Here's what you need:
- 4 Tbsp. baking soda
- 4 Tbsp. arrowroot flour
- 6 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 tsp. essential oil of your choice (optional)
Make sure your coconut oil is liquid by placing it in warm water for a couple of minutes and be sure to stir it. Then, add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix together. Pour the mixture into a small container of your choice, or you can pour it into an empty deodorant container. However, if you do that, keep it in the fridge because the coconut oil may liquify in a warm room. A plastic 1/2 cup container with a lid was perfect for me.
You can also use cornstarch instead of arrowroot, but other people preferred arrowroot, so that's what I used. You can also add some essential oil of your choice. WARNING: The first time I made this deodorant, I dribbled in some lime essential oil. I didn't even think about how it might have been a bad idea because it might sting if I have little unknown nicks after shaving. That's exactly what happened, and my left armpit was always burning, itchy, and red. I did some research and found out that lime oil can irritate your skin enough to cause hives, which is what I think happened to me. If I try to add an oil again, I might try something calming like lavender.
To apply, dip your fingertips into the deodorant and rub into your underarms until fully absorbed. If your deodorant is hard, rub your fingers onto the surface of the deodorant to create enough friction for it to melt a little. If you are keeping it in the fridge in an old deodorant container, just apply like regular deodorant. Your warmth will melt the deodorant enough to absorb into your skin.
I'm glad to be free from aluminum and other toxic chemicals that have no use being in my body. Working in the medical field, I've learned that a lot of breast cancers are found in the axilla (or armpit). I'm not claiming to know this for a fact, but I wonder if all the junk in our antiperspirants being applied everyday to our armpits have something to do with it?
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I love this deodorant!!! I use cornstarch instead of arrowroot and it works fantastic!! I tell all my friends and they love it too! Thanks for sharing! I have the same recipe listed on my blog!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try cornstarch then when my bag of arrowroot runs out! Cornstarch is much easier to find near me than arrowroot. This does seem to be a popular recipe too. Thanks for the comment and I can't wait to check out your blog!
Deletehmmm....I made this last weekend. Love it!! I used a few drops of lavender and a few drops of tea tree oils...I love the combination of coconut, lavender, and tea tree smells. BUT...I didn't use as much coconut oil and my end product can be very gunky. Like it doesn't really rub in very well but leaves some chunks that I have to knock off later. I don't stink, though! Yay! I think I'll try adding more coconut oil.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely try more coconut oil. The good thing about coconut oil is that it absorbs into the skin nicely. I think I want to try tea tree oil soon too!
DeleteIt worked! A little more coconut oil and now it's so soft! I love this stuff!
DeleteGreat! I did buy some tea tree oil too. I love how it smells and that there is sooooo many uses for it.
DeleteI use it daily now same recipe. I was unsure at first, but even in 100 degrees I am not a stinky girl.. Lol really give it a try. Thanks
ReplyDeleteNice! I watched a documentary recently--Chemical Nation--and they mentioned making homemade deodorant; I was curious but hadn't gotten around to finding a recipe so stumbling on this page is pretty handy! What's more is the deodorant I like most isn't available in the stores around me anymore! Guess I will be using this recipe to make my own once my stock runs out! ;)
ReplyDeleteI love documentaries like that! I'll have to look up that one to watch soon. Homo Toxicus is a good one too about all the chemicals that can build up in your body and stay there, like BPA.
DeleteInteresting idea. Any thoughts on how to make this into an antipersperant, too? I'm all for frugal stuff that works, but even with a deodorant, I need to regulate how much I sweat.
ReplyDeleteSince using this homemade deodorant, I haven't noticed a significant increase in sweat. From what I could find, baking soda acts as an anti-perspirant. To take this an extra step further, you could wipe your armpits at night with apple cider vinegar. This prevents bacteria growth. You could also dust on extra baking soda after applying the deodorant to asborb more moisture.
DeleteHowever, the idea behind this deodorant is to stay away from the chemicals in antiperspirants which clog up your pores and prevent you from sweating. The stuff you buy in the store does a great job at preventing sweat because your pores are clogged with aluminum and parabens and all that other bad stuff.
Dear Leanne, I would love to make this, and I will next week. I truly believe you are correct in the pores being clogged and the body taking up chemicals. We have used deodorant by Tom's of Maine for years, but it is expensive. Would you consider linking this post up on the DeepRootsAtHome.com 'EOA' link-up? I love your blog! Thank you :]
ReplyDeleteThanks! I linked up today. Tom's of Maine is expensive! I've been using their flouride free toothpaste, but recently was disappointed to discover it contains sodium laurel sulfate, a detergent that irritates and erodes skin, hair, and gums! i'll be making my own toothpaste soon, but learning that made me upset with Tom's of Maine as a company (which I've actually heard is owned by Colgate). Thanks for offering the link up and I'm excited to look through your blog!
DeleteJust made this deodorant a few minutes ago. I'll admit, I'm a little apprehensive about how it will turn out, but I'm excited to give it a go tomorrow! I was also using Tom's and it was NOT cutting it. It wore off within hours and left more stinky than if I didn't use any at all. Hopefully this will do the trick!
ReplyDeleteI hope it works for you too!
DeleteOk, So after a few days of wearing the deodorant, I'm still very unsure about it. I am not stinky, but my underarms feel wet all day. Any thoughts??
DeleteThanks!
My underarms feel wet at first, but not all day. The only thing I can think of is to dust your armpits with baking soda or baby powder after applying the deodorant. You will get sweatier with this deodorant vs. an anti-perspirant because this deodorant doesn't prevent sweat, just the odor.
DeleteStick with it a little while longer to see if the wetness improves; this could just be your body's withdrawal from anti-perspirant. I remember my pits being wet at first, but now they stay dry. To me, it's okay to have a little wetness at first vs. having aluminum being absorbed into my skin.
OK, question before I try this...is it really good enough to work for teenage boys?? :-0
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, you got me there...I have no clue! I've heard it's harder to massage into hairier areas, but I think it would still be great for odor. As far as the extra sweat goes, I don't know how well it would work. If they are willing to try it, let me know how it works! Don't worry about getting the ingredients and never being able to use them again if the deodorant doesn't work for them...there's a ton of uses for them all!
DeleteWell, I can say that it works for my husband. He is 23 and works at a tire shop. With the drought we've been having in IL, temperatures have been getting over 100* and he still doesn't have awful pit odor when he comes home. I made this recipe a week or so ago, and scooped the paste into our old, cleaned deodorant dispensers to make it easier to apply. My only problem with this recipe is that it "melts" at room temp. over 75*, so we've been keeping ours in the fridge, and that makes it tougher to remember in the mornings. Otherwise, I'm thrilled with this step--we're moving toward a chemical-free lifestyle.
DeleteThank you for sharing! I'm featuring this post on our Natural Living Link-Up this week! Blessings to you.
ReplyDelete~Jill
Thanks so much for the feature!
DeleteI am here via Jills Home Remedies. I want to thank you for this recipe, I live in Europe and cannot seem to get my hands on arrowroot anything. Using cornstarch as a substitute (and reading the satisfied comments) gives me a way out. I am wondering why we don't mix baking soda in this recipe and kill two birds with one........
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found me! I'm a little confused by the comment though...baking soda is in the ingredient list!
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