There are hundreds of deodorants on the market that promise to keep you smelling fresh all day and antiperspirants that guarantee to reduce sweat. But people have recently become concerned with the fact that most of these products have aluminum. Aluminum is a common ingredient in most deodorants because it prevents sweating, but at a cost. Aluminum is a health concern because it is connected to Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer. These are cause for real concern! There are some natural deodorants that have clean ingredients, but you can make a deodorant right at home. Check out this recipe for an easy DIY natural deodorant that will cost you much less than any of the name brands on the shelf.
The other difference between natural and non-natural deodorants is that regular deodorants plug sweat glands so they actually help you to sweat less. Natural deodorants cover smell, not sweat, but this is a positive! Sweat is natural, but no one wants to be stinky. This simple and clean recipe is easy to make and actually works! You don’t have to be a do-it-yourself expert to put this simple recipe together and it will cost you next to nothing. You might already have these items sitting at home so you can put this natural product together today!
Ingredients:
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- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
- 6 to 10 drops of essential oils, if desired (this will provide a natural perfume but is not necessary to the recipe)
Instructions:
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- Mix your baking soda and arrowroot starch together in a bowl.
- Combine the coconut oil until it’s completely blended and add essential oils if desired.
- Pour the mixture in a glass jar.
- When you’re ready to use, warm a small amount of the mixture between your fingers to form it into a liquid. Apply to your armpits.
You don’t necessarily have to follow this recipe word for word! Switch up ingredients and play with different mixes to find what works best for you. Experiment with different bases, powders, and oils. Other deodorant recipes include shea butter, cocoa butter, and coconut oil as bases. Some people might prefer an all powder formula!
Some other ingredients you might want to use to make your natural deodorant include the following:
- Disinfectant and antibacterial ingredients such as coconut oil and tea tree oil
- Any essential oils that you like the smell of including lavender, sandalwood, rosemary, vanilla, rose, grapefruit, orange, etc.
- Ingredients that naturally absorb moisture such as baking soda, arrowroot, and cornstarch
Keep in mind that it might take some time for your armpits to adjust to a new deodorant. Switching to a natural deodorant begins what’s known as a detox. It can take up to 2-4 weeks for your armpits to release the aluminum. So try using your new DIY deodorant for at least that long while you give your under arms some time to adjust.
