I have but a few words to describe this homemade deodorant, quite simply: it works (for me at least…and my husband). I didn’t run a marathon with this deodorant so I can’t speak to it’s long-term/heavy duty performance, consider this deodorant for regular day to day use. For years I’ve put off making my own deodorant (because if you know me in real life I am one of the most skeptical people you will ever meet) and I honestly didn’t think homemade deodorant worked (like, at all). Okay, let me explain that I am a gal who NEEDS to wear deodorant. I don’t get super funky, but I honestly need to wear something. I tried to go o’natural once and it did not go well (for my nostrils anyway). I personally know people who don’t need deodorant, so there is certainly a spectrum of body odor from nearly non-existent to musky to downright offensive. Over the years I’ve tried every “natural and chemical free” deodorant out there and still nothing worked the way I wanted it to (no thank you to smelling like a perfume factory…you might know by now I have a severe chemical sensitivity). I love proving myself wrong. This homemade deodorant works BETTER than any store bought brand and I’m thrilled I can add another homemade beauty product to my ever growing list. For a while now I’ve been on a mission to decrease my exposure to chemicals and have been quite successful thus far. Curious about the toxicity to any particular ingredient or chemical? Visit the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database. I’ve been using this site for years to check ingredients and I would be lost without it.
Okay, here is a challenge for you.
Go grab your shampoo bottle (or for the purpose of this post, your deodorant) and enter the ingredients in the database. You will receive instant answers. Be forewarned, you might feel a little panicky about the ingredients, but don’t worry. Start today, start now. Empty those bottles, then recycle those bottles, and find chemical-free alternatives. They do exist, and no, they do not cost a thousand dollars. Check out my Pinterest board dedicated to all things natural and homemade.
Chemical-Free Homemade Deodorant
Ingredients:
-4 tablespoons coconut oil here or here
-2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda*
-1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin (optional)
-Essential oils of choice (optional)
Buy the 4 ounce glass amber jars HERE
HERE is my recipe for homemade body spray (nice to make along with the homemade deodorant)
How To:
1. In a 4 ounce jar add in coconut oil and baking soda and mix until incorporated. Then add in the vegetable glycerin and mix well. At this point you can add in some essential oils. They won’t smell very strong however.
2. For a stronger essential oil smell, omit the essential oils from the above recipe. Rub some of the deodorant on your armpits then add three squirts of homemade body spray directly to each armpit. The essential oils will be much more potent if you spray on.
Notes:
*The coconut oil is soothing on the skin. The vegetable glycerin is added for additional moisture, but is an optional ingredient. The baking soda controls the odor and is not uncomfortable or too gritty, add more if you feel like you need more odor control (another teaspoon or two).
*I keep this at room temperature. My husband also uses this deodorant, so this batch is adequate for two adults.
*Read HERE about some of the harmful ingredients in deodorant. Remember, you put deodorant on your body everyday (often more than once) for your entire adult life. The toxins do build up and often never leave the body.
*In the summer your coconut oil might be liquid (like mine), so you can try a different oil that holds up better in warm weather, like shea butter or cocoa butter. Or just use coconut oil and store in the fridge.
*My friend Emily from Recipes to Nourish suggests using lemons as a deodorant.
Here is a list of other homemade beauty products from The Tasty Alternative
Lotions & Body Butters:
Coconut and Shea Lotion with Jojoba, Calendula, and Eucalyptus
Cocoa and Shea Body Butter with Jojoba and Vanilla
Shea Butter Lotion with Chamomile Infused Jojoba Oil
Shea Cocoa Avocado Oil Body Butter w/ an Anti-Itch Recipe
Coconut and Shea Lotion with Jojoba, Calendula, and Eucalyptus
Cocoa and Shea Body Butter with Jojoba and Vanilla
Shea Butter Lotion with Chamomile Infused Jojoba Oil
Shea Cocoa Avocado Oil Body Butter w/ an Anti-Itch Recipe
Other:
Colloidal Oatmeal for eczema and itchy skin
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Shared on: Whole Food Fridays, Fat Tuesdays
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Shared on: Whole Food Fridays, Fat Tuesdays
Amber this is awesome! Just pinned it. And you are such a dear for including the part about lemons. xo
Thanks so much, Emily!!
I love homemade beauty products and natural toxin-free deodorant. I can’t wait to try this Amber. I love the addition of glycerin to it to make the skin super soft!
Hi Laura. I think you will love this deodorant. I can’t tell you how empowering it is to make homemade products that work and that are good for you…and the environment. So awesome. 🙂
What about antiperspirant? I am in Texas, and it is HOT 6+ months a year. I sweat without antiperspirant. Any additional ingredients to block the sweat? (Yes, I know sweating cools the body. :))
No sorry, but good question! My issue is odor…not sweat. I found this article that might help with the sweat issue! 🙂
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/beauty/skin-care/stop-sweat-tips/
Is there another substitute for baking soda(allergic to it)
Not that I know of. I would google it and see what you can find. Baking soda by nature is a natural odor neutralizer…not sure what will work the same??
Sherry, baking soda sensitives are very common. It turned my underarms into an angry, itchy, painful leathery skinned mess. And my skin isn’t really sensitive. And it doesn’t just go away after you stop the exposure. Just Google it! Some very common alternatives are arrowroot powder and tapioca starch/flour. Probably very finely milled rice starch too. (There are others too, but just off the top of my head)
Good luck!
Thank you Amber, for sharing the love and helping to make the lives of other people better!