So, in case the title didn’t give it away, today’s post is on an interesting topic, but hear me out before judging!

I get a lot of questions from people who try my homemade deodorant and have issues with rashes or odor or excessive sweat. I’ve found that magnesium spray deodorant can be a good alternative, but wanted to find a way to help those who were still having trouble.

After much experimentation, research, and help from a few brave friends, I found an unusual solution that works really well!

Detoxifying Armpits: Yes, It’s a Thing

It occurred to me as I sat researching the sebaceous glands one night with a bentonite clay face mask on that perhaps my face mask was the answer to the armpit question as well.

After all, I’d used bentonite clay to detox my hair before (and use it in my shampoo now) and in natural detox baths and it worked incredibly well… perhaps it would speed up the adjustment period to natural deodorant as well.

Why detox your armpits at all? Why not just keep using regular deodorant and avoid the whole problem? Glad you asked…

Conventional deodorants and antiperspirants contain a variety of chemicals and additives. It takes something unnatural to block the body’s natural ability to sweat, and the chemical list in some deodorants is impressive:

Aluminum– Some evidence links aluminum to cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease
Phthalates– Endocrine disruptors often also found in plastic that can cause hormone imbalance and even infertility (especially in men)
Propylene glycol– Common name: antifreeze. It is a hotly debated additive in personal care products but the Environmental Working Group reports that it carries a moderate risk of immunotoxicity and allergies
Formaldehyde- A known carcinogen… guess it kills the germs though
Parabens- Another hormone disruptor and parabens have been found in biopsied tissue with breast cancer
Antibacterial Substances- I talked about these before but they are endocrine disruptors and can negatively affect the immune system

Why is this a big deal? Ever gotten sick and had a lump in your neck or armpit? That is a lymph node and they are a major part of your immune system. Putting endocrine disruption chemicals directly on top of them is a great way to screw up your hormones and suppress immune function.

The skin is the body’s largest organ and what touches our skin can easily enter our bloodstream. With skyrocketing rates of breast cancer, it would seem prudent to avoid these chemicals until further research is done.

A great advantage to doing an armpit detox, besides that it helps speed up the natural deodorant adjustment period, is that it might help pull some of these chemicals out of the skin and tissue of the armpits. This can be especially helpful after years of conventional deodorant use. How to detox your armpits- and why you should

Does Armpit Detoxification Work?

I tried it personally and had several friends who hadn’t yet made the switch to natural deodorant try it as well and then switch. Here are the results:

We all noticed less odor, even without wearing any deodorant afterward
Nobody who tried the detox noticed a rash when using the natural deodorant
All but one person said they noticed less sweat
Everyone said they would recommend it to a friend

Completely un-scientific trial but practically applicable and the results seem promising!

How to Detox Your Arm Pits

Don’t you love when something is so easy that it almost doesn’t need instructions?

You might already have the ingredients on hand. You’ll just need bentonite clay, apple cider vinegar, and water.

How to detox your armpits, and why you should

Detoxifying Armpit Clay Mask Recipe

Reset your armpits to their natural working order with this simple clay mask.

Author Katie Wells

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings

Ingredients

1 TBSP bentonite clay
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp water

Instructions

Mix all of the ingredients in a glass bowl (do not use metal!) with a wooden or non-metal spoon until about the consistency of sour cream.
Spread in an even layer over the armpits and allow to sit for 5-20 minutes. I suggest starting slowly and working up to a longer period of time once you see how your body adjust. If it hurts at all, remove immediately.
This may cause some redness as it will increase blood flow to the area, but it will go away quickly.
Wash off in the shower or with a warm, wet washcloth.
Repeat daily or as needed until underarm odor goes away and natural deodorant is non-irritating.

Notes

I’ve found that I don’t even need the baking soda in my natural deodorant after doing this.

Additional Armpit Tricks to Try

If you are still struggling with odor or have itching or lumps in your armpits, consider dry brushing, which is said to help improve lymph circulation.

Also, make sure to drink a lot of water any time you stimulate lymph flow (dry brushing, massage, detox, etc) to help flush the body and avoid getting dehydrated.

Transitioning to Natural Deodorant

After detoxifying, keep armpits functioning properly by letting them sweat! I know this isn’t the most socially acceptable (or the most pleasant at times), but I find that I experience less sweat the longer I use a natural approach.

