Talk About Body Care - Island Deodorant

Don't judge me for what I'm about to tell you, okay? I stopped wearing deodorant.

I found that I, somehow, smelled better and stayed fresher longer when I skipped it than I did when I applied it. I even tested my theory dozens of times and came to the same conclusion each time. I have no clue why this is but so many of you have been e-mailing me about a certain deodorant, wanting my thoughts on it, that I just knew I had to give it a try.

Let's face it Green Beauties, natural deodorant is tough. Finding a healthy, clean, non-toxic deodorant that does everything we want and/or need it to do is like finding a conflict-free diamond in the rough. It's really hard. It can also be frustrating, so I'm here to help make things a bit easier for you.

I've been testing out the Original Stick Deodorant with Probiotics from Island Deodorant. This deodorant is organic, cruelty-free, vegan, paraben free, alcohol-free, aluminum free, gluten free, BPA free, and free from added fragrance or color. This stick deodorant is made with Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Corn Starch, Baking Soda (naturally aluminum-free), Wild Crafted Candelilla Wax, Organic Jojoba Oil, and Shelf Stable Probiotics.

I'm super impressed with this deodorant. It's hands down the absolute best natural deodorant I have ever tried. I've tried a lot. The list is embarrassing and ridiculously long.

I've been sensitive to deodorant formulated with baking soda in the past but this one is somehow incredibly gentle. It hasn't left my underarms bumpy or irritated at all. It's smooth and feels wonderful on the skin. It has almost zero scent so it's not of those "unscented" products that still smells and you guys know how ridiculously sensitive I am. I really like the formula and how easy it is to apply and go.

Since it does have oil it can stain your clothes but a thin layer gets the job done and I haven't had any issues with yellowing or staining. I typically try to avoid deodorant with coconut oil for that reason oil but we're good to go here.

And then let's talk about the addition of probiotics. It's kind of genius. Probiotics are awesome. They're basically good bacteria that work to get rid of bad bacteria. Whether they're in your tummy or in your armpits they go to war to keep you balanced. Again, they're awesome.

I apply a swipe under each arm after my morning shower and I'm good for the entire day and night with no breakthrough stink. I said I'm impressed with this stuff above but it goes beyond impressed. I'm really pleased. It works as well as its toxic counterparts.

If you've never used natural deodorant before be aware if you give this a try you might have a detox period where you will smell awful for a bit while your body gets rid of the toxins and chemicals it has accumulated. Also, this formula is not an antiperspirant so you will still sweat. Don't be bothered by that, though, because contrary to popular opinion sweat is good. Toxins leave our bodies through sweat. If you plug your pores with chemicals that are designed to keep you dry you're not releasing toxins from your body that need to get out of your system. Wet does not mean bad. Smelly isn't great but wet is.

They offer an Original Stick Deodorant, Sensitive Stick Deodorant, and Original Cream Deodorant. As for their other offerings, they recently launched a lip balm and a few moisturizers.

The Organic Cocoa Butter Lip Balm is made with Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Coconut Oil, Wild Crafted Candelilla Wax, Organic Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E. It's simple but it's beautifully formulated. It's thick and rich. It's also soothing, protective, and hydrating. It lasts a long time once it's on and feels really good. It also smells great since it's made with cocoa butter. It's got that yummy real chocolate scent and taste.

The recently launched body moisturizers are the Organic Body Lotion, Organic Body Cream, and Organic Body Butter. I was sent the Body Cream, which is made only with Unrefined Shea butter, Organic Unrefined Jojoba Oil, and Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil. It is quite heavy and a tiny bit greasy, as can be expected from the ingredients list alone, but it ends up absorbing really well and leaves skin feeling hydrated and softer than soft. It can be used for face and/or body. It can really be used for anything you want. It's been nice for my eczema, on my cuticles, under my eyes, around my mouth, and everywhere else that I struggle with dryness. A little goes a long way!

