When we first started out the road to living more naturally… one of the first things to go was the deodorant.
The Stinky Story
It was a bold step for us at the time and we were really nervous about the stinky body odor that was surely going to follow us around for a while.
We learned that eating a good, clean diet and drinking plenty of water can help cut down the BO, but sometimes you need a little extra help. We all know that the commonly used antiperspirants work pretty good for the most part, but that’s if you don’t care about all the aluminum that is being soaked into your body via the stinky armpits and how it prevents you from detoxing naturally through your sweat.
For those of us who care and want a more natural option… the choices are many, but very few actually work. Some even have aluminum and other yucky ingredients even though the product is supposed to be “natural”.
I share this from personal experience, as a woman who rode (and still does when not pregnant!) horses, loves to work hard and likes a good sweat.
Sweat is not something I gross out about, but body odor… I do.
When Jon and I first threw away our conventional deodorants, we started out trying the Thai Crystal Deodorant Stone and it worked great… but for only a year or so before we started to really stink enough to try something different.
Out went that deodorant and in came the Crystal Body Deodorant… same idea as the first one, but supposedly better.
Same results… we still stunk like BO and it was getting really embarrassing.
Saved by the Powder
What were we gonna do?! Sweat like a stinky horse?! Thankfully, I learned of a homemade version using baking soda, arrowroot or cornstarch and essential oils.
This powder deodorant saved us from the embarrassment of BO. It was kind of messy getting it on, but we weren’t complaining!
We used it for a couple years, but just recently I decided to change it up and add in coconut oil because we were tired of getting powder everywhere.
After trying different variations… I had to make two different kinds. We found out the painful way that my hubby cannot have essential oils in his deodorant because it causes him to break out in a rash. As for me, I use essential oils with no problems… the rosemary is my favorite! Word of advise, try a small amount before making a batch to see if you can tolerate essential oils on your armpits.
Through that whole process I found that using plain coconut oil works fairly well. You can do that if you don’t really want to make your own deodorant. My hubby did that for a while to let his pits heal up, but he felt like he need a little more power and so I made him a plain version of mine.
Try and see what works for you.
The Ingredients
I will share the powdered recipe along with the recipe for the solid form of deodorant below. Both work great, but we prefer the solid deodorant for obvious reasons.
A few things to keep in mind when making your deodorant… where we live is cool enough that we can keep the deo in a deodorant stick without worrying about it melting. If you are in an area where is it hot or concern about it melting… simply pour it into a small jar OR add a couple tablespoons of beeswax and/or shea butter. You will have to melt them all together using the double boiler method before adding in the dry ingredients and essential oils.
Essential oils… I highly recommend that you use a little bit of tea tree along with your favorite essential oil(s). The tea tree is anti-bacterial and paired up with coconut oil makes a nice double kick against the stinky odor-causing bacteria.
I like to buy all my ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs, Amazon, Vitacost and/or Tropical Traditions. I know my essential oils shown in the pictures are not from Mountain Rose Herbs… they were gifts from friends and I appreciate them!
I have found that Mountain Rose Herbs’ essential oils are of excellent quality… I still have some that I bought over 2 years ago and they work great!
Alright, enough chatter, let’s get to work making…
- Mix arrowroot powder & baking soda together in a medium bowl.
- Mash in 6 Tbsp of coconut oil with a spoon until well mixed. It should be creamy with a slightly dry texture. If you need more, add 1 Tbsp at a time.
- Add in essential oils, if desired. You will need about 10 – 15 drops total for each batch.
- Store in a small glass jar or deodorant container (will need to melt gently first and pour in).
Favorite Essential Oil Combinations:
tea tree and rosemary
lavender and orange
lemon, lavender and frankincense
tea tree and lavender
yland yand and orange
peppermint and lemon
Favorite Single Essential Oils:
Tea Tree
Pine
Peppermint
Lavender
Rosemary
Frankincense
Extras:
— Add 2-3 capsule of probiotics (pull the cap apart and add powder in with dry ingredients).
— Use cocoa butter or mango butter instead of shea butter.
