Natural Homemade Deodorant

August 7th, 2009 - filed under: The Fashion » Beauty and Cosmetics

I recently reported on dangerous chemicals in cosmetics, and the information I uncovered in writing that article really affected me. If my friends thought I was a little eco-freak before, they need to prepare for a whole new level of glorious, fabulous ever-so-exciting neo-hippieness.

I was appalled, absolutely astounded by the questionable additives found in almost all commercial self-care products. I resolved, then, to purge each product as it ran out (no waste), and to derive my own amazing alternative.

A few days later, my deodorant was running low, and I came up with this solution.

OH MY GOD you guys, this stuff works SO GOOD. I can’t believe it! But I finished my recipe right at the start of a massive heat wave, and both my husband and I wore it through the entire week of 100º+, with nary a stinky or unsightly pit stain. How could something so simple work so well? I LOVE BAKING SODA! *swoon*

Sayward’s Homemade Deodorant Recipe

1/3 cup Corn Starch

1/3 cup Baking Soda

10 drops of Antibacterial Essential Oil (tea tree, lavender, or eucalyptus)

10 drops of Antifungal Essential Oil (tea tree, peppermint, sandalwood, or eucalyptus)

2 tablespoons Vitamin E Oil

3 tablespoons Coconut Oil

Mix everything up in a bowl until it forms a thick paste. Transfer to your storage container and then allow 24 hours to ‘set up’. I used an old deodorant container ’cause it looks so cute and I thought it was neat, but I don’t recommend it. In the future I’ll be using a shallow, wide-mouthed jar, applying the deo with my fingertips.

In my own concoction, I used 10 drops of Lavender oil, which is an antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, natural deodorant, and soother of skin-irritation (like razor burn!). I also used 10 drops of Eucalyptus oil, which is an antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiseptic, and increases circulation. In Damian’s version I just used the Eucalyptus oil, all 20 drops.

I can’t wait to hear how this works out for you guys!

sign-off

BoxMonkey

I think I may try this out.. huh.
Sal

This sounds really awesome! I’m really tempted to try this out! However, I was wondering, is it just a deodorant, or does it also work like an antiperspirant?
Tara

although this works well for you, some of us are sweaters and even sweat through t-shirts when we’re using Mitchum. I sweat sucking on ice cubes, so this wouldn’t work for me. awesome though that it works for you!
baldygirl

I use a spritz of Thayer’s witch hazel in peach to wet my pits, followed by a crystal rock deodorant. Works like a dream, and leaves no weird creamy feeling on the underarms. I lurves it.
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ BoxMonkey – You should! And let me know how you like it. =)

@ Sal – It is not an antiperspirant, but the corn starch does a good job of keeping things dry. Like I aid, over 100º, no pit stains!

@ Tara – Yeah, I suppose everybody’s different. Whatever works for ya!

@ baldygirl – I’ve heard mixed reviews of crystal deodorants, but never tried them myself. I’m curious, but I don’t think I’ll ever be straying from my new recipe. ;)
http://erosan.blogspot.com Ero San

Sigh, I miss crystal rock deodorant, from the time I lived in the States… And my father does too… he is mildly allergic to aluminum chlorohydrate and other aluminum compounds found in most antiperspirants (and I happen to think they make you itchy).

Sweating is a natural body function, so its good for you to sweat, but there is no reason to go smelling bad. I think I might try this (if I find a shop that sells the oils in this Town)
http://www.althaea.biz Melanie

question: it sounds great, and i am currently using a powder form of basically the same thing, but a creamy version would be less messy in the bathroom. i have been hesitant to try it out with coconut oil though, worried that it would lead to oil stains on my laundry. have you had any problems with oil spotting on your clothes?

as for the deodorant crystal, i used it for many years and loved it. i would spray rosewater under my arms and then apply the crystal. but eventually i developed an allergy to it. :(

so far the cornstarch+baking soda mixture works just fine on me, a tiny faint whiff of funk maybe after a really long hot day in the sun and only a mild amount of sweating apparent, although i have to use a lesser amount of baking soda than you are using in order to keep from having sensitivity issues.

