In the world of deodorants and men’s skin care products, Axe has become a household name.
The company is well known for its body wash products.
But now, Axe has branched out into deodorants, as well as a number of other specific skin care offerings.
Let’s focus on deodorants.
Axe has taken some heat for the company’s use of chemicals in these products.
So, let’s sort out which ones are safe and which ones are more problematic.
And then, we’ll also answer another important question—is Axe deodorant good for your skin?
Toxic vs Safe Ingredients
The good news about Axe deodorants is that the company features many offerings that are free of aluminum, paragons and dyes.
Aluminum especially has been flagged in the deodorant world as being unsafe. So, it’s reassuring that Axe has chosen to eliminate it from its product roster.
But what about the rest of that roster?
Before we get into the specifics, let’s talk about which ingredients we’re going to discuss and evaluate.
In addition to aluminum Zirconium Tetracholorohydrex Gly, the candidates include Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Distearate, Talc, PPG-14 Butyl Ether, hydrogenated castor oil and butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT).
Some of those ingredients are quite a mouthful. And while they may not be dangerous, they’re definitely not natural.
PPG-14 Butyl Ether is a petroleum-based product that’s designed to make the deodorant easier to apply.
And several other ingredients in the above list are included to help stabilize the chemical mix in Axe products.
There is an exception, however.
To Axe’s credit, the company also makes a product called Axe Black that’s aluminum-free, although it does contain some of the same chemical stabilizers that were listed earlier.
The other major concern with Axe products is the use of benzene, which is a known carcinogen.
Axe’s aerosol products were part of a recall that included the likes of Dove, Old Spice and Secret, with the recall based on benzene contamination.
In addition, while Axe is generally free of parabens, these are present in other Axe products.
These are included to limit bacteria growth over the shelf life of the products.
And while they’ve been around since the 1950s, it is slightly concerning that Axe’s philosophy about their inclusion isn’t exactly consistent.
Not to mention the fact that the company’s spray deodorants have been rated as being moderate to high health hazards.
The Verdict: Safe or Toxic?
So is Axe safe? Given the presence of several potentially toxic ingredients, it’s hard to answer that question with a definitive “yes.”
Axe is skirting a fine line when it comes to the ingredients in its deodorants.
And there are definitely better options if you’re willing to go with a product that relies on natural ingredients.