2008 Archives: Pristine Beauty: Take a Whiff! Chemical-Free Deodorant
Despite the fact that they’ve found parabens in breast cancer tissue and that statistically one in eight of us will get the disease and that the survivors we know seem to be younger and younger, there’s a dirty little secret among us EcoStilettoistas: Sometimes we wear chemical antiperspirant. Egads! Eco-evangelists are aghast! But bear with us: Natural deodorants are fine for the usual stuff, but on days when there’s a big meeting or a hot date, most girls we know don’t want to risk becoming extra-scented.
That’s why we were extremely skeptical when we learned about Take a Whiff!™, the 100% natural deodorant from Pristine Beauty, a company started by a breast-cancer survivor who couldn’t find chem-free products that were up to snuff when she was going through treatment.
The (recyclable) packaging sports a ‘50s flashback design and tag line: “If you fancy to feel fresh… Take a Whiff!” It’s vegan and free of aluminum, parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol and animal cruelty. And the stuff is so pure you could practically eat it: plant-sourced glycerin, purified water, sodium stearate, castor seed oil, sage extract, tangerine oil, vanilla extract, calcium carbonate, vegetable enzymes, aloe leaf juice and ethylhexlglycerin, a vegetable-based preservative. Plus, a portion of proceeds benefit the Young Breast Cancer Survivors & Cancer Prevention foundations.
When we whipped off the cover and took a whiff ourselves, we were less than impressed. The stuff smells too yummy—vaguely like an orange creamsicle. Could this scent actually mask the funk?
Absolutely. Because it’s a deodorant, which works to mask the odors associated with perspiration, rather than an antiperspirant, which chemically closes off pores so that you can’t sweat until it wears off, Take a Whiff!™ isn’t moisture free. But our totally unprofessional “sniff testers” confirmed that this stuff keeps us sweetly scented for far longer than the other natural deodorants on the shelves.
Even long enough to get through date night.
