Vegan Deodorant Recommendations?

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TheVeganAtheist
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Vegan Deodorant Recommendations?

Post by TheVeganAtheist »

Ive been using Herban Cowboy vegan deodorant for a few years, and it works okay, but Im looking for something better. Years ago, after switching from Old Spice (non-vegan) deodorant, I went through many varieties of vegan brands (most didn't work well), until I found Herban Cowboy.

Anyone have suggestions that work for you?
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: Vegan Deodorant Recommendations?

Post by brimstoneSalad »

This is a more complicated question than it might seem.

There are two issues here: Whether a deodorant is vegan, and whether it is healthy to use.

Incidentally, those deodorant brands targeting vegans are also targeting the health conscious (and even organic/paranoid/science-phobic) consumer.
There's not, I suspect, a big enough market for the Vegan-but-arguably-unhealthy deodorants (at least to advertise them), so it may be hard to find, but I would suggest (if you're looking for efficacy above all else) to look among the mainstream brands and find some without animal products in them. You can read labels and call companies, basically.
Also, you will be looking for an antiperspirant, not just a deodorant. Trying to control bacteria without limiting its food source is somewhat of a fool's errand.

Regarding Herban Cowboy (which is not an antiperspirant, so will be inherently limited in efficacy):
Ingredients: Propanediol (from corn), water, food-grade silver,food-grade Zinc (in dusk only), sodium stearate, ethylhexylglycerin, sodium bicarbonate, mineral salts, dipotassium glycyrrhizate (unscented only), Carum Petroselinum (organic Parsley) Extract, organic rosemary leaf extract, organic sage leaf extract, organic aloe leaf, allantoin, fragrance (dusk only)
It's basically silver in a corn derived carrier (Propanediol is an alternative to Propylene Glycol).
You can read their discussion on the differences here: http://www.herbancowboy.com/docs/herban_cowboy_poly.pdf

I don't think there's any reason to be particularly wary of Propylene Glycol itself (it just enhances skin permeability -- which can let other things into your body), although Propanediol may be a decent substitute as a carrier, if it worked as well there would probably be similar concerns.

You'll have to decide for yourself what you're willing to put on (and to a certain extent IN) your body:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deodorant#Health_effects

Here's a link about Mitchum, which is said to be accidentally vegan:
https://thevegandandy.wordpress.com/201 ... deodorant/

As mentioned in that article, this one is said to be vegan too:
http://www.getjackblack.com/Products/Pi ... 4009O.aspx

PETA lists it as such:
http://www.peta.org/living/for-men/mens ... deodorant/

If you want it to actually work, you pretty much have to go with the hard core aluminum containing ones.

Now, if you don't want to do that (use these scary chemicals which the FDA has none the less rigorously tested and has reason to believe they are relatively safe), you have to be a bit more meticulous:

1. Shave. Less hair, less surface area, easier to actually clean.

2. Aggressive cleaning, using rough exfoliating material (scrape that dead skin off, show no mercy)

3. Antiseptics. Not the same as antibiotics. Antiseptics don't create resistance because they function very differently. Try povidone iodine (very safe, unless you're iodine sensitive). Shave and scrub off dead skin first, then apply and wait about five minutes. This will make you stink horribly (quite possibly the worst you've ever smelled, you'll probably need to repress gag reflex) a few seconds after application. This is the death throes of billions of stinky bacteria exploding out their putrid odors as their last acts on this planet. Wash very well after that (it will take a lot of good scrubbing to get the stink off), and you won't stink for hours no matter how much you sweat, until the bacteria recolonize your pits.

4. Make your pits unfriendly. This is what your existing deodorant does using silver as its primary active ingredient.
All this does is slightly slow them down. If you only do this, it's just a little shy of useless. But if you've made it a less productive environment by shaving, and then nuked the bacteria first, it could keep you fresh for most of the day despite sweating (which you usually* can not stop without aluminum) by serving as a barrier to recolonization.
You can also use other 'natural' products like tea tree oil, and other essential oils, or alcohol (if applied regularly using a little spray bottle, it doesn't stick around, unlike oils), although I would expect these to be less useful than silver, I can only guess. Generally speaking, if you rotate out what you're using, it will be more effective, because bacteria can grow resistant to whatever you're using, and a new product in rotation can be more effective for a few days.

*As to controlling sweat itself (without aluminum):

1. You can manage symptoms after the fact
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellnes ... t-pads.htm
You can use underarm liners/sweat pads to absorb sweat if you're going out to something important (like a conference where you'll be speaking, and you don't want to stand in a puddle)

2. You can cut it off at its source with conventional treatment.
As that article mentions, there are medications (probably not vegan; I wouldn't recommend them even if they were), and also surgical procedures to destroy or remove the apocrine glands themselves (which is a serious long-term solution, BUT also very safe since it will have no systemic effects. If it's a serious issue and you have the money to spend on it, go for it.).

3. You can try alternative treatment, which will be more speculative and likely less effective
Namely plant extracts and oils that have anti-androgenic or estrogenic activity that will alter the expression through hormonal action.
You'd have to experiment, and to a right/left test to quantify effect and see if it is of any use at all. It's dubious.

Or
4. Keep cool. (obviously) Both mentally, and environmentally. Sometimes easier said than done.
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Jebus
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Re: Vegan Deodorant Recommendations?

Post by Jebus »

What is the non-vegan ingredient one should watch out for when buying deodorants/antiperspirants? Is this also an animal testing issue?
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: Vegan Deodorant Recommendations?

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Jebus wrote:What is the non-vegan ingredient one should watch out for when buying deodorants/antiperspirants? Is this also an animal testing issue?
Yes, I think it's mainly an animal testing issue.

Although there might be non-vegan ingredients in some, particularly with the fragrances and additives (moisturizers, and such).
The active ingredients in deodorants and antiperspirants are generally vegan.
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Jebus
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Re: Vegan Deodorant Recommendations?

Post by Jebus »

brimstoneSalad wrote:I think it's mainly an animal testing issue.
Does anyone know any good links that shows which deodorant companies are involved in animal testing?
How to become vegan in 4.5 hours:
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2.Watch Cowspiracy (Environment)
3. Watch Earthlings (Ethics)
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TheVeganAtheist
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Re: Vegan Deodorant Recommendations?

Post by TheVeganAtheist »

Thanks brimstoneSalad... lots of great info. My primary issue has been the animal testing.
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Re: Vegan Deodorant Recommendations?

Post by Samayra »

Start your day with Park Avenue Body Deodorant and feel refreshing with soothing and fresh fragrance. Make your morning good with Park Avenue Deo or Good Morning Body Deodorant. Find more flavors here: Link removed

(this is probable spam)
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