It’s Not Only What You Put In Your Body, but What You Put On Your Body with Ira Green

March 20, 2023

Our skin is our largest organ, so how we take care of it (and what we put on it) matters. When three close friends were diagnosed with breast cancer, Ira Green was inspired to make a change. It started as a reset for the products she was using in her life, opting for natural products where she could trust every ingredient. When she saw a gap in the market for a natural deodorant that actually worked, she left her job in finance to found Freedom All-Natural Deodorant. This week’s episode of Lift U Up: Inspiring Health Stories includes Ira’s story through entrepreneurship, what she learned from her research of topical products we use every day, and how she is handling her own breast cancer diagnosis with strength. 

From Finance to Freedom

Ira Green’s first career served her well. She spent her days running a financial firm, and as a finance nerd she enjoyed the work and the money she made. She never expected to make such a big shift in her career, but when three of her friends were diagnosed with breast cancer she was inspired to make a change. As she supported her friends through treatment and chemotherapy, she learned exactly how important it was to pay attention to the things we put on our body, and not just in it. She researched what it meant to use natural products and what ingredients to avoid to take the best care of ourselves. She says that soaps and lotions were easy to find swaps for, but she had a hard time finding a natural deodorant that worked well, felt luxurious, and had only the right ingredients. 

Healthy, Not Stinky

Not only did Ira see a need for a natural deodorant that worked, she felt the call to bring one to market herself. She dove into research, testing, and development and brought to life Freedom All-Natural Deodorant with the tagline “Be healthy, not stinky.” In this journey, Ira learned a lot about what makes “regular” deodorants less than desirable. She educates us on the difference between organic and natural, that an antiperspirant is actually classified as a drug by the FDA, and what those facts mean for our health. Ira started her company not just for herself, but for her three daughters and the millions of women in future generations to be more conscious of the products they are using on their body.  

A Personal Fight

In 2022, even more changed for Ira with her own breast cancer diagnosis at age 48. She spent her days advocating for other women until she got that call from her doctor and truly realized that a diagnosis could happen to anyone. Though she wasn’t high risk in the traditional ways, she learned that 1 in 8 women are diagnosed. After Ira’s diagnosis she was grateful for not only what she had learned from starting her business, but also from her network of support that stepped up when she needed it. 

Looking ahead, Ira is passionate about getting more people healthier one armpit at a time. 

What else can you expect in this episode?

  • Ira’s positive outlook and the high survival rate of breast cancer cases. 
  • Just how many products we are putting on our bodies each day (and how quickly that number adds up!)
  • What habits can fuel breast cancer (like diet and stress levels)
  • Where to start when swapping to natural products. 

Where to find Ira Green and Freedom All-Natural Deodorant: