of Mineral Makeup Says:

[...] In the meantime, you can read this post about mineral deodorants. [...]
clioparrot Says:

what a lot of rubbish that has said on this blog, recent scientific data proves that crystal deodorants not only out perform big brand chemical based deodorants, not only are they far safer read the true ingredients that are in there products on http://www.ewg.org

The PR companies working for the top 5 brands wish to tell dispel the advantages of crystal deodorants, the company selling the crystal deodorant in the above have based there pr on wild claims made by experts however the crystal deodorant works better than any commercial product on the market as seen and tested on Australian TV in the worlds best climate for proving a deodorant actually proving a product works.

get real !

http://www.pitrok.co.uk
http://www.tawascrystal.co.uk

another product that does really work is Deorok deodorant its crystal, safe and it works its available in the uk from purebodybliss.co.uk
thebeautybrains Says:

clioparrot,

Do you have a resource that is run by scientists instead of the fearmongering lawyers at the Environmental Working Group. They publish non-scientific garbage. Where is your scientific proof that crystal deodorants work better?

I’m not talking about rubbish created by the marketing companies trying to sell the product, but peer-reviewed research in a legitimate scientific journal? Do you have anything?
nutritionini Says:

Many of the things you said may be correct, but who would want to put aluminum containing products on their skin with all the research available on aluminum? They are finding aluminum in the brain of individuals with Alzheimers disease and are also looking at possible links between aluminum and breast cancer. The absorption of aluminum is even greater when you shave prior to putting on an antiperspirant.
Shera Says:

Responding to : “Crystal Body Deodorant claims that regular deodorants are made with highly toxic chemicals. (If that was true we’d all be dropping over dead!)” I disagree…..cigarettes have highly toxic chemicals in them that over time have an effect on the user. We release trace amounts of toxins through our sweat glands but i’m more concerned about the chemicals in the deodorant going directly into my lymph nodes!!! I think we should have more of an open mind rather than believe what we’re spoon feed by money hungry consumer companies and our own gov’t. Of course they’ll tell us there is no link to cancer because they know we’re more uncomfortable with the idea of walking around smelling like onions!!!
Carol Says:

I’ve used crystal deodorant for about 3 years and love it. I had been getting an itchy/prickly heat type rash using regular top selling deodorants, and that’s no longer a problem. Also, I’ve been using the same crystal for 2 YEARS this month – will probably get another few weeks out of it!!! I can’t believe how long they last, so even though the price may be higher than most deodorants the value is way superior!
Veronica Says:

I started using the Crystal Body Deodorant about two months ago, and it works pretty well. However, if you workout and sweat a lot, I wouldn’t use this product. I couldn’t believe how bad my t-shirts smelled after my workouts! I was so embarrassed! It’s just not strong enough for high impact workouts. I started using crystal body deodorant because I didn’t like the permanent stains on the arms of my shirts. Since I’ve been using this product, I haven’t had that issue. It’s a great product for everyday use. Just don’t use it for exercising
Veronica Says:

I started using the Crystal Body Deodorant about two months ago, and it works pretty well. However, if you workout and sweat a lot, I wouldn’t use this product. I couldn’t believe how bad my t-shirts smelled after my workouts! I was so embarrassed! It’s just not strong enough for high impact workouts. I started using crystal body deodorant because I didn’t like the permanent stains on the arms of my shirts. Since I’ve been using this product, I haven’t had that issue. It’s a great product for everyday use. Just don’t use it for exercising.
Seb Says:

I’m curious about the disolving process. Spray are much more expensive then the original rock but more easy to use. I’d like to disolve the rock myself, know how long it takes and what’s the ratio (100 grams of rocks for one liter of water, for example).

Thanks for any help here!
fc Says:

I use tom’s all natural deodorant which has no aluminum or other bad stuff, it best natural deodorant i have used so far. I use to use arm and hammer it would break me out so switched to tom’s, i have had no problems ever since.
Kusuma Haryanto Says:

Dear,

We is company inYogyakarta-Indonesia being based on product of natural and herbal.

We will offer best product of us which have hundreds of year weared by all family in Indonesia for the market of European and United Arab Emirate, because our new management in Yogyakarta-Indonesia add the our production capacities become 50.000 pieces/week.

> Natural Deodorant stone <

Elementary substance of this product is peaceful mineral salt (ALKNO3) for body
combined by Sirih Merah (Piper crocatum) and Kunir Putih (Kaemferia rotunda L.) which is good for as of antiseptic and antibacterial processed with the purified water (International certificate) so that yield the active body odorizing, antiseptic also antibacterial naturally.

Correct mixture from third this active substance make our product differ from the other
product.

