Homemade Deodorant Recipe

Over the last few months, I’ve really enjoyed switching over from shop-bought cosmetics to homemade ones, knowing that the ones I make at home are more natural and also help with minimizing packaging and environmental waste.

Last week I tried to make my first deodorant, and so far, it’s been a very enjoyable experience, from creating a simple recipe to using it and getting the same results as a shop-bought deodorant.

I have to say that I don’t sweat that much, so this natural deodorant option works great for me, but it depends on each individual person.

My homemade deodorant version is completely natural and doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals, aluminium or harmful parabens.

You can make this deodorant recipe unscented or you can use any essential oils you like.
I like zesty and refreshing scents, so I often use tea tree oil, lemon or vanilla, but other essential oils like lavender, rose or grapefruit are also excellent options.

Note on Ingredients

Shea Butter

It’s best to use the unrefined type of shea butter. This is a natural skin softener and helps to protect and nourish your skin as it contains vitamin A and E. It’s a thick type of butter which doesn’t melt at room temperature. This helps with the deodorant application, without the need to use additional types of wax.

Coconut Oil

If you didn’t have shea butter, you can replace it with coconut oil, which you can easily buy from any health shop. Use a good quality organic coconut oil. And in case you are wondering (like I was….at the beginning of my homemaking cosmetics journey), it’s the same stuff you’d use for cooking!

Coconut oil melts at a lower temperature, which is a slight disadvantage in this recipe, as you want to end up with a more solid mixture similar to a stick deodorant.

Cornstarch, Baking Soda and Arrowroot Powder

These three ingredients help to absorb moisture from your body.

I know that some people can find baking soda a bit too harsh on their skins, but you can easily replace it with arrowroot powder. It’s not expensive, but it’s a little bit more difficult to come by than baking soda, which, I think it’s the reason why so many recipes are using it.

Tea Tree (or other essential oils)

Tea tree oil is antibacterial and it perfect for using as additional ingredients in your homemade deodorant. The amount you add to your homemade deodorant depends on how concentrated your essential oil brand is and how dry the mixture is. You want to end up with a thicker consistency, which is going to set a little when completely cold.

Don’t forget that if you are using coconut oil, you might need less oil as coconut oil is thinner than shea butter.

Note on deodorant packaging
I’ve used a small jar for my deodorant, but you can get professionally-looking deodorant containers. This is great, especially if you are thinking of making these as gifts.

Ingredients
30g shea butter (softened)
30g cornstarch
2 tablespoons of baking soda ( or arrowroot powder)
10 drops of your chosen essential oil (or more)

Instructions

Measure everything and add to a large mixing bowl.
Start bringing all the ingredients together with a fork. If the mixture looks very dry and doesn’t want to gel together add few more drops of your chosen essential oil.
To make sure that your deodorant is smooth, I always use a hand mixer to finish everything blending together. This might take a few minutes and it might seem dry at first, but eventually, it will go lighter and will whip up into a soft creamy texture.
Fill a small glass or plastic jar.
Use a small amount to spread in your underarms as you would typically do with a shop-bought deodorant.

My other homemade cosmetics recipes

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