Underarm irritation

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In this forum, there is a very long thread called de-funk de pits which was started in 2016. In it, DeeAnna (post no. 361) posted her recipe which I have tried and liked and used since 2017. It is a wonderful deodorant (thank you DeeAnna!) but I have found that, now, it irritates my underarms. I was wondering if anybody else had experienced this. I am sure it is linked to the deodorant because the irritation goes away if I don't use the deodorant. As soon as I use it, it starts again. It is such a shame because it was so effective!

 

[AliOop]

I haven’t looked at the recipe you mentioned, but if it contains baking soda, that is usually the cause of underarm irritation.

Look for recipes that contain magnesium and zinc. I use a recipe by Tina Moenck that I have tweaked for my own liking. She sells her deo book online; I found her website through her YouTube channel. The book includes quite a few recipes, including ones without bicarb and without coconut oil.

I’m also quite partial to @cmzaha handcrafted deo, but I don’t know if she still sells it.

 

[Misschief]

For anyone wanting to find that thread: de-funk de pits

And the referred to post: Post 361

 

[nframe]

For anyone wanting to find that thread: de-funk de pits

And the referred to post: Post 361

Thank you for doing this. I don't know how to link things...

I haven’t looked at the recipe you mentioned, but if it contains baking soda, that is usually the cause of underarm irritation.

Look for recipes that contain magnesium and zinc. I use a recipe by Tina Moenck that I have tweaked for my own liking. She sells her deo book online; I found her website through her YouTube channel. The book includes quite a few recipes, including ones without bicarb and without coconut oil.

I’m also quite partial to @cmzaha handcrafted deo, but I don’t know if she still sells it.

This is DeeAnna's recipe:
Mg(OH)2 powder 30 gram
Babassu 55 gram (melt temp 76 F)
Cetyl alcohol 14 gram (melt temp 120 F)
BTMS 14 gram (melt temp 140 F)
Fragrance 0.5 gram

As you can see, it contains no baking soda.

 

[paradisi]

I've never tried it, but at a glance, the % of btms may be too high. I think, but check with your supplier, that the upper limit for leave on applications is 10%. Plus, cetyl alcohol potentiates the substantivity of the btms (makes it cling more to skin or hair).

Or you could be becoming sensitized to one of the other ingredients .

 

[cmzaha]

DeeAnna's recipe is quite similar to mine, although I have a couple of additions. I still have a few customers I make it for. Anyway, if you use fragrance I am guessing it is the fragrance. I used mine for a long time with a light fragrance added and after a time it started irritating me. I now use mine unfragranced and it works the same. In fact, I just convinced one of the ladies I still mine deo sticks for to try the unfragranced.

 

[nframe]

DeeAnna's recipe is quite similar to mine, although I have a couple of additions. I still have a few customers I make it for. Anyway, if you use fragrance I am guessing it is the fragrance. I used mine for a long time with a light fragrance added and after a time it started irritating me. I now use mine unfragranced and it works the same. In fact, I just convinced one of the ladies I still mine deo sticks for to try the unfragranced.

I use essential oils, not fragrance oils but it could be that. I never thought of it! Thank you. I will make a batch unfragranced and see what happens.

I've never tried it, but at a glance, the % of btms may be too high. I think, but check with your supplier, that the upper limit for leave on applications is 10%. Plus, cetyl alcohol potentiates the substantivity of the btms (makes it cling more to skin or hair).

Or you could be becoming sensitized to one of the other ingredients .

Thank you for your reply. In fact, I use ewax, not btms. I use it at 12%. Is that too high? I also use 3% cetyl alcohol.

 

[AliOop]

I agree with @cmzaha that any kind of FO or EO can be a problem. Many EOs are skin sensitizers, esp if used frequently over a long period of time (even in small amounts). Definitely try unfragranced.

I wasn’t aware of the issues with BTMS limits, so thanks for sharing that, @paradisi.

 

[paradisi]

Thank you for your reply. In fact, I use ewax, not btms. I use it at 12%. Is that too high? I also use 3% cetyl alcohol.

I'm sorry, I don't know, as I don't use ewax. Your supplier should be able to tell you, most nowdays show those usage levels on their websites.

If it's at all draggy, vs how glidy btms is, that might be it too.

And as others have noted , any fragrance may be irritating (and they all will have different safety levels, the armpit is especially sensitive).

I don't think that cetyl would have the multiplier effect with ewax, as it's probably not cationic, but not sure.

Making an unscented trial is a good idea, then knocking out other ingredients if that's not solved it.

