Thursday, August 14, 2014

Lush Aromaco and The Greeench Review


Hello Glams and Geeks! Welcome back to the blog! In today’s post, I will be talking about my experience with trying out two natural deodorants that I purchased from Lush, Aromaco and The Greeench, as well as share with you some information that I learned about switching to natural deodorants. If you are considering going natural or trying out deodorants from Lush, this post will make your transition an easy one!

For a while, I have contemplated switching to natural deodorant, but had some concerns that always held me back, such as “Will it last all day?” “Will it keep me smelling fresh?” “Will it hold out during vigorous activity or in humid weathers?” Naturally, these are just some of the concerns that can arise, that may make someone new to this change, a bit hesitant. So, to help make this transition an easy one, I took to the internet to do some research to find a natural deodorant that is affordable, effective, and durable enough to meet my needs. While many options came up, the ones that really seemed to work well for many people are the Lush deodorants. They are reasonably priced (with the exception of their Dirty Body Spray - $19.95), ranging from $6.95 to $10.95. They offer various forms of deodorants, such as bars, powders, and sprays, so there are plenty of options! Their scents are very unique and earthy, making them wearable for both men and women. They are also vegan and made with natural and safe synthetic ingredients, making them safer than commercial deodorants, which include Aluminum, Parabens, and other harmful ingredients.


When I went to my local Lush store, I spoke with a sales associate who was very helpful, and I was given some great information that definitely came in handy during my trial of their deodorants. First, we spoke about why you should NOT use an antiperspirant. Anything that blocks the lymph nodes from excreting toxins from the body is very harmful for you. It prevents the body from balancing your PH levels and hormone functions, and can lead to a disruption in certain body processes such as your menstrual cycle. It can also result in the development of cancer in the body, such as breast cancer, or lymph node cancer, due to the antiperspirant ingredients trapping those toxins directly into the gland.
Next, we spoke about some possibilities that CAN occur during the first few weeks of switching to natural deodorant. I was informed that it takes the body anywhere from 14-21 days to naturally detox itself, pushing out any harmful elements from the body through your pores and underarms. It was recommended to me by the Lush associate, to allow my body to fully push through this period, to really see how the product works for me after toxin-elimination. During this process, it is possible that the skin may become irritated, possibly inflamed or chafe. In some cases, this may not be a worrisome issue, as it can be treated with Benadryl or A&D ointment (preferably applied at bedtime), and will go away within a few days. In others, if irritation continues after 7-10 days with the application of the ointments, I suggest discontinuing use of the product immediately! If irritation occurs, or worsens, it is possible you may have experienced an allergic reaction to the products, and should seek medical attention to properly care for your rash.

Lastly, I was informed that should I ever decide to switch back to using a regular deodorant, to ensure that it is just a deodorant and NOT an antiperspirant, as you want to allow your body to continue filtering out toxins as it did with the natural deodorant. I recommend researching some deodorizing alternatives that are free in any harmful ingredients, including, but not limited to Aluminum.



Now that you know what to expect, how to handle a rash should one occur, and what to do in the event of discontinued-use, let’s talk a bit about both Aromaco and The Greeench.





Aromaco is a deodorizing bar, which smells of patchouli oil and feels very moisturizing on the skin. Containing a total of 8 ingredients, this bar is said to be the gentlest deodorant offered by Lush, and includes Witch Hazel, Chamomile Vinegar, and Patchouli oil to help keep you smelling and feeling fresh all day long.
Because this is a wax-like bar, it is important to know that it doesn’t feel quite like a traditional deodorant. You will rub it on the same way, but rather than it transferring a cream-like product to your skin, it is coating the skin with a sheer layer of oils to keep the skin soft and lightly scented. This may cause chafing beneath the arms, so be sure to refer to the information provided above to know what should be expected. Also, because of the wax-like feel, this bar may tend to harden on the surface. Do not worry, as this is a quick fix! I urge you not to shave the edges, as this was recommended by multiple people online and by the employees at Lush. Simply use a towel, preferably one that will not be used on your face or body (try a paper towel, for example), and rub the hardened parts against the towel to remove the hard layer, and to shave off only what is necessary. This will help preserve the amount of product, and is much easier and safer than shaving it with a knife.