Powder Form:
6 Tbsp arrowroot powder
4 Tbsp baking soda
Essential Oils
- Mix arrowroot powder & baking soda in a small bowl.
- Add essential oils of your choice (recommended amount above).
- Store in a glass jar and use a blush brush to powder your armpits.
Have you tried making your own deodorant with success? What are you favorite scents? Share below!
Why add the optional probiotics? I’ve never thought of my body absorbing probiotics from the outside…
Hello Rachel, you can read about it here –> http://frugallysustainable.com/2011/11/homemade-probiotic-deodorant-that/
Basically, our skin is the biggest organ and we need healthy bacteria to keep it looking healthy and feeling healthy.
Hope you will try it!! Works great!
thanks! so interesting…
Hey Mare,
this sounds great. I wil definitely try it! I love the scent of Lemongrass!
🙂
Hugs, Melanie
Hey Mel!! How are you doing these days? Still in Costa Rica??
Yes, this is by far the best and we love it. I tried with lemongrass, but it made me nausea… I think because I was in my first trimester of pregnancy 😛 LOL!!! I love lemongrass too.
Hugs back to you!
Oh my gosh, Mare! I was just looking at Frugally Sustainable’s probiotic deodorant. I was telling Gabe I’m sick of buying natural deodorant that just doesn’t’ work! I’m on my way to make my own. pinning this!
LOL!! I totally understand. It was the same way for us just before we moved to Costa Rica. We tried the other crystal stuff and it did NOT work… so embarrassing becase we were living in the hot, humid beach and it was miserable!
So easy, just made a batch of it yesterday!! Enjoy!!
Mare, where did you get your containers?
Someone actually gave them to me… a whole bag of it! I LOVE them. I use them for other things too. I think you could find it if you google deodorant containers.
SKS Bottle and Packaging is where I got mine… I used them first for solid lotion (rather than bars). Reasonable prices but they supply to small business and industry so they are not generally looking to sell 1 or two. you might try amazon or etsy for one or two but you’ll pay twice the price (but it may take you a while to use up 24 even with gifts)
My husband and I have been using this same recipe for years (similar ratios) and love it! I make it and sell it even locally to friends who LOVE it as well! Amazing how you just know when your body loves something 🙂
So great to hear how much you all are enjoying it as well. Congrats on your newest baby and I pray for you and your family.. (when I think of it) and all your doing there… Stay encouraged 🙂
Hello Bethany! Thanks for your encouragement and for commenting.
Yes, this stuff works great!! Have been using it for over 6 months now. Before that it was just powder, but now we will stick with the coconut oil 🙂 I love that we can make our own stuff… I didn’t even know you could over 6 years ago! LOL!!
Thank you for your prayers! Hugs.
This looks like JUST what I have been searching for! I do have a question about the product. I wear t-shirts and dress shirts that hit my armpit, you know what I mean? Coconut oil being an oil… 🙂 will/does this leave oil stains on clothing??
Hello!
Yes, totally understand and no worries! I have had no problems with the coconut oil staining my shirts. It seems that the skin absorbs it very quickly (being a warm place and all) and does not rub on the shirts. Plus, I believe the baking soda and arrowroot powder helps prevent the oil from staining too. Enjoy!!
I use and love Garden of Life coconut oil. Do you think that is o.k. ?
Thank You,
Erica
Hello Erica!
Yes, any kind of coconut oil is fine. Hope you will like the deodorant!
Thank You Marillyn! xoxo
Hey Marillyn! I’ve made it a few times now and the first time around it was pretty great but this time I used a different coconut oil and now it doesn’t work at all. I also get very painful bumps under my arms (especially after shaving, even if I shave in the evening and put on the deodorant in the morning). I’ll try it once again with a different oil but do you have any idea why I get those bumps?
xx Birgitte
Birgitte, it sounds more like the baking soda is bothering you. Try using more arrowroot and a little less baking soda. I’ve made my deodorant with several different brands and have had great success with them all. What brand of coconut oil were you using that isn’t working? Just curious. Try my suggestion and see what happens, you might need to stop using the deodorant and only use coconut oil until the bumps go away. If they still don’t go away… it could be that you are having a reaction to the coconut oil. That would be a big bummer. Let me know how it goes!!
