10 months ago I made my first batch of homemade deodorant (with thanks to Maria from My full time life who sent me a recipe) I have been using it ever since (I did have to make more this month) and am quite happy with it. I love the fact that it is another thing that I can cross off of my shopping list!I am reprinting my post from last year so you can see how to make it as well. It is very easy!
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To make the deodorant you need:
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (I believe this helps to absorb moisture)
- 1/4 cup baking soda (and this absorbs smell)
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (this binds everything together and it good for your skin as well)
- Essential oil or your choice (Optional- I used peppermint oil today and Maria said she used tea tree oil but I want to make a batch of unscented deodorant for working with the bees.)
- A cleaned out deodorant case to refill and use. Screw it down all the way so you can put the deodorant in.
Mix the cornstarch and baking soda together. Add the essential oil (up to 20 drops, to make it as strong as you desire). I softened the coconut oil a little by putting the measuring cup with it in it over a bowl of warm water and then I mixed everything together. I started mixing with a spoon but ended up finding it worked out better to do it with my hands. Then I started filling the old deodorant stick up. The mixture fit almost perfectly in the one container. I had just a little extra to put in another one.
It smelled really nice and looks pretty nearly just like the stuff you buy at the store. I think it will work well. I did try it out (oh the things we will talk about on our blogs!!!) and it felt just like any other deodorant.
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I did find that peppermint oil can give that icy hot feeling when you put it in your deodorant. It was a little interesting (grin!) but I got used to it. I went ahead and used it all summer even while keeping bees but they didn't seem to notice. This last time when I made it however I just left the peppermint oil out. Last weekend at the beekeeping class that I went to I heard that some people include beeswax in their homemade deodorant. That is something I want to try next. I think that might help the one issue that I have had with the deodorant and that is that it gets soft when the weather is hot (like when I was at camp in Iowa).
Have you ever tried making your own deodorant? I would love to hear your thoughts.
I am linking this to Frugal Friday at Life as MOM.
I am linking this to Frugal Friday at Life as MOM.
Hi Abbi - I stumbled upon your blog a while back and have been reading bits and pieces of it in my spare time ever since. You kind of inspired me to start keeping up with my own blog, so thank you for that! I just wanted to say that I make my own deodorant, too - I think it might be the same recipe as yours, actually. I found it on passionatehomemaking.com but I think they got it from someone else... not sure where it originated, but it was made from baking soda, arrowroot powder (or cornstarch, but I used arrowroot), and coconut oil. I love it! I would probably rank coconut oil as my greatest discovery last year. I had never used it before, but I kept seeing it at Central Market and finally I bought some and ended up using it to make the GREATEST TASTING SUGAR COOKIES OF ALL TIME!!! Now I keep finding new things to use it for. Deodorant, diaper rashes, homemade tortillas, lip moisturizer... it's great stuff!! I even found out you can make chocolate with it!! (I love chocolate.) Just use equal amounts of cocoa powder and coconut oil, mix well, add maple syrup until it is sweet enough for you... put it in the fridge to harden, and that's it! Chocolate! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is fabulous! I am trying this as soon as my currant deodorant is gone in a couple of weeks. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSounds cool. I don't buy deodarant, but I also don't wear it at all. I used to but just stopped a few years ago and have been fine without it. In summer I might need an extra shower now and again, but usually that is a welcome relief from the heat.
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