Although I'm no Spencer Pratt, I like to think that I have a healthy appreciation (and fascination) when it comes to healing crystals and stones. I don't know if I necessarily believe everything that experts claim that they can provide or manifest, but I certainly like the idea that a pretty rock could improve my life. When it came to the idea of replacing my deodorant with a stone, though, I still hesitated a bit. As someone who doesn't even use natural deodorant, the concept of rubbing a rock on my pits and having it keep me smelling fresh was, well, a stretch.
Crystal's unscented mineral deodorant stone isn't, in fact, a crystal at all — although it certainly looks like one. The stone, which is about the size of a golfball, is actually solid, pure mineral salt. And that's all it is; mineral salt is the product's only ingredient. According to the Crystal website, the stone is "made without aluminum chloride, chlorohydrate, zirconium, parabens, and fragrance." The site also says the stone is dermatologist tested, unscented, cruelty-free, and vegan. Pretty great, right? Even with all those accolades, though, I was initially still far from convinced the rock would work for me. In fact, I was pretty darn convinced it wouldn't. At all. But I was quickly proved wrong.
Crystal Body Deodorant w/ Dish — Unscented, $6.99, Crystal
First things first, this is not an antiperspirant. According to Scientific American, most antiperspirants are formulated with compounds such as aluminum chloride, aluminum chlorohydrate, and aluminum zirconium that essentially plug up one's sweat ducts temporarily and therefore eliminate or decrease sweating almost entirely. There is a fairly large body of thought that believe antiperspirants may be connected to certain diseases — particularly Alzheimer's Disease and breast cancer. However, it's important to note that according to the National Cancer Institute, there is no conclusive information that antiperspirant use is linked to breast cancer at all. And, according to Scientific American, the studies when it comes to Alzheimer's and antiperspirants are too conflicting to draw any conclusions.
If you're still hesitant when it comes to antiperspirant, though, and a little sweat doesn't bother you, Crystal's deodorant stone is an option — and one that includes zero of those ingredients. While the stone doesn't stop your body from sweating, I found that it does eliminate odor shockingly well.
While the application is not as simple as just rubbing it under your arm willy nilly, it's still pretty straightforward. The stone comes with a tiny, plastic dish, which makes it easy to hygienically store on your bathroom counter. You simply wet the stone under the sink and then rub it on your armpits. And you're done. That's it. You can also simply apply after a shower when your armpits are already damp, making things easier if you're on-the-go. What's even better? The stone leaves no residue at all, and there's nothing to worry about when it comes to stains or mess. If, by chance, what's throwing you off after learning all of this is that it still looks so much like a rock, Crystal does sell the same product in stick-form, which might feel slightly more familiar.
Crystal Body Deodorant Stick, $6.99, Crystal
I used the stone before a trip to the gym as well as a normal work day and, in both cases, it worked just as well as a deodorant. I barely even noticed that I was sweating more than usual now that my ducts were unplugged and all. I would imagine that on a super hot day — say, hiking up a mountain in summer, or attending a festival — you would notice the difference a little more, but probably not as much as you'd think.
I am not surprised that often by products that seem gimmicky, but this little stone is pretty much my new best friend. And given that, according to the website, this $6.99 rock can last over a year with daily use, it's going to save me money, too. Consider me hooked.
