DIY Deodorant That Works!

First things first, credit were it’s due. The recipe below I’ve adapted from Natalie at HelloDay. She’s a fantastic wellness writer with a no BS approach. Pop on over if you want to know her secret to living a healthy lifestyle with 2 adorable independent girls age 3 and 5, navigating life and fitness while currently pregnant with her 3rd, ‘littl’ dude’!

Being vegan there are 2 products I have had difficulty finding an alternative. Toothpaste and deodorant. Toothpaste I now make my own that I’m constantly tinkering with (though if you want them white, a dentist trip. Lots of pennies to save up!) and for years I used a crystal or aluminium deodorant. I remember HelloDay first posted her deodorant recipe a few years ago which got me researching crystal or aluminum deodorants. I decided they were okay to use even though there were some conflicting info. The aluminum bit.

Potassium aluminum, a antimicrobial’s okay as the molecules are too large to be absorbed by the skin. In others, aluminum chlorohydrate and aluminum zirconium can be used which are bad for your health. Honestly with most brands sticking just aluminum on the label, some that use a synthetic natural mineral salt and not say, not knowing which on it was along with the nagging feeling that some research shows aluminum salt can lead to cancer was easy this time to make a decision to switch. When HelloDay posted earlier this year her recipe again, I researched again and decided to her recipe a go. It’s easier to use none of the aluminums! I researched a few more DIY deodorants and nearly everyone has the same basic ingredients: some sort of thickener/binder starch like cornflower or arrowroot, bi carb soda or baking soda in the USA, coconut oil and essential oil of choice for fragrance. Some called for shea butter, so I threw some in as when do you give your arm pits some moisturising love? I’ve since discovered the shea butter stops it being so liquidity in the summer as it has a higher melting point than coconut oil.

The Dets

In a bain-maire, under a low heat mix together until nice and smooth:

1/4 cup organic cornstarch

1/4 cup organic coconut oil

1/4 cup bi carb soda

3 tbsp unrefined unscented shea butter 

10-15 drops of essential oil of choice (I prefer citrus fresh smelling scents. Lemon and lime was a yummy combination. Jasmine my current choice is a more heavier. But hey I don’t wear perfume!)

Pour into a small plastic or glass container/jar. Preferably glass to avoid plastic toxins leaking in. I use a plastic pot: floor titles in bathroom and gym changing room and I like to drop things.

Apply with fingers.

Does Work?

Yes! It’s not an antiperspirant so you will sweat. It works a treat on feet! Care has to be taken with black or dark colour tops as it will leave marks. Apply after putting on tops! I discovered the hard way that it leaves odd marks with a melted white chocolate texture on black leggings when applied on my feet before putting on leggings. If I haven’t washed my hands before, it can be hard to remove without a damp cloth. On tops it’s easy to wipe away with a damp cloth. It does leave residue like other deodorants under the arms, it’s non sticky which is a godsend in hot weather and thanks to the bi carb soda there maybe some run off working out, which is easy to wipe away.

Stink level. It’s not 24 hour and now it’s warm it’s really been put to the test. I can do my workout, sweat like crazy, no time to shower afterwards before teaching or running errands, reapply and not be stinky 6+ hours later.

Most of the ingredients are easy to find and it’s fairly cheap in the long run to whip up. A bonus is once you have the ingredients you can make other DIY beauty recipes or just cook with them! A little goes a long way. One batch can last me about 3 months. Shea butter was the one ingredient that’s more difficult of me to find in Spain. Fortunately there’s iherb.com! And perhaps the biggest bonus, it’s cruelty free!

What’s your favourite deodorant and why?  Have you tired a natural deodorant?