I think you’re right that it’s the baking soda that’s causing the problem so I’ve found one with slightly different ingredients (not working: disodium diphosphate and sodium hydrogen carbonate. New one: Mono calcium phosphate and sodium bicarbonate. I personally have no idea what it means, but I’m hoping it’ll make a difference!!) I was using Coconut Oil of Life. Btw, I was thinking of adding some Witch Hazel, what do you think?
Again, you can just lessen the amount of baking soda and increase the arrowroot. The coconut oil will do a great job of keeping you stink-free. That is what I do for my husband. He has sensitive armpits and can’t have too much baking soda and no essential oils. I, too, hope that new baking soda you found will help. Let me know if it does, seriously!
Regarding the witch hazel, not sure about that… my only concern is that it might not mix well with the coconut oil. You could try, but start with a little bit and go from there.
I am making this recipe right now. My husband is skeptical (He is also a HUGE sweater.. like big time. So I hope it works for him).
We have never gone natural with deoderant, so this is our first experiment, and hopefully our last. =)
Thanks for sharing,
You are welcome Meghan! Hope it works well for you and wins your husband over 😉
Thanks for sharing your recipe! My hubby can’t tolerate regular deoderant/antipersperant. And I’ve tried the natural stuff, but after a couple weeks, I always end up smelly again. Its good to see that you’ve been using this recipe for a while and that it works.
Devin, hope it works well for you guys!! This recipe is our favorite and no-fail!
Hi dear… I really want to try this but my problem is not so much the odor, as it is for the sweating… but mostly, because all my clothes are stained with deodorant… some yellowish or others white… I have used special deodorants that claim to not stain, they do 🙁
Hello Paula!
My husband and I have been using this deodorant for several months now and have no stains on our clothes. I believe that the coconut oil soaks quickly into the armpits and the baking soda and arrowroot powder helps prevent staining. As long as you rub in the homemade deodorant well… you should be fine!
OK, i made it and LOVE it! Hubby says he will try it after he runs out of his current deoderant.
I did a post on making and using this recipe; I linked back to your original post and suggested my readers follow you. Is that okay? http://megswlifeisgood.blogspot.com/2013/05/hmemade-probiotic-anti-bacterial.html
Love your blog and this deodorant. Thanks again! 😉
Hello Meghan, that’s great! I read your post and thank you for linking back. Let me know what your husband thinks 🙂
How do you store this? Can it be refrigerated?
Hello!
You can simply store it in a small jar if you used just coconut oil, powders and essential oils.
If you added beeswax or cocoa butter… you can put it in a deodorant stick and it can be left out in room temp.
You can store it in the fridge, but it will get rock hard and difficult to apply. There is no need to store in the fridge because the coconut oil and essential oils prevent it from going bad.
Enjoy!!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Thank you so much for sharing that recipe. I just made two batches over the weekend and I am so stunned, it WORKS ! I had bought Tom’s of Maine deodorant and developed a crazy rash. I’m so happy I found something that works and won’t make my skin dry, flaky and itchy. I added grapefruit and rosemary oil to mine, it smells divine. The grapefruit and coconut kinda smell like peaches and cream. Yum ! Thanks again !
Wonderful! So glad that it is working for you and you are enjoying it… I will have to try grapefruit and rosemary next time I make a batch. 🙂
I’ve been using Toms and have developed a rash too :/ ugh… I don’t have $$ to make the stick right now…hoping to make the powder tonight…will it work with cornstarch (its all I have right now lol)
yes, you can use cornstarch and baking soda.
Hello,
A friend referred me to your blog and I love it! I tried the natural deodorant and it worked great for a week, but then I got a rash in both arm pits (I used the recipe with baking soda, corn starch, coconut oil, and lemon essential oil). I tried switching back to my old store bought deodorant and now I stink! Help!! 🙂 Thanks! Also, even though I stored it in the bathroom (in an ac house), it would often melt. Thanks in advance for any tips or advice!
