I Found My Natural Deodorant Soul Mate

So, I am not exactly a Natural Beauty Warrior, as much as I wish I was. I don't want to minimize the potentially hazardous chemicals in the beauty products we use, but at the same time, I am a beauty maven that would feel incomplete with only organic products in my life. So, I risk it, and try to stay healthy in other ways, such as eating healthfully and getting my butt to yoga on a regular basis.

That being said, I woke up one day and suddenly became obsessed with ditching conventional deodorant for good. My husband pointed out years ago that my aluminum-packed deodorant was probably terrible for me on multiple levels, but I rolled my eyes and continued to swipe. That is, until one day, I was sudsing up in the shower when I realized that my armpits felt kind of sore. It was almost like I could feel pores being blocked. And, suddenly it just occurred to me that putting potentially cancerous chemicals right by my girls, every day, just wasn't a good idea. As much as I loved my clean-laundry-scented stick, I became determined to give it the heave-ho and find a natural deodorant that wouldn't leave me smelling like a rotten grapefruit by mid-afternoon (sorry).

My first contenders were Tom's of Maine's Wild Lavender stick, and Dr. Hauschka's Fresh Deodorant. Now, it's hard to say whether or not my B.O. was offensive enough that others would notice when I wore either of these, but in my personal opinion, neither of these guys worked, as much as I wanted them to. I wanted to try SoapWalla's cream deodorant (which is the only natural deodorant that I've ever heard accepting rave reviews), but the hassle of having to order it online combined with the fact that you have to apply the cream with your fingers prevented me from pulling the trigger.

Then, one day, my intrepid and ingenious editor, Megan, shoved this new deodorant in my face and insisted that I give it a try (she's nothing if not determined). This stuff is totally crunchy in appearance — the product itself is grainy and gray-green, and the scent is bracingly, and I mean bracingly herbal. (Don't be led astray by the "floral" name.) But, let me tell you: This. Stuff. Works. So, I invite you to join me in happy, healthy armpit land. It's worth it, promise!

iWilla I Love My Armpits Deodorant in Floral Fields, $9.99, available at iWilla.