Homemade Deodorant

You don't have to be tied to toxic commercial deodorants or expensive natural deodorants. There are many healthy, budget-friendly options for making your own deodorant. Start taking control of your budget and your health today with these recipes. 

Before covering homemade deodorant options, let's talk health and why it might be a good idea to switch your deodorant if you are using a non-natural option. Commercial deodorants can be laden with numerous objectionable ingredients including artificial fragrances (chemicals) and aluminum (if you are using an antiperspirant/deodorant combination), which is found in abundance in Alzheimer patients. Because your skin is porous, it can absorb whatever you put on it. Furthermore, antiperspirants can block your pores, impairing one of the pathways your body uses to get rid of waste (through sweat). Some ingredients in deodorants can trigger an allergic reaction, causing rashes and/or swelling of the lymph nodes under the arm.

Many natural health providers are now saying that underarm odor is tied to magnesium deficiency. If this is true, one simple way to address underarm odor would be to address to a potential magnesium deficiency. In addition, keeping to a clean diet and making sure you detox your body will likely help as well.

With all of the above in mind, some people choose to not use deodorant. After an initial transition phase when they claim there is an odor as their skin detoxes from years of deodorant use, they notice little to no underarm smell when going deodorant free. We have tried this method and found that it actually works. Of all the deodorant options, this is by far the most frugal! 

If this method is not for you, however, have no fear. There are many clean deodorant options out there that will not block your pores, add to your toxin load, or drive up your grocery budget. One option we have used is the healing salve we make. A light application is all that was needed. It helped with odor, which is no surprise since several of the ingredients have antibacterial/antimicrobial properties, and moisturized the skin. 

Here are three recipes we have had on hand for several years for homemade deodorants. Keep in mind when changing to a natural deodorant that you want to give yourself a couple of weeks to decide if it works for you. It sometimes takes at least this long for your body to adjust, especially if you have been using commercial products. Remember that these are deodorant recipes, not antiperspirant recipes. Thus, they will help control odor, but will not block your pores or keep you from sweating.

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Paste Deodorant

This is a quick and easy recipe to make. It was cold in the house when I made it, so after working in the coconut oil, I put the metal bowl on a burner at the lowest temperature just until the oil softened. It then blended beautifully and was easy to pour into the jar. I was surprised by the silky smooth feel it has when you apply it. I used approximately 7 T of coconut oil and 10 drops of tea tree. These proportions gave the paste a noticeable tea tree fragrance that was not overpowering.

Ingredients:

• ¼ c. baking soda

• ¼ c. cornstarch or arrowroot powder

• 6 T coconut oil (you can use as much as 8 T)

• 5-15 drops Tea Tree Oil (optional)

Directions:

• Combine baking soda and cornstarch.

• Work in the coconut oil. 

• If desired, add tea tree oil, which has natural antibacterial properties. 

• Store in a small glass jar.

To use, rub a small amount on underarms.

Notes:

You can adjust the amount of coconut oil if you want a moister product.

Keep in mind that coconut oil will become liquid at warmer temperatures, so feel free to keep this in the refrigerator.

Solid Deodorant

Ingredients:

• 4 heaping T grated beeswax (or beeswax pellets)

• 2 T shea butter

• 10 T cocoa butter

• ¼ c. cornstarch or arrowroot powder

• ¼ c. baking soda

• 10 drops tea tree essential oil (optional)

• 5 drops natural vitamin E oil (optional)

• 15-20 drops other essential oil (for fragrance - be sure it is safe to use topically)

You will also need:

• 2-3 empty deodorant tubes (or you can use toilet paper tubes)

Directions:

• Melt beeswax in a double boiler. Add shea butter and cocoa butter. Heat just until melted. Stir occasionally.

• Remove from heat and add cornstarch and baking soda. Stur until the lumps are gone and the texture is smooth.

• Add vitamin E oil and essential oils until well mixed.

• Pour into deodorant tubes and let sit for a few hours before adding the caps. The mixture will settle, so you will want to fill them to the top.

This will be softer than store-bought deodorant and may fall off if you twist it up too much. It should stay solid at room temperature, but you can store it in the refrigerator (this may be a good idea if you live in a warm climate).

Spray Deodorant

I watched a video on how a costume  keeps ballet uniforms fresh from one day to the next when there is no time to have them dry cleaned in between performances. She used a vodka spray on the leotards and tutus to keep bacteria from growing. Here is a recipe for a deodorant spray you can mix to get similar results on your underarm.

Ingredients:

• Everclear or 100 proof vodka

• Tea tree oil (optional, use a ratio of 10 drops per 1 oz. of alcohol)

You will also need:

• Small refillable spray bottle

Directions:

• Pour the alcohol into the spray bottle. 

• Add essential oils and shake gently to mix. 

• Spray under your arms for protection against odor caused by bacteria.