Alright, here’s the truth: natural deodorants from the store don’t work.
At least not for me.
And I’ve tried a lot of them.
I don’t really even need deodorant much. When my diet is clean I don’t stink. However, hormonal changes, holiday sweets, etc. necessitates some sort of stink neutralizer.
I’ll never forget when I met my husband. He played a flag-football game in 100 degree heat, without deodorant, sweated completely through every inch of his shirt, and didn’t stink a bit. See, he was a competitive tennis player, often working out 30 hours a week, and was on a strict diet that included zero sugar (or nasty sugar substitutes), fried foods, or pasteurized dairy. His body was so clean internally that it just didn’t have any toxins to get rid of in the form of BO.
The only one I have found to be effective is the Crystal Rock kind, and even that one kinda poops out on me after about 6 months.
So, I make my own, and alternate it with the crystal one for year-round freshness.
Henry helped me make it, I love him:
First, It’s important to understand the difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant. Deodorant masks or neutralizes odor. Antiperspirants actually clog your pores so that you don’t sweat. This is a big issue as sweating is an essential way that your body detoxes. To stop this process is very unnatural not good for you.
Modern deodorants also contain a lot of toxic ingredients including fragrance, aluminum, talc, and cyclopentasiloxane.
Also, what’s interesting is that you may find that you actually stink less when using a natural or no deodorant.
At least this is the case for me.
When I used to use the nasty aluminum stuff, if it ever did stop working I smelled terrible. Now, if my natural stuff starts to wear off, it’s really not bad at all. I think this must be due to the fact that your body isn’t having to expel all of the toxins that you are pasting under your arms.
Ok, so I got my recipe from my sweet friend Nicole. She made me a batch and I texted her later raving about how nice I smelled (like essential oils, not synthetic fragrance!)…even 2 days later…I know, gross, I hadn’t showered, but hey - the stuff works!
Lindsay’s {Nicole’s} Homemade Deodorant yield: 5 oz
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1/2 C. coconut oil (organic, unrefined, expeller or cold-pressed, virgin)
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4 Tbs. corn starch (organic, or non-GMO), or arrowroot powder
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4 Tbs. baking soda
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5 drops high quality*** tea tree essential oil
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5 drops HIGH QUALITY*** lavender, sandalwood, or any other essential oil
(***HIGH QUALITY ESSENTIAL OILS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. I TRUST MT. ROSE HERBS: CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THEIR WONDERFUL WEBSITE)
heat the coconut oil over low heat until melted – this won’t take long at all
add the corn starch and baking soda, stirring with a whisk until incorporated
turn off the heat and add in your essential oils and whisk together well
pour into the container of your choice – I prefer not to use plastic – and set in the fridge for several hours until set. If oil starts to rise to the top just be sure to give it a little shake or stir.
if your house is cold, it will be fairly solid at room temp, but will quickly melt once on your body. coconut oil melts at 76 degrees, so its really easy!
I apply it with my fingers, and just rub it in!
I made one with 5 drops tea tree, 3 drops lavender, 2 drops sandalwood for myself, and for my husband I used just tea tree and sandalwood. Fun!
A few notes of caution: If you have very sensitive skin, consider leaving the essential oils out, or using only a very little. The tea tree and lavender are both beneficial for their antibacterial properties, but you will still benefit from the coconut oil’s antibacterial properties if you leave them out. Also, corn starch can cause a reaction in some, so you may try the arrowroot if you have an issue. As with any deodorant, applying on broken, or freshly-shaven skin can cause an irritation.
If you like making your own body products, try making your own toothpaste from my recipe HERE!
live well. be well.