A lot of folks these days are questioning the fact that the traditional deodorants that they have used most of their perspiring life contain a lot of toxic ingredients and aluminum based compounds that not only stop odor, but also stop sweating. These compounds have not yet been directly incriminated in causing breast cancer or Alzheimer’s disease, but researchers are still looking into a possible connection and the public at large is becoming more aware and looking for alternatives in deodorant products. One of these alternative products is the crystal deodorant which is growing in popularity on a daily basis.

A crystal deodorant is simply a natural stone composed of potassium alum, which is a naturally occurring mineral and is not absorbed by skin or the bloodstream. The stones are free from synthetic ammonium, which may cause allergic reactions in some people, and can be distinguished from synthetic stones by the fact that they will break into irregular pieces when broken.

When the crystal deodorant stick is used and applied effectively, it must be damp. Either the skin itself must be wet, or the stick must be dampened with a wet cloth to activate the mineral. When applied to the skin, the potassium alum will leave a thin, salty, alkaline film on the surface of the skin that will sit on the surface and not be absorbed, and will also inhibit the growth of bacteria. Because of this bacterial inhibition, there will be no odor produced; because you have to have bacterial metabolism going on in order to have odor production: no bacteria-no odor. The nice part here is that the skin is allowed to breathe freely and perspire as Nature intended, because the mineral does not block the pores of the skin; another health factor that people are glad about.

The desert is the primary place where potassium alum is found on the planet, and the crystals are there in huge amounts. With alum being the third most common mineral found on the earth, there is a huge supply of this crystal deodorant material to be found, and it is simply bagged up and shipped out to the companies that produce the deodorant sticks.

Crystal deodorant sticks have a long shelf life, and even with daily use, will last for many many months and in a lot of cases, for over a year. For this reason, the elevated price for the mineral is justified because you do not have to buy a stick very often, and you really do save money in the long run compared to buying traditional deodorant products. The mineral sticks have no toxins present in them, and they produce no toxic effects when used. They can be found in any of the health food shops or stores that promote natural foods and products.

The benefits that come with using a crystal deodorant stick are many because they are astringent, non-toxic and mildly antiseptic. You can use them to relieve the misery of insect bites, they have no scent, are hypo-allergenic, and contain no harsh chemicals. They work amazingly well as an agent of odor control for your underarms, and can even be applied to your feet to reduce foot odor.

If you, like thousands of other folks who are using deodorants, are worried about the long term side effects of these chemically loaded, pore blocking products; then a crystal deodorant is just what the doctor ordered. It will not only save you money over the years, but will also give you peace of mind.