A gentle look at the anecdotal-history of Potassium Alum

The Alum Stone (of Greek als, alos: Sall) is a double sulphate of potassium alum.

The Alum stone was considered an integral part of the Rituals of Beauty of the Middle East.

At present it is extracted in natural state in the quarries of Syria, Mexico, Phillipines and also in Spain. Natural deodorant is a renewable resource,a natural element present in our waterways in the air we breathe and in the food we eat.Remember this mineral has been available for our use since before the dinosaurs ......a long and spectacular history for this harmless little white crystal with very rapid solubility in water.Therefore I call it a safe gift from nature.Alum is the third most abundant element and composes 8 % of the earth´s crust.This means that we have a perfectly good deodorant without harming ourselves, planet or our water ways.

A solution for body odors (personnal hygiene) an obvious socio-historical concern,at a local level and a renewable resource.The Alum stone has been recognized as having antiseptic qualities ie mildly astringent, and therefore used in many topical applications.

Historical names of potassium Alum.

Phillipines...................................Tawas.

AYURVEDA(India)...................Sphatika,phitkari.

Traditional Chinese Medicine...............ming fan.

Thailand...................................Sarn-som.

INDIA CHINA(information garnered from wikipedia.)

Ayurveda describes sphatika as an astringent, haemostatic, antiseptic. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic and antibiotic properties. Sphatika’s use in treating tonsillitis has been referred in ancient Ayurvedic texts. The alum mineral has been used as a vaginal douch particularly in India and China. Has been used internally level for mouth wash and gargles, and for intimate personal hygiene.i.e. in bidets.The applications of the Alum Stone are incredible and numerous, may even be used like starch for ironing.Has definitely been used as a water-treatment tablet which will not harm local flora and fauna plant. etc, I have found this to work very well.

Alum has been used for water treatment by Indians for hundreds of years. Sphatika is used internally as well as externally. It is also a good douching agent.Alum in block form (usually potassium alum) is used as an aftershave, rubbed over the wet, freshly shaved face.

Styptic pencils containing aluminium sulfate or potassium aluminium sulfate are used as astringents to prevent bleeding from small shaving cuts.

The Magrebíes women also used it for firming bellies and breasts.

Information from Wikipedia has resulted in this charming little anecdote Alum was used as a base in skin whiteners and treatments during the late 16th Century. A recipe for one such compound was given thus : "For the Freckles which one getteth by the heat of the Sun: Take a little Allom beaten small, temper amonst it a well brayed white of an egg, put it on a milde fire, stirring it always about that it wax not hard, and when it casteth up the scum, then it is enough, wherewith anoint the Freckles the space of three dayes: if you will defend your self that you get no Freckles on the face, then anoint your face with the whites of eggs." —Christopher Wirzung, General Practise of Physicke, 1654. Please go to health page for information on deodorants Alum may be used in depilatory waxes used for the removal of body hair, or applied to freshly waxed skin as a soothing agent. In the 1950s, men sporting crewcut or flattop hairstyles sometimes applied alum to their hair as an alternative to pomade. When the hair dried, it would stay up all day.

I have personnally used it as a dry shampoo.(Only for those with greasy hair as it is very drying.)Alum's antibacterial properties contribute to its traditional use as an underarm deodorant.Today, potassium alum is sold commercially for this purpose as a "deodorant crystal,". Alum is used in many subunit vaccines as an adjuvant to enhance the body's response to immunogens. Such vaccines include hepatitis A, hepatitis B and DTaP. Alum in powder or crystal form, or in styptic pencils, is sometimes applied to cuts to prevent or treat infection. Powdered alum is commonly cited as a home remedy for canker sores.Alum is listed as an ingredient in some brands of toothpaste.Alum powder, found in the spice section of many grocery stores, may be used in pickling recipes as a preservative to maintain fruit and vegetable crispness. Alum is used as the acidic component of some commercial baking powders.