DIY Armpit Care

If you have some coconut oil, shea butter, and a few essential oils on hand, you can probably make your own natural deodorant! It costs a lot less than natural deodorant in the store and works just as well. I’ve been experimenting with recipes for years and perfected a few different kinds:

How to Make Natural Deodorant (your basic recipe, customize the scent)
Natural Deodorant for Men: Best Kinds and How to Make Your Own
Spray Deodorant Recipe (just a preference thing as to how it’s applied)
How to Make a Probiotic Deodorant Bar (Easy Recipe)

I make up several jars (or bars) at a time since they keep for up to a year or more. That way I always have some on hand. These are great too for teens who are just starting out on the journey!

Where to Buy Deodorant

I’ve also found my favorite brands to buy over the years (because life gets busy!). Here are our favorites:

Wellnesse Mineral Deodorant – Part of my personal care line, we created our natural deodorant off of my tried and true DIY recipe. We formulated it with those in mind who are sensitive to baking soda and it has rave reviews from both men and women.
Crunchy Betty’s Kokomo Cream – This deodorant has been a great standby for years. It smells lightly tropical and reminds me of vacation and the beach!
Schmidt’s (any scent, but this one is great) – goes on smooth, and slightly more affordable than other natural options

That’s it! Enjoy your new stink-free armpits!

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Ann Shippy, who is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and a certified Functional Medicine physician with a thriving practice in Austin, Texas. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Your turn. Ready to try an armpit detox? Think it’s too weird? Share below!

Find out how to detox your armpits and why you'd want to. Deodorant often contains chemicals like parabens, propylene glycol and other harmful chemicals.

Sources

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About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

691 responses to “How to Detox Your Armpits”

Molly

March 20, 2015

Hello,
I enjoyed your article but wanted to clarify one thing – propylene glycol is NOT antifreeze! Ethylene glycol is antifreeze. Propylene glycol is a carrier or a preservative in many food products and bath/body products. Just letting people know so they don’t freak out when they see it as an ingredient in ice cream, etc!

Reply
Nancy

March 20, 2015

hi,
Now this is embarrassing but since we are discussing arm pits….do you have any ideas about getting rid of….”personal” body odor? I have tried to use commercial wipes, powders etc and nothing works. This only is a problem after working out or if I am nervous. Cringe! Thanks!????

Reply
Sue

March 19, 2015

I have tried to use home made deodorant, but every time I do I get a rash and after about 2-3 weeks my armpits turn black. Does anyone know why?

Reply
1. Jenna
  
  March 19, 2015
  
  That is strange. What are you using in the recipe? It depends on your ingredients. I heard of that happening when people use magnesium…My guess is that you are still detoxing quite a bit. And possibly the essential oils you are using along with the Baking Soda ( if you are using these things) is too much. I would make a new batch, one without baking soda, and one without essentials oils, see if either of those work. When I made my own deodorant I put much less baking soda and essential oils then what was reccomended. I literally put 1 or 2 drops of lemongrass and less then half a teaspoon of baking soda. I would start off with the least ammount and work your way on up.
  
  Or you can just use coconut oil for now. That’s what I did during my detox period is I used only coconut oil. You may have to start with that while you are adjusting.
  
  Also have you thought about trying a store bought deo? primalpitpaste has “pit primers” and I heard people having issues with detoxing they used this primer and everything wsa good. They have light deo’s and even one for sensitive skin, without baking soda. I would try them out and get the primer. Ingredients : Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Arrowroot powder, Baking Soda and Essential oils . I use the kids version…
  
  Good luck- and to speed up your detox try Katies recipes and you can take essential oil baths.
  
  Reply
  1. Sue
    
    April 22, 2015
    
    Thanks, I think I will try the coconut oil for awhile, I was using baking soda in the recipe but not essential oils
    
    Reply
Marilu

March 18, 2015

Can I use rice vinegar?

Reply
robyn

March 18, 2015

I notice that more than deo I also need anti-persperant. Any recommendations on this?? I can’t seem to find natural solutions for this.

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  March 19, 2015
  
  Honestly, the best that I have found in natural products will have a good bit of arrowroot, cornstarch, or betonite clay, which will absorb perspiration. You won’t find a natural true anti-perspirant because those literally prevent your body from perspiring, which is really unhealthy in a lot of ways. Natural stuff is just not going to stop you up that way.
  
  Reply
Julia

March 17, 2015

Can you save the paste in the bowl if you don’t use all of it in the first use? I think I could save the rest for tomorrow when I do it again. Or should I be using all of the paste each time?

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Angela Mangosing

March 15, 2015

Could I use diatomaceous earth instead of bentonite clay?

