Do you know what’s in your deodorant? If you’re like most people, the answer is probably “no.” And that’s okay! But if you want to maintain healthy armpits, it’s a good idea to know what you’re putting on them—and whether or not it could be doing more harm than good. Switching to an acid-based Deodorant is one of the best things you can do for your body odor AND your health.

In this post, we’ll talk about 1) why aluminum and Baking Soda are bad for your pits, 2) why AHA deodorants are new and different, and 3) how prepping or priming your armpits before applying deodorant makes a big difference in the effectiveness of aluminum-free deodorant.

1. Aluminum and Baking Soda Are Bad For Your Pits, but Acid-Based Deodorants Are Great

Today, more than eight out of ten Americans wear some form of deodorant or antiperspirant. And yet, something as simple as deodorant can be a confusing and intimidating product to buy—especially if you’re concerned about the ingredients that go into aluminum and baking soda-based antiperspirants.

Aluminum is a metal that can be found in some deodorants and antiperspirants. It’s considered a toxin, and it’s been linked to breast cancer.

But that’s not the only thing you should be worried about when it comes to aluminum-based products. Some people experience redness, itching, or irritation from them. And if you’re sensitive to aluminum, chances are the rashes are even worse if your deodorant contains baking soda.

Aluminum-free and baking soda-free deodorants are worth trying if you’re looking for something new—or if you want something that will work better for your body type than traditional deodorant. The trouble is, for many people, aluminum-free deodorant just does not work very well.

Sigh…..but wait! There’s something new. Something different, that actually works. Cue AHA Deodorants.

2. Not Another Natural Deodorant – AHA Deodorants Are Actually Different

Mainstream deodorants are full of chemicals—and although they often work to control body odor, they’re not doing your body any favors. You see, when you choose a traditional deodorant, you’re choosing a product that contains parabens, phthalates, and aluminum chlorohydrate, which have been linked to hormone disruption and cancer.

These products work by literally plugging up your sweat glands. Your body relies on these glands to help it remove toxins. Would you ever consider plugging up other toxin-removing orifices? Would you treat a leaky bladder by plugging up your urethra? We didn’t think so.

Many people turn to baking soda-based deodorants as a natural alternative. But baking soda is incredibly abrasive, causing redness and rashes overtime. Not only that, the pH of baking soda is around 8.3, a full 4 points higher than your skin’s optimum pH of between 4 to 5. This creates an imbalance that leads to dry, flaky skin that is actually more prone to BO because the bacteria under your arms LOVES to feed on all that dead skin. Baking-soda may work at first, but it is inefective and often painful in the long run.

That’s why we recommend a new, clean and natural way of addressing body odor: by switching to an acid-based deodorant! Acid-based deodorants are an all-natural alternative that is free from harmful chemicals. They work by exfoliating your armpits and optimizing pH so that odor causing bacteria on your skin cannot thrive. Acid-based deodorants work well right away and actually get better over time. So you can just smell like YOU.

3. You Can Use an Acid-Based Deodorant On It’s Own, or to Prep or Prime Your Armpits

So where do we begin? There are only a handful of acid-based deodorants on the market today. And many are filled with strong fragrances, that still attempt to mask body odor. We recommend starting with a gentle, unscented acid-based deodorant to help you get your armpit biome back into shape.

Stainky’s Pit Prep is the perfect acid-based deodorant to start with. It works well on its own from the first time you use it, and gets more and more effective over time. You can use it on its own, or to prep or prime your armpits before using a fragranced natural deodorant that you enjoy.

When you use Stainky’s Pit Prep to prime your armpits, you can be sure that the aluminum-free and baking soda free deodorant you layer on top will actually be able to do its job. In this case, your natural deodorant is acting more like a perfume or a fragrance to give you an added boost of freshness. Meanwhile, Pit Prep is working deep in your armpit skin to maintain that healthy, comfortable pH that keeps bacteria at bay, and skin healthy and happy.

So what are you waiting for? Make the switch today and feel confident knowing that you’ve got the best protection there is!