Confessions of a non-deodorant wearer…

I was really debating whether to write about this. What will people think of me? But then I remembered that we worry far too much about what people think and not enough about what WE think. I like to challenge things (and myself) and have therefore decided to publicly confess…

So, since I have moved to Salt Spring, I have pretty much stopped wearing deodorant. EVEN on hot days or days when I work hard in the garden. I think I’ve worn deodorant twice since the end of May (it’s now August).

Well, let’s start with – there are two main types of deodorant that I know of:
1) Straight deodorant – this is purely to MASK smells
2) Antiperspirant deodorant – masks the smells AND helps stop you perspiring in the first place.

And now the EXPLANATION part:
1) Generally I don’t sweat much.
2) If I AM sweating it’s not just my armpits – so unless I’m going to wear deodorant ALL over – what’s the point? Also, if I’m out working the land and getting THAT sweaty, you can be damn sure I’ll be having a wash when I’m done.
3) Generally my sweat has little smell. Apparently a lot of the smell of sweat is down to bacteria – so if we wash well, the smell is significantly reduced.
4) There are nasty chemicals in deodorants, particularly the anti-perspirant deodorants. Our skin is the largest organ in (on?) our body and we absorb chemicals through the skin just as we do by eating and breathing.
5) Natural deodorants (I’ve not seen a natural deodorant that says it’s an anti-perspirant yet) don’t stop you perspiring – they only MASK smells.
6) Sweating cools you down and excretes toxins from your body.
7) Finally, yes, I sweat in stressful situations, eg. presenting a workshop. And even though I DO wear a NON-natural anti-perspirant deodorant on those occasions I STILL SWEAT! So the one time I wear deodorant because I need it, it doesn’t STOP me sweating! Although it probably helps minimise the problem…

The upshot of course that I ultimately save money, reduce consumption and reduce chemicals in my body by not wearing deodorant. I also wonder if marketers play on our fears of being socially shunned/outcast due to being sweaty to sell more of their products…

Now, I am NOT advocating that everyone should stop wearing deodorant. I’ve sat next to enough smelly people (usually men) who could do with some deodorant – or maybe just a good shower. And I definitely wear an antiperspirant deodorant when I’m socialising with people I don’t know well or if I have a business meeting or presentation to do.

I’m just asking –  do we need to wear deodorant all the time?

PS. Anyone who knows me – if I do in fact smell and am just living an illusion – please let me know by commenting on this blog!