This post is brought to you by the lovely Birgit.
If you’ve been following my blog, you will know that I switched the family to all natural, homemade toiletries about 1.5 years ago. The one thing I was somewhat hesitant about though, was deodorant. Somehow I didn’t think I could make that one myself.
You see, we live in the desert, that means it’s REALLY hot, which in turn means, there’s a fair amount of everything from ladylike perspiration to downright, not-at-all-lady-like sweating.
Even though I switched to all natural deodorants quite a while before then, it took me a long time to find something that actually worked - and had the right ingredients! And over the years I have tried many, many “alternative” deodorants, with very little success. They either didn’t work at all, or not for very long! Or they smelled rather unpleasant! Or they weren’t entirely “natural” enough to be worth it, as many of the supposedly natural deodorants still had a bunch of undesirable ingredients in them.
I finally found one that worked for me ingredient wise, it worked all day and it smelled good enough for me to still feel feminine! The catch? It was around $10-12 a pop. Granted it lasts a while, but I just have a hard time paying that much for a deodorant on a regular basis!
So, I set about making my own. I started with some of the many tutorials on the web, but I found that most of them turned out too oily/greasy for me to feel comfortable with. I wanted mine more on the powdery/dry side but still glide on.
Today, I’m sharing with you the recipe that’s been working best for me!
It’s quick and easy to make, it glides on enough to be a deodorant stick, it’s nourishing to the skin but not greasy, it has ingredients that I already have in the house and best of all - it keeps me smelling nice all day! And, since I usually make orange and vanilla for myself, it goes nicely with the Orange Honey Shampoo I make and use.
Is it an ANTIperspirant? No.
Part of the problem with regular deodorants and anti perspirants/deodorants is, a) the aluminum, which is a carcinogenic (cancer causing,) and b) the fact that they are designed to block our sweat glands and pores. This is to reduce sweating, but I do believe that this is not a good thing for our bodies. We sweat for a reason!
I would like to note here though, that like with all transitioning to more natural products, there might be a short adjustment period. The first couple of weeks of use, you may not find it quite as effective as you would have hoped. Stick with it though! Once the body detoxes the old stuff out and becomes accustomed to the new goodness, it will work pretty well for you!
A note on the deodorant container. You can purchase them new, or you can use your existing deodorant/anti-perspirant container.
To clean an existing one, twist the deodorant stick all the way up to the top, break off and scrape out any remaining deodorant. Then wash in hot soap and water, until none of the old stuff remains. Dry thoroughly and it’s ready to use for your homemade version!
The containers I used were meant to be filled from the top.
There are however some on the market that are meant to be filled from the bottom. They are the ones that come with an inside cap. Not the general cap, but an extra one, directly covering the deodorant stick. You will need that cap, so make sure you have all the parts before you begin filling a reused container!
You will need:
1 Empty Deodorant Container
1/8 cup Arrowroot Powder/Starch
1/8 cup Baking Soda
2 1/2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
1 heaping Tbsp. Beeswax Pellets
5 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil
1/8 tsp Sweet Orange Essential Oil
1/8 tsp Vanilla Essential Oil **
**Please note that sweet orange and vanilla is my favorite combo, but you can use any essential oil combination you like here. For example, rosemary and lemon grass, is a nice, fresh combo, that is a little less “girly”.
Preparation:
Melt beeswax and coconut oil in a pan or double boiler over low heat.
Whisk in the baking soda and arrowroot powder.
Remove pan from heat, and stir in essential oils. Add more essential oils if it isn’t fragrant enough. Be aware however, that if you use a LOT more essential oil, that you will get a softer deodorant stick, due to the increased oil content. However, 5 or so more drops of any given essential oil is fine!
Pour into deodorant container. Fill it all the way up to the very top of the container. It may look like it’s going to spill, but it will settle as it cools.
Leave it uncapped while it’s cooling. If you are impatient, you can speed up that process by putting the deodorant stick in the refrigerator.
Once it’s completely cool and solid gently twist and move it up and down just a bit to loosen it. Then cap.
And now it’s ready for use!
Notes on using your deodorant:
This is not quite as solid as your store-bought deodorant, so don’t twist it up as high as you might be used to. Just go a little above the top edge.
It does leave white marks if it gets on dark clothing while applying it, so bear that in mind.
Don’t be tempted to put on lots and lots. It won’t work more, the more you put on, especially during the adjustment period. There is such a thing as too much with this deodorant! If you build up a thick thick layer under your arms, it will eventually start to either become unpleasant or crumble off, like it would with any other regular deodorant too. Just use a couple of strokes under your arms and enjoy your naturally fragrant self!
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Birgit Kerr
Meridian tapping mixed media and digital artist, blogger, crafter, baker, cook, caretaker of numerous growing things (human, animal and plant alike) and general creator extraordinaire!
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