Whether you call it sweating or glistening, it’s a natural body function although it can make you pretty self conscious at times. Just remember, sweating is a good thing. So let’s wipe the sweat off that brow and dive in. 

So why and how do we sweat?

Sweat is a mix of water, electrolytes, and pheromones (grrr baby grrr) secreted from sweat glands in the skin through pores to regulate temperature. It’s like a personal air conditioner to cool down the body. That’s sweat’s main job.

• Eccrine glands (cools the body) are all over the body but mostly concentrated in much higher numbers in the palms, feet, forehead, and armpits. No wonder why we get more sweaty in those areas. 

• Apocrine (aka the stinky areas) causes stress/emotional sweating are located in the armpits, groin and chest. Since those areas have more hair/more hair follicles, that’s where and why the odor increases..but more on that later.

Myth #1 - Sweat flushes toxins

A good sweat feels amazing, gets our heart pumping, endorphins swirling and supports better heart, kidney, lung, and liver function but it actually doesn’t flush toxins! I know, i'm just as shocked as you are. I heard this my whole life. But that's the liver and kidney's job.

When you sweat, your pores purge but not necessarily toxins. Just be careful, because they can end up becoming congested again. 

Pro Tip: Make sure you wash your face after a good sweat to avoid breakouts from reclogging pores.

Myth #2 Sweat stinks

During the summer heat or after a sweaty activity, you might notice stinky pits (but that’s why we put on deodorant) and feet. But sweat actually doesn’t stink.

It’s the bacteria that feeds on sweat that produces an odor. Bacteria love damp, dark places, and food. Sweaty pits, groin, and feet give bacteria the perfect place to create an potential embarrassing situation. 

Myth #3 Natural Deodorants Don’t Work

It’s a common misconception that natural deodorants don’t do the job (aka stop the stink). Conventional deodorants contain sweat blocking minerals like aluminum. Blocking sweat isn’t necessarily a good thing because it stops the natural biological function to help cool you down. 

Some natural deodorants use baking soda to raise the pH in the armpits which can kill bacteria but baking soda can be SUPER irritating to the thin sensitive skin. When your skin’s pH is raised beyond 6, the microbiome can be stripped causing redness, itchiness, and a rash.

Pro Tip: To soothe underarms from razor rash or irritation from natural deodorant, mist with Phyto Tonic to soothe and reduce redness and inflammation.

In order for natural deodorants to work, they need to be formulated to neutralize bacteria odor and absorb sweat to keep you dry (not stopping sweat). It’s a tough task but it’s possible even without a detox/transition time.

Super gentle ingredients to look for in natural deodorants that work

• Non-irritating sweat absorbing - arrowroot or tapioca
• Skin soothing and nourishing - plant butters, extracts, and oils
• Microbiome strengthening - probiotic or prebiotics
• Bacterial neutralizing - magnesium hydroxide, zinc oxide, or zinc ricinoleate