The Best Homemade Deodorants
Since it’s pretty well-known now that the deodorants you might see in the shops are damaging to your health, it’s the perfect moment to try an alternative.
When it comes to making deodorants that resemble what we are used to, we need to keep in mind that the texture has to be right, we want to use ingredients we are happy to have in direct contact with our body and they shouldn’t irritate the delicate skin underneath the arms.
Butters can be used as a creamy base for your deodorant, as can oils. Add in some arrowroot or baking soda and you’ll be preventing the growth of the nasty bacteria that cause body odour. Next, we probably want to add a nice fragrance we like. This helps mask any odours that might appear after sports or excessive sweating or stress, and they make the deodorant feel nicer to use. We can make the most of the therapeutic qualities of essential oils for this, and although we have included some specific scents here in these recipes, you can mix them up and add any scent you like, really, as long as it’s natural.
Natural citrus deodorant
This citrussy deodorant is great for anyone who likes a fresh, zesty fragrance.
Ingredients:
- 6 teaspoons of coconut oil
- 1/4 cup of backing soda
- 1/4 cup of arrowroot powder
- 20 drops of lemon, orange, other citrus essential oil or a combination
Start by melting the coconut oil gently in a double boiler or over a very low flame in a small pan. Take it off the heat once it’s all liquid and there is no solid bits left.
Combine the baking soda and the arrowroot powder in a mixing bowl, then add the coconut oil and stir them together to make a paste.
Drop in the essential oil or oils, then scoop the mixture into a jar or an empty deodorant tube to harden. Put your new deodorant into the fridge. It’ll be fine when it’s at room temperature unless you live in a very warm country, so keep it indoors during the UK summer.
Natural lavender deodorant
This deodorant recipe is similar to the one above, but it also contains shea butter, which is great for the skin, and, of course, lavender oil!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons of baking soda
- 2 tablespoons of shea butter
- 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder
- Lavender essential oil
Start by melting the shea butter with the coconut oil, then add the baking soda and arrowroot, mixing well. Add the lavender oil until it smells as strongly as you want it. This could be around 15-20 drops. Put the paste into a deodorant stick or a mould for easy use later on.
Natural powdered deodorant
You can use cornstarch, arrowroot powder or potato starch under your arms, and they will help keep you fresh and drier. Simply dust under the arms like you would talcum powder and repeat where necessary.
Natural bacteria-destroying deodorant
This liquid deodorant is easy to take with you and re-apply after sports or a trip to the swimming pool.
You will need to buy some grain ethyl alcohol. Avoid buying rubbing alcohol as it can be harsh on the skin when used repeatedly. Get yourself a spray bottle, and pour the alcohol into it. Add some tea tree essential oil – around 10 drops per ounce of alcohol, and spray it on clean underarms when desired.
Homemade lemongrass and rosemary deodorant
This lemongrass and rosemary recipe is a real treat.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of beeswax granules
- 1 1/4 tablespoons of shea butter, cocoa butter or mango butter
- 1 1/4 tablespoon of coconut oil
- 1 1/4 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 1/2 tablespoon of bentonite clay
- 1/4 tablespoon of baking soda or arrowroot or a mixture of the two
- 10 drops of lemongrass essential oil
- 6 drops of rosemary essential oil
Heat the beeswax, coconut oil and shea butter in a double boiler and melt them thoroughly.
Remove the oils from the heat and mix in the arrowroot, baking soda, bentonite clay and stir in the essential oils once it’s cooled slightly. Scoop the paste into a deodorant stick or other container. Leave it to set and then it’ll be ready to use.