I can't recommend this deodorant enough, seriously. The entire line is great. To learn more about Island Deodorant you can check out their website by clicking here. You can also find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

(FTC: These products were sent to me for free for review consideration by the company. I am not being compensated for this post. None of the links above are affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own.) 

Talk About Green Cleaning - The Unscented Company

I was going to start this off by saying I’m picky about soap. In reality, though, I’m kind of picky about everything. There are so many products out there in the world so I don’t really want to waste my time with ones that don’t work for me, you know? I want to find things that work for me, plain and simple.

After my favorite grocery store stopped carrying the soap that I had been using for a couple of years I went into panic mode and started searching for a replacement. I got pretty lucky, though, and found another soap that I like even more. I was browsing on Vitacost and came across The Unscented Company. The name alone intrigued me thanks to my illnesses and scent sensitivities so I was instantly sold on the idea of a company who makes and sells only unscented products.

The Unscented Company is a Canadian company that launched in 2016 who offers only unscented and natural products. They are a Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free company and every single product they offer is vegan. All of their products are also biodegradable and decompose at least 80% within 28 days. TUC also believes in reducing our collective plastic footprint and offers customers the ability to do refills at home or in-store (if you’re lucky enough to be in Canada).

It doesn’t appear they ship to the US (I really hope they change this soon!) but like I mentioned above I found the brand and their products on Vitacost, which I believe has worldwide shipping. Vitacost doesn’t have the gorgeous glass bottles they offer in Canada, though, which is a bummer.

My first TUC love is their Soap Bar. You get 2 in each box and they last a fairly long time. Some soap dissolves so quickly but I’m impressed with the lasting power of this soap. It’s truly unscented and supremely moisturizing. It’s gentle and I’m absolutely in love. My sensitive dry skin and sensitive sense of smell are in agreement that this lovely bar of soap is a winner across the board. It creates an impressive amount of delicate, cleansing, hydrating lather that makes sudsing up an absolute pleasure. I’ve even used this on my face and I typically hate bar soap on my face so that’s a big indicator of how nice this soap is. It also seems to tame my eczema. I love this soap so much that I actually have 8 boxes underneath my bathroom sink so I never run out. I’m not even kidding. It’s that good!

I also purchased the Hand Soap, which is another hard for me to find product. If I use a soap that my skin doesn’t like the eczema on my hands gets so bad. I had actually been using a really mild facial cleanser as hand wash because it didn’t make my hands flare so I was a bit nervous to switch it up but, like the Bar Soap, the Hand Soap is remarkably gentle. It is a really, surprisingly, thin formula that is almost the consistency of water but it does such a nice job of cleansing but also nourishing the hands. I don’t like the pump of the bottle because it tends to shoot out way too much product but the soap itself is so nice. I only have one bottle at the moment but plan to put it at every sink in my house.

Besides the Bar Soap, my favorite product is the Dish Soap. I was previously using Seventh Generation, which I really like, but I’m so glad I decided to pick a bottle of this up. It’s the best dish soap I’ve ever used. It has zero scent, doesn’t irritate my skin, and does a fantastic job of getting my dishes clean. It comes in a really great bottle, too. I don’t have a lot to say about it because what can you really say about dish soap? It’s excellent, though.

The All Purpose Cleaner is nice but it’s not an absolute must have for me. It’s good but I find that it has a slightly powdery scent, barely there, and I just find that I still reach for my Better Life spray more often. It’s nice, though.

My least favorite product I’ve tried is the Lotion. I’m not a fan. The formula is soothing and hydrating but it has a bit of an odd smell on me. That happens to me a lot, though. I think I must have weird pH because the lotion itself doesn’t smell but it does on me.

Their prices are great and the products themselves are really awesome. I’m such a fan of The Unscented Company and can’t get enough of their line. I hope their product line expands one day in the future because I’d love to try other things (like shampoo and skincare) from a company who believes in unscented, nontoxic and simple products that are effective and beautifully formulated.

You can check out The Unscented Company by visiting their website. You can also click here to find the company and their products on Vitacost.

(FTC: I purchased all of these products with my own money. I am not being compensated for this post.)