love your blog! i keep coming back for more.
Triozon

For me, simply wetting arm pits and applying an alum stone is enough…. no smell left, whatever the temperature (often >100F). Good for 24 hrs a day ;-)
Much simpler than mixing difficult to find items…
Meghan

Cool! Right now I’m my husband and I are sharing a hunk o deodorant from Lush which I kind of love, and it seems like it is going to last for-ev-er. But I like DIY sorts of projects, so I’m excited to try this.

Do you happen to know if Thieves oil is antifungal or antibacterial? I guess it is blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary. I know that it is supposed to be anti-some-sort-of-nasty, but I’m not sure which!
http://www.secretofthieves.com Caleb

Meghan – Yes, Thieves Oil creates a very unfriendly environment for fungus and bacteria…
http://www.secretofthieves.com/mold.cfm
http://www.secretofthieves.com/bacteria.cfm

And since deodorant is the subject of this post…I use the Thieves toothpaste for that. Just squirt about a chocolate chip’s worth on your finger a rub it on. Especially convenient when traveling.
http://www.iamthelizardqueen.deviantart.com Miss Miranda

I am so in love with you right now. Not only do we share the same intense love for baking soda, but I was JUST THINKING about how crappy deodorants are!
Yesterday I went out and bought a new deodorant that advertised itself as “aluminum free”. That (and the delicious smell) lured me into buying it immediately. As soon as I got home, I noticed the very first ingredient was propylene glycol.

I must try your recipe!!
http://www.facebook.com/meg.young Meg

For the oils, try Whole Foods or a natural grocer of some sort
http://blogsmagee.blogspot.com/ Magee

My mom recently told me she’s been wiping her pits every morning with alcohol. It kills the bacteria and you still sweat, but it doesnt staaaaank. So, I tried it and it works! Sweating is good for you.
Leigha

Sayward, how did you get your recipe to “set up”? I made a batch over the weekend and 48 hrs later it still has not hardened…everything is still fairly liquid and the oils are settling on the top. I’m thinking I’ll just add another pinch of baking soda & corn starch, but wanted to see if you had the same problem. Thanks!
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Ero San – I totally agree about sweating. It’s one of the most direct routes for releasing harmful toxins! I think antiperspirants are baaaad news, but like you said – no need to go stinky!

@ Melanie – Thanks! And as for oil, you know that hadn’t even occurred to me, ha! But I’ve been using it for a while now, as has my husband and houseguest, and so far we’ve all been oil-free. So I give it the Bonzai stain-safety seal of approval.

@ Triozon – I’m glad you’ve found something so simple that works for you. =)

@ Meghan – Looks like Caleb got you covered, and now I’m interested to try this Thieves Oil stuff myself!

@ Caleb – Thanks for all the great info. In the second part, are you saying you use the toothpaste for your deodorant? Sounds interesting. =)

@ Miss Miranda – Hooray for the baking soda love! It truly is the bestest. That’s a bummer about your new deodorant, but I hope this recipe works out for you!

@ Meg – Yup, Whole Foods or any health foods store, natural remedies shop, ‘occult’ bookstore, or earthy/crafty sort of trinket/gift shops, should all carry essential oils.

@ Magee – Interesting, and makes sense! I’m not sure I’d want to do that daily, but I bet a few times a week to clear up the micro-buggies would be great. Hmmm, so many good ideas here!

@ Leigha – Oh no! That’s so weird, especially about the oils separating. That definitely should not be happening. I’d say add some more baking soda and cornstarch, then give it a real good mix, then put it in the fridge overnight. That should get it good and set.

