I have read quite a few other reviews of Burt’s Bees Herbal Deodorant Spray, both on Associated Content as well as other websites. Most of those reviews have not been favorable. After all, many of those whom reviewed the product were expecting it to prevent sweating. This product makes no claims to prevent sweating, in fact no products that are labeled as strictly deodorants are intended to keep your pits dry, they are supposed to either cover up odor or neutralize it. If you want to keep your armpits dry you will have to use an antiperspirant. Unfortunately, those products contain aluminum which can cause numerous health problems far worse than sweating or odor, so you have to weigh the costs with the benefits.
I had used Burt’s Bees Spray deodorant on my arm pits for about 2-3 years when I lived in Oregon. It’s pretty cool there most of the year so I didn’t have too many sweating or odor issues. Despite the fact that it kind of has a woodsy outdoors scent, I got numerous compliments on it. Both men and women commented that they liked the fragrance. Now that I live in Tucson Arizona, I can no longer use it for underarm deodorant, so I put my little bottle of Burt’s Bees away.
The Problem
One day while wearing my favorite brown Nike flip flops, I noticed a horrible smell coming from my feet. The smell was kind of like if you poured milk on a wet towel, wadded it up and let it sit in the hamper for a few days. But hold on now, it wasn’t my feet. I have never in my life had any kind of foot odor. I can wear boots in the middle of summer, run a mile, and my feet smell like they are fresh out of the shower.
It was those darn flip flops. I guess the type of rubber that they were made out of made them smell really bad when my feet would sweat. They were my favorite flip flops and I refused to part with them. I tried washing them by hand, and then in the washing machine. Sometimes I would wear them into the shower to clean them. Nothing worked. One day on a hot summer day while ridding in the car, my boyfriend commented that the air conditioner smelled ready musty. I explained to him that the smell was not coming from the air conditioner, but from my feet. I had been wearing these flip flops despite the fact that they smelled, hoping others wouldn’t notice that it was me…but they were starting to notice.
A Solution: New Use for My Retired Pit Deodorant
I couldn’t bare to part with my flip flops, after all, I had only had them a few months and they were the most comfortable pair of shoes I had ever worn. Since washing the flip flops didn’t solve the odor problem, I tried foot powders and foot sprays. Most of those products only worked for about an hour, and then the smelly flip flops were back.
One day while going thru my bathroom cabinet, I found that old spray bottle of Burt’s Bees Herbal Deodorant that I had brought with me from Oregon, but had since packed away. I decided to give it a try. I doused my flip flops with the spray and then proceeded to thoroughly cover my feet with it as well. I didn’t really expect it to work, nothing else had, but to my amazement it completely eliminated any sign of odor. I started spraying my flip flops with Burt’s deodorant every day before leaving the house. In addition to keeping my favorite flip flops odor free, it also kept my feet feeling cool and fresh all through the hot Arizona summer.
So, to make a long story short, Burt’s Bees saved my favorite sandals. I have sprayed them so many times, that now even if I forget to spray them once in a while they are still fresh and odor free. For me Burt’s Bees Herbal Deodorant should be labeled as a foot spray. I am addicted to using it on my feet; it keeps them cool and fresh no matter what shoes I’m wearing. My boyfriend tried it on his feet and he likes it too.
Price/ Availability
The bottle that I brought from Oregon to Arizona was the original 6 oz spray. A few weeks ago I went to the store to get another bottle and noticed that they now only carry a 4 oz bottle. If you can find the 6 oz it sells for about $10.00, the 4 oz is just over $7.00.
Ingredients
SD Alcohol 40-B (from yellow corn), water, salvia officinalis (sage) oil. Lavandin oil, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil.
Recommendation
I think all of Burt’s Bees Products are great, but since the Herbal Deodorant saved my flip flops, I have to say it’s one of the best products they make. What more can you ask for in a foot and shoe deodorant, it’s not tested on animals, and 99.92% natural.
