Where I got it
I was sent this for review from the lovely people at Kiriwai. I am not really a deodorant person because I don’t really have a problem with sweating and odour from my underarms, but with summer coming up, I do want to keep my underarm area smelling fresh. I saw their Instagram page and I was really intrigued by a natural deodorant paste. It’s not in a stick form or a spray form, but it comes in a glass jar and it contains moisturising ingredients like Shea butter and coconut oil. Anyway, more about the product below, but you can buy these from their website www.kiriwai.com or some stockists mainly in the Hawkes Bay area. They do offer free shipping if you spend over $18.00 which is the price of one jar. Also comes in unscented and Lime & Litsea.
Kiriwai Natural Deodorant
What I got
This is a 57g jar of the Kiriwai Natural Deodorant in the scent Peppermint and Eucalyptus. from the kiriwai.com website: Traditional antiperspirants use aluminium and other toxic ingredients to block your sweat ducts, stopping your body from sweating. That’s pretty harsh considering sweat doesn’t actually smell. Body odour is only formed when sweat reacts with bacteria on the skin.
Kiriwai Natural Deodorants work differently. The blend of mineral and plant-based ingredients, such as magnesium & activated charcoal, stop this process from taking place. They also absorb moisture, but as with any natural deodorant, because you’re still sweating, some wetness is to be expected.
What’s more, you won’t find baking soda, a common irritant found in most natural deodorants, on the ingredient list. Baking soda is very alkaline and the reason lots of people react to natural deodorant. This means they’re suitable for sensitive skin and may be applied straight after shaving.
The essential oil of the Eucalyptus Dives tree (Peppermint Eucalyptus) is a natural deodoriser. It combines the therapeutic benefits of Eucalyptus with refreshing, bright peppermint notes.
Kiriwai Natural Deodorant
How I find it
This is my first time using a natural deodorant and in this paste form as well. With my first try, the formula was a lot harder than I expected it to be. I was expecting this to be like a softer paste/cream, but I needed to use a little plastic spatula to scoop the product out (just a small pea size) and just warm it up between my fingers by rubbing and then I apply it directly to my underarm area. The paste has a slightly blue-toned grey hue to it and once it is warmed up, you can feel the oils coming in and it is easier to spread.
The product goes onto the skin with an almost clay-like mattifying effect which is quite interesting. It is best to not use too much at a time because the product might bunch up and be too thick on the skin. You really have to use it a couple times to really get the hang of how much to use and how melted the product gets between your fingers before you apply it to your underarm area.
Before melting
After melting between my fingers
Overall
First things first, a deodorant does not stop you from sweating, so using this you will still sweat but the ingredients in this formula would help to stop odour from forming when sweat and bacteria come together. This natural deodorant paste is definitely something new for me and bearing in mind that the good ingredients it has and the nasty products that it does not have, I feel confident that I am doing something good for my skin and body.
Applied to the skin with hints of grey and bits of charcoal
It does take a few uses to get the hang of it (the rubbing, melting and applying with fingertips) and it is not as convenient as conventional spray-on deodorant, but I like how the scent is subtle and not aggressive. As I said, I don’t really have an issue with body odour, so I always avoid any deodorant that has a strong fragrance that attempts to mask any odour I have on my body. I think the worse scent is the smell of body odour mixed with a strong fragrance that tries to mask or overpower each other.
This jar will last me at least a year and I think that will still be safe to use. The jar packaging is the best packaging for this type of formula and I think this will be great for travel as it won’t melt in the car or in your bag, only thing would be that if it comes in a smaller little jar so it is less bulky, that would be great. I would love to see any floral fragrance or something like a powdery fresh fragrance.