Hope that works for you, and if it doesn’t, please let me know! I need to know if it’s not universally applicable. =(
megan

hmm, sounds like a need to take a shot at this. i love the idea of using an old deodrant case, seeing as i’d be able to design the outside myself… so that leads me to me question as to why you don’t remomend doing it?
JackP

Definatly going to be trying this and the other ideas on here, I’ve been trying to cut down on all products from non-Vegan companies so Deodorants were a bit tough but I’m sure something from here will work !
http://indiearsenal.com Farmingtheburbs

The coconut oil, is it solid or liquid, or does it not matter? I am this close to making my own batch of deodorant. Especially since I am breastfeeding and having my baby so close to the pit area, it kind of has been freaking me out.
http://www.secretofthieves.com Caleb

@Sayward – Yes, Thieves toothpaste works wonderful as deodorant! There are 3 different versions, so a little experimentation may be in order. For toothpaste, most people prefer the Dentarome Ultra because it has a consistency most like regular toothpaste. That works fine with the shaved armpits of women, but causes knots in the hairy armpits of men. Best all-around deodorant is the regular (original) Dentarome. I use the Dentarome Plus, but it might be a little hot for beginners. I actually give a lot of details as well as my testimony on lymph node cleansing at
http://eatonessentials.com/news/skincare/01deodorant.htm
Julie

I’m very excited to try this recipe! As a former Oregonian I look forward to your blog as a glimpse into what is going on back home!

I want to echo the same question as Megan, I love the idea of re-using old containers; did you have trouble putting the mixture into the
containers?

I also have a love for the baking soda. I recently traveled to Florida and got eaten alive by bugs, yikes! I made a paste with baking soda and water and applied it to the itchy bites on my legs and it seemed to work! I don’t know if science can back it up as it may be just a placebo effect but it works for me. However, it looks unsightly so probably not a good solution for visible bites.

I also used a combination of baking soda and white vinegar to clean my dingy vintage white vinyl chair, it came out so clean! I regret to say that I had tried so many bad chemicals before trying this simple recipe.

Keep up the awesome blog!
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Megan – The issue with the case is getting a smooth application. The problem is, coconut oil has a very low melting point, so the consistency of the deodorant will change as temperature fluctuates. It never actually *melts*, so you don’t need to worry about that. But when it’s warmer, it tends to squish a bit when you try to apply it with the stick. The last couple of days it’s been cooler here in Portland, and I’ve been able to treat it just like normal deodorant. I rub it on and it comes off in an even, easy application. It’s perfect. =) So, maybe it was just an issue during the heat wave.

I say give it a try if you’d like! If it doesn’t work you can always take it back out and transfer it to a jar.

@ JackP – Yes, this is a great way to get around the issues of supporting non-vegan companies/parent companies/non-vegan companies that make specific ingredients/oh-what-a-mess-it-can-be. I hope it works for you!

@ Farmingtheburbs – The coconut oil is usually solid at ‘room temperature’, but mine melts on hot days due to the very low melting point. It will also melt if you touch it! (plain coconut oil, not the deodorant). You can mix up the recipe either way, but it might be easier if you heat the oil to just melting before you add it.

@ Caleb – Thanks for the info! I’ll have to check that stuff out, it sounds awesome. =)

@ Julie – There have been a lot of scientific studies done on the numerous properties of baking soda, and it definitely gets the science seal of approval. That bug bite salve sounds great, I’ll keep that one in mind!

As for the used deodorant container, it’s really easy to get the new stuff in. I just used a kitchen spoon to scoop it up and pack it in. There was a bit of leftover, which I stuck in a spice jar and stored in the fridge. =)
http://www.shesoghetto.wordpress.com Seriously McMillan

Love the recipe and love the blog. Must share this on my blog. Come by and visit anytime.

Seriously McMillan
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Seriously McMillan – Thanks! I hope your readers enjoy it! =)
http://www.soapcrone.com Amy Kalinchuk

Sayward,

Great post. I love natural products, and may give this a try sometime. I wanted also to comment on something you said above, that the coconut oil “never actually melts.” I assure you that it can. There are two general kinds available for consumption: coconut 76 and coconut 91. The numbers correspond to the temperature at which they begin to melt. For the deodorant, then, I would recommend the 91. It will melt a bit for application, and should then absorb into the skin, which is both harmless and moisturizing. This is also why your clothes don’t get oil stains–your skin has probably absorbed it.

