Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsNice, but not without its limitations.
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2014
This is a decent item, with drawbacks. I was originally introduced to alum when I started wet shaving the with a DE razor about 5 years ago. It works well for razor burn, and then I discovered it can also be used for a natural deodorant. This intrigued me, because I have sensitive skin and found that anti-perspirants caused irritation. I was usually able to find just a plain deodorant without anti-perspirant, but over the past few years they are becoming more scarce. So, I used an old shaving alum block for a while, until it started to break apart, then began the search for a specific alum deodorant and was recommended this.
First, let me say, it does not work as well as chemical deodorants. If you have a lot of body odor, you'll find yourself applying this several times a day. Fortunately, I've never been all that "stinky," so I can get away with twice a day, whereas a chemical deodorant I would generally only have to apply once after a shower in the morning. I find having to apply the Crystal after morning AND evening shower, otherwise it will not last. So, be forewarned, if you're expecting it to perform exactly like your chemical deodorant that you are giving up, it won't.
Next, although not necessarily the fault of the product, the application of it is cumbersome. You have to "wet" the stick before application, but the problem is, when you wet it and apply it, water drips out of the bottom of the applicator and usually goes all over you, so don't try to apply it while you're wearing clothes. Giving yourself a quick "touch-up" like you do with chemical deodorants under your shirt is impossible with this type of product. Aside from that, the stick is somewhat "loose" inside the applicator and has trouble maintaining its position, and does wobble a bit. Not a deal breaker, but be aware.
All in all, though, I'm a big fan of natural and holistic remedies. It's worth the negatives, for me, not just for that, but for the fact that I no longer suffer from any irritation or "itching" under the arms from chemical anti-perspirants. I deducted one start for the terrible applicator, and another star for just the nature of its effectiveness. There is a reason chemical deodorants were developed, and they DO work better than this, so if you have no problems with your gel stick, or whatever, this is definitely NOT better. I promise if the deodorants on the market didn't irritate me like they do, I'd still be using them.
EDIT: If you read the comment by Arthur (below), he speaks some good sense. I recently took a trip to the local drug store chain (that starts with a "C") and found this deodorant on the shelf, for slightly more money, but it was the Potassium Alum version. If you order it from here, chances are you'll get the Ammonium Alum version. Now, using the Potassium Alum version, I'm getting much better results in the form of longer-lasting odor protection (though still NOT as long-lasting as a chemical deodorant). So, my advice to you is to find this stuff at a local pharmacy, and make sure it's the Potassium Alum version. Learn from my mistake.
