6.08.2012

homemade deodorant recipe

This may change your life. Well, it might make you a lot less stinky, anyway.

It's a homemade deodorant recipe which is simple, inexpensive, smells great and leaves not a hint of stink after a day of sweating. (Ask Adam - he's my in-house sniffer.)

If you don't make your own deodorant already and are wondering about the whys of making your own, there are several. First, it's fun to do it just because you can. Second, you know and control exactly what's in it. Third, it works like nobody's business. (Just Google it - you'll find dozens of other people singing the praises of similar recipes, too. It's not just me!) Fourth, this is not anti-perspirant, so it doesn't plug up your pores. (This means that you still sweat, but without the stink. I don't know about you, but I don't really want sweat (which my body's trying to get rid of) trapped, you know? It just doesn't make sense to me.) Extra bonus: the coconut oil is a lovely moisturizer, so it leaves your skin soft and smooth, and not caked up with antiperspirant crud.

I've tried making several versions of deodorant, none of them blog-worthy, and all of them had something about them that I didn't love. One left my underarms kind of tender after a few days of use, so I would have to alternate it with a deodorant crystal. (Which was fine, but I found the crystal was a bit less effective than the deodorant.) One which contains lots of expensive oils just didn't work at all for me. (Sorry, Adam.) One separated and went all melty when it was at room temperature. So when I finally found this one, I gave it a good try, and I'm giving it my stamp of approval.

And here's the other thing - what works for me might not work for you. You might find that another recipe works better for you. And that's great! But this one's so inexpensive and easy, you should give it a try. If you have the ingredients already, you can make it in under two minutes. That's my kind of recipe!
In case you can't decode the recipe in the picture (I wrote it on the lids so I wouldn't get it mixed up with any of my other, failed experiments), here it is:

Deodorant
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot flour (available at bulk and health food stores)
5 tbsp coconut oil
9 drops essential oil 

Mix everything together in a bowl. I found that massaging it together with my hands was the best way to make sure it was thoroughly blended.

To use, scoop out a small-pea-sized amount on your finger and rub it in until it disappears. It will melt right in without leaving you with greasy underarms.

This recipe makes 1/2 cup of deodorant, which will last you a very, very long time. Scoop it into two small jars and give one to a stinky friend!

Notes: I chose lavender essential oil for its antibacterial properties and I love the scent, but you could use any. The scent isn't really strong enough to notice once it's on.

This recipe seems to be all over the internet, which a) makes me wonder why I didn't find it sooner, and b) means that I have no idea where the original is from.

Let me know how you like it!

**Edited to add:
When I made the deodorant (and posted the recipe) it wasn't terribly hot here. And then it got hot. And the deodorant got soft and kind of runny. Mine is still apply-able, but if it was any warmer, I would probably add in a teeny bit at a time of a mix of equal parts arrowroot powder and baking soda to thicken it up. It can be stored in the fridge, but unless your kitchen is close to your bathroom, that's kind of a pain.

Also, after continuing to use this for another week or so, I found that this irritated my underarms a bit. Nothing too serious, the skin was just a bit less smooth. I think that I'll try making another batch with a teeny bit less baking soda. I think the trick is to get the right balance that will keep away the stink and not be irritating.

And just for your information, I read somewhere that spritzing vodka or other alcohol works amazingly well - it certainly didn't for me. I tried it for a few days. Peeeee-yew!

18 comments:

  1. I am definitely trying this!

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    1. Yay! I hope that it works for you!

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  2. i make the same deo but without the essential oil...might have to add a bit of eo next time!

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    1. I forgot to mention the option of no essential oils in the post, Amanda - thanks for mentioning that!

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  3. sounds simple enough, can't wait to try!

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  4. Cool! Are you friends with Heidi (darn, forget her last name right this second) because she had created her own blend too, and I've been meaning to try it. I think my boys are running out of deodorant so I'm going to try your recipe!

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    1. Yes, I am, Teresa, and hers is the first one I ever tried (that was a few years ago) and I used it in combination with the crystal for a loong time. I loved it, and it worked well, but I found that if I used it every day, it irritated my underarms after a week or so. But it works super well!

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  5. Anonymous6/10/2012

    I am definitely going to try this. I've been using the deod bar from LUSH along with their coconut powder. However, I'd love to make my own and this one looks soooooo easy. Thanks so much!

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  6. I have everything on hand for this... going to make it up today. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. hi! im from the Philippines and looking for arrowroot powder is so difficult, can you recommend an alternative? thanks!

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    1. Absolutely! Corn starch should do the trick nicely, too. Good luck!

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  8. I've been making something really similar for a while (use either cornstarch or arrowroot or a combination depending on what I have). I've done peppermint, lavender, added a bit of tea tree too. My favourite is bergamot though. Wonderful stuff!

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  9. If you’re looking for some great deals on “green” or organic products, check out its ingredients before using. Its better to use aluminium free Deodorant Crystal.

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  10. Mine seems a lot runnier than yours looks in the picture...does it thicken up like that as it sets?

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  11. Hi Terri Jo! I've been meaning to post a little update at the bottom of the post, and thanks for the reminder. When I made the deodorant (and posted the recipe) it wasn't terribly hot here. And then it got hot. And the deodorant got soft and kind of runny. Mine is still apply-able, but if it was any warmer, I would probably add in a teeny bit at a time of a mix of equal parts arrowroot powder and baking soda to thicken it up. It can be stored in the fridge, but unless your kitchen is close to your bathroom, that's kind of a pain. Good luck!

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    1. Thank you for the update! I live in Texas, so it is always hot, hot, hot here, so mine is often runnier, but still works fantastic. I recently made a second batch and this time I ran the baking soda through my food processor on a whim, and it actually seems to have helped. It made it more of a softer powder, like the cornstarch, and my batch seemed smoother this time. I too had the issue of it irritating me a bit due to the texture, but this seems to have solved it. Also for me I reduced the coconut oil to 3 1/2 tbsp and its not getting as runny anymore. And finally I used teatree oil in my recent batch, which is known for it antimicrobial properties, and it also gave my deodorant a smell that was deemed worthy of a mens batch by my hubby!

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    2. Thanks so much for the tips, Terri Jo! My batch is getting low (and it's gotten hotter, so mine has kind of separated) so I think it's time for a fresh one. I'll try your tips!

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Thanks so much for your comments - I read and appreciate each one! Sorry about the word verification - the spammers found me and it became necessary. Thanks for taking the time to comment!