Himalayan Salt Deoderant

By Leslie Hayes

​You may be interested in switching to a natural deodorant for many reasons. You may be trying to avoid plastic packaging; maybe you’re concerned about aluminum or other chemicals in commercially available antiperspirants. Perhaps, you just have really sensitive skin.

Many people turn to DIY deodorant preparations, almost all of which contain baking soda.  However, baking soda is a base with a significantly higher pH level than our skin.  Using baking soda-based deodorants often results in a rash — sometimes first appearing after several weeks of use — which makes your armpits feel like they are on fire.  If you can tolerate deodorants made with baking soda, great.  If not, read on for a simpler solution.

A Himalayan salt deodorant bar/stone is usually sold as a round or egg-shaped chunk of pure Himalayan salt. It is as easy to use as crystal deodorant (alum stone), while avoiding any concerns about aluminum salts.  You simply get the bar wet and then rub it onto your skin. Avoid painful scratches by rubbing the wet bar on your hands first, then rubbing your wet hands on the more delicate skin of your armpits.  You are left with a layer of salt on your skin that prevents odor-causing bacteria from forming. When I first heard about using salt as deodorant, I did not believe there was any chance it could be effective. But in my experience, it holds up to sweaty workouts and lasts all day. It works better for me than any other natural deodorant I have tried.  Note that this is not an antiperspirant; you will still sweat, the salt stone just eliminates the odor.

Some additional advantages of salt deodorant:

• Inexpensive — one bar lasts 1-2 years
• Convenient — no concoction to mix yourself
• Great for travel
• No suspicious ingredients, just pure salt 
  • it’s anti-inflammatory and may even help with eczema, acne, or psoriasis
• 100% zero waste: available package-free at Asheville Salt Cave (or search “Himalayan salt deodorant” on Etsy or Amazon)
• It’s beautiful!

Whatever reason you choose for switching to Himalayan salt deodorant, you are likely to pleasantly surprised. In the spirit of Mind Your Plastic May, why not give this all-natural alternative a try?
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Leslie lives in Asheville with her husband, David, and son, Lee. She is always looking for ways to approach zero waste, especially with respect to plastic. She is a member of the Plastic Reduction Task Force.

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