Why You Should Detox Your Armpits

Usually when I think of a detox I think of a juice cleanse, fasting or taking supplements that detoxify the body. But there is another detox that a lot of people don’t think about. That is detoxing your armpits. Yes it might sound strange, but it’s a thing. I came across this a while back after looking into different natural deodorants. Most people recommend that you should detox your armpits during the transition to a natural deodorant. Here is some information on why that is.

Why you should try using natural deodorants

Using conventional deodorants/antiperspirants causes you not to sweat as much. The reason for this is the aluminum that it contains. The aluminum clogs up the sweat glands which causes a reduction in sweating. Sweating is one way that the body releases toxins in the body, so blocking that off doesn’t seem like a good idea to me.

Along with aluminum there are many other ingredients that are included in a deodorant/antiperspirant. Many of these ingredients are very unhealthy for you to be applying to the skin. Some of these ingredients are endocrine disruptors which mimic our hormones. The hormone that is usually mimicked is estrogen, which is not a good thing. Having an excess amount of the estrogen in the body can possibly lead to cancers like ovarian or breast cancer. You can also check out this blog post I did about making the transition to other non-toxic products as well.

What Is the Purpose of An Armpit Detox

What an armpit detox is supposed to do is pull out toxins and impurities which is important if you have used antiperspirants for many years. Also when transitioning to a natural deodorant you will notice more of an odor and sweating, which is all a natural effect of your body naturally detoxing itself. A armpit detox can potentially help reduce these effects.

Benefits of Detoxing Your Armpits

Since everybody’s body is different the benefits of detoxing your armpits varies for each person. People usually notice some, if not all of the following benefits:

• A reduction in sweat
• A reduction in odor
• Quicker transition to a natural deodorant

These are a few things that also help with reducing underarm odor & sweating:

• Witch Hazel – Witch hazel is an astringent which causes pores to constrict on the face. It also does the same thing for your underarms. Putting witch hazel on your armpits everyday helps constrict the pores and reduce sweating. Most also contain alcohol as well so that can help with bacteria. From my own personal experience it seems to help for me when I apply it before I put on my deodorant.
• Lemon Juice – Lemon juice has antibacterial properties, so that will help with odor as well. The odor from your armpits come from the bacteria that is on your skin, not from your sweat itself. So if you are able to reduce the amount of bacteria on your skin then the odor will be reduced. So applying lemon juice on your armpits can help with this. For sensitive skin you should dilute the lemon juice with water before applying it.

How Often To Detox Your Armpits

Most brands that I have come across say to detox about 1 – 2 times a week. The mask is left on between 5 -15 minutes depending on which brand you choose. After that you would wipe off the mask with a washcloth. It is important to be consistent with this especially if you are trying to transition to a natural deodorant.

DIY Detox Mask

There are a few DIY armpit detox masks that I have come across. Most involve using equal parts bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar. If you have sensitive skin you might want to dilute the apple cider vinegar with some water.

Non-DIY Detox Suggestions

If you are looking for a premade option here are a few suggestions you can choose from to get your armpits in check!

Herbalix Restoratives Nighttime Detox Cleansing Deodorant

This product can get applied to armpits and left on overnight while you sleep.

Pit Grit Underarm Scrub

This scrub is good if you are looking for a quick option. It is messaged in your armpits for 5 seconds and rinsed off.

Pacifica Coconut and Charcoal Underarm Detox

Here is another scrub that is a quick option.

My Thoughts

I have struggled a lot with making the move to a natural deodorant in the past because of the inconvenient  effects that come with the process. Since I learned about an armpit detox I do plan on continuing my transition to a natural deodorant, and I plan on continuing to detox my armpits on a regular basis. So far I can already tell that the transition this time has been better than my previous attempts. Getting rid of the toxins that come with a conventional deodorant/ antiperspirant is a must and possibly reducing sweat is a plus as well. I don’t know about you, but I sweat a lot, so if anything can help with that I am all for it. I think an armpit detox is something everyone should try.

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.