Nadine Dilong Many conventional deodorants are packed with potentially health hazardous chemicals. Introducing a toxin-free, organic, no-sweat alternative.
Personal care products – think moisturiser and body lotion, shampoo and conditioner, nail products, soap, toothpaste and deodorant – are a direct pathway of exposure to toxic chemicals.
In the case of deodorant, its ingredients enter via the axillary lymph node under the arms. The active ingredient in most conventional antiperspirants is aluminium salts, added to artificially block sweat glands and inhibit perspiration. The body controls temperature and excretes toxins through perspiration and so, by blocking sweat glands, our bodies are absorbing chemicals such as triclosan, phthalates and parabens in these conventional deodorants.
Once absorbed they may not all be metabolised and, over time, can leave a build-up of harmful chemicals in the body. Queensland mum of two Verity Wallace officially launched her own toxin-free, organic body care brand Nádúrtha and its first product – Free-odorant – in July.
“I started making the deodorant in 2016 because I want to contribute to the shift toward using natural and organic, and provide consumers with an eco-conscious and healthy alternative to conventional products,” says Verity.
“After being a stay at home mum for eight years, when my second child started school I wanted to go back to work but wanted to do something that allowed me to use my creativity. I also wanted to be my own boss. As I was already making my own skincare I decided I’d choose one product to sell. I chose deodorant as I knew this was a type of product a lot of people were having difficulty finding that a) worked and b) didn’t irritate their skin. “It took around 12 months to refine my formulation, which was tested by family and friends along the way.”
Verity says she has always lived a healthy lifestyle “but in terms of skincare I was not really aware of the potential health risks until I became pregnant with my first child. I started reading a lot of material on how your health, coupled with environmental factors, can ultimately affect the health of your child. I turned my attention to the household cleaning and skincare products I had in my home and started using plant-based, natural products. And the ethos Verity has instilled at Nádúrtha is that what we put on our skin should be as healthy as the food we eat. Our handcrafted ecoluxe déodorant crème sticks are formulated with a unique blend of the highest quality natural, organic and toxinfree food-grade ingredients,” she says.
“We want our products to make people feel good, but also to feel good about using them. We’re committed to being ecoconscious and source our ingredients from Australian suppliers who share the same commitment to using natural, sustainable and ethical ingredients. Our suppliers are all Cruelty Free Accredited and where applicable, ingredients are Certified Organic and Fair Trade. The ingredients we have chosen have undergone minimal processing with no
toxic chemicals, thus retaining as much of their natural benefits as possible. We’re not going to give you a long list of nasties our déodorant doesn’t contain – because it is toxin-free.”
The neutralising underarm odour formulation is pH balanced, non-irritating and suitable for use during pregnancy and for pre-teens. “Our scents are unisex-y – just the packaging is different,” says Verity. “Having been produced in the subtropical central Queensland climate [in Tannum Sands, a small coastal town] we know that it works and is suited to the hot and humid Australian weather.” NADURTHA.COM.AU
