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I smell really good today.
And that’s a relief, because through pregnancy, and now nursing, my hormones have been all over the place– making my body odor more, um, pungent than it used to be. I feel like I’m reapplying deodorant all the time!
I stopped using antiperspirants a long time ago, but I’ll admit that it’s been a struggle to find a non-toxic deodorant that really works. My favorite store-bought brands to date have been Schmidt’s and Primal Pits, but they can be a little pricey compared to the mainstream varieties. That’s why I’m so grateful to have found this easy recipe for making deodorant at home, using only all-natural ingredients. If you’ve tried making my homemade lotion before, you probably already have the ingredients you need on hand!
This particular recipe comes from Sophie Uliano’s new book, Gorgeous for Good. I love this book because Sophie includes plenty of well-researched, myth-busting information about commercial and natural beauty products, along with simple guidelines for buying the best skincare products, and money-saving recipes you can make at home, too. In this book she’s laid out a detailed 30-day plan, with step-by-step beauty, nutrition, movement, and self-care exercises to do each day. It’s an easy, doable way to jump-start your routine, no matter how busy you are!
Thanks to Sophie, for allowing me to share this recipe from her book with you all. If you’ve already purchased Sophie’s book, be sure to take advantage of the bonus cooking video series she’s created, too!
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Easy Homemade Deodorant
Makes 3-4 ounces
Reprinted with permission from Gorgeous for Good
Ingredients:
4-ounce glass jar with airtight lid
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons shea butter
1/3 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot
6 drops lemongrass pure essential oil
Directions:
Place the coconut oil and the shea butter in a double boiler over low heat and stir until it has all melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the baking soda and the arrowroot powder. Stir in the essential oil and then pour into the jar.
At room temperature, the deodorant will be soft; if you want it to be more solid, store it in the fridge. Store in a cool, dark spot and use within six months.
Note: Feel free to use any other favorite essential oils you like to create your own unique scent. I accidentally added an extra 2 tablespoons of arrowroot to the mix (got distracted by my toddler) and my deodorant still turned out great, so this recipe is also pretty forgiving!
Hope you love this deodorant as much as I do!
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Reader Feedback: Do you make any of your own body care products?
If you want your deodorant to stay firmer simply put 1 t of organic beeswax bits in with the oils. You won’t have to store in the fridge… it will stay fresh as long as you don’t double dip.(You can use a clean finger but don’t put the same finger back in after applying.If you’re worried, add a few drops of grapefruit seed extract. You’ll be amazed how long it will last!
My recipe is very similar and have been using it for over a year now , love it, however recently have added couple tsp of beeswax to oils which halls keep it big more solid in the summer heat ( I uae tea tree oil for essential oil and only apply once a day no smell works great
I get a horrible rash when using any kind of deodorant with baking soda. Do you have a good alternative that works just as well? I used so many different “natural” deodorants and always get a bad rash (actually, it’s full on open sores).
Hi, I would like to ask if will this stain on my clothes? like leave a stain mark on it when I apply it?
I haven’t noticed any staining myself, but it might vary by fabric? I always got white marks on my clothes with traditional deodorant, but I haven’t noticed it as much with the more natural options.
Are you aware that regular baking soda has aluminum in it? This recipe does not specify whether it uses the traditional BS or non-alum. When I was making my deodorant with baking soda I would only use non-alum BS. I no longer use baking soda in my deodorant as it leaves burn/welt marks after about 2 weeks of application. I now make mine substituting DE instead. Works fabulous. But please..if you do not react to Baking Soda…use only the non-alum. After all, isn’t the aluminum in antiperspirant the reason we stay away from it and want to make our own?
Do you have a link to that information? This article claims otherwise, but I’d love to read more if you have it.
https://crunchybetty.com/the-great-baking-soda-anti-hoax/
I was told that years ago and hoax or no hoax, all of our health food stores in town have baking soda in bulk, 2 bins, one with aluminum free on the label the other without..I err on the side of caution and ONLY buy the one that specifically says aluminum free.
Megan, is it possible to leave out Baking Soda?? I have also gotten a rash in the past with homemade deodorant.
Michele. I use DE diatomaceous earth in lieu of BS. The DE will darken the deodorant but I find that it does not stain clothing. Also BS has aluminum in it so you should look for the non-alum baking soda.
I use food grade DE only. Hope that helps. 🙂
This looks like it would be VERY easy to make. 🙂
I’m so excited to try this and love that it is firmer in consistency compared to many other recipes I’ve seen. Thanks for sharing!
Curiously, baking soda is irritating to some people but not at all to others. I make my own deodorant and have found that if I shave at night and apply a natural healing cream afterwards, it seems to help prevent any kind of irritation. Another thing you can do if you’re sensitive to baking soda is to wipe under your arms with diluted apple cider vinegar and then let it dry prior to applying a deodorant with baking soda. This helps to balance the ph, which may be what is causing the irritation.
Ive just finsiehd first jar of Schmidts And loved it anD no IRRITATION but know friends got raSh or dark skin from it and had to use sensitive Version. Ill try this for sure!!
Can I use cocoa butter instead of Shea butter? I don’t have any Shea butter on hand right now.