 

[TheGecko]

In this forum, there is a very long thread called de-funk de pits which was started in 2016. In it, DeeAnna (post no. 361) posted her recipe which I have tried and liked and used since 2017. It is a wonderful deodorant (thank you DeeAnna!) but I have found that, now, it irritates my underarms. I was wondering if anybody else had experienced this. I am sure it is linked to the deodorant because the irritation goes away if I don't use the deodorant. As soon as I use it, it starts again. It is such a shame because it was so effective!

I don't know how old you are, but I noticed after menopause I had to make changes...personal care products, diet, even my earrings because my body chemistry had changed. I can't wear waterproof mascara at all, I can wear one brand of regular mascara for a couple hours. And I can wear false eyelashes without issue. I used to wear all different kinds of colognes and perfumes every day...now I'm done to only one and it's expensive enough that I only wear it on special occasions (a bottle will last me five years). I can't tell you how many times I have had to change shampoo and conditioner. I can't eat green onions or green pepper....cooked or raw. Can't eat radishes and I have to be careful of cucumbers. Makes for some boring salads. Lately I've been struggling with bras...I've gone through several different brands over the last two years, underwire/no underwire because my current one are no longer available and are literally starting to far apart. I always check for fit in the store, I wash with mild soap and air dry and within one to two days I can't wear them or any bra for a few days because I have what look like chemical burns under my breasts. And I've changed the soaps or used no soap...still have problems. So now I'm having to check fabric content 'cuz this gal ain't going out in public without an over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder.

 

[cmzaha]

I used BTMS25 at 13% and cetyl alcohol with a couple of other waxes. Sorry, I don't share my full recipe, it just took me too many years of tweaking and testing.

 

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Thank you all for taking the time to reply. The first change I will make is to leave it unscented. We'll see. Thanks again.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

It is a wonderful deodorant (thank you DeeAnna!)

TIP: If you put "@" in front of "DeeAnna", as in @DeeAnna she will receive a notification and is more likely to respond.

 

[nframe]

TIP: If you put "@" in front of "DeeAnna", as in @DeeAnna she will receive a notification and is more likely to respond.

Great tip! Thank you.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

You're welcome!

 

[earlene]

Which EOs do you use? Some contain skin sensitizing components, meaning that with repeated use one can become more develop a sensitivity or an allergic reaction to them.

This is one reason that IFRA standards rate some fragrances as unsuitable for use in leave-on products or suggest extremely low percentages of use for leave on products.

I agree completely that the first step to take would be to eliminate the fragrance altogether and from there you can determine if that was the culprit.

The next step I would suggest is to read the IFRA standards for any fragrance you add to leave on products.

 

[nframe]

Update: I have made a paste with only babassu oil and magnesium hydroxide (50/50) and it works fine. No irritation! The only problem is the application because it is not thick or hard enough to go into a tube. So you were right when you suggested that it was probably the fragrance. I am so thankful for your insight! I did not know that you could develop an allergy to an essential oil that had been OK for years. So thank you all again.

 

[fjura]

I don't know how old you are, but I noticed after menopause I had to make changes...personal care products, diet, even my earrings because my body chemistry had changed. I can't wear waterproof mascara at all, I can wear one brand of regular mascara for a couple hours. And I can wear false eyelashes without issue. I used to wear all different kinds of colognes and perfumes every day...now I'm done to only one and it's expensive enough that I only wear it on special occasions (a bottle will last me five years). I can't tell you how many times I have had to change shampoo and conditioner. I can't eat green onions or green pepper....cooked or raw. Can't eat radishes and I have to be careful of cucumbers. Makes for some boring salads. Lately I've been struggling with bras...I've gone through several different brands over the last two years, underwire/no underwire because my current one are no longer available and are literally starting to far apart. I always check for fit in the store, I wash with mild soap and air dry and within one to two days I can't wear them or any bra for a few days because I have what look like chemical burns under my breasts. And I've changed the soaps or used no soap...still have problems. So now I'm having to check fabric content 'cuz this gal ain't going out in public without an over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder.

Oh no! I hope that’s not what’s happening to me! I’m now allergic to my wedding rings!!!

 

[nframe]

Oh no! I hope that’s not what’s happening to me! I’m now allergic to my wedding rings!!!

I am puzzled by what you wrote: "allergic to my wedding rings" (plural). How many wedding rings do you wear?

 

[fjura]

I am puzzled by what you wrote: "allergic to my wedding rings" (plural). How many wedding rings do you wear?

Oh just the normal engagement and wedding band. My engagement ring is a band with diamonds, not a solitaire, so I think that why I say rings plural. It’s a wider band as well which makes for lots of room for irritated, itchy skin. Ugh. I think I’m gonna try painting clear nail polish on the inside and cross my fingers. I hate not wearing it.