Instructions and Recipe
(You can also use this same recipe on your FACE as a facial mask)
Well… What is an Armpit Detox you might ask? It’s gross. There you go… SPOILER ALERT. 🙂 After being on my journey to live as chemical free and naturally as possible for a while now, I decided it was time to stop using conventional deodorant. I knew it was bad for me, I just hadn’t done anything about it yet. I could go on about all of the harmful things that come from using conventional deodorant, but I’m not going to because that is not the purpose of this blog. (If you really do want to know what is in the ingredients of your conventional deodorant, you can ask google.)
You are reading this because you want to find out HOW to do an armpit detox.
You will need:
1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon Bentonite clay
1-2 teaspoons water (to create best consistency)
3 drops Lavender Essential Oil (or favorite skin supporting oil)
First, mix all of the ingredients in a glass bowl or container with a wooden or non-metal spoon (do NOT use metal- I used a mini rubber spatula.) until you have reached the consistency of sour cream or something of that sort.
Now the fun begins! 😉 TMI picture below…. FYI.
Spread in an even layer on both pits, (just like you would apply a facial mask) and let it sit for 5-20 minutes! Start out slow, and then work your way up to doing a longer period of time. You will want to let your body adjust because it is going to be pulling chemicals from your pits. The chemical reaction I had when I did it my first time was incredible. It bubbled and grew. The clay basically sucked all the junk out of my armpits that had built up over time from my conventional deodorant I have used since Elementary School.
If you experience irritation at all while doing your armpit detox, rinse it off right away. You may experience some redness because blood flow increases to the area during the detox but that will go away.
I was not prepared for the grotesque-ness of this experience, so that is why I am sharing with you about how it worked for me. I should have known better because usually whenever you do any sort of “detox”, there is some gross part associated. Picture to explain.
(This is my armpit after about 10 minutes of detoxing)
You will want to do this right before getting in the shower. It gets messy once it dries, because if yours bubbles and flakes like mine did, it starts to fall off when you move your arms, making a mess. Also, while you are doing the armpit detox, be sure to keep your arms slightly away from your body so that you are not squeezing your armpits closed. That way it can dry.
*** Remember to always drink plenty of water during any sort of detox, because your body needs to have a way to flush out all of the toxins that get stirred up, in addition to coming out in the clay. ***
Repeat this detox daily for a week OR until your under-arm odor goes away. I did this for one week straight and then, I continued to do it about 3 times per week for a month. By doing that, I (personally) have not needed to use deodorant. I have been deodorant FREE since the week before Christmas (2014). After 4 weeks, I still had friends and my husband still thought I smelled like roses. WIN, win. For general maintenance and underarm support, I do my pit detox about one time per month when I do my facial. Sometimes I do my facial once a week, so I end up slapping the leftovers on my pits, so I don’t waste the extra’s.
I did scrub my armpits with a natural lavender bar of soap, daily and lotioned up my armpits with this AMAZING pH balancing lotion from Young Living. A friend of mine adds Lemongrass to her lotion and says it works wonders and smells great and fresh.
(Ask me about how to get this awesome lotion!)
During the detox, by the end of the day, especially if I had sweat a lot, there was definitely some mild, pleasantly-natural-smelling, “stink” to my under-arms… but NOT nearly as bad as how my armpits smelled when using conventional deodorant. Nowadays, if I workout and get sweaty, my natural body odor is not offensive at all. It’s amazing how our bodies were made to sweat and how so many products on the market are just a Band-Aid, to cover up some natural body function.
I want to say that for me, my Armpit-Detox was successful! My husband has even tried it a few times and has not used conventional deodorant since 2014 as well. (Gasp!)
Thank you for reading… I am so blessed to be able to share my experience with you because I truly believe everyone who has ever used conventional deodorant should do this!
You are loved!
-Jenna Vander Ploeg
Young Living Essential Oils Independent Distributor
“Getting YOU back to the basics of your HEALTH & LIFE goals.”