REVIEW: NUUD Deodorant
Natural deodorants have been all the craze lately. Everyone wants a deodorant that’s free of aluminum zirconium, which is the active ingredient in all antiperspirants. Why? Well, there are have been studies throughout the years showing that the use of aluminum is linked to cancer, Alzheimers, dementia and more. Regardless of your belief in these studies. The nature of antiperspirants is to make you sweat less which in itself is not something natural. We were made to sweat its part of our natural bodily functions. One amazing and rare alternative I have discovered is NUUD Deodorant.
Studies and the Science:
Just to get a couple of definitions out of the way I am distinguishing the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant below.
Deodorants usually contain antibacterial ingredients such as alcohol to reduce body odor inducing bacteria (plus masking fragrances to ‘cover’ unpleasant smells). You see, fresh, sterile sweat is actually not smelly; it only develops an unpleasant odor, once bacteria start fermenting it.
Antiperspirants, on the other hand, contain aluminum compounds, which temporarily reduce sweat production in the skin’s sweat glands. They do this by clogging the pore to essentially block sweat secretion. No sweat, no smell. Antiperspirants come in different shapes including roll-ons, sprays, and powders.
Most studies that I have come across fail to link Aluminum Zirconium (the active ingredient in antiperspirants) to breast cancer as was once thought. However, there haven’t been enough studies to completely rule it out in my opinion. It is curious that many cases of breast cancer manifest themselves around the armpit area. There is a good article that summarizes the risks of Aluminum in antiperspirants called “If exposure to aluminum in antiperspirants presents health risks”. This article was published in the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, and I think is worth checking out.
The idea is that Aluminum is safe to use as long as it does not enter the body. The latter part of that sentence is key. When we shave and then use our deodorant immediately after some of it can get absorbed through the small nicks and lacerations of the skin that are not visible to the naked eye. Even if we do not use it immediately after we shave, there are some studies showing that Aluminum can enter the body subcutaneously. So there are really two issues that are still being debated. 1) Can Aluminum enter the body (without the cuts from shaving)? 2) If it does enter the body how much of it can be absorbed safely, and how much of it can cause an unhealthy Aluminum accumulation in the body?
You can do some research and try to form your own opinion based on the studies available out there. The articles referenced in the one above are a good place to start. Overall, the health risks that aluminum and some other antiperspirant ingredients pose will take years of use to manifest themselves, if there is a true link. Whether you believe these risks or not, if you are looking for an aluminum free alternative, keep reading!
NUUD Deodorant the Hassle Free Alternative
If your health concerns are quelled by the lack of research than consider one other fact aluminum causes the yellow pit stains we all dread! When underarm sweat, skin bacteria and antiperspirant react, ugly yellow pit stains form.
NUUD Deodorant is a very interesting Dutch invention I came across on Instagram. One of the best ways to find out about new products these days. The claims were quite steep as well as the price. But it was such an interesting product I couldn’t pass it up. It also appealed to my lazy side.
The Claims
• Prevents odor by neutralizing bacteria with micro silver
• Odor-free from 3 to 7 days with one application
• Sports or showering have no effect on Nuud’s effectiveness
• Super concentrated: 10 weeks with our 20 ml tube
• No aluminium, no fragrances, no vague chemicals, no alcohol
• No animal testing, 100% vegan
• No clogging, no staining
• Bioplastic sugar cane tube, biodegradable cardboard box
• Sustainable production & distribution
The claims are pretty steep I bolded the ones that particularly appealed to me. The price is €12,95 for a 15ml tube. For some reason I expected it to be the size of a toothpaste tube but it’s super small (see image above).
However, it lasts about 6 weeks. The number of times you apply it is really up to your body chemistry and how it works for you, some people can apply it once a week and others need to once every other day. I have tried a lot of natural deodorants and have not found one that works. Some don’t work at all (like Schmidts and Tom’s) and others like Native (the most popular one currently) work well in terms of the smell but leave un-washable stains on your clothes. Thank goodness for Oxy-Clean because otherwise, I was going to have to throw away a lot of my shirts. I have also tried Nivea without aluminum which works okay but again most of these deodorants need to be re-applied every few hours.
The Verdict
I have now been using for about 2-months and I am happy to say I LOVE IT! It really DOES WORK. Now, you will sweat- as you were meant to! Your armpits will get wet and so will your shirt and then they will dry and all along the way you will be smell free! So feel free to use your perfume liberally. The deodorant just neutralizes your body odor and that’s it, there is no other smell. This is great because with a lot of other natural deodorants the fragrance just attempts to mask your sweat odor and then you just end up smelling like flowers and onions- or whatever your pits are purging at the time. That is not an attractive smell.
The other plus is that there are no white marks when you’re trying to slip on that little black dress and no yellow stains when you take your white shirt off.
The only thing I would mention is that you should shave your armpits on the days you are not applying the deodorant. Also, you should wash your armpits regularly with soap just don’t scrub them and your deodorant will stay on.
NUUD Deodorant also satisfies those of us who not only want to help the environment, use a chemical free product, but also those who want to keep things low maintenance. You apply it only once, and it can last for a few days – you can shower, go to the gym, and be smell free.
How I use NUUD Deodorant
I have to apply NUUD every 2-3 days, that is what I found out works best for me. I like to shave in the evening and apply it on clean armpits in the morning. The deodorant has one ingredient which is Zinc Oxide (natural mineral), which I do not want to risk entering my body. It’s the same active ingredient in sunblock and a lot of other things and I definitely prefer it to aluminum. They use a micro version (I e-mailed and asked). However, realistically you shouldn’t put anything on your skin after shaving unless you’re fine with it entering your body.
It doesn’t cause stains like a lot of natural deodorants out there. I really do love it! The small tube is also super portable and easy to take anywhere (TSA approved). The one thing I would mention is on the days you don’t use it make sure you shave because what I did notice is that if your hair grows even a little bit the effectiveness of the deodorant starts to go down. So keep the armpits shaved or you will need to reapply.
Where to Buy NUUD
You can only buy NUUD online. They are a small Dutch company that is relatively new, based in Utrecht. It takes about 3 weeks for delivery if you are in the U.S and less time if you are in Europe. Delivery is FREE worldwide and available world wide.
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**Disclaimer: Now for the fun legal part. I am not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned above. All products have been purchased with my own funds. These are my personal thoughts. Some affiliate links and ads may appear on my site, and if you purchase something through those I will be paid.