Sounds like you are reacting to the essential oil. Maybe use less? My husband can’t have any essential oils in his deodorant because they cause him to have a rash.
First I would make deo with no essential oils until the rash goes away and then try a different oil or use less. Also, maybe try using less baking soda and a little more corn starch? Are you using non-gmo cornstarch? Sometimes regular cornstarch can cause rashes because of its gmo makeup.
Hope you can make it work for you!
I had the same issue when I started using it, turns out it was just a bit too much of baking soda for my skin. I just added a bit more coconut oil and arrowroot power to dilute the mix. No more rash :)Also, if I have just shaven my armpits, I’ll just apply coconut oil right out of the shower, than an hour later I’ll put on deodorant. Gives my skin time to “heal”.
Thanks for sharing that Stephanie!
I learned that adding a little bit (because it can stain if too much) of Bentonite clay can help if you have sensitive skin or if you’re sensitive to baking soda.
Excellent post!! I never found this type of compact recipe. I have used many Natural Deodorant for me. But none of them perfectly work for me. I should try this one instead of deodorant spray. Thanks for sharing the valuable recipe with us. I am loving it. Thanks again.
This recipe works! I love my homemade deodorant now! I used tea tree and lavender and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! My arm pits sweat naturally but not a ton and the scent is so nice. For a whole week I kept sticking my arm pits in my hubbys face just to make sure they didn’t smell, and guess what? THEY NEVER SMELLED BAD! Love this recipe! Thanks Marilyn for providing an all natural way to take care of our bodies that actually works!
Natalie,
Wonderful!! So glad you are enjoying your deo… yes, it is amazing how it works and smells SO nice 🙂 My pleasure and thank you for your encouraging note 🙂
Hi Marillyn,
Have you ever tried Lavilin?
I started to become more conscious of what I was putting on my body and decided to eliminate anti-perspirants right off the bat. I also read up on some home remedies for deodorants and started making my own. Worked pretty well!
My friend noticed my concoction one day and suggested I try Lavilin. It’s an all-natural and long-lasting deodorant – lasts up to 7 days! The brand has a really great reputation in the market so I decided to try it out – simply amazing!!! Love the product! And while the home remedy worked pretty well for me, Lavilin is much much better, lasts a lot longer, and most importantly to me – it’s safe.
Any thoughts on Lavilin?
-Rosemary
Hello Rosemary,
No I have never tried Lavilin… never heard of it until you mentioned it!
I looked on their website and check this out: http://www.lavilin.com/products/deodorant/underarm-deodorant-cream.html
I am not comfortable with the ingredients because the second ingredient is Hydrogenated Castor Oil and then there are these ingredients: Talc (pharma), Triethyl Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Fragrance, O-Cymen-5-Ol
I looked at the other deodorants and same thing… there are too many ingredients that bring up red flags in my mind and do not feel that it is safe.
I love my homemade deo because it is cheap and I know EXACTLY what is in it. Plus, everything that I use in my deo is edible… that’s very important to me. My skin absorbs, much like eating, anything I put on it. So I want to be sure I put on real stuff!
Thanks for leaving a comment!
it’s great help ..
thanks for the information..
Anyone prefer one type over the other. I have more problems with my shirts smelling bad. Powder or solid?
solid! Stays on better.
This sounds great and I want to try it. Just wondering if you have tried it with either the bees wax or shea butter, and if so, which do you prefer? It’s summer time here and I want to make sure it doesn’t melt! Thanks.
Thank you! I prefer beeswax over shea butter, but you should try a small amount of each to see which you like.
I’ve been using a small dab of plain baking soda under my arms and it’s been super effective – yes you do need a two week or so “detoxing” period when you get off of deodorant. What I have noticed, however, is sometimes the baking soda irritates my skin and it gets a little itchy. I’m going to try your combination and see how it goes.
What I did want to point out is that store brand baking soda can contain aluminum, so you have to make sure you are using a good quality aluminum free baking soda.
