(and Why I Stopped Using Sprays)

I didn’t set out to become someone who makes their own deodorant.

Like most people, I bought sprays because they were there – brightly packaged, heavily fragranced, promising protection and confidence in a can.

But the more I read, the harder it became to ignore what those sprays actually contain. Propellants. Synthetic fragrances. Ingredients linked to hormone disruption and respiratory irritation. And all of it being sprayed, daily, near lymph nodes and lungs.

It felt… unnecessary.

What struck me most was how far we’ve drifted from the basics. We’re spoon-fed products designed to solve problems we’ve been told we have — when in reality, simple formulations often work just as well.

A natural deodorant made with coconut oil, bicarbonate of soda (or a gentler alternative), and essential oils won’t stop you from sweating — and it shouldn’t. But it does neutralise odour and supports the body rather than overriding it.

And here’s the important part: this doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

If you swap to something natural even 70% of the time, that’s a huge reduction in exposure. A meaningful shift. One that adds up over years.

This isn’t about fear. It’s about awareness — and remembering that our bodies are capable, intelligent systems when we stop fighting them at every turn.