Look, I know this is completely off-season, but I wanted to share something very important and not as off-season as it may seem if you wear tight sweaters in debatable fabrics. I am talking about deodorant.
Last week, Emily and I were in Paris, and it was hot, all the more for yours truly, whose internal thermostat is slowly getting adjusted to the cooler English temperatures. I had traveled light, and by that I mean forgotten most of my things, and had to quickly buy a deodorant at the airport, so there was no natural, clean, sustainable, pleasing-to-look-at-deodorant to be found.
Instead I bought “SURE NON-STOP PROTECTION” that says “72H + MOTION SENSE ANTIPERSPIRANT COTTON DRY” on its (dull) packaging. Then screams “UNBEATABLE” and “IT WON’T LET YOU DOWN.”
I made the required contrite face when I took it off the shelf, and, that same day, vaporised it on my poor underarms which probably will die of VDD* because of all the horrible chemicals. And then spent the day walking around Paris, sitting in AC-less taxis**, having my period*** and, well, sweating.
Except my underarms though. My underarms stayed dry and lovely, and when I came home that night after a long dinner where I sweat some more, I was still as unsullied as a morning rose. Even my shirt smelled fresh and clean.
So this was just a post to signal my nostalgia about all the bad chemicals we used to slather on without even the shadow of a worry. Dear chemicals, I miss you.
Because I am sorry—no natural deodorants have ever come close to this little bit of black magic. Which is why I will keep my SURE, hidden in the closet of shame**** for the days when I really need it.
And in the meantime, keep at it with my tedious—but necessary—clean deos that, sure, do the job, but also remind me that I’m not an AI creature—I’m a person and sweating (and stinking a bit sometimes) is part of being human.
*Violent Deodorant Death
**Parisian taxis don’t turn the AC on, so it’s either you melt in a hot car or you open your windows and gobble cubic meters of noisy polluted traffiquy air, and I hate being put in the position where I have to be the bad person asking for the AC, I hate it! I want to be the good person that has AC forced on her that I can complain about while I enjoy it, like in the United States!
***Always makes me smell… Let’s just say, different.
****Remind me to do a Note about the closet of shame soon.
Here are a few that I have tested and that I like.
The one that works the best, but is not so pleasing to look at. I absolutely love the strong tea tree smell.
The one I’m using right now. It’s fine. Smells all right. Does the job.
The most pretty looking. Works okay, smells okay, looks pretty and is refillable.
(Ps: I hate deodorant creams)
Any amazing non-toxic deo you’d like to share? I am all ears—please share in the comments. Love ya!
The latest Letter was about what one does when one gets sent a d@&$k pic.
In the latest Note I talked about last year’s best (and worst) purchase.
The live is up! We talked about healers, style, our relationship with our bodies, and more. From my bed :) Let’s meet again on Friday, October 13th at 6pm UK time.
Soon I’ll be starting the second season of my podcast. You can replay the first season here.
Doré has a new launch: Le Glaçon, a soothing facial ice-roller.
If you have any questions, let me know here.
I love the Mario Badescu aluminum free deo: https://www.mariobadescu.com/products/deodorant
I've had good success with https://byhumankind.com/