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Natural deodorants are often considered better for a few key reasons, particularly when it comes to health, environmental impact, and skin sensitivity. Here's why:

1. Health Benefits

• No Aluminium Compounds: Traditional deodorants often contain aluminium-based compounds that temporarily block sweat glands. Some studies suggest a potential link between aluminium and health issues like breast cancer or Alzheimer's, though research is still inconclusive. Natural deodorants typically avoid these compounds
• Avoidance of Synthetic Chemicals: Many conventional deodorants contain synthetic fragrances, parabens, and phthalates, which can be absorbed through the skin. These chemicals may disrupt hormone function or cause allergic reactions. Natural deodorants often use essential oils and other natural ingredients, which are less likely to cause these issues

2. Better for Sensitive Skin

• Gentler Ingredients: Natural deodorants are formulated with gentler ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and baking soda. These are less likely to irritate sensitive skin or cause allergic reactions compared to the harsh chemicals in some conventional deodorants
• No Artificial Fragrances: Artificial fragrances can be irritating to some people's skin or cause respiratory issues. Natural deodorants typically use essential oils or are fragrance-free, reducing the risk of irritation

3. Environmental Impact

• Sustainable Ingredients: Our natural deodorants use sustainably sourced, biodegradable ingredients, which are better for the environment
• Eco-Friendly Packaging: Our natural deodorants also come in environmentally friendly packaging, like cardboard tubes or recyclable tins or refillable sticks, reducing plastic waste

4. Support for Small and Ethical Brands

• Ethical Practices: We work with brands that not only create natural deodorant but emphasise ethical production practices, such as cruelty-free testing, fair trade ingredients, and support for local communities
• Support for Small Businesses: Choosing natural deodorants often means supporting small or indie brands that prioritise quality and sustainability over mass production

5. Transparency

• Clear Labelling: Natural deodorant brands often have transparent ingredient lists, so you know exactly what you're putting on your skin. This transparency can be reassuring for consumers looking to avoid certain chemicals or allergens 

While natural deodorants have these advantages, it's important to note that they may not be as effective at preventing sweat as antiperspirants, which physically block sweat glands. 

Why is it good to sweat and NOT block the glands? 

Sweating is a crucial physiological process that plays a vital role in maintaining overall health. While it can be tempting to use antiperspirants to block sweating for comfort or convenience, allowing your body to sweat naturally supports better temperature regulation, detoxification, skin health, and stress relief. Using natural deodorants, which don't block sweat glands, can help you manage body odor without interfering with these important bodily functions.

• Cooling Mechanism: Sweating helps regulate your body temperature. When your body heats up, sweat is produced by sweat glands and released through your skin. As the sweat evaporates, it cools the skin and lowers your internal temperature, helping to prevent overheating

• Elimination of Toxins: Sweating helps to flush out toxins from your body, such as heavy metals, alcohol, and waste products like urea. While the liver and kidneys are primarily responsible for detoxification, sweating provides an additional pathway for the body to eliminate waste

• Clearing Pores: Sweating can help keep your skin clear by unclogging pores and washing away dirt, oil, and dead skin cells

• Hydration of the Skin: Sweat contains small amounts of natural moisturizers like urea and lactate, which can help to maintain the skin’s hydration and overall health

• Antimicrobial Properties: Sweat contains dermcidin, an antimicrobial peptide that helps to protect your skin from infections. This natural defence mechanism can reduce the risk of bacterial and fungal infections on the skin

• Stress Hormone Regulation: Sweating during exercise can also help regulate cortisol levels, a hormone associated with stress, contributing to better stress management

• Release of Electrolytes: When you sweat, your body releases electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Sweating during physical activity prompts you to rehydrate and replenish these electrolytes, which is important for maintaining the balance necessary for nerve function, muscle function, and overall hydration 

• Sweat and Bacteria: Sweat itself is odorless, but when it mixes with bacteria on your skin, it can cause body odor. Allowing your body to sweat naturally and practicing good hygiene can help manage body odor without the need for harsh chemicals that block sweat glands 

Sweat in itself is actually nearly odourless. It's when it interacts with the bacteria under our arm that it reacts and produces body odour. 

