Kopari Coconut Deodorant Review
As I mentioned in my previous post, “What is Clean Beauty?”, I explained that I was looking to use cleaner beauty products within my daily routine. Clean in the sense of products that are formulated without sulfates, parabens, mineral oil and etc. I know this is something that’s going to be difficult and may be hard to achieve right away, at least for me. Therefore, I’m taking small steps in the process.
What made me decide to try out the Kopari Coconut Deodorant
I kept saying for months that I would like to start using a more natural deodorant. I’ve even discussed this idea with my health care provider and she basically informed me it wouldn’t hurt me to do so. Her reaction seemed to be vague. This may be due to the studies correlating aluminum and breast cancer. Based on the information that I read on the American Cancer Society website, using aluminum-based compounds in antiperspirants may be a risk factor for the development of breast cancer. But it isn't clear how much aluminum is absorbed through the skin.
Prior to using the Kopari deodorant- I was using Secret Invisible Solid which contains 19% aluminum. Aluminum-based deodorants work by temporarily plugging sweat glands, which prevents you from perspiring.
The other ingredients include the following :
Cyclopentasiloxane (synthetically manufactured silicon), Stearyl Alcohol, Mineral Oil (can block pores), Dimethicone (silicone used to fill pores and also used as a moisturizer), Talc (has been linked to cancer), Petrolatum, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Cyclodextrin (odor controlling agent), PPG-14 Butyl Ether, Fragrance, C20-40 Pareth-10, Behenyl Alcohol.
The Kopari Coconut Oil Deodorant review
No Aluminum. No Baking Soda. No Parabens. No Silicone. No Phthalates.
Back at the end of October I received an email from Influenster offering me 20% off the Kopari Coconut Deodorant. This discount along with the free shipping was a major incentive in getting me to try it out.
The package arrived within 2-3 days of me placing the order. I was happy to see that the package included informational pamphlets that included tips on how to use the Coconut oil deodorant + a sample pack of the Coconut Crush Scrub. The key notion that I received from the pamphlet basically indicated that the process of switching to a regular deodorant to a non-toxic one should take about a month for your body to detox along with getting accustomed.
Product Description
The deodorant smells like coconut. The smell is not over powering or overly perfumed. I find the scent refreshing and can be unisex. When making the purchase online I noticed that Kopari also sells an unscented version, but I really enjoy the scent of coconuts. The texture is silky to the touch, but not sticky. Unlike most deodorants it does not leave a white cast as it goes on clear and stays clear when it dries down. After the deodorant dries the area its been applied feels conditioned and smooth. Based on how much is needed it appears that the 2oz. size would last a decent amount of time.
Size: 2.0 oz
Price: $14 (one time purchase price) or $11.90 (auto delivery every 2 months)
FULL INGREDIENT LIST Propylene Glycol*, Water/aqua/eau, Sodium Stearate, Fragrance (parfum), Propanediol, Caprylyl/capryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate**, Cocos Nucifera (coconut) Oil**, Cocos Nucifera (coconut) Fruit Juice, Sodium Caproyl/lauroyl Lactyl Lactate, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-5 Oleate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Triethyl Citrate, Cocos Nucifera (coconut) Water, Salvia Officinalis (sage) Oil, Glyceryl Laurate, Sodium Anisate, Citric Acid *Biobased/Base Végétale **Organic/Biologique
Week by week Review
What to expect week by week
Overview My goal for reviewing the Kopari Coconut oil deodorant was to try give an unbiased opinion and to solely use this deodorant for at least a 30 day period. Please keep in mind the product was tested during cool fall temperatures. During this time I went about regular activities.
Week 1 - I was informed that the first couple of weeks of not wearing “regular deodorant” your body will begin to go through a detox stage. During this stage you may notice that you’re sweating more and smelling a little stinky.
I don’t believe I was sweating more that usual. I do think that from so many years of wearing deodorant that contains aluminum and other ingredients that are meant to plug your sweat glands, you become accustomed to your underarms always being dry, or at least I have. There’s no nice way to say it but I didn’t smell great. It wasn’t to the effect that I could be smelled from afar, but I noticed an unpleasant smell from myself. I can see this being bothersome for many and almost embarrassing.
Week 2- I thought this “smell” was getting better, but it was actually staying the same. A friend of mine suggested that I reapply throughout the day. But I really didn’t have the time and energy to worry about carrying around a full size deodorant with me. The info that Kopari provided suggested for users to try using a body scrub daily to help with exfoliating and clearing of the pores. I did this every other day by using the Dove Body Polish (very gentle scrub).
Week 3- Success! I maintained only applying the deodorant once a day and was relieved that I no longer smelled lol. I also went 2 days without wearing deodorant and didn’t smell at all. I know that could partially be contributed to doing this during cold winter like temperatures. At this point, I guess you could say this finalized my decision to stick with using the deodorant for the full month.
Week 4- I guess you can say the detox stage is over. I didn't notice any extreme smells, but I did have some sweating. I guess one thing to keep in mind is that the deodorant is not going to fully stop you from sweating. But the goal is to keep the area clean and reduce odor.
Will this switch be permanent or temporary?
I pretty much followed the recommendations that were provided by Kopari with the exception of reapplying. I do think reapplying would have probably caused the review to go a lot smoother. But as someone that is constantly on the go, having to reapply can be a pain in the neck, especially with a full size deodorant. For those I would recommend picking up the travel size as well. If I had the travel size, I wouldn’t have a problem with reapplying throughout the day when needed.
After doing the research for this review, I don’t think I’ll be going back to regular toxic deodorants. I do think testing out the deodorant during cooler temperatures helped the process go smoother. I will continue to use the deodorant along with doing light body scrubs to my underarms every couple of days until it’s finished. I am interested in seeing how my body responds to wearing it while working out and during the summer months.
I do think the process may be too much to handle for a lot of people. No one wants to takes the risk of smelling bad. Also keep in mind the cost is a little pricey. However, if you’re interested in committing and doing auto-replenish, the price would be $11.90 (along with free shipping). Kopari and other detailers that sell the deodorant like Sephora often offer small discounts, which would be a great time to restock.
Please let me know if you would like me to do a 2 or 3 month follow-up review. By that time the deodorant should be completely finished. I am open to exploring other natural deodorants. But since the Kopari deodorant is going well at this point I may end up repurchasing the full size along with the travel size.