I’ve kept the recipe secret long enough…

I have been making my own DIY natural deodorant for over a year now, with great success. Many of you have been asking me how I make it. Finally… here is the recipe for you all! I am in love with this natural deodorant recipe and will never go back to other store-bought natural deodorants, let alone conventional deodorants and antiperspirants.

Maybe you haven’t gotten on the natural deodorant bandwagon.

You’re either in a depressing denial, thinking, “well, everything is going to give me cancer anyways, so I might as well not sweat or smell while I’m at it,” or you’ve tried natural deodorants and have decided “nope, they don’t work.” For those of you in denial or in ignorant bliss, I get you. I never thought I would switch from my beloved brand deodorant and antiperspirant. I had already reduced quite a number of toxic products in my home, but deodorant? No way, José! It wasn’t the scary cancer or Alzheimer’s research that finally convinced me to ditch my conventional deodorant and give natural deodorant a try (albeit the research is powerful!) It was more along the lines of, “fine, I’ll try natural deodorant, to say I did, and prove it doesn’t work.”

I was right! Most natural deodorants I tried didn’t work well.

I was stinky midday or they made my underarms feel sticky after applying. I had seen recipes for DIY natural deodorant but didn’t have any of the ingredients. Then, once I had essential oils in my arsenal I thought, “hey, might as well give it a try.” And you know what? It worked! No stickiness, it reduced amount of wetness, no cancer causing chemicals, and best of all, no stink!

I’m here to tell you that natural deodorant can work!

If you’re a DIY’er here is the recipe for you. If not, and you’re in Amsterdam, feel free to email me to order one for €10!

FAQ’s

Q. How do I apply? A. Rub a pea size amount under each arm. A little goes a long way.

Q. Does it help reduce wetness and odor? A. Yes! The arrowroot powder is like a natural corn starch, which helps absorb moisture. The baking soda helps eliminate odor as do the essential oils. The reality is, our bodies are meant to sweat, even with antiperspirants we sweat. Because we’ve clogged up our pores with antiperspirants for so long, our bodies tend to overcompensate with more sweat. So there may be an adjustment period where you may feel wetness as your body detoxes, however your body is all about balance and once it realizes you’re not clogging up your pores anymore, it will balance itself out.

Q. Why is it not in stick form? A. This same recipe can be poured into a deodorant stick mold if you prefer, however it may melt or become too soft in warm weather. I have also found that in stick form, too much is applied, which can cause skin irritation or staining of your clothes. To prevent this, I would have to swipe the stick once under my arm, then rub it in with my fingers anyway, so might as well skip the first step and just put it on with your fingers like a lotion.

Q. The deodorant is causing redness or itchiness, what should I do?! A. There are a few reasons and solutions: 1. Some skin is more sensitive and prone to being irritated by baking soda. Sometimes this can be fixed by adding less baking soda in the recipe. 2. Avoid applying immediately after shaving. 3. Sometimes these symptoms are caused by your skin detoxing from the chemicals and antiperspirant from your previous deodorant. Allow a few days or weeks to let your skin detox and adjust to the new deodorant. To help speed the detox process along, consider doing a bentonite clay mask on your armpits: 1 tablespoon bentonite clay, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1-2 teaspoons of water (to get right consistency). Apply paste under arms and leave for 5-20 minutes then wash off. If redness or itchiness continues, discontinue use.

Q. Will the oil stain my clothes? A. I personally have never experienced any staining. It may possibly occur if too much is applied.

Q. How long does one 2oz. jar last? A. 2-4 months, so the recipe above will last you twice as long.

NOTE: Original Recipe from Wellness Mama.

Have you ever tried store bought natural deodorant? Give this recipe a try and tell me how it compares