Product which we offer difference otherly existing now

If other product only closing or arranging in layers body pore with Potassium Alum (nature of base of materials) so that do not generate body odour, our product differ besides there is active herbal materials (antiseptic and antibacterial) of plant herbal which only life in Indonesia is also enhanced also nutrisi of herb also (Vitamin E) having the character of anti aging.

This difference do not have by other product which now exist in market.

Herb of Crystal deodorant is we offer with the following condition :

Weight & Dimension 45 gram/unit & 2 x 3 x 4 cm or according to request of buyer.
Minimum Order Quantity 1000 piece
1 cartons / 45 kilograms
1 Cartons contain 1000 Unit
Price US $ 1.25 / piece-FOB (nego)
Fee of insurance by seller (door to door) by Tokio Marine International
Delivery time 10 day after accepting payment (L/C) or T/T

Looking forward to hearing from you asap.
Thank’s
Best Regards,

Kusuma Haryanto

Kusuma_haryanto@yahoo.com
Kusumanaufal@gmail.com

M +628170606900
P +62274558244
F +62274558244
Ryan Says:

A response to a few statements made in orginal post.
Crystal deodorant, the natural alternative to mainstream deodorants has been used centuries in the Far and Middle East for its natural deodorising properties. The alum formed from non toxic minerals is used in the crystal deodorants are in the salt form, not the metallic form. The crystal is applied to wet skin where a thin film sits on the surface. The molecular structure is too big to pass into the body, this means the pores do not become blocked as with antiperspirant use, but rather allow the body’s natural process to occur simply but without the odour that’s associated.

Your lymph nodes do excrete toxins from your body!

Scaring people about aluminum in crystal deodorant is wrong…educating the public that there is a healthier alternative is the most important. Do you know that alum is in your drinking water and green leafy veggies??? Because alum is a compound found in nature we ingest between 20 to 60 milligrams of alum per day through the water we drink, the foods we eat and the air we breathe…Please research and educate yourself and others before making certain statements…TCCD.com
Left Brain Says:

Please show us some research that isn’t just your personal opinion and that comes from a credible source (not a site trying to sell crystal deodorants).
Chris Says:

My Personal experience:
I first used crystal deoderants back in the eighties when I was a teenager. They worked! Worked well! Basically lived up to all the claims, and was even more effective than the chemical deodorants without the other issues. I find chemical deodorants do irritate my lymph nodes which causes occasional minor swelling and sensitivity, do stain my clothes etc. In fact it was my desire to re-introduce the crystal deodorants into my lifestyle that brought me to this site.

Why did I stop (early nineties)? At the time the product was only available as a smooth lump of crystal with nothing to grip it. When you wet it (which you must do to apply) it got as slippery as soap, if not worse. Inevitably one eventually dropped it which broke it into little shards. One would think you could still use these, but the edges were very sharp and cut the skin. so you wound up throwing most of it away.

So if they’ve addressed this issue, (imo putting it in a plastic push up tube would be best) I would go back to using this in a heartbeat.

Anti-perspirants seem to make zero impact to the level of perspiration I experience anyway and only make the discomfort factor worse.

Final point: If product A is 2% toxic and product B is 1% and all else is largely equal, I’ll use product B.
Chris Says:

BTW a suggestion for Veronica.

If the crystal is ineffective when working out, perhaps it would help to apply some directly to your clothes just before working out. Can’t hurt to try right?
Chris Says:

OK, with reference to my earlier comment, maybe it’s actually the sweat glands, not the lymph nodes that are getting irritated by the chemical deodorants.
Ally Says:

In response to the thread title:
I used the standard Secret deodorant my mom raised me on for a long time and although it smelled nice in the morning, the B.O. always overpowered it by lunch. After college, I was wasting a lot of time in CVS and happened upon Certain-Dri, a strong version of regular deodorant, before the clinical strength revolution. It worked great for awhile. I couldn’t believe how well it worked. Problem was, it stung so much I couldn’t use it if I had shaved within a day. Finally, I was in a huge hurry and bought the crystal (tdd) deodorant because of the breast cancer sticker on it. I think it’s really cool. It doesn’t have an initial fragrance. You wet it and roll on but it feels like there’s nothing there. It does not stain at all, a great quality. You may fear that you’re going to smell bad because you do get wet pits. But I’ve had less odor than even the 20% antiperspirants. For me, synthetic fabrics are killers!
Best of the Beauty Brains 2008 | The Beauty Brains Says:

[...] a lot of bogus beauty. Here are some examples. 1. Can Kinoki detox foot pads save your sole? 2. Do mineral crystal deodorants really work? 3. Does the pink patch weight loss patch really work? 4. Can Airborne cure the common cold? 5. Is [...]
the truth Says:

