Favorite Thing #97: DIY Deodorant

I have been wanting to share my recipe for DIY deodorant for sometime, but the last batch I made lasted so darn long, I had to wait to post about it. And this is actually a good problem, having deodorant that lasts and lasts! 

So we have all heard about the evilness of store bought antiperspirants. Causes cancer and Alzheimer's who knows what other evils. Clogs your sweat glands. Then there's the antiperspirant vs. deodorant debate. And on and on it goes. This article on Good does a great job of explaining some of the concerning ingredients found in your typical antiperspirant. 

To be honest, I didn't give it much thought until about 2 years ago. It was around that time my doctor discovered a lump on the side of my breast. Long story short, turns out it was just a rogue lymph node, but it certainly got me thinking about what I was sticking on my underarms. I read about just rubbing on baking soda, which worked (surprisingly well), but I found my pits got irritated from the gritty texture, so I needed to find something a little gentler. I tried Toms for a few weeks, but found I sweated, a lot. Ick. What impressed me with the baking soda was how it not only neutralized the odor but it actually reduced my sweating to almost nil. So I was on the hunt for a recipe that utilized baking soda and ideally other ingredients I already had on hand. Thankfully, I stumbled upon this recipe by Dana Petersen Murphy on Suite 101.

I meant to make some yesterday, as my jar was bordering on empty, but Safeway's coconut oil just wasn't up to snuff (I mean who wants chunks in their coconut oil?). Yeah, me neither. So last night the husband stopped by Save On his way home from work and picked me up some coconut oil. Once he got home, I realized I was also fresh out of corn starch! Ack. That meant another trip to Safeway this morning. But once I had all the ingredients, it took me no more than 5 minutes to whip up a batch. Huzzah!

The recipe...

1/4 Cup of each of the following...

Corn Starch. Baking Soda. Coconut Oil.

Seriously. That's it.

You can also add some essential oil. I used Lavender. 3 drops.

Measure all three ingredients into a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the coconut oil melts and the ingredients are combined. 

 Next, pour the liquid into the container(s) of your choice. Allow the mixture to cool and solidify, either at room temperature or in the refridgerator.

I ended up with a 1/2 Cup of deodorant. So the whopping grand total to make what I estimate to be 6 months worth of deodorant? And lets just be clear, I did more math in the last 10 minutes than I've probably done in the last 10 years. Phew! My brain is a little tired...

1/4 C. Baking Soda: 33¢

1/4 C. Corn Starch: 18¢

1/4 C. Coconut Oil: $1.14

3 Drops Lavender Essential Oil: 9¢

Grand Total: $1.74

A few tips on using this DIY deodorant:

- Use your fingertip to apply to underarms. 

- It will need to be reapplied daily (if you don't shower every day, wash before you reapply)

- In hot temperatures, keep it in the fridge or in a cool place (it will melt)

- If it does melt, make sure to mix it up as the corn starch and baking soda will settle at the bottom

- Right after application, you will notice white marks, but like any antiperspirant/deodorant it will disappear within a few minutes 

*One caution is the possibility of staining from the coconut oil. I have only noticed this in the summer months, so I have come to the conclusion that the mixture is separating from the heat and you end up putting on more oil than corn starch and baking soda. As such, I would recommend a good mixing before application. 

There you have it. An affordable, effective and natural deodorant alternative!