Any soap maker would know,

Amy :)
http://www.soapcrone.com Amy Kalinchuk

(p.s. ….I sounded snarky at the end, there, and didn’t mean to. I can’t think straight today. Let’s end it with … “A soap maker who knows about coconut oil”…) No snarky! Sorry! :) :) :)
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Amy – Don’t worry, you didn’t sound snarky at all. =)

*But*, I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I meant that once made, the deodorant itself never actually melts. Coconut oil alone definitely melts – I think I cover that elsewhere in the comments. So yes, coconut oil definitely melts (but not at normal room temp), but the deodorant will NOT melt. Hope that clears up the confusion!
http://www.sadskelton.com Jeremy

I don’t think I’ve ever seen vitamin e oil, where do you find that? I tried this recipe for homemade deodorant – http://www.marilynfarms.com/blog/my-favorite-deodorant.html – which seems similar to what you have only you have a couple other elements.
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Jeremy – You can get vitamin e oil at any health food or herbal remedy store. They carry it at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods for sure.

Yeah, there are a bunch of recipes like this around the ‘net. Some more complicated than others, but they’re often very similar. Variations on a great theme! =D
Lisa

I love the idea of making home made deodorant, but all of these oils are so expensive! Sadly, there’s no way my family could afford that at this time.
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Lisa – I definitely understand when the purse strings are tight, believe me I do. But really, this recipe is SO economical!

You’re looking at about a $20 upfront investment for the coconut oil, vitamin E oil, and essential oil. That’s $20 for enough supplies to make, literally, multiple *years* worth of deodorant.

If you’re spending ~$5 a pop on store bought sticks, how many of those does a family go through in a year?

I think it’s really, really worth the initial cost, but of course that’s just my approach! =)
http://www.classesandcareers.com/colleges/state_michigan/degrees_business/courses_economics/programs_e-commerce-e-business Grace

It does sound very economical when you put it that way. I’m sure the oils will last a long time since you’re not using the whole bottle.

This is my first time visiting your blog and I really love the idea of making your own homemade deodorant. I would have never thought about that. I will have to give it a try, if anything just to give me a project to do. :)
Kristie

I did this and love the results. I don’t have the essential oils, so just went with coconut oil, baking soda, and cornstarch. It really works great!

However, after a few weeks, something started to clog my pores as well as give me a rash. I would actually get lumps under the skin where (I believe) my pores were clogged. Any idea which ingredient would cause that? I’m hoping if I cut down on whatever taht is, I can reformulate and start using it again.

FYI (and maybe TMI), you can also use this on your feet when you wear socks with no shoes and it works well to kill the smell.
Kristie

Ahem. I believe I meant shoes with no socks.
Anya

I will definitely be trying this! Great blog – thanks for the recipe. :]
Laurie

This recipe sounds great, I’d like to try it!~ But I have one question…may sound stupid but I have food allergies to corn and soy- which give me migraines and wonder would the corn starch affect me the way it does when I consume it?
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Kristie – Try cutting some of the baking soda, which can irritate some people’s skin, and upping the cornstarch. That should clear up any sort of rash. Luck!

@ Laurie – Opposite of Kristie: I wouldn’t put the cornstarch on your skin if you have a corn allergy. You can sub in talcum powder instead, it will work the same but without any risk. Luck to you too!
Cree

I really like this idea. I can’t seem to find a deodorant that works for me, that doesn’t have aluminum in it. The commerical-natural deodorants always seem to leave me smelling worse. I especially like the idea of putting it in an old deodorant container. I can’t get my husband to try anything that involves spreading it on with one’s fingers.

