How to Make Your Own Natural Deodorant
Make your own deodorant with these natural products. (Photo: Trunk Archive/Ilan Rubin)
Whether you’re sweating it out in spin class or before giving a big presentation, unsightly wet marks and odors emanating from your armpits are never welcome; but neither are some of the dangers from using conventional deodorant. Don’t sweat it! We’ve got a natural alternative to your favorite stick that not only keeps you smelling fresh, but can eventually train your body to sweat less.
Why natural? Your body has a system to process chemicals and toxins that make their way into our body through food, pollution, and other means, and sweating is one of the major ways that the body is able to flush out those toxins. If we’re using conventional deodorant that includes an antiperspirant, then we’re preventing our body from doing it’s job.
And if we aren’t sweating out those toxins, they go right to the lymph system, which protects our bodies from infection. The lymph system catches all the toxins and flushes them out through our pits, so blocking that process with a bunch of chemicals is no bueno.
According to the Environmental Working Group, there are many ingredients in conventional deodorants and antiperspirants that can cause allergic reactions including aluminum, fragrance, parabens, triclosan, silica, steareth, propylene glycol, and talc.
So what’s a sweaty soul to do? Make your own natural deodorant, of course! Here’s my recipe:
DIY deodorant ingredients:
¼ cup coconut oil
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons baking soda
20 drops of essential oils of your choice (I personally recommend lavender, verbena, or tea tree)
Directions:
Melt your coconut oil if it’s in solid form. You can do this over a double boiler, or put it in a mason jar and place it in a pot of hot water until melted.
Mix in the corn starch and baking soda.
Mix in the essential oil.
Transfer to a small glass container or muffin tin while still liquid, or you can spoon it into an old deodorant container after letting it harden a bit for 20 minutes and then let it harden overnight with the cap off.
If you put it in a glass container you can scoop it out and apply by hand. If you let it harden in a muffin tin, you can pop it out and rub the bar under your armpits like you would a deodorant stick.
This recipe will last about 2 -3 months depending on usage.
A few things to consider:
This isn’t antiperspirant, which stops the body’s natural ability to sweat. But after a while of using natural deodorant your body will produce less sweat.
If a rash develops, it may be a reaction from the baking soda. You can always leave it out and up the amount of cornstarch instead.
If you notice stains on your shirt, then you may have to wait a few minutes before putting on clothes due to the essential oils transferring to your skin.
If it’s taking a while to harden, try throwing it in the fridge for a few hours — this will speed up the process.
If you’re used to constantly dry armpits and have no idea what your body naturally smells like, it might take a few days to adjust. But just remind yourself of the health benefits of not blocking your body from detoxing naturally, and know that the hottie on the treadmill next to you is more interested in your smile than your sweat.
Related:
Deodorant and Antiperspirant Literally Change the Bacteria That’s in Our Armpits
