In the DIY world of home health and beauty products, deodorant seems to be the the most feared replacement. Stinking is NOT OKAY in our culture, right?
But aluminum crammed in your pores cannot be good for you, and it seems in recent years that store-bought deodorant is becoming less and less effective anyway. This deodorant uses a natural moisture absorber (cornstarch), a natural deodorizer (baking soda), and a natural anti-bacteria/fungal oil (tea tree oil) to keep any stink from developing in the first place.
So, here’s what I suggest….make this stuff ahead and use it on SATURDAY, or a sick day, or any day you aren’t going to see anyone special, so you’ll feel secure and not look like a nut obsessively sniffing your underarms all day. Once you get over the stink phobia, let your body get used to it, and you’ll never go back.
1. Put 1/4 cup each of baking soda and cornstarch** in a bowl with 10+ drops tea tree oil. (I like 20 drops, but I’m a tea tree oil nut. I hear lavender oil will work as well.)
2. This deodorant can be used as a powder, but if you want a stick, go to the shortening section of the store and buy this solid-at-room-temperature-awesome stuff:
3. Stir 2+ TBSP in until it’s the consistency you like.
4. Smash into empty deodorant container. (Will be a bit sturdier once it sets a day or so.)
When applying this deodorant, use a lighter hand than you would with normal stick deodorant, especially the first couple of days or it’ll drop little balls on your bathroom rug.
Used correctly, this stuff is invisible and lasts for ages, as it works with a very light layer. You should not be able to SEE it once applied.
**If you have especially sensitive skin, increase the amount of cornstarch to 6T and decrease the baking soda to 2T.
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Okay–I’m making up my second batch today and so far, so good. I do still have wet armpits sometimes, but no smell whatsoever and I like that I know exactly what is in it and that I can use what I’ve got to make it work for me. I may try the shea butter next go-around as we’re all out, because down here in FL it is SOOO hot that my entire bottle of coconut oil is liquid and I noticed my stick of deodorant was leaking a little the other day.
Thanks for a great way to help out my pits, my wallet and the earth in general! Love y’all!
@Kelli–From my pits to your, girlfriend.
@Vera–YAY!!! It’s a wonder, no?
@jason–did you use the sensitive skin version? Unless you have a corn allergy (which I would think you would know way before now), it’s the baking soda. Cut it with more cornstarch. I have really sensitive skin and I seriously dilute the baking soda. It’s like four or five to one.
Love this! I have been searching for something natural that works and here it is! I love it and love using it.
Thank you,
Amy
Would talc work instead of cornstarch for someone sensitive?
And can anyone suggest a source for coconut oil in Canada? I have never seen this product at the Walmart here!
I haven’t ever tried talc. Worth a shot.
I do not like the smell of tea tree oil…lavender tickles my nose…any other suggestions?
Can it be omitted all together?
@I don’t think it works as well without an antibacterial essential oil, but I might be in the minority. Try it without. Might be just fine. Otherwise, just google the antibacterial essential oils and find one you don’t mind.
@JP: try ethnic stores. Anything that caters to southern Asian or South American descendants aught to have some. Beauty supply places may have some, too, but are likely to add things to the oil.
I’ll have to try making this stuff. If it works well, it will pay for itself by the 2nd “stick.” The only kind I can use that doesn’t irritate my skin after awhile is unscented Kiss My Face. It works great, but is hard to find and expensive.
great recipe! keeps me from getting stinky. i used tea tree oil, lavender, and just a touch of sweet orange oil for brightness. my apartment is a little too warm to keep the coconut oil solid so i’ve been keeping the deodorant stick in the fridge. i take it out while i shower and it loosens up just enough to apply it easily but still remains cool and refreshing…which is nice on a hot summer day. thanks!
tell me if that shay butter works. I have some of that at home as well as the cocoanut oil.
This is amazing. I have been using it for three weeks, in the powdered form. I use an old kabuki brush from a mineral makeup kit, and it goes on so nicely. I went to Florida, where lots of walks on hot, hot days didn’t cause it to fail. I was buying so much deodorant! I think I have about 4-5 tubes here, and when the so-called “big-guns” deodorants were starting to fail me after 4 hours, I knew something had to change. This is great. I even sprinkle into my sneakers to try to ward off the funk. You have provided a great service to humanity in teaching me about this.
Others I’ve seen use clove essential oil. You may want to try that.
Something people might want to take into consideration about using cornstarch. I tried using a mineral based makeup a few years ago that used cornstarch as a base instead of talc. It sounded like a great idea. After using it for a week, my face developed all of these tiny little bumps. Turns out that when cornstarch gets in your pores it becomes breeding ground for bacteria. Talc does not have this same issue since it is a mineral, not a grain. Obviously this isn’t an issue for everyone, since many people use the same mineral makeup with no problem. However, it is something to be aware of. I assume that the same principle would apply to the pores in you underarms. Just something to take into consideration. Not trying to discourange anyone
Hi Honey,
This is a great site for making homemade things. Love ya………Mama
Hi Honey,
This is a good website for making homemade things.
