All-Natural Homemade Deodorant

41

homemade natural deodorant

I know what you’re thinking – “What? I am NOT ditching my Secret or Dove or Degree deodorant for anything!” To which I would respond, “Yes, but it’s so easy! Plus, you avoid some pretty terrible stuff in those commercial products.”

What kind of terrible stuff am I talking about? Well, one thing is parabens; another is a little something called aluminum zirconium, and although the link between aluminum and breast cancer is “inconclusive”, I’m going to go ahead and err on the side of caution on this one. How many times have we been lied to by the big corporations about a product that was marketed as being completely safe, when in fact, it most certainly was not safe at all? Tobacco, lead, mercury, fluoride, aspartame and MSG, to name  a few…

Apparently, it’s the antiperspirant that’s in your deodorant stick that’s the culprit here. The aluminum salts in antiperspirant (not deodorant) actually enter your pores and expand to block your sweat glands; they’re also absorbed into your body and broken down, releasing the aluminum. The aluminum in deodorant, on the other hand, just sits in a thin layer on your skin, preventing the growth of bacteria so you don’t take on the bad smells of their waste products.

Making deodorant was one of the first things I tried when I began my journey to green; but before I decided to make the switch, I tried what felt like 100 other “natural” alternatives: Tom’s of Maine, the crystal rock, JASON, etc. And as much as I tried to convince myself that they were getting the job done, I knew I was lying to myself. They always left me feeling either too sticky, too smelly, or just plain uncomfortable.

So here’s my recipe for the best natural deodorant you’ll ever try!

homemade natural deodorant

You need just four ingredients: coconut oil, baking soda, corn starch (or arrowroot powder), and essential oils (optional).

Some people have sensitivities to the corn starch, so arrowroot powder is an alternative. For the essential oils, I like to use lavender (yes, I use it for everything, it seems), but you could also use tea tree oil, and some have used sage for a male version. Just use what makes you happy. :)

homemade deodorant

Short list of ingredients

First, mix together the baking soda and cornstarch.

homemade deodorant

Baking soda and cornstarch mixture

Then, add the coconut oil and mash it into the baking soda/cornstarch mixture until you have a creamy paste.

homemade deodorant

Creamy paste texture

Add in your essential oils. Then, spoon the mixture into the deodorant stick.

homemade deodorant

This is what it looked like before smoothing it…

Put in the fridge to harden, where you’ll store it, because coconut oil melts at room temperature.

homemade deodorant

And here is the final product!

That’s it! That was just 4 ingredients and 5 steps! If you have some leftover, just put it in a small container with a lid. You can melt it down later to refill your stick. Just remember to keep the deodorant in the fridge so it doesn’t melt! I know it sounds weird, but once you try this deodorant, you won’t care what anyone thinks of your weird deodorant in the fridge. :)

Note for those who shave underarms: Because shaving causes your hair follicles to temporarily become inflamed, applying deodorant right after shaving is usually not a good idea. Even this homemade version can cause some irritation (I think it might be the baking soda). So for the first day after shaving, if I’m staying home, I usually don’t put any deodorant. But if I’m going out, I just rub some organic coconut oil under my arms to helps soothe the area and provide at least some minimal deodorant protection. :)

EDIT: A reader has altered the recipe a bit and shared it here for others to try (thanks, Lynn!): “3/8 cup of corn strach, 1/8 cup baking soda, 2 tablespoons of melted shea butter, and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. After the oils set, this made for very firm deodorant which should be safe at room temperature for most summer days. If you or any of your readers wish to try this variation please bear in mind shea butter has a “nutty” scent to it so you may wish to add some essential oil if you’re not a big nut fan.”

Where can you buy essential oils? You can find them at any health food store that sells natural and organic products. If you can’t find a store near you, you can always purchase them online. Mountain Rose Herbs has really good quality oils – love them!

Mountain Rose Herbs. A herbs, health and harmony c
 

Natural, Homemade Deodorant  
 
4 ingredients is all you need for this natural, homemade alternative!
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup baking Soda
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch (or arrowroot powder, if allergic)
  • 4 tbsp. organic unrefined coconut oil
  • 5 drops of essential oil (optional) – [Lavender (women) and Sage (men) are especially nice]
  • An empty, clean deodorant stick
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, mix together the baking soda and cornstarch.
  2. Add the coconut oil (one tablespoon at a time) and mash with a fork into the baking soda/cornstarch mixture until you have a creamy paste.
  3. If adding essential oils, do so at this time.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the deodorant stick. After each spoonful or 2, twist the stick down to make room for more deodorant. When it’s full, smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
  5. Store in fridge to prevent melting.
 

 

[tssig]

*affiliate links included in this post

 

Sarah UmmYousef

Sarah UmmYousef is a former school teacher turned stay-at-home wife and mama with a passion for all things simple, natural, and homemade. She loves the natural world, and believes the solutions to many of the world’s ailments lie in nature. Her blog, , began as a way to document her family’s journey to a greener home, but has since become a thriving community and resource for those wishing to take small steps towards a more eco-friendly, natural and sustainable lifestyle. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Tagged: , , , ,