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
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.
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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.
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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!!!