Showing posts with label Aromarant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aromarant. Show all posts

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Review: Aromarant

Most antiperspirants contain aluminum.  Yes, like the stuff your cooking foil is made of.  Think about little microscopic particles of aluminum plugging your pores so you don't sweat.  Pretty gross, right?  Well, that's why you should think about switching to natural deodorants!  And yes, they are deodorants, not antiperspirants.  It's good for your body to sweat.  Sweat is a good thing -- stink is not. (:

With that said, if you've been using an antiperspirant for a long time and you switch to a natural deodorant, your body will need to adjust.  So be aware the first few days of using a natural deodorant, your sweat will smell stinkier than it's ever smelled before.  That's because your pits are detoxing and purging all those chemicals that were clogged up!  But after a few days, you'll be glad to have made the switch.

It's true-- some Lush products just aren't that easy to use.  Their deodorants are one of them.  Lush deodorants come in two forms: powder and bar.
  • Coconut - too messy
  • Greeench - too messy, and I don't like the herbal smell
  • T'eo - more for heavy sweaters (which I am not) and the powder leaves some residue on skin and/or clothing
  • Aromaco - patchouli?  no thanks!
  • Aromarant - winner!
It's truly been a love/hate relationship with Aromarant.  When I first started using it, I was very surprised.  It smelled really pleasant -- but of course, I'm a sucker for sandalwood.  There's also a hint of lemon -- yes, just a slight hint -- not a distinct smell, but definitely enough to brighten the muskiness of the sandalwood.  I loved the way it was able to absorb some moisture, because of the witch hazel and sodium bicarbonate.  I also loved that my pits didn't smell like anything.  It didn't smell like body odor, or Aromarant.  It just did not smell.  And that's the point, right?

A few weeks after happily using Aromarant, something weird happened.  I got fire pits!!  (Lots of reviews on Lush's website talk about getting rashes or "fire pits" after using Aromarant)  It was truly bizarre.  I've been using the product for weeks now, and suddenly, I get fire pits?  So sadly, I stopped using it and went back to Tom's of Maine.

Then one morning, I had a bit of an epiphany: the rash may have been because my skin was too dry and irritated.  So I tried something unusual -- I put some Dream Cream on my pits before using my deodorant.  The thinking is, the Dream Cream contains soothing ingredients that will calm and moisturize my skin before I apply deodorant.

Hallelujah!!  It's been working for several weeks now, and I am a happy fresh-pit-smelling girl!

MY SCORE: 4 OUT OF 5

My score is not a 5 because it's so dang difficult to use.  Couldn't Lush put it in a nice, traditional deodorant container??  I know, I know... carbon footprint, trash, etc.

Helpful hint: Keep your Aromarant wrapped up in a ziplock bag.  This will keep it soft and makes it easier to apply.  If you leave it out, air will basically oxidize it and make it hard.  If it does get hard, just use a butter knife, or your fingernail, and scrape off the outer layer.  Sometimes before applying, I soften the bar (just the part that will be in contact with my skin) by rubbing it with my fingertips.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

2011 Discon List

Yesterday, Lush NA (North America) released their 2011 Discon List.  Not sure if any of these products will make it Retro, but they will definitely be taken off the shelves at the stores.


Helping Hands - 45g only
Pied de Pepper
Charlotte Island
Vit C
Vit E
Keep It Fluffy(Orange & Purple)
Lemslip
Ring of Roses
Joy of Jelly
Vanilla in the Mist
Noubar
Summer Pudding
All Emotibombs
Brimstone
Sugar Babe
13 Unlucky for Dirt
King of the Mods
Aromarant
Tuca Tuca Massage Bar

When Lush UK released their Discon list, I remember everyone freaking out over it.  Lush NA reassured us that just because it's being discontinued in UK, doesn't mean it will be the same in NA.  Phew!  They were right!

Some of the ones on the UK Discon list that I'm so very happy about not making it on the NA Discon list: Ma Bar, Mange Too, Creamed Almond and Coconut Smoothie (I seriously would have died), Heavanilli, Demon in the Dark.  You can see the full UK Discon list here.

I really don't use any of these products, except for Aromarant, which I'm totally bummed about.  What am I going to do?!  Go back to using deodorants that contain aluminum?!  Thankfully there's Toms of Maine.  And I think the Body Shop just came out with a non-aluminum deodorant.

I was also just starting to like the emotibombs.  I caught a small cold a couple of weeks ago, and sticking my head over a bowl of hot water with a Too Drunk in it was exactly what I needed.

The soaps: Lemslip, Ring of Roses, Vanilla in the Mist, Noubar, Summer Pudding, and 13 Unlucky for Dirt.  Lemslip and Ring of Roses are nice, but kind of pricey because they contain cocoa butter.  For a citrus-y soap, I really like Sexy Peel.  And for a floral soap, my all-time fave is Alkmaar.  I was starting to really like Vanilla in the Mist and 13 Unlucky for Dirt, so I'm hoping those will go Retro.

Shower scrubs... prepare for a review....