Our skin is the biggest organ in our body and everything we put onto it is absorbed into it. With this in mind let's talk deodorant. None of us want to smell bad but looking at the ingredients in a tube of deodorant is pretty scary, especially when you find out what those ingredients can do (see resources below).
After realizing I needed to make a change in my deodorant, I tried to use commercially made natural ones with no luck. Tom's Of Maine not only stinks as a deodorant but I swear it makes you stink, and using the Crystal Salt Stick I ended up with a painful rash under my arms. My only option now was to find a recipe so I could make my own. I went through several online recipes and ended up mixing an idea here with another one there and ended up with the best deodorant ever! I have never smelled while using this, even when gardening in the hot sun and playing Just Dance with the kids. In fact when in Bear Lake my mother forgot her deodorant and asked to use mine - I think she was a little skeptical when I handed her my dirt colored homemade version. But after a long day in a hot booth at Raspberry Days she was surprised to find she didn't smell and was excited to use it the next day. This week she brought me her empty Secret antiperspirant container and asked me to fill it up with my good stuff. So gather up your current deodorant, trash the contents, clean the container out good, and make yourself a batch of this awesome - no smell - homemade deodorant.
The Recipe |
2 Tbsp. Shea butter (or cocoa butter)
2 Tbsp. beeswax
3 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 Tbsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. arrowroot powder (works and feels like cornstarch)
2 Tbsp. bentonite clay
25- 30 drops essential oils of choice
2 Tbsp. beeswax
3 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 Tbsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. arrowroot powder (works and feels like cornstarch)
2 Tbsp. bentonite clay
25- 30 drops essential oils of choice
Melt the butter, oil and beeswax over very low heat. In a separate bowl mix all the powders together. Add the powder blend to the melted oil, mix and stir until smooth. Add the essential oil, stir well and pour into a deodorant container (or re-use an old container, just make sure it is clean).
I have very sensitive skin so the baking soda in this recipe will eventually irritate my under arms, but that is the secret ingredient to not smelling (believe me I went through several recipes to find this out). To avoid this, if I am not leaving the house I just use coconut oil and whateveressential oil I'm feeling like that day. The coconut oil works as a moisturizer and is also anti-bacterial (bacteria is what makes us smell). The only problem is it wears off pretty quickly so it must be applied several times a day.
Where to get ingredients for this project
You can find all of the ingredients to make this deodorant from Mountain Rose Herbs or Bulk Apothecary I like to purchase my coconut oil from Costco, they have a good quality coconut oil for the best price around. I also get my baking soda there.
*Since originally writing this post I have found a good commercial deodorant that my teens use, since for some reason they don't appreciate my "mud" deodorant which I still love and use. Schmidt's is the brand and it comes in a variety of scents. Costco had it once which is how I came upon on, and sometimes I can find it locally.
*Since originally writing this post I have found a good commercial deodorant that my teens use, since for some reason they don't appreciate my "mud" deodorant which I still love and use. Schmidt's is the brand and it comes in a variety of scents. Costco had it once which is how I came upon on, and sometimes I can find it locally.
Other Resources
