Many natural deodorants rely on baking soda because it neutralizes odor quickly. Baking soda works by raising the pH of the skin, making it harder for odor-causing bacteria to survive. While this can be effective in the short term, baking soda is highly alkaline and does not match the skin’s natural pH.
Healthy skin, including the underarm area, is naturally slightly acidic. This acidity supports the skin barrier and microbiome, which help protect against irritation, imbalance, and inflammation. When baking soda sits on the skin for extended periods, especially for an entire day, it can disrupt this delicate balance.
Over time, repeated exposure to highly alkaline ingredients may contribute to irritation, redness, darkening of the skin, sensitivity, or the feeling that a natural deodorant has stopped working. In many cases, the issue is not the deodorant itself, but the condition of the skin beneath it.
RESETTING THE UNDERARM SKIN
To support a healthy reset, we recommend using the Sacred Veil Mask as a gentle underarm paste once or twice a week.
Applied to clean underarms and left on briefly, the mineral-rich clays help draw out trapped bacteria, residue, and impurities from the surface of the skin. This process supports balance rather than stripping, allowing the skin to return to a calmer, more receptive state.
Think of this step as preparing the soil before planting. Balance comes first. Nourishment follows. When the skin is supported and balanced, it is better able to respond to gentle, non-alkaline deodorants such as Andronika’s Natural Deodorant, which works with the skin rather than overpowering it.
WHEN BAKING SODA IS APPROPRIATE
Baking soda is not inherently harmful. It is simply best suited for products that are rinsed off rather than left on the skin.
Baking soda works beautifully in bath soaks, bath bombs, and other wash-off products, where it can help soften water, neutralize odor, and cleanse without prolonged contact with the skin. In these applications, it does not disrupt the skin’s natural pH over time.
Understanding how and where ingredients are used is an important part of caring for the skin with intention.
A GENTLER APPROACH TO DAILY CARE
At Andronika, we believe daily care should support the skin’s natural intelligence rather than challenge it. Resetting the underarms periodically and choosing deodorants formulated without highly alkaline ingredients help keep the skin balanced, responsive, and comfortable.
This is not about forcing the body to behave differently. It is about listening, supporting, and working in relationship with the skin you inhabit.
SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL SOURCES
American Academy of Dermatology
Skin pH and the skin barrier
https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/skin-ph
National Institutes of Health
The skin microbiome and skin health
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3535073/
DermNet New Zealand
Contact irritation and alkaline substances
https://dermnetnz.org/topics/irritant-contact-dermatitis