The Greeench is a deodorizing powder, which smells like a perfect blend of herbs, including Sage, Thyme oil, Tea Tree Oil, and Rosemary. When applied, this delivers a refreshing, minty-tingle to the skin, leaving you feeling cool and clean and dry throughout the day.
Because this is a powder, this may be a little messy to apply. I recommend storing the product in a box or container to preserve it, and purchasing a powder puff to make applying it an easier, neater process.



Throughout my trial period, I must say I really loved the light yet rich scent of Aromaco. It is a very clean fragrance, which really held up to all of my daily activities, including working out. Not once did I ever feel or smell bad. In fact, I felt that because it was oil-based, it held up better than any commercial deodorant I have used in the past. Now, here is where things took an unfortunate turn for me. After about two weeks of using this, I was very happy with it and was so excited that I actually found such a great natural deodorant. During my second week of using this, I began to notice darkening underneath my arms. I didn’t feel any irritation nor did I notice any inflammation, so I continued to use it. As this is a wax-like bar (same consistency of soy-candle wax, yet much softer upon application), I figured the rubbing of the bar was creating this darkness on my skin. I read some reviews on Google, and learned that this is normal during any transition from Aluminum-based deodorant to a natural one, so I dismissed the issue. A few days later, I began noticing that my skin was starting to chafe horribly, becoming red around the darkened areas and developed some dry patches. I stopped all use of it immediately, using only The Greeench powder instead. After discontinuing use, there is still some darkness, and some redness under my arms, as well as extreme irritation and sensitivity. I have continued to treat my skin with A & D ointment, and use The Greeench on its own.


When I began this trial, I spent one week using both deodorants paired together. I noticed that when they are used together, they provide maximum strength, Aromaco acting as the base and scent, while The Greeench kept me dry. Together, they created the perfect blend for me. The second week, I used Aromaco on its own, and was pleased with how it held up in regards to fighting odor. I didn’t experience any moisture other than that provided by the oils in Aromaco, nor did I feel sweaty, unless I was exercising or outdoors for long periods of time. The third week, I used The Greeench on its own. While I did notice that this kept me dry throughout the day, I felt the need to reapply this at varying times as this is great for keeping moisture at bay, but not for fighting odor. Because this is a sheer powder, it works great with something as a base to hold it in place all day. I plan to use this as an at-home deodorant, or whenever I know I won’t be doing any extreme activity.
Although my experience was bittersweet with trying these deodorants, I want to mention that despite my rash, I did really like both Aromaco and The Greeench. I do not want my experience to discourage anyone from personally trying either one, as everyone is different, and I believe I may have experienced an allergic reaction to the ingredients or that my sensitive skin could not adapt to the rubbing whenever I applied the Aromaco bar. I recommend when trying both products, to definitely observe your skin and be cautious of any signs or symptoms of irritation. I also suggest reading reviews online to see if there are other deodorants from their store that seem more suitable and are to your liking. I thank you so much for taking the time to read my Lush review and wish everyone giving this a try a wonderful experience. If you do give them a try, let me know here on the blog, or leave a comment on Instagram (@TheGlamGeekConfessional).








2 comments:

  1. I had some darkening in my underarms after the 2nd week of using aromaco. It worries me a little because I've never had this issue before. How did you go about that?

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    1. Hello! Sorry for the super delayed response! I have been on a hiatus and am now getting back to my blog, and responding to commenters. When I experienced the breakout with Aromaco, at first, I pushed through it. I continued use for about a week, as I was told by one of the sales associates at my local Lush that that would happen, and that it was normal. To push through it, as that was my body releasing the toxins and harmful ingredients from my previous deodorant. It wasn't until my skin became irritated, in addition to darkened, that I discontinued use. I noticed the skin became lighter after about 2 weeks of discontinuation. It will get better overtime! There are some great skin lightening recipes online if you are still experiencing any darkening underneath your arms. Anything with lemon will be good as the citrus is a natural lightener :)

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