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Instead of relying on baking soda, which often causes skin irritation, my homemade deodorant without baking soda recipe focuses on nourishing oils like shea butter, gentle drying powders like arrowroot, and a blend of essential oils for an effective formula that will keep bacteria at bay and keep your armpit nice smelling!
Conventional deodorants have a harmful effect on our health, both from the toxic ingredients and from completely blocking one of our body’s best detoxification processes: sweat! Of course, no one wants wet, stinky pits – but by using a homemade deodorant without baking soda you get a non-irritating deodorant that prevents odor without harmful chemicals or stopping up your sweat process completely.
Ingredients
- 2 TBS Shea butter
- 3 TBS Coconut oil
- 3 TBS Beeswax pellets
- 1 TBS Arrowroot powder
- 10 drops Lavender essential oil
- 10 drops Frankincense essential oil
- 10 drops rose geranium essential oil
- 10 drops Rosewood essential oil
- 1 empty deodorant stick
Instructions
- Melt beeswax, oils, and butter in a double boiler on low heat. If you do not have a double boiler, simply use an aluminum bowl placed in a pan filled with warm water.
- Add the arrowroot powder, mix well.
- Once melted, remove from heat, add the essential oils. Mix well.
- Pour immediately into the deodorant containers.
- Put it in the fridge for 2-3 hours until it has completely solidified.
- Apply on your clean armpit after your shower on dry skin.Be sure to do armpit detox as mentioned below if you are switching from a commercial deodorant.
- Yield: about 75 ml OR 2.5 oz
- The shelf life of this deodorant is about 1 year, depending on the shelf life of the oils and you have used. It does not need to be refrigerated.
Why you should avoid baking soda?
Baking soda is a common ingredient in most “natural” deodorants, but as I’ve mentioned, it often causes skin irritation. This is because it has a very high pH value (making it super alkaline) – if used in too high of a concentration this can cause irritation and rashes. Even if the baking soda content isn’t too high, many people are sensitive to prolonged contact with it on their skin. Few things are more uncomfortable than an irritated armpit!
Additionally, if baking powder (which contains baking soda) is used, you could still be exposing yourself to aluminum, which is often mixed with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to make baking powder. This is a problem because aluminum is one of the toxins commonly found in conventional deodorants and we want to avoid it!
Where to buy empty deodorant sticks?
You can find it on amazon! Here are my favorite:
-
75ml Empty Deodorant Containers (8-Pack); BPA-Free PP Plastic White Twist-Up Refillable Tubes
- 15 ML Clear Empty Plastic Oval Deodorant Containers
The danger of commercial deodorants
Unfortunately, aluminum is just one of the toxic chemicals we’re dealing with when we use a conventional deodorant. Here is a long (but still not all-encompassing) list of chemicals to avoid, all of which are in the popular Secret deodorant brand:
Aluminum zirconium is the active ingredient in most deodorants, which is a problem because it is a known neurotoxin. Some studies have indicated a connection between high aluminum levels and Alzheimer’s disease, and there has also been concern about a link between aluminum and breast cancer.
Cyclopentasiloxane is a chemical compound that has been linked to tumor growth, and also has high bioaccumulation, both in the human body, but also within the environment and animals via polluted water sources.
Stearyl alcohol is a known irritant to the skin.
Petrolatum is a byproduct of petroleum production and is often contaminated by harmful chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during the refining process. These chemicals have been linked to cancer and can be stored in the body’s fats.
Phenyl Trimethicone is a silicone-derivative that has been linked to organ toxicity and may also be implicated in reproductive health issues.
Fragrance is usually a cover word for parabens and phthalates which are used to bind the scent molecules to the beauty product. These compounds mimic estrogen in the body and are considered estrogen-disruptors.
All of these compounds have been shown to have a negative effect in some studies, and most are indicated to have not been studied thoroughly enough to indicate absolutely safe long-term use by the watchdog agency SkinDeep.
Ingredients homemade deodorant without baking soda
Shea butter is made from the nut of the African shea tree. It is a rich nut butter that is naturally soothing to the skin, and it is also high in healing vitamin E. It’s solid texture makes it ideal as a base for a deodorant that you can spread across your skin.
