Alright, alright.

I get it; for many of us, antiperspirant plays a major role in our daily lives.

We may be human, but the stench we can produce can be unbearable for others.

It’s embarrassing… the thought of skipping on a potent antiperspirant is terrifying at best.

For some of us, these antiperspirants have become impossible to use. The harsh chemicals cause burns, breakouts, sores, and a slew of other irritating problems.

Those of us who finally kicked antiperspirants have noticed another negative trait that antiperspirants have: they makes our bodies stink so much worse, too!

We don’t want to stink, but we also don’t want to use those harsh chemicals anymore; I definitely don’t want to add more aluminum to my arm pits, either.

I was done with the torture of using antiperspirants, as they began to hurt my skin quite badly during and after pregnancy.

If you’re interested in this awesome replacement for store bought antiperspirant, stick around and learn about how I switched, the problems I encountered, and how I make my deodorant!

It Was Hard to “Quit” Antiperspirant… But Deodorant Finally Works!

After switching to deodorant, I found that I encountered a major issue- odor was hard to control. I found out that my body needed time to recover after using antiperspirant; the colonies of bacteria on my skin needed time to reproduce, balance themselves out, and maintain healthy populations before I could enjoy a better experience with deodorant.

For several weeks, I kept trying to use different deodorants and methods of odor control. I tried alcohol, frequent washing, and vinegar when working and sweating, in addition to deodorant.

It was really disappointing, and I was scared it wasn’t going to work out.

But it did, guys! I was so happy to be able to go to work and be worry free about odor. Of course, you may need to reapply or wash up when doing intensive work, especially in the heat; even those who use antiperspirant commonly need to reapply in this type of situation.

Do you know how good it felt to finally be free of the burns, rashes, and irritation that I started to suffer from? How good it felt to produce less odor overall? How empowering it was to know that I could continue on from store-bought deodorant to homemade deodorant, made from mostly edible ingredients?

I urge you to make the switch if antiperspirant is hurting you, and to make your own deodorant just once; give it a month, and you might find that you really love it too! Okay, let’s get to the details…

How I Make My Homemade Non-Toxic Deodorant with Arrowroot Powder, Baking Soda, Coconut Oil, and Essential Oils!

When I say this recipe is simple and easy to make, it really, truly is! Check this out:

• 5 1/2 to 6 TBSP Unrefined Coconut Oil (the more oil, the pastier it is)
• 1/2 Cup Arrowroot Powder
• 1/2 Cup Baking Soda (add an additional TBSP for the big switch, use less if you get irritated from abrasiveness)
• 10-20 Drops Skin-Safe Essential Oils (I’ll discuss this more soon)

All you have to do is combine these ingredients in a bowl and place them in your mason jar. This filled up a jelly jar quite nicely, and it’ll last for quite a while. When compared to the Schmidt’s deodorant I love ($10), I only spent $11 for this recipe (excluding essential oils, I already had those on hand). The ingredients will make many, many batches of deodorant, so this is extremely cost effective.




As for the essential oils, I go very lightly. I used Lavender, Sweet Orange, and Eucalyptus. I only used 3 or 4 drops of each; I like a light scent. You should opt for pure oils that are known for their antibacterial properties, and be very careful with citrus-type oils. Those oils can cause you to burn easily in the sunlight. If you’ve ever had your lips burn on a hot summer day after sipping on lemonade, the citrus is to blame! Eventually, I’d like to turn the Lavender I’ve grown from seed into infused oil, and use that in my deodorant, instead. Of course, that’ll be a while… but a woman can dream!

My Tips for Making and Using Your Homemade Deodorant

I have a few tips I want to share before you embark on this journey. I want everyone to have a positive experience, rather than a painful or unpleasant one.

• When you are mixing your ingredients, you will find that it’s hard to fully incorporate. My tip? Put your bowl into the microwave for 5 to 12 seconds- try in 5 second intervals. The coconut oil will melt very quickly. Stir for at least 60 seconds before putting it in for 5 more seconds; it will seem as if the 5 seconds did nothing. I kept stirring, and it slowly melted together and combined beautifully and thoroughly. It had the consistency of a thick glaze or icing. Upon sitting, it firmed up wonderfully into a solid deodorant.

• Always mix your deodorant up in a glass mixing bowl. Plastic may absorb odors from the essential oils, while metal cannot be placed in the microwave.

• Allow the deodorant to “rest” for several hours in a cool place. This will firm up the deodorant for first use; I don’t think you want to place something the consistency of frosting under your arms.

• Keep the deodorant in a cool place, or it’ll melt. If your home is hot during the summer, you might consider keeping it in your refrigerator; or on a table that is placed beside an air vent.

• Start with less essential oil, and add more if needed for personal taste. Less really is more, and you don’t want to toss the entire batch out because you added too much oil. If the scent is too light, just add one or two drops at a time to strengthen it.

• When applying, place the firm, cold deodorant against your skin for a few seconds for it to warm and soften; then spread it onto your skin. Baking soda is abrasive, and you don’t want to irritate your skin.

• Application can be messy. You could increase the baking soda and arrowroot powder slightly in order to pour the mix into a deodorant container (to produce a more solid deodorant). Or, you could grab a few popsicle sticks or paddle applicators for application. Using your hands is always an option, but not the best one if you’re in a rush in the mornings. Yes, I see you bold people in the back. The ones who like to live life dangerously, snoozing their alarms for 5 minutes past the “safe” snooze, daring to see if you can still make it to work on time.

My Final Thoughts

Overall, I truly enjoy making my own deodorant. It’s easy, cheap, non-toxic, and there’s less waste. Oh, and it works for me! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave your input below in the comments.

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