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Candy Pope Kimbro

March 8, 2015

Katie, Do you have any suggestions for removing body odor from clothing? I know it is sealed in from the build up of store bought deodorant and it is horrible!

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Jackie

February 24, 2015

I have a question about the armpit detox. I have all the ingredients and am ready to go. It looks like such a small amount. Is this something you make each day or could you make a batch of it. If I remember right, you recommend every day for a week to start and then once a week after? Thank you so much!

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Amy B.

February 18, 2015

So I did this just once the other day, then started Primal Pit Paste, because I figured putting chemicals back on my detoxifying skin was a doom loop. Well, the skin in my armpits is so red and irritated from the pit paste! What do you suggest? I had to do something, so I went back to my chemicaly Mitchum deodorant. I can’t go without until the detoxing regimen is over – I live in TX and work a corporate job. Help!

Reply
1. Jenna
  
  February 19, 2015
  
  Oh no! Don’t go back to the regular deo’s. Contact primal pit paste and they will help you… Which deo flavor did you try? I would get the sensitive type. They will send you the no flavor one for free if you tell them that you had an issue with the deo you started. But that reaction is from the baking soda and the essential oils pulling toxins out of your body and your lymph nodes became inflammed. ( it’s a good thing and won’t last long) I would just put coconut oil on your pits and do the detox over again, make sure you contact them and tell them what happened so they’ll send you a lighter deo for you. Maybe you just need to start with something lighter first and then move up to the scented ones. I had been using my home made deo with m own essential oils for acouple weeks before I started the Primal Pit Paste. I have orange creamsicle and I got red bumps for an hour and it went away I am glad I stuck through it. It works really well. They also have a ‘pit primer’.
  
  Reply
  1. Amy B
    
    April 3, 2015
    
    So – update on the detox. I contacted PPP and they don’t offer refunds or anything else due to skin irritation. So, I ordered the Pit Primer (oil based) and unscented deodorant.
    
    Also, I’ve been doing the ACV + clay detox daily. I STINK! I can’t stand it. It’s awful. I thought I never used to smell (thanks, chemical deodorants) but I can’t go on like this. It’s been 10 days of daily detox, dry brushing, and unscented deodorant. As of today, I have a red rash in only the left armpit. It’s quite uncomfortable.
    
    Thoughts? Suggestions?
    
    Reply
    1. Jenna
      
      April 3, 2015
      
      Hmm. That is so strange, because I heard from people they would send u a different product if it doesn’t work for you. It’s only been 10 days so stick it out, because it took me over a month to quit stinking… but what’s strange is that I have PPP’s other scents, I am using orange creamsicle in the Kids version, and it has worked well for me. I tried the Primal Spice, and it made me stink! So then I tried the Lavender in STRONG, and that too made me stink! So I thought how is it that the Kids version works for me but the Strong does not? When usually the orange(kids version) lasts me a couple days without reapplying.
      
      So I did some research, and I have Candida, the reason why the Orange works to well for me is because it’s also an antifungal. So you may want to try their deo’s that has antifungal properties in it … I would buy those little sample sizes to see what works best for you. The thyme and lemongrass would be a great one to try.. and the orange creamsicle. I heard others saying that would works best for them when the others did not. And I am positive it has to do with the antifungal properties in the lemongrass, and certain essential oils.
      
      I do detox baths. Just soak your pits in a nice hot bath … add some drops of tea tree oil, clove bud , lemongrass or oregano. And add some Probiotics to your diet! Vitacost Probiotics 15-35 ,Also Chlorella powder. A good supplement is HealthForce Superfood Vitamineral Green. This has probiotics and the chlorella and a bunch of greens… they call this the “internal deodorizer”. It also naturally chelates metals out of our body and could cause detox reaction, “Herxheimer reaction” when your body is experiencing die off from the toxins… If this happens just cut back on it, or drink it at night, your body will get used to it. Cut back on sugar. Cut out all refined sugars, and wheat, and gluten. Eat healthy like meat, and veggies. Try the Anti-Candida diet, or Paleo diet. Look up Candida symptoms and if that sounds like you then try some natural herbs and stuff and get on the diet.
      
      Reply
Heather

February 12, 2015

I stopped using deodorant last Feb. I went without using anything for a couple of months and didn’t shave my pits either. I’m not a big sweater so it wan’t really an issue. I did notice an odor though. So I found your recipe and starting using it. It’s been great BUT my underarm skin has turned a darker color than the rest of my skin and on the days I don’t shower, they have felt a little irritated. I’ve been told that it could be the baking soda. I re-melted a new batch and added some doTerra EOs and I am no longer feeling the irritation but how can I get the skin color to lighten?

