Switched to natural deodorant and now I have a rash

[Tethyca]

I decided to ditch my antiperspirant last week and try one of those "whole body" cream deodorants that are all over social media. The first two days were fine, but now my underarms are red, itchy, and peeling. People keep telling me this is just the "detox phase" and I should push through it. Is that actually true, or am I just allergic to baking soda? I don't want to smell bad, but this burns!

 

[Oust1999]

I had the exact same reaction! I thought I just had to toughen up, but it turned out I was sensitive to the essential oils in the scented version. I switched to an unscented prebiotic stick and the rash went away in two days. Hydrocortisone cream helps soothe the itch while it heals.

 

[Arence40]

I went through three different brands before finding one that didn't irritate me. I started with a really popular tube brand because the ads were funny, but the consistency was weirdly gritty. I wasn't sure if I got a bad batch or if that was normal texture. I remember checking the contact options on https://lume.pissedconsumer.com/customer-service.html to see if they had a return policy for open products. I ended up just giving it to my sister who has skin like steel. Definitely listen to your body, if it hurts, it’s not working for you.