Armpit Detox. Yup. That's right - detox your underarms! You may have heard about this new natural living trend and are wondering if it's for you. We spend hours exfoliating our faces, applying masks and soaking in tubs with salts to help our bodies release toxins, but what about our often forgotten armpits?
Why is it important to sweat? TOXIN RELEASE!
Toxins are everywhere. We inhale them, eat them and absorb them through our skin. They can accumulate in the body in a variety of places for a variety of reasons.
According to Dr. Matthew Fisel, our favorite Naturopathic Physician,
"Studies designed to analyze toxic elements in urine, blood, and sweat have shown that many toxins are preferentially excreted through sweat glands. Any activity that induces sweating can be a potential method for the elimination of toxic elements from the body, so using products to BLOCK your sweat glands is not advisable, as the offending toxins then end up being stored in your tissues. Compromising perspiration will put more of a burden on the lymphatic system, as it then has to deal with the toxins that would have otherwise been excreted by the sweat glands."
WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER ARMPIT DETOX?
1. Detoxing the armpits clears buildup and bacteria, allowing you to sweat.
Conventional antiperspirants/deodorants contain an abundance of questionable ingredients including aluminum and parabens, that can be absorbed through the skin, clog sweat glands and interfere with our lymphatic system.
Carollanne Crichton, ayurvedic health consultant, aromatherapist and formulator of Solavedi Organics says that it is as important to detox the armpits as it is to purify your skin and this goes for men as well as women. The armpits utilize sweat and pores for cleansing the all important lymphatic receptors in the axillary and breast region of the body. Using deodorant and antiperspirant actually disrupts the natural healthy cleansing process dramatically.
2. Improve the effectiveness of your natural deodorant and soften your skin.
While natural/organic deodorants without aluminum do allow you to sweat, the oils they contain may get trapped in skin folds, clog pores and become difficult to wash off.
Amanda from A Beautiful Pursuit says,
"Most people consider detoxing to be something for beginners as they transition into natural products, but I find it very beneficial to do every once in a while, especially if I’m feeling like my normally effective deodorant isn’t working quite like it should. I find exfoliating my underarms to be the best method. Dead skin cells and bacteria can build up regardless of what product you use, so scrubbing them out of the way will allow your deodorant to do its best work - and you’ll have smooth, soft underarms, which is always a plus!"
Amanda's product choice: Graham Gardens Grease Monkey Scrubbing Soap
3. You'll smell better and will never feel cleaner!
Some people report that regularly detoxing the armpits reduces odor, so they don't need to use as much deodorant. One benefit we can personally attest to is that our underarms have never felt cleaner!
HOW TO:
Simple Oil Cleanse - Some people use a simple oil cleansing method by mixing a few drops lavender, tea tree and geranium essential oils into pure sesame or coconut oil. Rub some of this oil over your armpits before you get in shower. Leave on during the shower, and then just run hot water over the oil. No soap. Remove excess with washcloth. Towel dry.
Solavedi Rokk+ Greens Detox Mask: This is our preferred method. Solavedi's Rokk + Greens is made with Icelandic Glacial Clay as well as Bentonite Clay, with alkalizing dark green superfoods packed with chlorophyll for odor neutralizing. The clay behaves much the same way that straight oil does, and when used as a mask, adheres to those fat based substances to do heavy duty pulling. Additionally, the ionic structure of the clay acts like a magnet, lifting impurities out via pores.
We recommend doing this at night before retiring so you you can skip deodorant following the treatment.
STEP 1. Mix Rokk + Greens with some water to activate in a bowl to create a smooth batter texture. Use approx. 1-2 tsp of Rokk and add water a drop at a time.
STEP 2. Apply to armpits in a thin layer and leave on for approximately 5 minutes.
STEP 3. Rinse with warm water. Blot gently with towel.
HOW OFTEN:You can Detox once per week, or work up to using a few minutes everyday. This mask was originally created as a facial mask - so you can use it to purify your face too! We especially enjoy detoxing our armpits while soaking in a warm bath - which by the way you can sprinkle your Rokk + Greens in the bath too! Complete directions for all uses are on the bottle.
Carollanne from Solavedi mentions, "As you experience a rapid release of toxins, you may get symptoms like a little redness or rash or a strong odor. If this happens, slow down the process, and try again when irritation subsides. Do be prepared for a healthier, fresher smelling body!
Want to try ROKK + GREENS? Save 10% with code: DETOX
OTHER TIPS:
Some health experts recommend dry brushing as means to stimulate the lymphatic system and eliminate toxins. This method can also be used gently in the armpit area to provide detox benefits.
Be selective about products you use under your arms. LEARN about the ingredients that can be found in them and how they may adversely affect your body. Definitely avoid antiperspirants, and choose a deodorant that still allows you to perspire. Our favorites:
Comments
wow this was so informative and eye opening. I thought detox cleanses were for people transitioning but I now see I could benefit as well!
This tweet was super popular! Not surprised, truly clever concept. I love that it can be used on your face too, I could do both at once lol Love all your reads Margot, pinning it now :)