Thank you for your comment! About the baking soda… most store brand baking soda don’t have aluminum, check this out: http://www.crunchybetty.com/the-great-baking-soda-anti-hoax
It is baking POWDER that has aluminium in it, not baking SODA!! I’m the same tho even a minute bit of baking soda and my underarms are red raw within 5 mins 🙁 I just use coconut oil with a drop or two of teatree oil, works for me 🙂
I use clove oil with the other ingredients. I love the way it smells.
Thanks so much for sharing !
How do you mix int he beeswax, and what form is it best to buy the beeswax in?
Hello Hanna! I like the small pellet beeswax. You will need to melt the beeswax completely before mixing it in with the rest of the ingredients. I like to first mix together the powders, oil and essential oils before putting in the wax. Enjoy!!
So excited to try out this recipe. Our family is on a budget & was curious how many sticks does the solid recipe make? Thank you for posting this recipe I am really looking forward to looking at other recipes you have!!!
Hello Alecia!
It depends on the size of your deo stick, but with mine I am able to make about 6… three for me and three for my hubby. They last us a long time! The last time I made deo for us was in November and we are on our last stick.
Glad to have you here Alecia! Hope you will make the deo… works great!
I will try this one, it would be my third DIY deodorant and nothing before it worked. I really hope this one is the one.
Hope it worked out for you!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this recipe! This deodorant works better than store-bought anti-perspirant for me! I have become its official spokesperson with my friends… Honestly I talk about it to anyone who will half-listen to me lol. I like patchouli and tea tree oil together, but might try lavender next!
Wonderful!!
I tried this recipe two times. Both times it was very soupy and oily. I live far north, so I know it’s not the weather. I used coconut oil, arrowroot, and shea butter. I melted one batch down and added more shea butter to harden it up, but it didn’t work. I am assuming that I HAVE TO add beeswax, is that right? I am also assuming that I can remelt it a third time without any problems…I hate to waste it…is that right? I really wanted to avoid the beeswax because I have to order it…any suggestions on how to thicken/harden this recipe without it?
Hello! Did you melt the coconut oil completely before adding the baking soda and arrowroot? If so, you are NOT supposed to do that. The coconut oil needs to be soft, room-temp and using a spoon to blend it together. If my batch seems a little oily, I add more baking soda and arrowroot to “dry” it out. The batch I normally make is with just coconut oil, baking soda and arrowroot along with essential oils. I rarely use shea butter or beeswax unless I have them.
In the recipe above I stated clearly that the shea butter and beeswax is optional to use. Again, to help “dry out” and thicken your batch… use more baking soda and arrowroot.
The first time I made it it was like thick lotion – not creamy dry. So I kept adding a little arrowroot, a little more, a lot more, some baking soda, then some GMO free corn starch; way more powders than the original recipe and it was still more wet than what I was expecting. I transferred it to a jar and went to bed. By the next day it was pretty hard. I think the original recipe is probably just fine – expect it to seize up a little once the little bit of heat/ friction from stirring ends and it has a chance to harden on its own.
Hello Lisa,
That’s pretty much how it is supposed to be… like a thick, almost dry lotion. Yes, you have to allow it to harden up after following the recipe and it will firm up.
I have been leaving my jar of deodorant in my car as I have not had a smaller container to keep at work. It has melted and hardened a few times and looks like it may have seperated a little as the top part of the jar is a little more solid of a white. Has this caused it to loose some of its potency? or do you think I could warm it up and mix it back together and it will be fine?
Hello LaCinda!
No the potency is still the same… you can let it come to room temperature and mix it all back together. If it is still wet… add more powder to ‘dry’ it out. It will work just fine!
Hi – I am having trouble with coconut oil. I have this mysterious hive-like rash that appears coincidentally (or not) when I use coconut oil. What other oil can I use? You’ve answered this already, but I reread the comments and can’t find it. Thanks!
Are you using essential oils as well? Could that be causing your rash? My husband had similar issues with essential oils. As for using a different oil… my suggestion would be to use shea butter or cocoa butter. You want to use something that is solid enough to spread on without getting messy.
