A Guide On Homemade Natural Deodorant That Actually Works!
Having used natural deodorant for months and even made it at home myself, convincing others to do the same. I’ve Embraced my inner hippy and giving it a go initially was the hardest step, once I did it was a slippery slope and I couldn’t turn back.
In this article I’ll be briefly speaking firstly about the benefits of switching to a natural deodorant before I dig into the recipe’s that I’ve fine tweaked and tuned to perfection. I do recommend however that you tweak these recipes yourself to suit your personal tastes and what your bodies tell you.
I’ve broken the article down into sections, feel free to skip to what you wish to read.
Why I Use Natural Deodorant
If you reading this now get on the bandwagon as I assure you, you won’t get off. I’m not some loony who braids their armpit hair and charges their crystals under the full moon. Natural deodorant caught my attention as it could replicate the job that conventional deodorants do but without the risk of having potentially harmful chemicals on my skin.
I don’t deny there aren’t proven facts behind the controversial ingredients in conventional deodorants, although I would say I enjoy being health conscious and looking to make as much of the things in my life as natural as possible, and also as gentle on the environment.
My natural deodorant recipe don’t cause the hassle of washing deodorant stains out of my clothes. Plus creating your own deodorant has such positive impacts on the environment and sustainability. I’ll break this down a bit more for you and let you decide what you think is best.
The Controversies...
The vast majority of regular deodorants contain a variety of controversial ingredients that no one really is sure if they’re good or bad. I’m a bit of a health nut so I instantly avoid them but a lot of people are so so on the subject.
Ingredients such as Aluminium, Parabens and dye’s and the chemicals used to create fragrances. There’s been enough talk about these that the same companies produce the deodorant but without the one of the ingredients. E.G Aluminium Free.
Studies have theorised on the effects these unnatural ingredients could have on our bodies when we’re applying them day after day for years on end. There’s been links to diseases such as breast cancer, alzeihmers and even hormonal imbalances.
There’s a lot of debate on the topics, but speaking for myself. I’m not going to be taking the chance.
What makes Natural Deodorant So Special?
Health benefits
Now I think we can all agree that eating healthy is worth your time and something your body can benefit from greatly. Would it be stupid to assume this is the same for the products we consume through our skin? According to the CDCyour skin absorbs up to 64% of total contaminates that are on it. So, using ingredients in your deodorant and skin care products that your skin won’t mind absorbing is why I changed to natural deodorant.
Most store-bought deodorants contain aluminium, dye and a bunch of other chemicals. According to different studies there is the potential risk of cancers that develop as a result of excessive use of these products. Now I agree this is debatable, but even if the chances are slim, why take the risk when there are perfect alternatives.
Benefits for the environment
There are many health benefits of using natural home made products, but there are also some good environmental ones as well. Using products that are sourced from sustainable inputs is important as it doesn’t deplete the earth of natural resources and ensures that it can be made for generations. It also means that when you’re done with the product there’s not a huge amount of waste that needs to go to the landfill. Often companies that make natural deodorant are environmentally conscious and package products in a way that reflects these views.
My Natural Deodorant Recipe's
I’ll share with you some of my favourite recipes and ones that I have made myself. All of them I made on a shoestring budget and within a realistic timeframe so it’s achievable for you as well. These recipe’s I first found online but tweaked and adjusted them for maximum effectiveness.
- 2 1/2 tbsp unrefined coconut oil
- 2 1/2 tbsp unrefined shea butter
- 1/4 cup arrowroot starch/flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp baking soda
- 6 drops lavender essential oil
- 6 drops grapefruit essential oil
- 1 drop tea tree essential oil (optional)*
- Place coconut oil and shea butter in a glass bowl or jar and place the bowl/jar inside a medium saucepan.
- Add water to the saucepan (enough to surround the bowl/jar but not to overflow it) and bring to a boil.
- As water is heating up, ensure to stir coconut oil and shea butter and continue to do so until it melts.
- Once melted, add in arrowroot starch, baking soda and essential oils.
- Place in a 3 ounce jar and allow to cool at room temp or in the fridge (will harden faster in the fridge) until it’s reached a solid state.
- Cover with lid until use
- Wet underarms slightly (this helps with even application)
- Spoon out a pea-sized amount with a wooden scoop or with fingers and rub between fingers before applying directly to underarms.
- For a regular day, one application in the morning should be fine. For hotter days, workouts or if you’re particularly sweaty, feel free to reapply as needed.
My Coconut Oil Deodorant Recipe
This recipe is simple to make and easy to collect the ingredients for, for the essential oils adds the scent and depending on how strong you want your deodorant depends on how much of this should add into the mixture.
Coconut Oil Deodorant Ingredients
- ¼ cup baking soda
- ¼ cup arrowroot or organic cornstarch
- 6 TBSP coconut oil
- essential oils (optional)
Coconut Oil Deodorant Instructions
- In a medium size bowl, mix together the baking soda and arrowroot.
- Use a fork to mash in the coconut oil until well mixed.
- Add oils if desired.
- Store in a small glass jar or old deodorant container for easy use.
This sums up the two recipe’s I’ve managed to make work. I know that there’s been a bit of a cliche that natural deodorant doesn’t actually work, that to get it’s sweat and odour preventing properties you need a host of chemical ingredients. I do admit this might not be entirely as effective as it’s conventional counterparts.
But it still works very well and I have no doubt in my mind that if you follow the recipe you’ll find yourself with a natural deodorant that feels great to put on, smells awesome and will do the trick quite nicely.
I personally always enjoyed tweaking the recipe to me and my body’s personal tastes. I recommend you do the same so that you get the most you possibly can out of this recipe.