I checked out the link on the other website mentioned in the comments (marilynfarms), and noticed it doesn’t suggest anti-fungal or anti-bacterial oils. May I ask if these have a specific purpose, or if they’re putting added as a preventative measure? I’m rather new to all this stuff, so I’m not entirely sure what all the oils do.

Also, may I ask why you chose to do both Vit. E and Coconut? I’d like to minimize the number of oils I use if I can, but don’t want to alter the recipe if it is specifically needed.

I’m in Portland also, and your site looks amazing btw.
Kristie

Thanks for the tip – I will try that!
Joe Shmoe

antiseptic basically means antibacterial/antiviral on the skin surface
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Cree – The anti-bacterial and anti-fungals are preventative. bacteria and fungi, like yeasts, thrive in warm moist places – like armpits! We secrete all sorts of yummy stuff for them to eat, and their growth contributes to our odor. So keeping bacteria and fungi away is definitely in our best interest. ;)

The coconut oil is the binder here – it makes the paste along with the powders, that forms the bulk of the product. The vitamin E is for extra moisturizing and soothing. It is not totally necessary; just up the coconut oil to compensate.

@ Kritsie – Thanks, and good luck!

@ Joe Shmoe – yes
Smythe

Good gracious! This stuff is amazing. I had shea butter at home, so I substituted shea + almond oil for coconut oil. I can’t say enough about how awesome this stuff is. My boyfriend and I are super active and always overpower the store bought natural stuff half way through the work day. In a 24 hour period we rode our bikes to work (sweat), rode home(sweat), went for a run (sweat) and we still smelled like daisies. It’s cheaper and it works better than the store bought stuff. Major win!
Oh, I also used all tea tree oil in what I made.
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Smythe – Yay! What an awesome testimonial, thank you!
kat

just made a batch and will try tomorrow. i substituted castor oil for vitamin e oil, so i hope i get the same results.
i used to swear by crystal deodorants, but started to developed skin irritation, so i switched baking soda every other day and it worked. but your recipe smells minty, it’s nice.
Meghan

I finally gave in and made some o’ this just a few minutes ago. I put it in the fridge to firm up because I’m inpatient. I used thieves (I swear I’m not even a YoungLiving sort, I just lived with people who were and got hooked on Thieves!) and lavender oil. I may end up making some peppermint-lavender for my husband, we’ll see!
Meghan

Ugh! So, against your recommendation, I put my deodorant in an old deodorant container, because I figured it would be easier to apply… but the steaminess of my shower melted it and it spurted all over when I opened it. (Luckily, just enough for me to use spurted all over, I just had to gather my daily dose of deodorant from various places on my bathroom floor and counter!)

I think I’ll store it my bedroom from now on. ;-)
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ kat – Interesting, let me know how the castor oil works!

@ Meghan – Oh no! (but also, that’s pretty funny) Yeah, I bet in a week or so you’ll be able to bring it back into the bathroom. I feel like it really takes a while to totally set up. But either way, good luck! I’ve gotta check out this Thieves stuff . . .
Meghan

Do you have a sense for how long coconut oil lasts? Should I store it under my sink with my olive oil?

Right now my deodorant is living in the fridge. It is surprisingly not too cold to apply! Kind of a nice morning pickmeup, and certainly won’t melt in there!
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Meghan – Indefinitely! like, years and years. I wouldn’t worry about it. =)

Interesting with the deodorant in the fridge. That’s one way to wake up in the morning!
Meghan

OH. I meant to ask before, what sort of coconut oil did you use? I stood there in the aisle at the market and was faced with refined, unrefined, and raw. I went with refined because it seemed to have the highest melting point? Actually, the raw didn’t specify.

I got home today and I saw that my jar of coconut oil was liquid! It wasn’t THAT hot today!! Weird…
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

@ Meghan – Yeah, from the reports I’m getting back from people who make this recipe, I’m thinking that different coconut oils have very different melting points. I buy Raw coconut oil and mine is almost always solid. It seems like others remain liquid most of the time . . . but I guess a lot of it also depends on climate.

Sorry I couldn’t be more help!

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