With the increase of toxic chemicals entering into our personal care products its not surprising why people adopt alternatives. Alum Stones are natural stones used as deodorants. They are safe both for the skin and environment. These non-toxic and hypoallergenic stones can be applied to anywhere on the body and are multi functional. Alum stones are free from chemicals, perfumes, preservatives, colors and alcohol. They are very effective and economical, since a piece can last up to several months ( even up to years).
Composition

Alum stone crystal deodorants are composed of potassium alum. The natural crystal, potassium alum is totally unprocessed and is free from synthetic ammonium (a by-product of the chemical and nylon industry), which other crystal deodorants overwhelmingly contain. These synthetic ingredients may contain chemical residues and cause allergic reactions that earth-grown alum stone is safe from. Although natural and synthetic alums look similar, there is however a way to tell them a part. natural crystal breaks into irregular forms with irregular surfaces.

Alum stones feature physically large potassium alum molecules that are not absorbed in the skin or blood. Water has a molecular weight of 18, a potassium alum crystal molecule has a molecular weight of 474,38. A potassium alum crystal molecule in solution is hydrated 24 times and consequently has a molecular weight of 654.

Alum stones come from the western desert in abundance. They are simply collected from the desert surface, placed in sacks and then shipped to where they can be sold. Alum stone is one of the earth’s most common and useful minerals, used since civilization began.

How Do They Work?

alum stone are rubbed on to wet skin or can be dampened with a wet cloth and then rubbed on to dry skin to from a thin layer. The stones are so safe they can be used anywhere on the body! Alum Stones work as a deodorant by leaving a fine salty, slightly alkaline film on the skin, preventing the growth of microbes (bacteria) No bacteria = no odor! They keep the skin fresh and deodorized all day. They also allow the skin to perspire, something essential, keep the pores clear, and have the added advantage of not staining clothes.

Benefits of Alum Stones

Alum stone has not scent.
It can be used as an tonic.
Alum is astringent and mildly antiseptic.
alum stone is slightly alkaline, which creates an environment unfriendly to bacteria.
It gives instant relief from insect bites that respond to alkali. It reduces the swelling and redness and causes the bite to vanish quicker.
They are hypo-allergenic and contain no harmful chemicals.
They do not block pores so the body is able to breathe naturally.
They are made from natural mineral salts that will not stain your clothes.
Can also be applied to the feet for foot odor.
Where Can You Buy Them?

Alum stones have grown in popularity and most health food and supplement shops will have them. You can also order them online, they cost around $10 (around £6) per 100g, and there are many online stores providing them. Just search for “alum stone deodorant” in the search engines.

The great thing about Alum stones is that they will last you for years saving you lots of money in addition to the health benefits.

p.s i dont trust everything this beauty brain website says they exaggerate too much
Tracy Says:

*ahem* We ARE dropping over dead.

Cancer? Depression? Has anyone seen the rates on these lately? Compared to 100 or so years ago?

Personally, I can’t understand HOW the crazy chemicals in mainstream deodorants/shampoos/makeup/etc (not to mention “FOOD”) WOULDN’T hurt us!

I agree 100% w/ Shera.
thebeautybrains Says:

@Tracy – People live dozens of years longer than they did 100 years ago. Life expectancy continues to rise every year. We are more healthy than we have ever been in history.

If you don’t feel safe using chemicals, then don’t. Cosmetics are not needed. They make life better but you won’t die without them.
Nurse Says:

I’m a bit concerned that the reply to this blog states that normal deodorants don’t contain toxic chemicals because we’d all be dropping dead if they did.
Regular antiperspirants DO contain toxic chemicals – aluminum and a lot of it at that!
We may not be dropping dead after one use but if you think about when these products began to be used (1960s) and think about the age of woman being diagnosed with breast cancer and dying (40 years and older) does that not ring some alarm bells? The incidence of woman being diagnosed with breast cancer at this age has increased dramatically in our generation and it is impossible to ignore these stats. Continued use of these antiperspirants is dangerous, enough study may not have been done but when the rate of breast cancer deaths increases hugely in woman 40+ after twenty or so years of using antiperspirant, does this not show an alarming link.

I think it was quite careless to say that the claims of harmful toxins are untrue.
Maybe go and read some research on the subject and you may think twice about the use of these products
thebeautybrains Says:

@Nurse – Thank you for your comments. Please see our post on “What Causes What” for a discussion about the logical flaw in correlation & causation.

No credible scientific agency has ever found evidence that antiperspirant use is linked to cancer. So, should we go with your unsupported, fear-mongering opinion, or go with the conclusions of the cancer researchers (e.g. ACS) who actually study these things?

The aluminum compounds in antiperspirants are no more cancer-causing than the aluminum used to make cans for soda pop.