Thanks! I’ll try the Shea butter. It isn’t the essential oils. I ate something with coconut oil and broke out, no essential oils used at that point, ever. After many happy weeks of using your deodorant, I broke out again – an all over body rash like before. It might not be the coconut oil, but I want to change to Shea butter just in case. Thanks for the help!
Hope it works out for you! That is very strange about your rash. I hope you will be able to find out what exactly is causing it… especially since you were using the for many weeks before the rash happened. Makes me wonder if it is something completely different… like air pollution or stress-related.
hi! is it ok to use virgin coconut oil? thanks!
Yes, its fine to use VCO 🙂
Hi Marillyn,
Your deodorant is really easy to make! Will try it soon, but before I do, have a question for you. This may sound really dumb to you but here in India we have very hot n humid weather so coconut oil at room temprature is actually liquid:-) so should I be putting it in the fridge solidyfing it and then using it to make the deodorant?? Or is it OK using it as is?
Hello! No, not a dumb question. Yes, you will want to keep it in the fridge to keep the baking soda, arrowroot powder and coconut oil mixed together. If you leave it out it will separate.
Hey, quick question about the actual making of the deoderant. Everytime I try to make deoderant, I end up with a mess on my counter and only partially mixed deoderant. Do you have any tips? Your post suggests not melting the oil…..why?
Melting the coconut oil is what makes the mess and gives you a partially mixed deodorant. You want the coconut oil to still be solid, but soft so that you can “cream” the powders into the coconut oil. So, don’t melt the coconut oil and you will have your natural deodorant 😉
Hello, I’ve been using your deodorant recipe for about 9 months now and sharing with friends. I love it. However, I have one issue to report that maybe someone else knows how to remedy. The deodorant has turned my arm pits brown, like the skin is permanently and visibly much darker than the rest of my skin. Any advice on lightening the skin?
Hello Brooke! So glad you love the deodorant. We still use it ourselves.
I am not sure what caused your arm pits to turn brown nor do I have a remedy for that. Sorry! I hope someone will know and share with you a remedy.
Hey, stumbled upon your blog through Homemade Mommy. I see that you’re a missionary in Honduras. Where in Honduras? I was full time there 2007 to 2013 but now come down with our teams several times a year. We work in Esperanza, Intibuca.
Nice blog.
Blessings and hugs,
Sue
Hello Sue!
We are in Ojojona. Just an hour south of Tegucigalpa. Who do you work with in Esperanza? THank you for introducing yourself! Blessings!
I biked 23 miles today with this deodorant without any odor! I can’t make that claim about my usual antiperspirant/ deodorant. I assure this was no breezy day in the park ride; my undergarments were soaked. This stuff works better than what you can buy AND it’s not harmful.
Thank you for sharing your personal experience Lisa! So glad this worked out for you! We’ve been using it for years now and love it still 🙂
Can I use my home made coconut oil?
I don’t see why not!
Thanks so much for sharing! I just made my first batch of homemade lip balm, so I have all the ingredients. YAY! I’ll have to make some up this weekend. I’ll update you after my two-week detox. Can’t wait! Thanks again and blessings to you and yours.
Wonderful! Hope you are liking the results!!
Over the past 2 years I have been using a much simpler version as a roll on. As I live in a hot climate and work in the building industry I have found my recipe to give 48hr + total protection and it leaves commercial products in its wake!
The ingredients are:
1) 40% plant origin Glycerine. (USP grade)
2) 40% Proplene Glycol. ( ” )
3) 20% Tea Tree oil in water soluble solution. (20% strength available from pharmacies.)
Simply add the ingriedients to an old washed roll on container, give it a vigorous shake and it’s ready to use!
Thank you for sharing! Where would you find Proplene Glycol??
I have purchased PG through Amazon in the past. I like the “Nature’s Oil” brand. I look Only at the USP grade type (food grade). I just ran across your recipe as I was researching the different uses for tea tree oil. Your deodorant really caught my attention. I think that’s the first time I was so interested in your article…curious about the effectiveness, I continued reading every single comment. Now I am very excited to try it out!
Thank you for sharing!
Jamie