DEODORANTS: WHICH STICK WORKS BEST?

In the face of all horrors that are going on around the world right now, it seems terribly superficial to be even thinking about deodorants, however, most of us (Julia Roberts aside,) slap it on everyday and given the fact that it could be harmful, makes it worth taking a look at which of the “natural” ones actually work. I’m not someone who sweats very much while exercising or during strenuous work, but I do sweat, or should I say “perspire” when I’m nervous. This can pose a serious problem when performing in front of large groups of people or when I’m on TV. I’ll never forget doing a segment on iVillage, when it was shot outside in Orlando (at the Theme Park). My nerves of doing live TV, coupled with the humidity factor shooting through the roof, posed a massive problem. I ended up walking around the table in the segment with my arms glued like sticks to my sides – totally paranoid. The “natural” deodorant that I had grabbed at a health food store the day before proved totally useless.

I really should have known – after all, I’d spent a few years testing a plethora of deodorants to review. Now I never take a risk with a brand that I don’t know. Here’s what I do know: Most of the more effective antiperspirant deodorants contain aluminum and a bunch of chemicals that could be harmful. Some studies have even concluded that such deodorants could prove a cancer risk in that we smear these chemicals on an area of our body, which is very close to a high concentration of lymph nodes. Read this interesting article by Dr Chris Mcgrath, MD. The connection between aluminum and alzheimers is inconclusive so far, but even so, the mere suggestion of a possible connection is enough to steer even the most stoic drugstore-brand user away.

I remember when I was a teenager, LOVING, the most harsh smelling antiperspirants I could find. I was thrilled with my Dad’s Right Guard Spray, with a picture of a hunky, hairy dude on the can, and spraying it was literally like setting off a fire extinguisher under my arms. They’ve now phased out those evil sprays because in the 80’s they found that the CFCs in aerosols were causing a hole in the Ozone layer.

If you ever choose to use a drugstore sweat-blocking (and somewhat suspect brand), at least choose one that is unscented. When I was out of town for a TV appearance last year and my luggage got lost, there was a very limited choice at the local drugstore, so I clicked onto the Skindeep database to find which was the least bad, and found to my surprise that the Ban Unscented, had a low hazard-rating of 1 out of 10. So if you’re wedded to your drugstore favorite, always go for the unscented, as  it’ll bring the hazard score way down.

So back to which non-toxic stick work best for a sweaty girl?

1. Herbal Magic Deodorant: This really comes in tops as one that smells great (Herbal or Jasmine Scent), and really keeps me dry and smelling sweet. You can order it off from Amazon in a cost-effective 4 pack.

2.Tom’s Of Maine, Unscented Gel Stick: This is my husband’s go-to stick. He likes unscented (doesn’t really dig the idea of smelling like Jasmine flowers,) and he thinks this does a great job. I use it occasionally and agree. It’s actually called The Original Care Deodorant.

3.Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal: These deodorants work pretty well if you’re into the crystal thing. Friends of mine swear by this brand.

So that’s the skinny on deodorants for the day. Please weigh in and tell us your favorites too. oh one more thing, a plug here for my new book out in June 2010: I have an awesome recipe of a homemade deodorant, which is hard to beat..but you’ll have to wait till June!