Conventional deodorant – so what’s the problem?

Who are Honest Toil?

Honest Toil is a small project run by Tom & Juli. Based just south of Kyparissia, on the west coast of the Peloponnese, Greece, they bring extra virgin olive oil from their village here to the UK, Budapest, and Berlin. 

"The fact that we’re so hands-on also enables us to have sustainability at the core of the project. The olives used for our oil come exclusively from small family farms, and are hand-harvested using traditional methods, without unnecessary strain on the tree or the disruption of wildlife. The olives are pressed in the family-owned village press and the oil is packed locally. We prefer to sell the oil in bulk or refillable containers, and in Budapest & Berlin, we deliver everything by cargobike."

What makes it the best Olive Oil?

We’re determined to share an olive oil that’s exactly how it comes here in the village, fresh from the press; it’s completely unfiltered, so once pressed, it isn’t put through any additional processes. Everything is pressed the same day it’s picked and the oil has an acidity of between 0.2-0.3%, which is pretty impressively low. It’s also completely unblended: unlike most “extra virgin olive oil” found on supermarket shelves, it really is small-batch production, and isn’t mixed with inferior oils or oil from previous harvests… consequently it tastes ridiculously good. As it's unfiltered, the oil contains the sediment from olive skins and pips, giving it a great green opaqueness with a thick texture, and the raw, grassy result is pretty much the same thing the ancient Greeks would have consumed!

We’re determined to keep it simple, so just produce the one variety of olive, and the result is a properly cold-pressed, completely unblended and unfiltered extra virgin olive oil; it really is just raw squashed Koroneiki olives.

• What does extra virgin mean?

  Extra virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives with no chemicals used to extract the oil

• What does cold-pressed mean?

  The term Cold pressed means that the oil was not heated over 27 °C during its processing and has kept all nutrients and vitamins

• Is olive oil good for you?

  Olive oil is the primary source of fat in the celebrated Mediterranean Diet. And it is quite surprising but various medical studies are proving that a frequent or better daily consumption of olive oil consequently leads to the reduction of the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase of a good one (HDL). It is also proved that olive oil is extremely high in oleic acid which is used to reduce blood pressure. Olive oil is high in polyphenols which is a type of antioxidant that helps protect your cells from damage

What you can Find at The Store

We are proud to sell Honest Toil Olive Oil supporting real farmers farming sustainably. We sell the pure olive oil in 500ml bottles and also on tap for you to refill. Click here to purchase online from The Store!

Read more about Honest Toil here

Small Ways to Support an Eco-Friendly Easter

How to Choose an Easter Egg - Don't Worry. It's not all bad. 

• Is it Organic? 

  Synthetic pesticides and herbicides threaten insect populations, contaminate water sources and can have ecosystem-wide knock-on effects

• Is it Fairtrade?

   Many agricultural products are grown by overworked and underpaid workers. Look for Fairtrade to make sure that the person growing your chocolate is receives a fair wage and working conditions

• Is it vegan?

   Much dairy is produced through intensive farming, which keeps animals in cramped conditions, and has high levels of emissions. Look for dairy-free to help protect the environmental and animal rights

What you can Find at The Store

Love Cocoa is another sustainable chocolate company that also works directly with farmers to make sure there are correct and ethical practices happening.

"We take great care in sourcing our chocolate, not just ensuring we are selecting the best tasting chocolate, but also making sure it is sourced in the most sustainable way.

We work with suppliers who guarantees cocoa farmers higher than the market price. Their integrated production value chain means directly trading with farmers, so there are no middlemen, resulting in fairer prices for the producers. They go further by working with farmers to improve the way they harvest their crop, from ensuring trees are replanted to monitoring the way the beans are fermented, ensuring the full aromas of chocolate are discovered.

The chocolate industry is dominated by many multinationals. We work with smaller family run business who have a long and respectful relationship with all members of the value chain." - Love Cocoa 

Why is Oat M*lk Better for the Planet?

Oat milk has the lowest environmental impact in comparison to the other major plant-based milk alternatives available on the market (e.g. soy and almond), due to its low water requirement.