The Odyssey of Bad Odour.. 

Armpit odour is one of the biggest social evils , is it not? If one emanates bad odour, one can loose friends, good clients and even love .. what not ? For me the Arm Pit odour was always irritating from my college days. I tried various deodrants and finally settled with Talcum Powder to fight with it. There were instances people pointed out the bad odour even when I used to dose them everyday with Talcum powder. The talcum powder basically block sweat pores, gives fragrance for sometime and finally forms a cake - resulting irritation and further bad odour by the evening. 

Discovery of Alum

In my search for a proper working (natural) deodrant, I once came across the use of Alum as deodrant. Even though skeptical , I started on one fine day (may be muhurat bhal was strong and good that time) and was using for almost 5 years since then. 

Alum is a type of chemical compound, usually a hydrated double sulfate salt of aluminium and minerals like Potassium , Sodium etc. Generally Alum refers to potash Alum with the formula KAl(SO 4) 2·12H 2O. If you are new to chemistry , don't worry - It is just that Shaving alum which was used as after shave in India for eons (since when ? - no idea). Before the advent of Aftershave - all Hair Saloons used to use Alum as Aftershave block (ofcourse same one for all customers ).  

Alum is astringent and basic antiperspirant and was used in variuos countries. Alum is used in our deodorants for its antibacterial properties, which helps to inhibit the growth of bacteria on the skin. It is the bacteria which causes the bad smell.  However with advent of somany deodrants - Alum was somewhere lost. 

After my discovery of Alum as deodrant, I had done some basic research and believed it will be very effective. In Tamilnadu it is called Padigaaram - costing around 20 ruppess for one block. What they sell may be artifical alum - but doesn't matter and it is ok - it does the work well. It took sometime to find the shops selling it - In tamilnadu Shops selling herbs are called Natu Kadai - and in these shops on can find this. It is available everywhere in India. However if you are not able to get , you have to buy online. ( may be it may cost more online)

How to Use? Results -

Just after bath , wash the alum in running water and rub the wet alum in your Arm Pit like a deodrant. After that just wash the alum and store it in a dry place - Thats all. Haula !!! It worked. As I started using the Alum - I never had the problem of Bad odour. And more over it doesn't block any sweat pores. You still sweat - but not the bad odour. 

Some suggest using alternate days - but I use daily. No side effects - as I was using for almost five years now. May be people with sensitive skin can have some irritation. 

Some say of health effects with use of Alum - even breast cancer (but no conclusive evidence till now). But one thing to note is Alum is being used in India for Years - atleast by Men ... 

For me -- it is one of the Greatest discoveries - which saved me from that annoying bad odours.