Reply
Brenda

February 11, 2015

I started using the recipe for the magnesium deodorant spray about a month ago. Last week both of my arm pits broke out in a very itchy rash. Is this “detoxing”?

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1. Beth
  
  February 11, 2015
  
  Yes. I too had this problem after switching to magnesium oil as my deodorant. I’m not sure why, but I think my armpits either got too dried out or irritated when I did sweat a little. I got painful red bumps under my armpits that looked a lot like pimples.
  I did the detox then I started using my hand lotion as my deodorant, just swiping a little on after a shower. I use Tropical Traditions unscented lotion. It does have coconut oil in it, so I think that’s why it has worked as my deodorant. Of course, it’s also winter, but I’m hoping it continues to work as the weather warms up!
  
  Reply
kelly

February 11, 2015

I made this and gave it to my sister in law about 2 weeks ago. She said it has mold on it now. Is this normal?

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Sherry

February 10, 2015

I detoxed my pits for the first time today! Being 65, I feel you’re never too young to start going natural. (lol)
Thank you Katie for all the work you do to inform us as well as making the transition to a healthier world easier!

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carey

February 9, 2015

thank you so much for this! I did it right away after discovering this post.

Just wondering, how often do you do this? I quit chemical deoderent about 6 months ago but have been using it my whole life…. will I need to do this several times a year? once a month? or just once is good?

Reply
1. Katie – Wellness Mama
  
  February 11, 2015
  
  I do it once a month or so when I do a detox bath or whenever I notice any odor at all. Most days I don’t even need deodorant if I do this occasionally…
  
  Reply
Lisa

February 8, 2015

If you don’t do this and switch to a natural deodorant will your armpits detox eventually on their own? I’ve been using a natural one for a year now…

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  February 8, 2015
  
  They should, but its harder for some people. If you have been using the pore-clogging store bought stuff then you may not be able to effectively detox on your own (since you have been working so very hard at preventing your body from doing exactly that). So yes, in theory you should detox on your own, but it can take a very long time for chronic anti-perspirant users to do so, and this really helps speed the process along.
  
  Reply
Simpson

February 7, 2015

I have STANKY pits. I stopped using anti-perspirant about a year ago but haven’t found a natural Deo that works. I’m currently using Old Spice, and the scent reminds me of Love Spell from Victoria’s Secret.

I don’t sweat badly, but I can get out of the shower and can still smell them immediately after washing.

I’ve tried Tom’s and a homemade version w bentonite clay, arrowroot, essential oils, etc.

I neeeeeeed to do this detox!! I’m praying it’s the answer.

My question is, can I mix up several uses of this to keep in a small Mason jar? I’m thinking 5-10 uses. I don’t think it has anything that would spoil, or react if not used immediately, but I’m not well versed in ACV and bentonite clay enough to know.

Thanks!

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1. Jenna
  
  February 8, 2015
  
  Honestly I would make it fresh every time. All you have to do is buy a bottle of ACV and mix it up whenever you are ready to use it.
  
  Also have you tried Primal Pit Paste? They sell natural deodorant that work surprisingly well. I was using a home made deodorant and since switching to this I do not sweat at all and it really works. I heard stories with athletes using it , and people who have had issues with other natural deodorants like Toms have used this and had no problems. Problem with Toms is that is still has questionable ingredients in it. Maybe your immune system might have issues flushing the toxins out. I think you are severely detoxing your pits start smelling even after the shower. Also, you might want to change your diet. Add some probiotics, and possibly even take chlorophyl I think you would benefit from that and leafy greens. You know that saying “You are what you eat” …
  
  If I wouldn’t use any more aluminum based deodorants, ever. Here explains alittle bit more about how long you will be detoxing https://primalpitpaste.com/pages/pit-detox-protocol
  
  Reply
Tammy

February 7, 2015

I am curious to know if the detox for the armpits will work for my son who has psoriasis. He doesn’t like anything that stings so nothing I have had him try has been successful. Any ideas?
thank you!

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Carey

February 7, 2015

HI There! I am so trying this! How often do you recommend doing this? weekly? monthly?

thanks so much!

Reply
1. Katie – Wellness Mama
  
  February 11, 2015
  
  I do them every few weeks to a month as maintenance.
  
  Reply
Carley

February 6, 2015

This is so cool! I have a big tub of calcium bentonite clay and was wondering what kind of bentonite you used. Would the kind I have work? Or is it another kind?

Reply