Over the past few years, I have read more and more articles about the effects of aluminum and aluminum deposits in deodorants. As a teen, I never really thought much about the ingredients in the products I was using. I would buy the stuff my friends were using or whatever my mom suggested I use. But as I got older I realized that the stuff you use on your body can also affect your overall health. So it can be important to make sure what you are using is safe.
As a college student living on a budget, it can be hard to buy those high-end products that advertise as “aluminum free’. However, this past semester I did a small research project on the effects of aluminum in breast tissue and it really opened my eyes. I won’t go all science nerdy on you but basically, your breasts have special signal receptors called estrogen receptors. These are signaling receptors that are responsible for all kinds of things. However, when these receptors are mutated or changed to stop performing their normal function, they have a high likelihood of turning bad and causing the formation of tumors. Although not a lot of studies have been done to actually see if aluminum could cause changes to these estrogen receptors, it is possible.
I just want to put it out there that I am not a scientist and I can’t actually say whether or not Aluminum causes breast cancer. As of now, that research does not exist. But some studies show that there is a high correlation between breast cancer and the use of aluminum deodorant over long periods of time. However, correlation does not always mean causation. But if you’re like me and always worried about literally everything you may be thinking it’s time to invest in an aluminum-free deodorant. That is exactly what I thought when I did this experiment. But worry not! I have done some trial and error and found a great deodorant that works for me.
Obviously, everyone is different and the same thing will not work for everyone. But one deodorant that I am currently loving is by the brand NATIVE. I found out about this brand from a YouTuber saying that she really liked it so I decided to give it a try. NATIVE is aluminum-free, uses clean ingredients, and offers effective odor protection. Personally, I use the coconut and vanilla scent and I really like it. You can order it online for 12$. Which I know seems expensive but for me, it was worth the investment. Another one I tried was the Dove aluminum-free deodorant. But it didn’t really work for me, it was greasy and didn’t last the whole day. However, the Dove deodorant is only around 6$ so if you’re on a budget you should try it out!
Although there is no clear-cut evidence that aluminum causes breast cancer. It never hurts to try out clean products. After switching to the NATIVE deodorant I felt like I had peace of mind. I also noticed that I had fewer razor bumps after using this for about two weeks. Since this is always something that I struggled with I feel like that was just a bonus. I also invested in their body wash and I am really liking it so far. Although there might be other options to going aluminum-free personally this was the best decision for me. I am glad to have peace of mind knowing that I am not using an iffy ingredient in my personal care items.