How to do an armpit detox to help remove toxins and stop body odour naturally. Detoxing your armpits helps to reduce sweating and odour production.
I first came across an armpit detox while roaming around the plastic-free store, Biome, up in Queensland.
I discovered the Earth Purities armpit detox kit, and wondered why on Earth someone would want to do an armpit detox?
After researching into it further, I learnt there are many health benefits to doing one of these detoxes. (Spoiler alert: It includes less sweating and less odour production!).
I’ve been doing this detox method once a week for about a month now, and I’ve noticed big improvements in my odour.
It’s really helpful for those having issues with changing to a homemade natural deodorant.
If you’ve ever made the switch from mainstream, conventional deodorants to natural ones, you may have noticed side effects like itchiness, rashes, odour, or excessive sweating.
Using chemical-based deodorants for prolonged periods of time can block the body’s natural ability to expel toxins through areas like your armpits. Remember, it’s natural to sweat.
The transition period that occurs when changing over to a natural deodorant can take longer for some, and may be off-putting to those using a natural deodorant for the first time.
Here’s where an armpit detox comes in handy.
Why Detox Your Pits?
Bentonite clay is fantastic for detoxing and removing toxins, chemicals, heavy metals, and other impurities from the body.
This makes it excellent for speeding up the transition period when switching over to a natural deodorant.
Conventional deodorants and antiperspirants contain many harmful chemicals and additives. In order to block the body’s natural ability to sweat, it takes something unnatural and very toxic, as shown in the chemical list of some deodorants:
- Parabens. A known endocrine-disruptor.
- Aluminium. This is what blocks the pores in your armpits to stop the sweating. There’s some evidence linking aluminium to Alzheimer’s Disease and cancer.
- Propylene glycol. A.k.a antifreeze. It’s often found in personal care products, and has been reported by the Environmental Working Group to carry a moderate risk of immunotoxicity and allergies.
- Phthalates. These endocrine disruptors are also commonly found in plastic, and cause hormonal imbalances as well as infertility (predominantly in men).
- Antibacterial agents. Also endocrine disruptors, and have a negative impact on the immune system (in particular, the gut microbiome).
- Formaldehyde. Used to kill germs, this chemical is a known carcinogen.
Remove Toxins via the Armpits
Our armpits contain around 20-30 lymph nodes that help in protecting the immune system. They filter substances that travel through the lymphatic fluid, cleansing toxins from the body and protecting against foreign invaders by carrying waste from our tissues to the bloodstream.
The skin is one of the largest organs in the body, so whatever’s put on the skin can easily be absorbed into the bloodstream.
By doing an armpit detox, it can help draw out and remove some of these toxins from the tissue in our armpits.
This is great news for those of us who have been using conventional deodorants for years.
How to Detox Your Armpits
All you’ll need is bentonite clay, apple cider vinegar, and water.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp bentonite clay
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 tsp of water
To make:
- Combine all the ingredients together in a glass bowl and mix together with a wooden or plastic spoon, nothing metal, until the mix forms a cream-like consistency.
- Apply an even layer onto your armpits and leave the paste on for 5-20 minutes. It’s recommended to start off with the shorter time-frame and work up from there once you’ve seen how your body adjusts to the cream. If it hurts at all, remove it immediately.
- Wash the paste away with warm water by wetting a wash cloth or rinsing the paste off in the shower. You may notice redness where the paste sat on the skin. This is perfectly normal as it increases blood-flow to the area, but it will quickly fade.
- Repeat this process daily as needed until armpit odour goes away and natural deodorant no longer irritates the skin in that area.
Dry brushing also helps improve lymph circulation (you can dry brush before or after the armpit detox, not during).
Drinking plenty of water whenever you stimulate lymph flow is really important, as it assists with flushing out toxins from the body, as well as prevents dehydration.
Armpit detox tutorial
As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products. I am not a doctor. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned. Check with your doctor or health practitioner if you are uncertain about trying out any of the products, recipes or tips mentioned in this post.
Have you tried an armpit detox before? What was your experience? Share in the comments below.
Lots of love,
🖤 Vanessa
Sources:
Wells, Katie. (October 26, 2018). How to Detox Your Armpits. Wellness Mama. Retrieved from https://wellnessmama.com/25432/detox-your-armpits/
Why you should detox your armpits!. Nourished Life. Retrieved from https://www.nourishedlife.com.au/article/460555/why-you-should-detox-your-armpits.html
Propylene Glycol. EWG. Retrieved from https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredients/705315-PROPYLENE_GLYCOL/
Lymph Node. NIH National Cancer Institute. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/lymph-node
Gold, Grace. (Updated: January 21, 2014). The Deodorant Ingredient Glossary. Everyday Health. Retrieved from https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/the-deodorant-ingredient-glossary/
Ardenne, Arianna. (January 19, 2018). The Armpit Cleanse: The What, How, and Why of Switching to Natural Deodorant. Blush Lane Organic Market. Retrieved from https://www.blushlane.com/blog-armpit-cleanse/