Coconut oil is derived from the kernel of coconuts, and is a natural antiseptic, antifungal oil, which makes it ideal for fighting armpit odor, part of which is attributed to light bacterial growth! Because coconut oil melts on skin contact, it also helps to make this deodorant roll on smoothly.
Beeswax is harvested from the bees’ honeycomb and has a firm texture that helps to make your deodorant keep its solid form.
Arrowroot powder is a natural plant starch, usually from South America. It is highly absorbent so it works to keep your pits dry!
Essential oils
Lavender essential oil is made from the lavender flowers known for their soothing smell. This oil is also naturally antiseptic and has a calming effect on inflammation in the skin.
Rosewood essential oil is distilled from the Brazilian rosewood tree and has a soothing effect on the skin. It has natural antiseptic and deodorant properties.
Frankincense essential oil is made from the resin of the Boswellia sacra tree, native to Somalia and the Middle East, and has been used to boost skin health for hundreds of years due to its high antioxidant content. Best of all, it smells great!
This plastic deodorant stick container allows you to use deodorant the way you’re used to with an easy roll-on application.
Tutorial How To Make Deodorant Without Baking Soda
Step 1
Melt beeswax, oils, and butter in a double boiler on low heat. If you do not have a double boiler, simply use an aluminum bowl placed in a pan filled with warm water.
Step 2
Add the arrowroot powder, mix well. Once melted, remove from heat, add the essential oils. Mix well.
Step 3
Pour immediately into the deodorant containers.
Step 4
Put it in the fridge for 2-3 hours until it has completely solidified.
Enjoy!
Armpit detoxification process with clay when you switch to a DIY natural deodorant
Using this natural deodorant will allow your armpits to detoxify as they adjust to not having an aluminum-based deodorant applied. This phase can last from a few weeks to two months – and its an important part of switching to a natural deodorant.
Of course, detoxification can be uncomfortable, but you can help the process along by doing clay mask detoxes – on your armpits.
Use clay (green or bentonite clay that have detoxifying properties) to detox your armpit three times a week, before you shower.
Green clay is composed of a specific amount of nourishing (and detoxifying!) vitamins and minerals. As it dries, it helps to draw out impurities from the body and skin, and it also helps to rejuvenate the skin and encourage cell turnover.
Simply mix the clay with water to form a thick paste and apply to your armpit. Let it dry and then rinse out.
This will draw out the toxins and help re-open the pores post-aluminum.
You’ll be using your homemade deodorant with ease in no time!
I hope you have enjoyed my recipe, please share the love and rate ***** in the comments below!
I’m Eve, a DIY organic skincare recipe creator since 2010 that loves to make a big mess in the kitchen!
I’ve embarked on a journey to empower women to ditch all the chemical-filled commercial beauty products and to share how to make your own organic beauty recipes at home towards a healthier lifestyle.
Homemade face & body creams, body butter, lips balms, face masks, shampoos, and all-natural perfume will have no more secret for you!
I am self-taught, read many books, and spend many hours in the kitchen creating brand new homemade beauty recipes. All my recipes are unique and are tested on humans!
In 2016, I studied Aromatherapy and became certified by the School of Natural Health Sciences.
Hi, thanks for sharing! Can you tell me if you use refined Shea Butter or Raw? thanks so much!
Author
Hi cal, I’ve used both and now use only unrefined shea butter, I’ve actually just launched my own small business with fair trade and unrefined shea butter 🙂
Its excellent quality for all your DIY beauty projects, take a look here : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HZF6VYR/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_IPv4Fb8V85472
Is it possible to give the measurements in grams?
I would like to know how to measure shea butter. This is my first time using shea butter..
Hi,
Could I use Beeswax or Coconut oil instead of Shea Butter? Or maybe a mix? If yes, how would the measurements change?
Thank you!
Author
that would change the entire recipe so I am afraid not. You could replace shea butter by cocoa butter or mango butter but it will make a much harder deodorant.
Just wondering if you ever have any issues with the oils from the deodorant staining clothing? Thanks!
Hi Eve,
Thanks for posting many wonderful recipes. Will 92 degree coconut oil work well with this recipe instead of extra virgin?
I love your recipes.
I’m trying to determine unit prices for this deodorant. However, I cannot seem to calculate the drops in terms of amounts to get an accurate figure. Can you help? Thanks!