If you are hoping to use something other than tea tree oil or lavender, I would suggest Niaouli or Eucalyptus. I wouldn’t suggest clove, cinnamon or any of the other stronger antibacterial essential oils because they aren’t meant to be put on directly the skin. However, if you are really excited about clove, you might be able to get away with using just a few drops. Clove is known to be numbing on tougher skin, that’s why it’s great to use for toothaches (single drop applied directly to the problem area, avoiding at all costs getting any on the lips) but can sting and burn on sensitive skin.
JP : Coconut oil can be found at any health food store across Canada, and most of the other body butter can be found there as well. Some Safeways, Overwaiteas, etc carry coconut oil as well.
I will give this a try for sure. It’s freaking how much abuse we submit our skins to with the chemical products. The natural at home is the way to go, much more unexpensive and efficient if done right. Natural deodorant will be my next cooking!
i make your deodorant tonight and it looks like it will work but the only problem i have is that when i stick it into an old deodorant case i cant get it to come up…so i dont know how to get it out to actually use it. any suggestions?
I just wanted to say thank you for posting such a wonderful and EASY deodorant ‘recipe’! This stuff is awesome! My husband said that the stuff I use to buy at the store hurt him. So I decided to try your DO and I’m soooo glad I did! He LOVES it! Better than anything I’ve ever bought for him! He doesn’t like the scent of the tea tree oil so I chose geranium oil- it has a more robust scent, and also has astringent and antiseptic properties. As for myself, I had been using the Clinical strength DO from the store and decided to make some homemade for myself- to see if it was really as good as my hubby said. I made a batch with orange oil and it was okay for a few days, but it began to burn and sting a bit. So I created a new batch with less baking soda and used lavender oil instead and it works wonderfully. Guess I’m more sensitive- so lessening the baking soda is a good idea. To find different essential oils that could be used in DO, I did an internet search. Scents are pretty limited, but I figure even unscented would be good- especially if you wear perfume/body spray. Thanks again for your awesome site!
@JP: Is there a Bulk Barn in your area? I got some there. Also check the health food aisle of Superstore/Loblaws.
For anyone with a corn allergy or not wanting to use cornstarch, you can use arrowroot powder instead!
Hey all,
Awesome idea – will definitely give it a go. Just wondering how folks have gone with clothing stains/white marks etc. I have trouble getting conventional deoderants out of the pits of my shirts and after a while they end up in the ‘clothes to redo’ pile.
Keep up the awesome work!
if I wanted to use as a powder how would you suggest to apply it? I am thinking that if I take a handful and just toss it up at my pits it might be fun, but very messy and wasteful =)
Maybe a makeup brush or something?
Thanks so much for posting this! I saw this via the recycle your day blog and came up with a recipe slightly between both of yours which is working out really well (it was also what I happened to have in the house!)
I used: cocoa butter, shea butter, bicarb of soda, cornflour and tea tree / tea tree lemon. It works a treat! I’ve blogged about it with the recipe, so if anyone wants to take a closer look, go on ahead!
Talc causes cancer!
http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/cosmetics/talc.htm
Thank you thesaltvixen! That is good to know.
I have tried so many natural deodorant and none of them have ever worked. The crystal stick worked for a bit but then stopped being so effective so I went back to aluminum deodorants. Anyway, I don’t like the idea of all those chemicals so I decided to try this and I am totally impressed! I’ve been using it for a month and I’ve never noticed it wearing off throughout the day. I changed the recipe a bit (added shea butter and used eucalyptus and clary sage oil). Thanks for posting!
I think that I’d like to try this recipe, but one question:
Doesn’t using coconut oil cause you to get oil stains on the underarms of your garments? Even if it’s solid at room temp, it’s still oil, right? does it get de-natured or something by adding it to the baking soda/corn starch mixture? I like using the totally natural products, but don’t want oily stains.
I’ll be checking with you!
I’ve tried this deodorant and I confirm: it works well as far as smell is concerned but unfortunately it does leave stains on shirts. I’ve tried hard to get rid of those stains, but unfortunately the marks are still there.
mina–Maybe make it much stiffer. I’ve never had a stain issue. Wait, what color are the stains…white or oil? I was advising you if it was oil. If it’s the right consistency and applied lighty…it’s invisible.
I have never had stains. I make it really stiff and apply a light layer. NEver had stains.
My husband has been using this for about 2 months and I think it works better than his old deodorant. He goes to the gym during the day and trusts this enough to use it. He doesn’t have any kind of BO at all by the end of the day, where he used to have just a little. As soon as mine is gone, I’ll be making a lavender version for myself. Another successful product, with no yucky chemicals in it! And CHEAP!
Someone please send me the deoderant recipie at my email trishagan@hotmail.com, or leave the recipie at my network, rockzombee.webs.com! I wan to make my own.
This looks like a good recipe- I use Tom’s of Maine, but when it runs out I believe I will be trying this.
I HATE having even slightly damp under-arms, but here is something that works: apply a light layer of stick deodorant, then a layer of powder deodorant with a good powder puff. Cornstarch and baking soda works extremely well for this. Using the puff, lightly dust off all the loose powder, so only the part that adheres to the stick deodorant remains. You can refresh the powder throughout the day if you’re wearing a shirt with tight underarms or doing something really strenuous.
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