This is something I’m pretty excited to share with you all; homemade deodorant! And yes, it actually works!
First, let’s look at ingredients to avoid in deodorant:
- Aluminum
- Parabens (methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl) which are derived from toulene.
- Triclosan
- Talc
- Phthalates
- Propylene glycol
- Silica
- Steareth-n
You can read more on that here, here and here. These ingredients are all considered toxic in some way. Remember, we absorb up to 60% of what we put on our skin! I’m not going into the details of why you should avoid these ingredients because opinions vary but there is a ton of easy to find information out there. 🙂
You can, of course, find safer deodorants in stores as well. I was using Tom’s of Maine for a while but wasn’t 100% happy with the ingredients (it contains aluminum and talc). If you don’t want to DIY I’d recommend brands like these. EWG is also a great website for finding safer products!
So here is the recipe I’m currently using along with a few options so you can customize it to your personal liking. Keep in mind that this is a deodorant not an anti-persperant. This deodorant really does last me all day. I re-apply it after a workout but I do that with all deodorants. Still, it lasts through the workout and even after a 6 mile run my pits were still smelling fresh! The scent fades overtime but still prevents any BO issues.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp Coconut oil, softened
1/4 cup Baking soda (aluminum free)
1/4 cup Cornstarch or arrowroot powder
10-15 drops of Essential oils (tea tree, lavender, sage, peppermint, clove, sandlewood etc)
3 or so drops of Vitamin E oil
Glass jar or empty deodorant container
Combine all of your ingredients in a bowl and mix until fully combined. It will start to stick together. It should feel tacky but not be runny or super sticky. I used a butter knife to pack it into a used deodorant stick which I then let sit for a day to harden up some. You can also put it in a glass jar and apply it with your fingers. I’ve done both.
For my current batch the only essential oil I had on hand was tea tree oil so I used about 10 drops of that but next time I will add another just to give it a more complex scent. Also, some oils like clove are said to have natural anti perspiring qualities so they are a great choice. I also used a vitamin E mix which has other natural oils in it as well. If you use that, you may want to add an extra tbsp of cornstarch/arrowroot powder so that your mixture isn’t too wet (I did).
Other notes: I do find that this deodorant is a bit softer than others, due to the coconut oil. I store mine in the bathroom without any problems but I wouldn’t leave this in a sunny spot or it may melt some. It is a white deodorant not a clear one so be mindful when applying it as it can leave white marks on your clothing (although I have found they remove quite easily with water unlike some others). Also, I don’t recommend applying it immediately after shaving as it may cause some irritation/burning.
I hope you enjoyed this post and if you give it a try, let me know! I’d love to hear what oils you use.
