happygirl essentials: kopari deodorant

Recently I made the decision to be more diligent about what I put on and in my body. I've been rethinking everything from pesticide-free produce to anti-perspirant and toothpaste. One thing that I'm concerned about is the natural process of eliminating toxins from our bodies through sweat. I realized that by using anti-perspirants since I was a teenager, I had effectively been blocking my body's natural ability to sweat out toxins by slathering an aluminum based product under my arms. Before I just wanted to smell good and not sweat through blouses, so for most of my adult life I have smelled like baby-powder scented anti-perspirant. Now, I want my body to do what it's supposed to do. I just don't want to smell while doing it.

So, I  decided to switch to a deodorant alone rather than the clinical strength women's anti-perspirant / deodorant that I have been using for the past few years. I started my search at Whole Foods but after reviewing  the selection in store, I didn't find one that I liked.  Some scents were too herbal and some too medicinal. My next stops were Sephora and Nordstrom. One of the choices was Kopari. I have used (and love!) Kopari coconut based products and I decided to try their vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free, silicone-free, GMO-free, aluminum-free and baking-soda free deodorant. 

I took a leap and started using it last week. Applying it was a different sensation than a aluminum-based anti-perspirant. It was clear, slippery and cool. It wasn't sticky and it glided on easily leaving a faint smell of coconut milk. It was so light that I was concerned that it wasn't going to be strong enough to make it through the day and kick boxing.  To be on the safe side, I reapplied it around 3pm each day and even at the end of the day, it worked better than I had hoped.

I'm happy that I'm allowing my body to eliminate toxins, yet I still feel hygienically confident. I love it so much that I'll be giving this to my teenage nieces in their stockings this Christmas. It's a Happygirl essential.

Kopari deodorant is available for $14 at Nordstrom and Sephora.